Genesis 16:1–16
Introduction
If you live in Dallas, one of the “privileges”
you have is dealing with the enormous traffic problem. I was reminded of this
problem recently when I took a day trip there. To make matters worse, it rained
on the day I went.
That particular day the traffic seemed to be bumper to
bumper and I never got over forty miles per hour. Needless to say, I grew
impatient. I gripped the steering wheel waiting for something to happen,
waiting for someone to move. I was frustrated because I had a destination in
mind, but it seemed as though I would never get there.
My story illustrates a well-known fact about human nature:
we don’t like to wait. We have fast-food restaurants because we don’t like to
wait, and we’ll avoid sit-down restaurants if the line is too long.
The ABC show 20/20 once aired an experiment with children
on waiting and self-control. The children were given two choices: they could
have a cookie right away or they could wait while the reporter ran an errand
and then they could have two cookies. Some of the preschoolers grabbed the
single cookie immediately, while others waited up to twenty minutes to receive
their two cookies. Those who wanted the two cookies used all kinds of tactics
to sustain themselves. Some covered their eyes so they would not see the
cookies set before them. Some rested their heads on their arms, talked to
themselves, sang, and even tried to sleep. The follow-up of this study revealed
that those who were able to wait and forgo the instant gratification kept that
same temperament throughout their adolescence. The more impulsive kids, those who
gave into instant gratification, grew up to be more stubborn, indecisive, and
stressed.
In the life of faith, waiting on God is the hardest part.
Just as we dislike waiting at restaurants, in lines, and in traffic, we also
dislike waiting on God to act on our behalf. It is not that we don’t want God
to act; it is just that we want him to act on our behalf according to our timing, not his. We know that God wants to teach
us patience, but we want him to hurry up and do it. In Genesis 16 we see Abram
and Sarai struggling with waiting on God. They are growing impatient. In Abram
and Sarai’s growing impatience we see why the waiting is the hardest part.
The Waiting Is the Hardest Part
Genesis 16:1 shows that Abram and Sarai are in
God’s waiting room, “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children.” We
started our study in the last part of Genesis 11 where we were told that Sarai
was barren. Yet God had promised Abram that he would be a “great nation” and
that his descendants would outnumber the dust of the earth and the stars of the
heavens, but still they had no child. Abram and Sarai were in God’s waiting
room, in God’s holding pattern. Genesis 16:3 tells us they had been in this
pattern for ten years. This was the ten-year time period between God’s promise
of a child (Genesis 11 and 12) and their current situation (Genesis 16). They
had been waiting for God to fulfill his promise of a seed for a decade.
From Genesis 15, we remember that Abram wondered how God
would fulfill his promise when he asked the Lord if it would be Eliezer, his
servant, who would be the heir, and the Lord told him that Abram’s heir would
be from his own body.
Now the Lord never specifically said that the seed would
come through both Abram and Sarai, but it sure is implied in verse 16:1 where
the narrative says that Sarai was Abram’s wife. This designation of Sarai as
Abram’s wife points us back to Genesis 2 where we see God creating the
institution of marriage—a man shall leave his father and mother and become one
flesh with his wife. God’s creative intention is that there be one man and one
woman in marriage and that procreation would take place through this
institution.
The scene is set. We find Abram and Sarai in God’s waiting
room, longing for God to fulfill his promise. But the waiting is the hardest
part, and during that time we are often tempted to question God’s timing and
ability in our situation when he seems to be doing nothing about it.
We Are Tempted to Question
God’s Timing and Ability in our Situation
We are told in verse 1 that not only was Sarai
childless, but also that she had a maid whose name was Hagar. Hagar is an
important character in Genesis 16, one that we will see more of in following
verses.
After the setting of the scene in verse 1, the author
reveals that Sarai is beginning to question God’s timing and ability in this
situation, “So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from
bearing children.’ ” To some degree Sarai is right about the Lord preventing
her from bearing a child, but she is not making a statement of fact; instead
she is complaining and even blaming God for her childless situation. We need to
recognize Sarai’s frustration, which is directed toward the Lord.
When Sarai was promised a child she was no spring chicken,
but now, some ten years has passed and it is very possible that menopause had
set in, eliminating any human possibility for her to have a child. Therefore
she directed her frustration with the Lord to Abram. Sarai questioned not only
God’s promise, but also his character. This is the temptation that can arise
when we are in God’s waiting room, a temptation that is presented before us
from the Devil himself.
What took place in Genesis 16 parallels what happened in
Genesis 3. When the serpent (the Devil) tempted Eve, he did so with questions
about God’s truthfulness and God’s character. The Devil was at it once again;
he wanted Sarai to give into the temptation and to question God’s timing and
ability.
The Devil had a vested interest in tempting Sarai. You
have to remember that the Lord sentenced the Devil to ultimate defeat back in
Genesis 3 when he said that the seed of the woman would crush the seed of the
serpent. This was an indication of the Devil’s ultimate doom, a doom that would
come through the seed of the woman, through the seed of Abraham, and that was
sealed by the person of Jesus Christ. The Devil did not want the promised child
to come about because he did not want to meet his ultimate destiny of
destruction.
In the same way that the Devil tried to thwart the plan of
God’s unfolding redemption, he also tries to thwart God’s plans for our lives
when we are waiting on God to act on our behalf. In thwarting that plan he will
tempt us so that we will begin to question God’s timing and ability.
It is important to note that even after Genesis 16 and all
that takes place in it, Sarai will still have to wait about another fifteen
years to see the promise of a child fulfilled. The reason for the long wait is
that God wants Abram and Sarai to be in a situation where only God’s ability
and power could bring about the fulfillment of the promise.
Similar temptations take place with people who sign up for
short-term mission trips. They put their name down to go even though they don’t
have the money. They make their needs known, but the money does not come. They
begin to question God’s timing and ability almost to the point of backing out.
I tell people like that to wait because the Devil wants to keep people from
going to share the gospel, but God likes to get us to where we know without a
doubt that he, and he alone, provides.
If we fail to overcome the temptation of questioning God’s
timing and ability, it can lead us to more troubles. When we get frustrated
with God, then we are tempted to look to the world for solutions to our
situation.
We Are Tempted to
Look to the World for Solutions
That is exactly what Sarai did. Past the point
of no return, she let the temptation of the Devil cast doubt about the Lord and
seduce her senses, and with this she would now look to the world for a solution
to her situation.
Sarai had a plan, a worldly strategy, but at least she
could see something in action. That seemed more than what God was doing at this
point. Sarai devised her own plot with her maid Hagar and Abram as the main
characters, “Please go into my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through
her” (Genesis 16:2). You can see her thinking at this point, “God gives us the
ability to make decisions and act on them, so maybe he’s waiting for me to do
something.” At this point, Sarai, like Eve, decided to be like God and help him
out with fulfilling his promise. But in reality she resorted to a human
solution to a divine situation.
What Sarai proposed was a regular and accepted practice in
her culture. If the wife was barren, it was not uncommon for the husband to
take another wife for the purpose of having children. We should not think it
too odd; it is similar to our having surrogate mothers today. But the reality
of this solution is that it was a worldly way out.
Further evidence this was a worldly resolution is found in
the fact that Hagar was an Egyptian. Most likely, Abram and Sarai attained
Hagar during their journey into Egypt, a journey they took because Abram,
instead of waiting on God, looked to the world for solutions. Also, you may
remember that for the most part when God’s people went to Egypt they did so
because they were not trusting in the Lord, but looking to the world for
solutions. That is what Sarai did; she looked to the world instead of waiting
on the Lord.
What may seem to be an acceptable practice to the world
may not be from the Lord. The Lord intended for man to be married to one woman
and to have children with his wife. Thus, the world may accept a common
solution to a situation, but that does not mean that it is God’s will. Yet we
are quick to act on our own, as evidenced by Abram’s response to Sarai’s
suggestion. Here, Abram reveals one more temptation: when waiting on God we
listen to other voices for our supervision.
We Are Tempted to Listen to
Other Voices for Our Supervision
Sarai told Abram the plan and then he
responded, “And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.” (Genesis 16:2). Who did
Abram listen to? He listened to his wife. This is exactly what happened in
Genesis 3 with Adam; he listened to the voice of Eve. In both instances the
husbands relinquished their responsibility of leadership by listening to the
voices of their wives when they should have listened to the voice of God. In
Adam’s case he should have remembered that the Lord told him personally not to
eat of the tree. In Abram’s case he should have told Sarai that the Lord
promised him in a vision a child through Abram and his God-ordained wife. Don’t
get me wrong; sometimes it is wise for husbands to listen to their wives, but
never in disobedience to God’s word, which is the context of Adam and Abram’s
situations.
When we are in God’s holding pattern, we will begin to
hear many voices, voices of doubt, temptation, and despair, voices with worldly
solutions. But the one voice we must listen to is that of the Lord. Waiting on
God is the hardest part because we are often tempted to question God’s timing
and ability, to look to the world for solutions, and to listen to those whose
counsel is not godly. When we give into these temptations instead of waiting on
God, we will find that the troubles we are trying solve will not depart.
The Troubles Will Not Depart
Sarai might have had good intentions when she
took things into her own hands, but her plans would cause problems. When Sarai
and Abram tried to solve a divine situation with a human solution, they learned
two lessons. First, they learned that when you fail to wait on God and resort
to human solutions, troubles are not solved; instead, they become worse.
Human Solutions Can Make Troubles Worse
In verses 3 through 6 Sarai and Abram resorted
to the human solution for fulfilling God’s divine plan, “After Abram had lived
ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian,
her maid, and gave her to her husband as his wife.” This designation of Hagar
as “Abram’s wife” elevated Hagar from her lowly position as Sarai’s servant to
being her equal. The change in status also shows a transfer of authority and
responsibility. Hagar was previously Sarai’s responsibility, but now she would
be Abram’s responsibility.[1]
Verse 4 tells us that Abram and Sarai had relations and
that Hagar conceived. Their plan was successful. Or was it? Sarai would soon
find out that in addition to this not solving her infertility problem, she had
made things worse.
Hagar, enjoying her elevated status and the fact that she
was carrying Abram’s child, let pride take over. “He went into Hagar, and she
conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised
in her sight.” Hagar had an attitude problem. We are told that she despised
Sarai in her sight. The Hebrew word translated “despised” in this verse is the
same root of the Hebrew word translated “curse” in Genesis 12:3 where the Lord
promises Abram that he will curse those who curse Abram. Hagar showed great
disrespect and dishonor toward her former mistress. Not only did that make
things worse between Hagar and Sarai, but it also caused problems between
husband and wife.
The once quiet and peaceful home was now a battlefield
with Hagar despising Sarai, Sarai in turn despising Hagar, and now Sarai
blaming Abram for Hagar’s attitude, “And Sarai said to Abram, ‘May the wrong
done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she
had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the Lord judge between you and
me.” Sarai, in so many words, attacked Abram and blamed him for her problems.
Isn’t that just like human nature? Instead of taking responsibility for our own
sins we blame others.
Abram would respond by once again acquiescing to his wife
instead of assuming leadership, “But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Behold, your maid is
in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” Abram put Hagar back
under the power and responsibility of Sarai by moving Hagar back to her servant
position.
Sarai would use her rank to get back at Hagar, “So Sarai
treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.” The word “harshly” is the
same word used to describe the treatment of the Israelites when they were in
bondage in Egypt. Hagar received treatment so cruel that she had to flee from
Abram’s home.
The human solution to a divine promise did not work out.
Things got terribly worse within the household of Abram. Disunity as well as
abuse plagued the home. Why? Human solutions often intensify troubles. One
person has rightly said, “In whatever man does without God, he must fail
miserably, or succeed more miserably.”[2]
Though the conception might have seemed like a successful solution to their
problem, their troubles multiplied—and they became permanent.
Human Solutions
Can Make Troubles Permanent
After Hagar fled, she made her way into the
wilderness and stopped by a spring on the way to Shur. It is by this spring
that Hagar would have an encounter with the angel of the Lord. The appearing of
the angel of the Lord is what theologians call a theophany. In this theophany
we see God address Hagar’s affliction. What took place between the Lord and
Hagar demonstrates the concern God has for all people. Abram was God’s chosen
man, but God was and is still concerned for those (like Hagar) outside the
covenant.
The Lord would take care of Hagar and her child; however,
another gross effect of Sarai and Abram’s human intervention would result in
Hagar’s son Ishmael becoming a permanent problem for the nation of Israel. In
Genesis 16:10, the Lord told Hagar that he would “greatly multiply her
descendants, so that they will be too many to count.” The angel of the Lord
went on to say, “Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son; and you
shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has given heed to your
affliction. He will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against
everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; and he will live to the east
of his brothers” (Genesis 16:11–12). Ishmael’s future would be characterized by
hostility. To be a “wild donkey” means to be in constant conflict. Ishmael and
his descendants would always be in conflict with Abram’s promised child, Isaac.
Even today, looking at the relations between the Middle
East and Israel, we witness the enduring and permanent nature of the problem
that Sarai and Abram created by resorting to their own solution. Despite the
great deal of talk about peace in the Middle East and between the Israelis and
Arabs, it will truly never happen because the Lord says here that there will be
constant conflict between Ishmael and his half brother Isaac. Every time you
read about an explosion in Israel or about Israel attacking the Palestinians,
remember that the conflict is the fruit of not waiting on God.
How can we avoid making mistakes like Abram and Sarai? How
can we keep ourselves from the temptation to act on our circumstances while we
should be waiting on God? The answer is found in the heart.
The Answer Is in the Heart
Let’s examine the dialogue in Genesis 16
between the Lord and Hagar. In this discourse the Lord reveals a truth that
Abram and Sarai knew, but because of their impatience they forgot. What the
Lord promised Hagar and how she responded reveals the great truth of this
chapter—answers are found in who God is and can be attained only from within
the heart of God’s people. To wait for the Lord, not resorting to our own hasty
actions, we need a heart that prays.
A Heart that Prays
The dialogue between Hagar and the Lord says
nothing about prayer, but the implication exists in the name the Lord gave to
Hagar’s son, “Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son; and you
shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has given heed to your
affliction.” The name Ishmael means “God hears.” It does not say that Hagar
prayed, but we know that the Lord heard her affliction, her crying out because
of the harsh treatment at the hands of her mistress Sarai.
When Hagar went back to live in the house of Abram and
gave birth to the child, Abram did indeed name him Ishmael. Hagar told Abram
everything the Lord told her when he appeared to her in the wilderness. Every
time Abram and Sarai said the name Ishmael they would be reminded of their
failure to fervently pray and wait on God instead of resorting to human
devices. Too many times God’s people have the attitude “when all else fails,
pray.” But the reality is all else will fail, unless we pray. Unfortunately,
Abram and Sarai found this out the hard way.
Are you in God’s waiting room? Then pray. God hears you
and he understands the affliction you are in. Don’t question God. Don’t look to
the world. Don’t listen to other voices for direction. Pray fervently to the
Lord, for he hears you and he sees you, he knows what you need and when you
need it. Have a heart that not only prays, but that also believes.
A Heart that Believes
Genesis 16:13–14 proves that Hagar believed
what the Lord told her, “Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her,
‘You are a God who sees’; for she said, ‘Have I even remained alive after
seeing him?’ ” What a great declaration of faith and hope. She believed the
promise of God, put her hope in the promise, and then made her way back to
Abram and Sarai as the Lord commanded.
God puts us in his waiting room, sometimes in long holding
patterns for a reason. He makes us wait so we will learn to seek him in prayer
and take him at his word. He doesn’t answer right away so that he can produce
within us a character that perseveres. His purposeful delay helps us learn to
trust in his wise and sovereign will. The more quickly we learn to submit and
yield to him, the less trouble we will bring upon ourselves and the more
blessings God will shower upon us.
As I was writing this section of the book, a secular song
that I listened to as a teenager kept coming to my mind, The Waiting by
Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers. The lyrics speak of a man waiting for a
relationship to flower into full-blown love. But the chorus of the song can
really speak to the journey of faith and walking with God. In fact, I
“borrowed” words from the chorus for the title of this chapter.
The waiting is
the hardest part
Everyday you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is
the hardest part
Certainly on the journey of faith the waiting is the
hardest part. It is hard because of the temptations that will come as we wait
for God to act. It is difficult because when we give into those temptations and
resort to human solutions apart from God the troubles do not really depart, but
often become worse and sometimes permanent. The answer for waiting is found in
the heart that knows that God hears and sees, leading us to pray and believe,
yielding patiently to God’s wise and sovereign will.
Are you waiting on God? To give you guidance? To bring you
deliverance? Pray, believe, and wait patiently because the Lord hears you and
sees you. Pray and believe because “the Lord fulfills the desires of those who
fear him; he hears their cry and saves them” (Psalm 145:19). Keep waiting—God
will act on your behalf in his perfect timing.
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