DIGGING DEEP NO. 988 – JUNE 6, 2023 ABRAHAM – A STUDY OF FAITH IN GOD (PART 8)                                 Gen.16: 1 – 16.

The detour is always worse than the main road. This Chapter records a detour that Abraham and Sarah made in their pilgrim walk that brought conflict not only into their home but also into the world. The Arab- Israeli conflict began right here. The lesson in this chapter is about walking by faith and waiting for God to fulfill His promises in His way and in His time.

Waiting – Gen.16: 1. Abraham was now eighty-five years old. God had promised Abraham and Sarah a child but had not told them when the child would be born. It was a period of waiting and most people don’t like to wait, but it is through faith and patience that we inherit the promise Heb.6: 12. The question is why did God wait so long? He wanted Abraham and Sarah to be physically “as good as dead” Heb.11: 12, so that God alone would get the glory. At age eighty-five Abraham was still virile enough to father a child by Hagar; so, the time for the miracle baby had not yet arrived. A willingness to wait on the Lord is evidence that you are walking by faith Is.28: 16. Whenever we stop trusting God, we start to “make haste” in the wrong direction.

Another evidence of faith is that you are acting on the authority of God’s Word Rom.10: 17. The Bible records in the book of Hebrews the mighty acts of ordinary men and women who dared to believe God’s promises and obey His commandments.

Finally, whenever you act by faith, God will give you joy and peace in your life Rom.15: 13. Conflict may surround you, but you will have God’s peace within.          

While Abraham and Sarah were waiting, God was increasing their faith and patience and building their character Jam.1: 1- 4.

What happened that put Abraham and Sarah on a painful detour?

Scheming – Gen.16: 1- 4 true faith is based on the Word of God and not on the wisdom of man Rom.10: 17, Prov.3: 5- 6. Sarah said “perhaps”, “It may be”. Abraham’s taking Hagar as a second wife was perfectly legal according to the marriage code of that day, but not everything that is legal or that appears to be successful is approved by the will of God. God never accepted Hagar as Abraham’s wife. The angel of the Lord called her “Sarah’s maid” Gen.16: 8. Later she was called “This bondwoman and her son” Gen.21: 10. God rejected the whole enterprise because He had something far better in mind for Abraham and Sarah.

Abraham and Sarah failed woefully in this particular test.

They were unwilling to wait in the Lord, but rushed ahead with their own plans.

They acted only to please themselves and not to glorify God.

They were not obeying the Word, and what they did certainly did not bring joy and peace to their hearts or their home.

Fighting – Gen.16: 4- 6 when you follow the wisdom of the world, you will end up fighting like the world Jam.4: 1- 10. Our battles among ourselves are caused because we obey our three enemies: the world Jam.4: 4, the flesh Jam.4: 1, and the devil Jam.4: 7.

Hagar had to submit to God – Gen.16: 7- 14 the angel called Hagar Sarah’s maid which suggests that God did not accept her marriage to Abraham. Most probably Hagar was on her way back to Egypt when she met the angel, but God told her to return back to Abraham’s camp and submit herself to her mistress. God told her she was pregnant and should name him Ishmael. Ishmael would still enjoy blessings from God since he was Abraham’s son. He was the founder of the Arab peoples. He would be a wild and hated man living in hostility towards all his brothers Gen.16: 12.

Sarah had to submit to God. How did Sarah feel when Hagar came back to the camp and reported that God had talked with her? Did God have time for a poor servant? Was God concerned about a slave girl’s baby? Did the God of Israel care for an Egyptian? The answer is all yes. She accepted Hagar back and Sarah did not mistreat her again for after-all, God was watching.

Abraham had to submit to God. Abraham played a rather passive role. He allowed Sarah talked him into marrying Hagar. He allowed Sarah to mistreat Hagar and drive her from the camp.

Rom.5: 17 In Genesis 15, grace was reigning through righteousness because of Abraham’s faith. Gen.15: 6 Abraham was reigning in life to the glory of God. He abdicated the throne in Genesis 16, and sin started to reign. Unbelief, impatience, anger, pride, and indifference took over in Abraham’s home and almost destroyed it.

In Conclusion – Like Abraham and Sarah, we can confess our sins accept God’s cleansing and then learn to live with your mistakes; there will be pain and regret, but God’s grace will overcome in the end. The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings.