Genesis. 16:1-16 Being a Maid ~ Part 2

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1 Genesis 16:1-16 Being a Maid ~ Part 2 O ne of dangers we need to be concerned with is the over simplification of our understanding of the Middle-east. Hopefully we ll see why in the next few minutes. VI. The Patriarchs Chapter 11:11-Chapter 50 B. Abraham Chapters Jumping the Gun Chapter 16 b. God and Hagar Verses 7-15 i. God s Comfort Verses 7-10 ii. God s Promises Verses iii. The implications Isaiah 19 Introduction: Future chapters in Genesis record the fact that God s promises led to a chosen people which came through the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He gave a Promised Land their descendants, the nation Israel, in perpetuity. Sadly, their occupancy was/is conditional on their obedience to God. But I want to remind us this morning that God also gave a promise of blessing to another of Abraham s children. And He intends to keep all of His promises. First though B. God and Hager: let me recap what we ve already see of God s communication with Hager. God didn t want Hager to flee Sarai. He reassured her with the promise of a great people to come from her. He wanted her to return to her mistress and be a good servant. Hager was being reminded that though God was involved, her relationship with Sarai wasn t changing. She was still Sarai s maid and owed her a duty. This same principal is carried on throughout scripture. We are to serve God wherever we are. We are to be good servants. That is we are to be obedient to our circumstances whatever they may be, for we are where God has placed us. But as is the case with Hager, that can be uncomfortable or even very painful. Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him (Ephesians 6:5 9).

2 ii. God s Promises: Then The Angel of the Lord, (the pre-incarnate Christ), gave her a specific prophecy. This was a gift to her from God because of how she was suffering. Parenthetically, this is another passage that can be used to support the sanctity of life. God tells her about the future of the baby she is caring, not the potential of some potential human called a fetus. 1. She was to have a boy. He was to be called Ishmael which can be understood as God shall hear. This would be a long term reassurance of God s involvement in her and the child s life. She would always remember that God kept His word to her. Ishmael is the progenitor of the Arab peoples, one traditional enemy of the Israelites. Muhammad, Ishmael s descendent was the founder of Islam, which acknowledges Abraham as its father. 2. Ishmael s nature was to be that of a wild man or wild ass man. This isn t an easy verse to understand. It appears to mean he would be considered rude, fierce, uncivilized, impatient with the restraints of civilized life. Some feel that this should be considered a general statement not so much about Ishmael himself, but of his seed in general. The EBC puts it this way The second half of Hagar s blessing did not portend well for her son. The text says that he would be a wild donkey of a man (v.12). There is a wordplay between donkey (pere ) and Paran (pa ran; cf. 21:21), the location of the tribes of Ishmael in later history, that is, his hand will be against everyone and everyone s hand against him (v.12). The sense of the last statement in the blessing is uncertain, but its meaning can perhaps be gained from the final statement of the author regarding Ishmael in 21:21, where it is said that he was living in the Desert. That would suggest that the literal Hebrew sense of he shall dwell upon the face of all his brothers would be he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen (RSV; cf. NIV mg.). He was to dwell on the outskirts of civilization, that is, in the wilderness. 1 Keil and Delitzch note: He will be a wild ass of a man. The figure of a a rrúp, onager, that wild and untameable animal, roaming at its will in the desert, of which so highly poetic a description is given in Job 39:5-8, depicts most aptly the Bedouin s boundless love of freedom as he rides about in the desert, spear in hand, upon his camel or his horse, hardy, frugal, revelling in the varied beauty of nature, and despising town life in every form; and the words, his hand will be against every man, and every man s hand against him, describe most truly the incessant state of feud, in which the Ishmaelites live with one another or with their neighbours God goes on to talk further about this seed. There would be a constant state of chaos, feuding between the his descendants. Additionally, this same level of hostilities would also be directed against their neighbors. You do have to admit this sounds a lot like the Middle-East. 1 Sailhamer, John H., The Expositor s Bible Commentary, Genesis, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, Keil, C. F. and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 1, The Pentateuch, William B. Eerdman s Publishing Co, Grand Rapids, MI, ) 180 (

3 4. The people will keep their tents where they desire to dwell. In other words they will maintain their independence. And this too has been the case. Verses 13-14: Hager had a new thought. She realized that she too lived in the eye of God. He was concerned for her. This was surprising to her and she realized that she was privileged. As a consequence she gave recognition to her experiencing the presence of God. Because of this meeting the well where she was received a name which means The well of Him who lives and sees me. And that well still existed at the time Moses wrote this account. Verses 15-16: Finally, Moses summarizes the action. God gave Hager the promised son named Ishmael. Abram was 86 at the time the boy was born. But he was not the child that God had promised Abram. It s at this point we ll pick up next time, but iii. The implications: I want to step back for a moment and consider the implications of God s promises to Hager through the prophet in Isaiah, in Isaiah Chapter 19. It is easy to see the Arab peoples as our enemies. Even if we are specific, saying we are concerned about the dangers presented by Islam, we are missing the point. And yes, I do understand that unlike the Bible, the Koran actually does give support for violence against those who reject Islam, its only a minority of orthodox Muslims who support these teachings. But remember, our calling is to spread the Gospel to all peoples. This is intended be our primary concern. And since God told Hager He d be watching over her, it is important to understand He continues to have a plan for her descendants. In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction. In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them. In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance. (Isaiah 19:18 25). The prophecy concerns Egypt and Assyria. Today we do not know Assyria by that name because the great empire has been broken up. Today we would say Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, or, as the newspapers Lump them together, the Arab world. 3 3 Criswell, W. A., Isaiah, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1977, p ) 181 (

4 Verse 18: There are five In that Day statements in this chapter. We ll start with the second. There are some difficulties in dealing with the verses, but we can see the possibility that as with a number of prophecies there was a past foreshadowing of a final fulfillment. It can refer to a Jewish presence in Egypt and worship of the Lord there. This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis and in Upper Egypt (Jeremiah 44:1). It should also be noted there are a couple of ways of translating the words City of Destruction. Leupold points out. by a very slight change in the writing of one consonant this could be construed as a subtle play on the words; for then a name that was originally the City of the Sun (i.e., Heliopolis Greek belios means sun ) would be referred to as a city some way distinguished by destruction. 4 Verses 19-22: In that Day number three. This is another statement of God s mercy generating His discipline. Here we are told He strikes Egypt with a plague (vs. 22). But His purpose, as historically with Israel, is to bring the nation to repentance and turn her to Him, which she does. Egypt will become a follower of Christ. There is evidence from Josephus that Onias III, when founding the Jewish temple at Leontopolis, appealed to this verse as biblical warrant for the erection of such a temple in Egypt. Although one or more historical fulfillments of such a prediction could be plausibly suggested 5 this is a foreshadowing of a coming fulfillment during the Millennial age. Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds (Hosea 6:1). Where there was worship of many gods there will be worship of the one true God. While there may have been some worship of the Lord in Egypt, it will only be national under the Messiah. Vine states: The Jewish religion actually spread in Egypt. Synagogues were built, one especially at Heliopolis, and later on a church was erected at Alexandria. Subsequently Egypt was smitten by the power of Islam. Islam will not prevail permanently. 6 Today we live in an age when Islam continues to grow in size, power, and domination of some countries. It has even moved into this country. But we see here and in the final verses of the chapter dealing with Assyria, (the Arab nations and Iraq) that Islam is a temporary problem within the Arab world which will one day fall to Christ s truth. Verses 23-25: Here we find In that Day numbers four and five. Where Egypt and Assyria were once great enemies now they are unified in the Lord and in the midst of them we find Israel. We have a triumvirate of nations serving the Lord. 4 Leupold, H. C., Exposition of Isaiah, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1971, p Grogan. 6 Vine, W. E., Isaiah, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1971, p. 61. ) 182 (

5 Those who have followed Mohammad seeing Christ as simply a prophet of God will finally recognize Him as God. They will turn from religion to a relationship with the one true God. And as for Israel The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jeremiah 31:31-34). she will turn from her empty religious philosophy and realize she hasn t served God in centuries. Instead she has served her own views of who she wants Him to be. But in this future time she will realize Jesus is the Messiah, is God. And, she will turn to Him. Then and only then will we find true peace in the Middle East. And that peace comes not when Israel defeats the Arab world, or when that world extinguishes the Jewish people, but when both turn to Christ and worship at His altars. Conclusion: This passage is exciting and hopeful for two obvious reasons. First, if contemporary Christianity understands the true implications of this passage it might affect just how we understand the Middle-Eastern situation. Yes, we need to support Israel s right to exist and to live in peace. After all The LORD had said to Abram, Leave your country, your people and your father s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:1-3). But at the same time we need to understand God s future plan for Egypt and the Arab states. This means we need to be concerned with the opportunity to pray for the followers of Islam and their salvation. We need to be as concerned with reaching them with the gospel as we are with the Jew. All these people need to receive forgiveness and salvation or they face an eternity of God s wrath. But, praise the Lord, we know one day all these peoples will come to a saving knowledge of Christ. This in turn reminds us that no matter how far a people appear to be from God, the Holy Spirit can touch them and they can be saved. In turn this means when we find ourselves dealing with someone who appears to be hopeless, it is not our prerogative to judge them as such. The Holy Spirit can touch them too. As long as someone lives, there is always the possibility they will repent and accept God s gift of salvation. ) 183 (

6 Our call then isn t to judge the lost, be they nations, groups, or individuals. Our call is to present the message of God s wrath and mercy. Who do you know who is hopeless? Pray for that person this week and in the days to come. Let us never give up, but fight the battle, desiring souls and being God s instrument of plucking them out of the fires of eternity. Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Cords that are broken will vibrate once more. To they are slighting Him, still He is waiting Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, plead with the gently, He will forgive if they only believe. Rescue the perishing, duty demands it Strength for your labor the Lord will provide; Back to the narrow way patiently win them, Tell the poor wand rer a Savior has died. Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. 7 7 Crosby, Fanny J., The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration, Rescue the Perishing, Word Music, Waco, TX, #299. ) 184 (

7 Genesis 16:1-16 Being a Maid ~ Part 2 VI. The Patriarchs Chapter 11:11-Chapter 50 B. Abraham Chapters Jumping the Gun Chapter 16 b. God and Hagar Verses 7-15 i. God s Comfort Verses 7-10 ii. God s Promises Verses iii. The implications Isaiah 19 Introduction: B. God and Hager: (Ephesians 6:5 9). ii. God s Promises: 1. She was to have a boy.

8 2. Ishmael s nature was to be that of a wild man or wild ass man. 3. God goes on to talk further about this seed. 4. The people will maintain their independence. Verses 13-14: Verses 15-16:

9 iii. The implications: (Isaiah 19:18 25) Verse 18: (Jeremiah 44:1) Verses 19-22: (Hosea 6:1) Verses 23-25: (Jeremiah 31:31-34) Conclusion: (Genesis 12:1-3)