JESUS and Hagar's Predicament (Gen.15-16)

Abram leaves Egypt to go back to where he had built an altar.  By trusting God again, he finds success and not only honors God when standing up to a king, but soon after - Abram becomes "a believer".  This verse here echoes what is said in Romans 4 about what it means to be a "Christian".

(Genesis 15:6)   Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. 

After this, God reminds Abram of His promise, and makes a firm covenant with Abram regarding the land... using a method of making a contract that people used back then. Usually both parties would go through the animal halves (signifying that if anyone broke the contract - that person would be like the dead animals they had just walked through);  but God puts Abram in a "deep sleep" and only God goes through... meaning, even though Abram and his descendants will constantly mess up, God will keep His promise.

BUT once again, Abram soon takes matters into his own hands.  Sarai still could not conceive so she suggests that Abram have an heir through one of her maids - Hagar.  Not trusting that God would follow through with His promise of supplying descendants, Abram agrees to this.  And OF COURSE Sarai immediate becomes jealous and angry and hateful toward the mistress.  (God never condones people having more than one spouse!!!  Gen.2:24  tells us that God's intention has always been - that the man should be joined to his WIFE and become one flesh.)

To escape Sarai's harsh treatment, Hagar runs away.  And while she is out in the wilderness, the angel of the LORD appears to her (Gen.16:7).  In the Old Testament, when it says "THE angel of the Lord", this is the manifestation of God... this would be Jesus.  He tells Hagar to return and submit to her authority, and He would greatly multiply her descendants.  Her son, Ishmael, would one day live east of the Israelites and become a great force to be reckoned with.

Hm... blessings and consequences.  Hagar was blessed for her endurance through persecution.  But through Abram and Sarai's disobedience came great consequences... Not only did they invite adultery into their marriage, but the whole conflict between Arabs and Jews arose from this - because Abram and Sarai did not trust God enough to wait for God's timing to provide!  How many unnecessary consequences have we brought onto our selves and others because we have asked God for something, but then did not trust Him to answer - in our best interest?

And another very cool observation that I just had - is - the angel of the LORD found Hagar, an "outcast"... a pagan woman who was not part of Abram's people, in the wilderness by a spring of water.  This is one of the first passages that mentions God appearing to a woman in the Old Testament.  And then in the New Testament, one of the first passages that mentions Jesus speaking to a woman is - the woman at the well... an "outcast"... a Samaritan woman.  Not only were Samaritans hated by the Jews, but a man speaking to a woman in public was frowned upon in those days.  This just demonstrates how much God loves EVERYONE!!!