Not Quite Ready

In the years to follow, Abram and Sarai continue to wonder when they will have children. When Sarai is approximately 76 years old, she persuades Abram to sleep with her Egyptian maidservant saying, “Perhaps I can build a family through her”. Sarai believes the Lord has kept her from having children so she decides to find a solution. It was not uncommon at the time for a woman to do this and legally the child would belong to Abram and Sarai.

So Abram agrees to the plan and sleeps with Sarai’s maidservant. When Hagar discovers she is pregnant, she despises her mistress. Sarai complains to Abram that this turn of events is his fault and scolds, “May the Lord judge between you and me”. Abram reminds Sarai that Hagar is still her maidservant (not his wife), so he instructs her to do with Hagar whatever she thinks is best. Then Sarai mistreats her, and Hagar flees to the desert.

The angel of the Lord finds Hagar near a spring in the desert. He graciously addresses her by name and tells her to remember her position as a servant and to go back to Sarai and submit to her. The angel declares that she is with child and she will have a son. The Lord has heard her misery and the boy will be named “Ishmael” (God hears). The angel promises that her descendants will be too numerous to count.

Hagar is humbled at the encounter, and addresses the Lord, “You are the God who sees me…I have now seen the One who sees me.” Hagar obeys and returns to submit to Sarai. By doing so, Hagar is able to see fulfilled what the angel said would happen. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore him a son, and he named him Ishmael.

While reading this story, I couldn't help but notice some contradictions. Previously, Abram had believed what the Lord promised concerning his future, but now he is agreeing to a plan devised by his wife. Sarai believed the Lord kept her from having children; yet, she tries to have a child anyway (by Hagar). When the plan works and Hagar conceives, Sarai mistreats her. Hagar runs away, nearly forfeiting her place in Abram's household--this might have caused her to eventually lose her health, her baby, and possibly her life. Similar to a modern-day soap opera, nothing is working out as planned, and although Ishmael is eventually born, it is under less than ideal circumstances with a foreshadowing of pain and difficulty for Ishmael, his mother, and future generations. It would be 13 more years before the Lord appears again to confirm the previous covenant with Abram (and Sarai).