GENESIS CHAPTER 16 ------------------ Verses 1-2, In these first two verses we see a great trial of Abraham's faith. God had promised him a seed and then in Chapter 15 God repeats his promise to Abram and "Abram believed God" (15:6). Abram has had his faith tried ever since the Lord called him out of his home land. 1) The FERVOR of his faith was tried - Did he love God more than his homeland? 2) The SUFFICIENCY of his faith was tried - When he arrived in the land, would he trust God to supply all his needs. There was a famine in the land and Egypt was at hand to lure Abram away from where he needed to be. 3) The HUMILITY of his faith was tried - Would he assert his "rights" with Lot because of pride or in humility take what ever was left in order to maintain peace. Strife between his herdsmen and lots herdsmen was there to try his faith no sooner than he was back in the place where he had left before going down to Egypt. 4) The BOLDNESS of his faith was tested - When Lot was captured would he fear those kings or in faith rescue Lot. Immediately after the rescue fear sets in and he would either fear those Kings or trust that God was his sword and shield. 5) The DIGNITY of his faith was tried - Would he accept a reward from the king of Sodom or refuse it. This happened immediately after he received a blessing by Melchisadec. 6) Now the PATIENCE of his faith is being tested - Would he WAIT on God to fulfill His promise or would he take matters into his own hands. This is mentioned after it is recorded in 15:6 that "Abram believed God" concerning his promise to him that he would have a seed. "And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai." - It is to be noted that the father of the human race, Adam, harkened unto the voice of his wife and now the father of the faithful harkens unto the voice of his wife. Abram's response should have been as Job's response to his wife was: "Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh." There is a time to listen to advice and a time not to. When we are walking by faith then we probably don't need advice, but when we are walking in the flesh we probably do need advice. Verse 3, In this verse we see that after Abram had begun in the Spirit he sought to be made perfect by the flesh. READ: Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which GENDERETH TO BONDAGE, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Being made perfect by the works of the law is of the flesh and not of faith. But trusting that we are made perfect by Christ is of faith. Abram sought to fulfill God's promise by the energy of the flesh and not wait to receive it by faith. We see the result to this step, that could only "gendereth to bondage," immediately in the next verse. Verse 4, Human nature (fallen) sets in. When Hagar saw that she was with child, she despised Sarai, he mistress. After all, she was Abram's wife now too, and she had given him a child. Her son would now inherit Abram possessions and fulfill the promise God had made to Abram, so she thought, and she looked down on Sarai and thought herself above her. "Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." (Pr 16:18) One sin begat's another and much trouble is to follow. Verse 5, Sarai appeals to Abram for the wrong that is being done to her. She puts the ball, so to speak, in his court. There is a wrong being done here and she thinks that Abram needs to get the matter straight. Verse 6, Abram just passes the job of straightening this mess out back to Sarai. And Sarai was hard on her handmaid and she fled from her into the wilderness. Notice that Abram says, "Thy maid" and not "my wife." Perhaps Solomon referred to this when he said: Pr 21:19 [It is] better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. Verse 7, The "angel of the Lord" here I believe is the Lord Jesus Christ, because in verse 10 He says that He will multiply her seed. This is God himself in pre-incarnate form. See verse 13: "the LORD that spake unto her" She is by a fountain, called a "well" in verse 14. Shur = "wall" 1) a place southwest of Palestine on the eastern border or within the border of Egypt; the Israelites passed through the wilderness of Shur after crossing the Red Sea. Jesus is the fountain of water and he is found in the wilderness when we are shut up against a wall. Verses 8-9, The Lord address her as "Sarai's maid," perhaps not recognizing her marriage to Abram and also letting Hagar know her duty to her mistress and that she should return to her and SUBMIT herself unto Sarai. After a time she would be sent out from Sarai and would serve her no more. See Gen 21:1-14 Verses 10-12, We see the Lord's promise to her concerning her seed. She is to call her son Ishmael. Ishmael = "God will hear" Ishmael is the father of the Arab peoples who are mostly Muslims, today, and are still against the Jews. The statement that he will be a "wild man" may refer more to his descendants than to Ishmael himself. Verse 13, She called the name of the Lord, "Thou God seest me." Or else, the sense is that she called upon the name of the Lord. her we see that it was the LORD himself (JEHOVAH) that spoke to her. Verse 14, The well was called Beerlahairoi. Beer-lahai-roi = "well of the Living One seeing me" 1) a well west of Kadesh, south of Israel Kadesh = "holy" 1) a city in the extreme south of Judah 1a) same as 'Kedesh' and 'Kadesh-barnea' Bered = "hail" 2) a place in the south of Palestine, near Kadesh, near the well Lahairoi Verses 15-16, Hagar bares Ishmael when Abram was 86 years old.