Study From the Book of Genesis.16

Study From the Book of Genesis,16

Today we study chapter 16 of the Book of Genesis. I choose two biblical principles and their lessons which are useful in Biblical Counselling.

One of the principal themes in Genesis is the quest for children, especially sons. In Abram and Sarai ‘s lives the theme got much attention. In the Old Testament infertility cause a great distress. At that time women were always blamed. When woman could not conceive, the husband would divorce her. Sarai’s desperate play to have a child through Hagar was fully understandable in those days. In Abram’s days that would not regard as immoral. Hagar would become a surrogate mother for Sarai.

Sarai and Abram enlisted Hagar’s aid after ten years of the promise from God for Abram to have a child through Sarai. At this point Abram would have 85 years old and Sari 75.

Sarai paid an emotional price. Using surrogate would have been acceptable, but the hatred and belittling by the arrogant servant was excoriating for Sarai. Now she saw the pride of her servant, Sarai was humiliated.

Sarai frustration led her to treat Hagar harshly. Neither she nor Abram behaved well in this stressful time. The Bible often shows the best characters at their worst moments. So, Hagar left and the Angel of the Lord appeared to her by a spring of water. She was alive with her child and yet she had no place to go and no future. God promised Hagar to multiply her descendants. The name of the child is Ismail which means God hears. The descendants of Isamael would often have been at wars. Although Hagar was Egyptian, she had eventually come to faith in the Lord.

Structure

Verses: 1-18: Hagar and Ismael.

Principle 26: verse 16:4---“So he went in to Hagar and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised om her eyes.”

Lesson 26: Sarai found out the hard way that whatever we acquire outside of God’ will often turns to ashes. Her plain to raise a family through Hagar misfired badly.

Principle 27: 16:9: -----“The Angel of the Lord said to her’ Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.”

Lesson 27: Hagar had to learn that as children of sovereign God, we are never victims to our circumstances. God does not want us to run away from our problems, but to face them with His help. 21/12/2025.