God's Covenant with Hagar
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On the day the Lord made the Lord made the blood covenant with Abram, He promised Abram that he would have a heir who will come from his own body (Genesis 15:4). After Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, and gave her to Abram to be his wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When Hagar realized she had conceived her attitude toward Sarai was changed, she was filled with contempt and disdain. Sarai went to Abram and said to him, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes.” But Abram said to Sarai, “your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar, she ran away, not only avoided the wrath of Sarai.
There is something else involved in Hagar running. It is something that goes deeper than avoiding the wrath of Sarai. It is something we all struggle with when things don’t go our way or some one says something about us that are not true. That something is pride; hurt feeling heal much quicker than hurt pride.
Regardless of the situation, Hagar has an obligation to Abram and she can not fulfill that obligation in the land of Egypt, where it appears she going when the angel of the Lord speaks to her at a spring along side of the caravan road between Beersheba and Egypt.
Here is the first mention we have in scripture of the angel of the Lord speaking to a human.
Did you ever notice how often the Lord or one of His messengers asks a question, as if they do not know what is happening and why it is happening. There is a reason for this. The reason is the Lord or one of His messengers wants those they are speaking to, to concerning what they are doing and why.
Note what the angel of the Lord asked Hagar, “Where did you come from? Where are you going?” (Genesis 16:8 ) The angel knew where Hagar had come from and he knew where Hagar was intending to go.
There are three important characteristics we need to note about the angel speaking to Hagar, first he speaks as God. Second he identifies himself with God. Third he claims to exercise the same prerogatives of God.
Note what the angel of the Lord told Hagar, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands” (Genesis 16:7). Though Hagar is Abram's wife, yet he calls her Sari’s maid. There is two important points here; first the angel is telling Hagar to humble herself. The Lord can not work out His plan for an individual’s life until that individual crucifies pride and humbles himself. Instead of trying to be the master he must become a servant. This command to return to Sarai is a rebuke to her running away.
Consider this, if Hagar returns to Egypt she will return to the worshiping of the gods of her relatives.
Regardless of what Hagar will do she will do, she will bring the son of Abram into the world. The question is will it be in Egypt or the land of Canaan.
The second thing the angel of the Lord told Hagar involves her descendants. The angel of the Lord told Hagar, “I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude” Genesis 16:10).
The third thing the angel of the Lord told Hagar is she is to name her son Ishmael, and “He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers” (Genesis 16:12). Who are his brothers; Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
Like a wild donkey implies Ishmael will be rude, bold, fearing no man; untamed, and uncontrollable. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. Those whose life is like that of a wild donkey live troublesome lives. Though threatened by all his neighbors, Ishmael will not back away from a fight. Accordingly to Genesis chapter twenty-five verse eighteen Ishmael died, as he lived, in the presence of all his brothers.
Hagar called this place where the angel of the Lord spoke to her, Beer-lahai-roi that means “a well of the Living One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).
Here is good news for this present day, the one true living God sees our sorrow and affliction. When we, like Hagar, brings upon ourselves situations that we are unable to solve and we turn to Him and repent of our evil ways He hears and forgives.
Hagar did as the angel of the Lord told her, she returned to her mistress, and submitted to her authority.
In the fullness of time she brought forth a son and Abram called him Ishmael; Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.
Thirteen years later, “Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless”’ Genesis 17:1).
(God Almighty – Hebrew- El Shaddai; Shaddai is derived from a related word that means “mountain” thus picturing Yahweh as the overpowering almighty One standing on a mountain).
Yahweh told Abram, “I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly. Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:2-5).
The Lord told Abraham, “I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God” (Genesis 17:8 ).
The key word in verse eight is “everlasting. In my Webster New Word Dictionary, the word “everlasting, is defined as something lasting forever, eternal.
The Lord told Abraham He will give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants for an everlasting possession. Men may change the name of the land as a means of claiming their right to possess the land, but one day they will learn a hard lesson, they will pay the full penalty for trying to steal what the Lord owns and has the right to give to whomever He chooses.
There is another important matter that can not be overlooked, beginning with verse nine of Genesis chapter nine, “God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your seed. He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.’”
This is a conditional covenant. Abraham and his descendants must fulfill the condition stated in the covenant.
Then the Lord God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her. Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?’ (Genesis 17:15-17); once more a weakness in Abraham’s faith surfaces. Listen to what Abraham said to the Lord God who has told him his wife Sarah will give birth to a son, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” (Genesis 17:18 ). The desire of Abraham’s heart is the Ishmael will be his heir because he does not believe the Lord God can do the impossible.
We need to remember when we encounter the impossible the Lord does the impossible.
Note the Lord’s response to Abraham’s prayer, “No,” a plain, simple, easy to understand answer. Who will bear Abraham a son, Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and what will Abraham call him “Isaac” (Genesis 17:19). What will the Lord do? He told Abraham. “I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him” (Genesis 17”19). There’s that word “everlasting.”
Remember the angel of the Lord promised Hagar, “I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude.” How is the angel of the Lord going to do this; simple through Ishmael?
Here is what the Lord told Abraham, “As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year” (Genesis 17: 20-21).
“When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham” (Genesis 17:22). In other words the matter concerning the land of Canaan is settled, end of discussion.
There would be a lot less trouble in the world if people would only trust the Word of God.
Source
On the day the Lord made the Lord made the blood covenant with Abram, He promised Abram that he would have a heir who will come from his own body (Genesis 15:4). After Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, and gave her to Abram to be his wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When Hagar realized she had conceived her attitude toward Sarai was changed, she was filled with contempt and disdain. Sarai went to Abram and said to him, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes.” But Abram said to Sarai, “your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar, she ran away, not only avoided the wrath of Sarai.
There is something else involved in Hagar running. It is something that goes deeper than avoiding the wrath of Sarai. It is something we all struggle with when things don’t go our way or some one says something about us that are not true. That something is pride; hurt feeling heal much quicker than hurt pride.
Regardless of the situation, Hagar has an obligation to Abram and she can not fulfill that obligation in the land of Egypt, where it appears she going when the angel of the Lord speaks to her at a spring along side of the caravan road between Beersheba and Egypt.
Here is the first mention we have in scripture of the angel of the Lord speaking to a human.
Did you ever notice how often the Lord or one of His messengers asks a question, as if they do not know what is happening and why it is happening. There is a reason for this. The reason is the Lord or one of His messengers wants those they are speaking to, to concerning what they are doing and why.
Note what the angel of the Lord asked Hagar, “Where did you come from? Where are you going?” (Genesis 16:8 ) The angel knew where Hagar had come from and he knew where Hagar was intending to go.
There are three important characteristics we need to note about the angel speaking to Hagar, first he speaks as God. Second he identifies himself with God. Third he claims to exercise the same prerogatives of God.
Note what the angel of the Lord told Hagar, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands” (Genesis 16:7). Though Hagar is Abram's wife, yet he calls her Sari’s maid. There is two important points here; first the angel is telling Hagar to humble herself. The Lord can not work out His plan for an individual’s life until that individual crucifies pride and humbles himself. Instead of trying to be the master he must become a servant. This command to return to Sarai is a rebuke to her running away.
Consider this, if Hagar returns to Egypt she will return to the worshiping of the gods of her relatives.
Regardless of what Hagar will do she will do, she will bring the son of Abram into the world. The question is will it be in Egypt or the land of Canaan.
The second thing the angel of the Lord told Hagar involves her descendants. The angel of the Lord told Hagar, “I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude” Genesis 16:10).
The third thing the angel of the Lord told Hagar is she is to name her son Ishmael, and “He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers” (Genesis 16:12). Who are his brothers; Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
Like a wild donkey implies Ishmael will be rude, bold, fearing no man; untamed, and uncontrollable. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. Those whose life is like that of a wild donkey live troublesome lives. Though threatened by all his neighbors, Ishmael will not back away from a fight. Accordingly to Genesis chapter twenty-five verse eighteen Ishmael died, as he lived, in the presence of all his brothers.
Hagar called this place where the angel of the Lord spoke to her, Beer-lahai-roi that means “a well of the Living One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).
Here is good news for this present day, the one true living God sees our sorrow and affliction. When we, like Hagar, brings upon ourselves situations that we are unable to solve and we turn to Him and repent of our evil ways He hears and forgives.
Hagar did as the angel of the Lord told her, she returned to her mistress, and submitted to her authority.
In the fullness of time she brought forth a son and Abram called him Ishmael; Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.
Thirteen years later, “Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless”’ Genesis 17:1).
(God Almighty – Hebrew- El Shaddai; Shaddai is derived from a related word that means “mountain” thus picturing Yahweh as the overpowering almighty One standing on a mountain).
Yahweh told Abram, “I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly. Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:2-5).
The Lord told Abraham, “I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God” (Genesis 17:8 ).
The key word in verse eight is “everlasting. In my Webster New Word Dictionary, the word “everlasting, is defined as something lasting forever, eternal.
The Lord told Abraham He will give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants for an everlasting possession. Men may change the name of the land as a means of claiming their right to possess the land, but one day they will learn a hard lesson, they will pay the full penalty for trying to steal what the Lord owns and has the right to give to whomever He chooses.
There is another important matter that can not be overlooked, beginning with verse nine of Genesis chapter nine, “God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your seed. He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.’”
This is a conditional covenant. Abraham and his descendants must fulfill the condition stated in the covenant.
Then the Lord God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her. Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?’ (Genesis 17:15-17); once more a weakness in Abraham’s faith surfaces. Listen to what Abraham said to the Lord God who has told him his wife Sarah will give birth to a son, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” (Genesis 17:18 ). The desire of Abraham’s heart is the Ishmael will be his heir because he does not believe the Lord God can do the impossible.
We need to remember when we encounter the impossible the Lord does the impossible.
Note the Lord’s response to Abraham’s prayer, “No,” a plain, simple, easy to understand answer. Who will bear Abraham a son, Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and what will Abraham call him “Isaac” (Genesis 17:19). What will the Lord do? He told Abraham. “I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him” (Genesis 17”19). There’s that word “everlasting.”
Remember the angel of the Lord promised Hagar, “I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude.” How is the angel of the Lord going to do this; simple through Ishmael?
Here is what the Lord told Abraham, “As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year” (Genesis 17: 20-21).
“When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham” (Genesis 17:22). In other words the matter concerning the land of Canaan is settled, end of discussion.
There would be a lot less trouble in the world if people would only trust the Word of God.
