Walk In Newness of Life Pt. 19 Abraham Chose a Worldly Solution!

Looking to the World for answers is bad.



Let us consider the steps of faith taken by Abraham thus far. He waited fifteen years but finally obeyed God's call to separate from his family and homeland. After obeying God, there was a severe famine in the land and Abraham "went down into Egypt." 

Isaiah 31:1  Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! 

We noted that Egypt is called a house of bondage, and an iron furnace. Spiritually  speaking, Egypt represents the world of sin, sensual depravity and perverse idolatry (Revelation 11:8). Thus, Isaiah warned against those who go down into Egypt seeking help in times of trouble. 

What should we do, and what should Abraham have done? Look to the Holy One of Israel and seek Jehovah! This is always the right answer to the problems and heartaches we face in this life. 

While in Egypt, Abraham compromised his character by fabricating a lie telling Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. When the truth came out, Pharaoh forced Abraham to take all his possessions and his wife and leave the land. 

After this, Abraham took a step of faith and returned to the altar of Jehovah that he previously made. In that place he called upon the name of the LORD for help and direction. Abraham took another step of faith and obeyed the call to separate from his family, by letting Lot choose where he wanted to dwell, and then Abraham went the opposite direction. As soon as he separated from Lot, Abraham received a promise from God about inheriting the promised land of Canaan. 

In Genesis 14, Abraham took a big step of faith in taking his 300 servants to go after the invading armies that captured Lot when they defeated the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah and the other nearby cities. Jehovah blessed his efforts and Abraham came back with all the captives and goods that were taken by the invading host. 

Next came the point of temptation where Bera (a type of Satan) tempted Abraham with fame and wealth if he would just give him all the people. Abraham made a strong confession of faith in the Most High God and was blessed by Melchisedec, who was a type of Christ. 

Abraham was richly rewarded for his faith because in Genesis 15 he received what we know as the Abrahamic Covenant from Jehovah. Patterned after the ancient near Eastern king and vassal treaties, this covenant was unique in that God swore to Himself that He would uphold both sides of the agreement, thereby making it an eternal covenant of faith. 

What happened in Genesis 16 can be viewed either as a "failure of faith" at worst, or an attempt to "help" God at best. Remember the steps of faith that we have seen Abraham take so far have mostly been God honoring. However, the issue of an heir for Abraham came up once more. Sarah was unable to bear children and she is the legal wife of Abraham and God promised Abraham an heir. 

Sarai could not have children. 

Genesis 16:1  Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 

In that culture, a wife who could not bear children and produce an heir for her husband was considered less than a woman and looked down upon. Abraham was also worried that all his estate would pass into the hands of his steward who managed the day to day operations. 

Thus, Genesis 16 begins by telling us that Sarai could not bear children to Abraham. Then, the text introduces us to Sarai's slave girl from Egypt, named Hagar. God's plan is one man married to one woman for life. God's plan was that Abraham would trust Him enough to wait until God allowed Sarai to bear him a son. 

Sarai & Abraham chose a worldly solution. 

Genesis 16:2-3  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 3) And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 

Sarai no doubt, felt humiliated that she could not give a son to her husband. She suggested that Abraham "go in unto my maid" so that Hagar might produce a son. This seems strange to us that a wife would insist that her husband have a physical relationship with a servant in order to have an heir. 

In ancient Israel having many children was considered a sign of God's blessing and was highly desired by most wives. A woman who was plagued by sterility was viewed as a disgrace or under a severe hardship. Therefore, Sarai was feeling much pressure about being sterile. 

It is true in that ancient culture that it was fairly common for a wife having her husband produce an heir by impregnating a slave girl. 

This is another point of test for Abraham. In Genesis 14 he passed the test when Bera, king of Sodom, tempted him. In this case Abraham failed the test and chose to do as Sarai suggested. He took Hagar to be his second wife. It is of interest to note that ten years had elapsed and it is very likely that both Abraham and Sarah, were feeling stressed out that their biological clocks were ticking and the window to produce children was shrinking.

The immediate fallout from a bad decision.

Genesis 16:4  And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5) And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. 

Hagar conceived right away after Abraham went in unto her. However, the immediate impact of this event was that tension and hard feelings existed between Sarai and Hagar. 

As soon as Hagar learned that she was pregnant, she felt superior to her mistress, Sarai. Hagar "despised" Sarai. The word "despised" means that she looked on Sarai with contempt and that she no longer honored her mistress. The normal relationship of a servant and mistress was upended by Hagar's pride.

Conflict between Sarai and Hagar then caused conflict between Sarai and Abraham. Sarai came up with the plan for Abraham to impregnate Hagar and she lashed out at her husband with words that meant she wanted the responsibility for her error in judgment to fall upon Abraham. She even demanded that Jehovah judge between them. Sarai's humiliation from Hagar's insolent attitude caused her to be mean spirited toward Abraham. 

Words of Warning from God

Jeremiah 17:5-7  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6) For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7)  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 

Sarai's solution to being infertile amounted to doing what other wives did in those times. It was trusting man instead of trusting Jehovah. It was a fleshy solution to a real problem. The scheme of having Abraham impregnate Hagar was the result of Sarai's heart departing from Jehovah and seeking a quick solution.  

God does not need man's help. He is fully sufficient to meet our needs and He is the All Wise God who can do all things. 

God pronounced a curse upon all those who look to the world for answers instead of looking to God. However, there are blessings for the man, woman and young person who trusts in Jehovah and patiently waits for God to move. (See also Psalm 118:8-9). 

Thoughts to Ponder...

This lesson sees Abraham and Sarai both guilty of looking to the world for answers instead of patiently trusting the LORD. 

In America, the trend for the last few decades regarding growing churches has been to look to the world for answers. This type of approach resulted in the "mega church" movement that uses business marketing ideas to grow the church. Surveys are taken to find out what "lost" or "unchurched" people want and then churches bend over backwards to give them what they asked for.

Bible standards are cast aside so that marketing plans can be implemented. What God says about preaching, dress, Christian conduct, Biblical separation, pursuing holiness, or worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth, are ignored or mocked. 

Church leaders and theologians will give good logical arguments for doing these things but they are wrong! Just because God did not specifically speak against these practices does not mean that He approves of them. 

Read Leviticus 10:1-2. The sons of Aaron the priest put "strange fire" in their censers to offer it before the Lord. However, Jehovah rejected this and killed them with fire. Jehovah never told them to bring this kind of fire; they assumed that it was ok and paid the price for their wrong assumptions. 

We must always obey the LORD and follow His Word. 

We must not look to the world, culture or other people for answers to life's problems or vexing issues. We must look to His Word!

Jehovah does not need our help or schemes to solve "problems" in the church today.  We dishonor God when we attempt  to "help" Him in some form. 

There are so many applications of this truth to our lives, our families and our churches. May the Spirit of God show us where we need to make changes and may we renew our desire to love and serve God in every aspect of our lives. 

Bob





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