Genesis 16.1-16-Reflections on Genesis 16
Tuesday January 17, 2006
Genesis: Genesis 16:1-16-Reflections on Genesis 16
Lesson # 83
Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 16:1.
On Sunday morning we completed our study of Genesis 16, which records the account of Abram and Sarai’s decision to employ Sarai’s servant, Hagar as surrogate in order to solve their problem of being childless.
This evening in Galatians 3-4, we will reflect upon the spiritual and allegorical meaning behind this passage but first of all let’s read Genesis 16.
Genesis 16:1, “Now Sarai, Abram's wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar.”
Genesis 16:2, “So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.”
Genesis 16:3, “After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.”
Genesis 16:4, “He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she (Hagar) saw that she had conceived, her mistress (Sarai) was despised in her (Hagar’s) sight.”
Genesis 16:5, “And Sarai said to Abram, ‘May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me.’”
Genesis 16:6, “But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.’ So Sarai treated her (Hagar) harshly, and she fled from her presence.”
Genesis 16:7, “Now the angel of the LORD found her (Hagar) by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.”
Genesis 16:8, “He said, ‘Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from and where are you going?’ And she said, ‘I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.’”
Genesis 16:9, “Then the angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.’”
Genesis 16:10, “Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, ‘I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.’”
Genesis 16:11, “The angel of the LORD said to her further, ‘Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.’”
Genesis 16:12, “He will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”
Genesis 16:13, “Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are a God who sees’; for she said, ‘Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?’”
Genesis 16:14, “Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.”
Genesis 16:15, “So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”
Genesis 16:16, “Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.”
In Galatians 4, Paul wrote that the relationship between Sarah and Hagar, and Ishmael and Isaac contains (not is) an allegory (Gal. 4:24).
An “allegory” is a series of metaphors in which each one adds an element to form a composite picture of the message, e.g., in the good shepherd allegory (John 10) each part carries meaning.
An “allegory” compares two distinct entities and involves a story or extended development of figurative expressions.
Therefore, in Galatians 4, the apostle Paul speaks “figuratively” of the relationship between Abraham and his sons, Ishmael, Isaac, and his wives, Hagar and Sarah.
Paul teaches that Hagar represents the Mosaic Law, and Ishmael is its fruit (slaves) whereas Sarai is a picture of God’s grace, and Isaac is its fruit (free sons).
Paul draws a correspondence based upon an urgent need to address a pressing issue in Galatia since the Galatians were submitting to the legalistic teaching of the Judaizers.
The “Judaizers” were composed of both regenerate and unregenerate Jews and taught strict adherence to the 613 mandates found in the Mosaic Law as well as the oral traditions of the Rabbis, which are now, documented in the Mishna and the Talmud as well.
The Judaizers taught that one had to observe and practice the Mosaic Law in order to get saved whereas Paul taught that salvation by grace through faith in Christ and not through the works of the Mosaic Law (Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 2:16).
Galatians 2:16, “nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
The Judaizers were attractive people but were “legalistic” in the sense that they taught and lived according to a strict adherence to the letter of the Law rather than the spirit of the Law (Mk. 2-3)!
This is illustrated by the Pharisees attitude towards the Lord when He healed on the Sabbath.
Under the Mosaic Law, the Sabbath was designed to benefit Israel by prohibiting Israel from working on this day and yet the Pharisees criticized the Lord for healing on the Sabbath, thus they strictly adhered to letter of the Law rather than the spirit of the Law.
The old sin nature loves legalism because legalism gives the old sin nature a chance to look good.
Paul teaches the Galatians that prior to salvation they were under bondage to the Law but that through faith alone in Christ alone who redeemed them from the curse of the Law, they have been set free from the Law.
Therefore, the apostle Paul teaches that in an allegorical sense Hagar who was a slave girl is a picture of the believer prior to salvation under bondage to the Law whereas Sarah is a picture of the believer after salvation free from the Law.
Galatians 3:1, “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?”
Galatians 3:2, “This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”
Galatians 3:3, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”
Galatians 3:4, “Did you suffer so many things in vain -- if indeed it was in vain?”
Galatians 3:5, “So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”
Galatians 3:6, “Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Galatians 3:7, “Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.”
Galatians 3:8, “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.’”
Galatians 3:9, “So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”
Galatians 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.’”
Galatians 3:11, “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, ‘THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.’”
Galatians 3:12, “However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, ‘HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.’”
Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us -- for it is written, ‘CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.”
Galatians 3:14, “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
Galatians 3:15, “Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.”
Galatians 3:16, “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ.”
Galatians 3:17, “What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.”
Galatians 3:18, “For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.”
Galatians 3:19, “Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.”
Galatians 3:20, “Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one.”
Galatians 3:21, “Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.”
Galatians 3:22, “But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”
Galatians 3:23, “But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.”
Galatians 3:24, “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”
Galatians 3:25, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:27, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:29, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.”
Galatians 4:1, “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything.”
Galatians 4:2, “but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.”
Galatians 4:3, “So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.”
Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.”
Galatians 4:5, “so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
Galatians 4:6, “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”
Galatians 4:7, “Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Galatians 4:8, “However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.”
Galatians 4:9, “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?”
Galatians 4:10, “You observe days and months and seasons and years.”
Galatians 4:11, “I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”
Galatians 4:12, “I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong.”
Galatians 4:13, “but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time.”
Galatians 4:14, “and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.”
Galatians 4:15, “Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.”
Galatians 4:16, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?”
Galatians 4:17, “They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.”
Galatians 4:18, “But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you.”
Galatians 4:19, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.”
Galatians 4:20, “but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”
Galatians 4:21, “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?”
Galatians 4:22, “For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.”
Galatians 4:23, “But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.”
Galatians 4:24, “This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.”
Galatians 4:25, “Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.”
Galatians 4:26, “But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.”
In Galatians 4, Paul does not say the Moses understood Hagar as Mount Sinai or as Jerusalem or that Abraham and Isaac were figures representing something greater; rather, he was drawing a correspondence based upon an urgent need to address a pressing issue in Galatia.
Galatians 4:27, “For it is written, ‘REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.’”
Galatians 4:28, “And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.”
Galatians 4:29, “But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.”
Paul states in Galatians 4:23-29 that Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael and Isaac illustrate our two births: (1) Physical birth that makes us sinners with an old Adamic sin nature (2) Spiritual birth that makes us children of God with the nature of Christ.
Isaac illustrates the believer in that he was born according to the power of God since Galatians 4:29 says that Isaac was born “according to the Spirit” whereas Ishmael illustrates the unbeliever in that he was born “according to the flesh.”
The fact that Ishmael, who was born according to the flesh, persecuted Isaac who was born according to the Spirit illustrates the problems that our old sin nature, which we received at physical birth, causes for our new nature, which we received at the spiritual birth.
Just as Ishmael was a “wild donkey of a man” and a slave that nobody could control, not even his mother so the indwelling old Adamic sin nature is at war with God and others and the Law cannot change or control it.
Galatians 4:30, “But what does the Scripture say? ‘CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.’”
Galatians 4:31, “So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.”
Five times in Galatians 4:22-31, Paul called Hagar the “bondwoman” whereas Sarah was a freewoman.
Therefore, Sarah’s position illustrates the freedom of being under grace and Hagar’s position as a slave illustrates being under bondage to the Law.
The Law was meant to be tutor to lead us to Christ and not to be our mother.
The Judaizers were trying to make Hagar a mother again, while Paul was in spiritual travail for his converts that they might become more like Christ.
Whoever chooses Hagar (the Law) as his mother is going to experience bondage (Gal. 4:8-11, 22-25, 30-31; 5:1) but whoever chooses Sarah (grace) as his mother is going to experience liberty in Christ (see Gal. 5:1).
Hagar was cast out according to Genesis 21:9-10 and God subsequently approved of it according to Genesis 21:12 illustrating that the Law and grace are not compatible and at odds with each other (see Romans 11:6).
The Judaizers in Paul’s day were trying to reconcile Hagar with Sarah and Ishmael and Isaac and such reconciliation is contrary to the Word of God since it is impossible to mix the Law and grace, faith and works, God’s gift of righteousness and man’s attempts to earn divine righteousness on his own merit.
Warren Wiersbe writes, “From the human perspective it might seem cruel that God should command Abraham to send away his own son Ishmael, whom he loved very much. But it was the only solution to the problem, for the ‘wild man’ could never live with the child of promise. In a deeper sense, however, think of what it cost God when He gave His Son to bear the curse of the Law to set us free. Abraham’s broken heart meant Isaac’s liberty; God’s giving of His Son means our liberty in Christ” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, volume 1, page 711, Victor Books).
The Galatians were trying to effect a compromise by attempting to live the Christian way of life by practicing the Law along with their faith in Christ.
Just as there was no compromise in Abraham’s home between his two sons so there can be no compromise between keeping the Law and living under grace.
Just as Ishmael had to go once Isaac was born so the Law had to go once Christ had come.