Insight Into the Scriptures Genesis 16-18
Maidservants were considered both property and legal extensions of their mistress.
In verse 17:1 your Bible may refer to God as "El Shaddai", the meaning of this word is God Almighty.
Foot washing in verse 18:4 was a standard act of hospitality in a dry dusty climate.
I read an interesting point concerning Abraham. Back then it was not uncommon to worship many gods. (See Joshua 24:2,14). So Abraham was not monotheistic (Serving one God) He may have served many gods when Yahweh came to him, Yahweh was one of many Gods. If you look at the way Yahweh approached Abraham was quite smart. He made him a proposition, saying "I want to be your only God." God also took Abraham out of his country, away from his other gods where Abraham and He could be one on one.
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Chapter 18 is one of my father in law's favorite passages. Can you imagine bargaining with God? Well.... yes I have, but not at the personal level that He and Abraham did. Beyond the fun bargaining between the two there is a deeper message. God's passion for the righteous goes beyond His feeling for the wicked. He would have saved Sodom for only 10 righteous people.
Genesis 15:2-6, 16:1-4 - NIV
"But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.
"Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be.
"Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to Him as righteousness.Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress."
Thought for the Day
Most of the time God's time table does not follow mine. Usually my timetable is ahead of God's. It seems like I am always pushing Him to do what I want to do, not seeking His will at His time.
Right before I became very sick, I started a pastor's program at our church. I was so sure that this is what God wanted me to do, I mean why not, it is for Him and why would He not want me to be a pastor? But, almost to the day that I started the program I became sick. I was very confused. Then during my sickness I started to become better, so guess what? Yes, I started back up the pastor's program. Guess what happened again? Yes, I relapsed and became very sick again, so, I had to drop out of the program. My heart was broken. Finally, I stopped and figured out I had never sought God's will, His time table. I wanted it, so I pushed God, I did it on my own.
God promised Abram that he would be the father of many nations, in fact Abram acknowledged it. But, I believe that pressure from Sarai, and Abrams' doubt and impatience took the best of him. He took matters into his own hands. He did not wait for God, and even though it may have not taken away his blessing from God, it added stress and hardship in the future.
Right away Abram and Sarai's impatience started to cause problems. Sarai had ill feelings towards Hagar and then blamed Abram for her problems. Abram's response was "It is not my problem, it is yours. You take care of it.
In your life I would encourage you to wait upon the Lord, remember that His time table will rarely coincide with yours. I have learned to walk with Christ, not ahead or behind him, and I can tell you that the peace I have is amazing, life is so much easier.
Closing Prayer
Dear Jesus, It is hard for me to wait sometimes, I want things right now, on my time. Please Jesus teach me patience. Lord teach me to walk with You, not ahead of You. I want Your will to be done in my life, I want to feel the peace that only can come from You by walking with You day by day. I love You Jesus, please be with me this weekend.
In Your Name,
Amen
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