Genesis16_1-3

Genesis 16:1-3

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

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.

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.

Since God is faithful, the covenant established by Him is very important for humanity. Hence, the covenant obligates God to keep His promise and to show mercy to humanity. Therefore, there are two different covenants, symbolized by Sarai and Hagar in the Bible (Galatians 4:22–28). Perhaps Abram mentioned the covenant God had promised him many times to Sarai, sharing his anxieties with his wife. Abram and Sarai wanted to advance the covenant by bearing a seed.

From a human perspective, it might seem like a kind intention to complete God’s work, yet ordinary people cannot accomplish God’s work in His place. Sarai gave her husband the idea of obtaining a child through her maid, and Abram agreed with Sarai and took Hagar. Perhaps Abram’s mind was in a vague and uncertain state.

In a sense, Abram and Sarai worked together to fulfill God’s promise. Nevertheless, Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years, which might have exhausted his patience. For ordinary people, this indeed is a difficult test. Even though they had waited a long time for a seed, they still thought according to their natural reasoning, not according to the word of God.

What they did was according to the ability of the flesh. They relied on human strength to produce a seed in response to God’s promise. Hence, Hagar represents the covenant of bondage, not of freedom.