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. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 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. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 16
In chapter 15, we learned that the blessing has been definitely promised to Abraham in grace on the ground of sacrifice. Thus was set forth the great truth that every blessing, whether for God’s earthly or heavenly people, comes to them in grace, yet in perfect righteousness, through the death of Christ.
In this chapter we have the account of Abraham’s attempt to secure the promise of the heir through the flesh on the ground of works, that is by his own efforts.
The Test
God promised Abraham a son, and Abraham believed God (15:4-6). But his patience was put to the test, for we read, “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife bare him no children.” How then was he to obtain the heir? Under the test, his patience broke down. Instead of waiting for God’s time, he attempted to obtain the promised blessing by his own efforts. In the epistle to the Hebrews, Abraham was brought forward as the great example of those who “through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:12-1512That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. (Hebrews 6:12‑15)). In his history, as so often with ourselves, we see that on occasions he broke down in the very things of which, in the main, he is a striking example. In chapter 12, as we have seen, his faith failed when put to the test. Here, in chapter 16, his patience breaks down under a fresh test.
The Temptation
As in the former case, Egypt was at hand to tempt him from the path of faith by relieving him of all the exercises that such a path entails, so the Egyptian maid was at hand to suggest relief from further waiting. Though he himself had been restored, the result of his lapse into Egypt was still manifest. Something of the world had been introduced into his household which, if he acted in the flesh, was ready to be used. How true it is that what a man sows that shall he also reap. Through a careless walk we can easily introduce something of the world into our homes, which in due time will give the flesh an opportunity to manifest itself.
In Gal. 4:21-2621Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Galatians 4:21‑26), the Apostle Paul refers to this incident and gives us its spiritual meaning. He reminds the Galatian assemblies that Abraham had two sons, one by a bondmaid, the other by the free woman, and that the son of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but the son of the free woman was by promise.
The Teaching
Then he tells us that these things are an allegory setting forth the two covenants—the covenant of law connected with Sinai, which leads to bondage, set forth by Hagar and her son; and the covenant of grace, connected with Jerusalem which is above, leading to liberty, and set forth by Sarah and her son.
The Tendency
The Galatian believers, though truly converted and having the Spirit, were turning back to the law as a rule of life, and were thus, in practice making their blessing depend on their own efforts. To use the language of the allegory, they became the children of Sinai, and developed a character marked by the traits of the flesh. If connected with the liberty of Jerusalem above, which sets forth sovereign grace, they would have shown the character of Christ. Instead of this they were—as the result of putting themselves under law—manifesting a proud, vainglorious spirit which led to envy, so that they were biting and devouring one another, and being drawn into the world (Gal. 4:21; 5:1 5, 2621Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (Galatians 4:21)
26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:26)). The apostle longed that Christ might be formed in them, so that the beautiful character of Christ might shine forth from them (Gal. 4: 19).
Turning then to the story of Abraham, we see that the only result of seeking to obtain the heir by his own fleshly efforts was to introduce into his household that which had the character of the flesh, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” Nature can only produce nature. So Abraham’s natural efforts only produced the natural man that in due course would persecute the spiritual seed.
The Tragedy
In the meantime, a jarring element was brought into the family. The one who represented the efforts of the flesh despised the one through whom the blessing would come (v. 4). Sarah and Hagar, setting forth what was of the flesh and what was of the Spirit, could not agree, “for the flesh [battles] against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other” (Gal. 5:1717For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)). Moreover the man that was brought into his household gravitated toward the world, for he was found in the wilderness of Shur on the borders of Egypt (v. 7). He was, moreover, a hard character who was against every man, and stirred up every man against himself (v. 12).
The Type
The application of these truths to ourselves is plain. We may, like Abraham be true believers, and like the Galatians have the Spirit, and yet in our daily life we may make the law our rule of life. We may thus allow the thought that our being in the favor and grace of God our Father depends on our own good walk and legal efforts. The results will be twofold. First, we develop a hard and self-righteous character that is proud of itself and jealous of others. Secondly, we shall fail to enjoy the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and so lack grace and love, entirely failing to produce the fruit of the Spirit that sets forth the character of Christ (Gal. 5:1-6, 221Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. (Galatians 5:1‑6)
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (Galatians 5:22)).
The Interpretation
The interpretation given in Galatians shows that what is set forth in the allegory is not a sinner seeking justification by his works, but rather a believer, who is already justified, seeking holiness of life by his own legal efforts and in his own strength.
It is evident that Christendom has fallen into this Galatian legality. It is not that Christian truths have been entirely given up, but that the legal system set forth by Hagar has been introduced into Christian profession, so that there are many true Christians kept in bondage of soul through seeking to regulate their lives by the law in order to walk well, and thus obtain the favor of God, instead of seeing that right walk flows from the blessed fact that through the death of Christ they are already in the everlasting favor of God, and can only walk rightly in the strength of Christ.
Typically, the story may set forth the history of Israel under the law seeking to obtain the promises by their own works. As a result they found themselves, like Hagar, cast out of their land and wanderers in a wilderness world in which they are contrary to all men and every man against them. Nevertheless the nation is beloved for the father’s sake, and hence the providential care of God is never withdrawn from them, even as Hagar found that in the wilderness there was a well and the angel of the Lord, and that God saw all her distress.
Child of God, by Christ’s salvation,
Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in ev’ry station,
Something still to do or bear;
Think what Spirit dwells within thee!
Think what Father’s smiles are thine!
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of God, wilt thou repine?
Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith and winged by prayer,
Heaven’s eternal day’s before thee,
God’s right hand shall guide thee there;
Soon shall close thine earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.
H. L.