Redeemed Woman

Little is known about Hagar’s back story. Many Bible commentaries conclude that this Egyptian woman found herself gifted as a maidservant by Pharoah to a beautiful woman named Sarai, later renamed as Sarah (Genesis 12:15-16; Genesis 17:15). Regardless of how Hagar ended up with Sarah and Abraham, according to Genesis 16:3, she was forced into a physical relationship with Abraham for the sole purpose of producing an heir since her mistress remained barren. When it was known to Hagar that she had conceived, she quickly forgets her place as a slave and started to disrespect Sarah (Genesis 16:4). In short, this power struggle turned sour for Hagar, and she fled for her life (Genesis 16:5-6).

In this post I want to share my meditations from Hagar’s story. I hope you will find yourself encouraged and praising God for His great mercy on you.

“The angel of the lord found her…” (Genesis 16:7)

After fleeing from her angry and jealous master, Hagar was in the wilderness probably heading back to her homeland of Egypt (Genesis 16:4-6). As Hagar was resting by the spring in the wilderness, the Bible tells us in Genesis 16:7 that the angel of the LORD found her. We know that the LORD did not need Hagar’s son to fulfill His promise to Abraham because the promise was to be fulfilled through Isaac (Genesis 17:18-21). Also, the Bible recorded no prayer of Hagar to Yahweh specifically. And yet, the LORD, in His mercy towards this Egyptian slave woman, found her to deliver her specific life-saving instructions with a great promise: go back and submit to Sarah, and her son will become a strong nation (Genesis 16:9-10).

“..the lord has listened to your affliction…” (Genesis 16:11)

Sarah’s harsh treatment on Hagar only started after Hagar “looked on [Sarah] with contempt” (Genesis 16:5). So, from that perspective, the harsh treatment was justified for any slave who disrespects the master should be punished. Consequently, Abraham, the one person who could have given Hagar refuge, withheld protection for such reason and thus allowed Sarah’s harsh treatment (Genesis 16:6). As already mentioned previously, the Bible didn’t record any specific prayers from Hagar. However, we can conclude that her heart must have been silently crying out for deliverance for when the angel of Yahweh found her, he comforted her by saying that “the LORD has listened to [her] affliction (Genesis 16:11).” As a result of Hagar’s experience, she called the name of Yahweh, “a God of seeing” and the one “who looks after me” (Genesis 16:13). Comforted and putting her faith in Yahweh, she obediently returned to her harsh mistress as instructed (Genesis 16:15-16).

“God opened her eyes…”(Genesis 21:19)

We fast forward in Hagar’s life about sixteen years. Her son Ishmael, which means “God hears”, was now a young man (Genesis 16:16; 21:5). Unfortunately, little has changed in this on-going power struggle between the two women. Contempt from Ishmael towards Sarah’s son, Isaac, stirred up Sarah’s insecurities and jealousy once more. And once more, Hagar found herself wandering in the wilderness (Genesis 21:8-14). However, this time Hagar and Ishmael were sent away by Abraham himself, with full approval from the LORD (Genesis 21:14-15). After Abraham’s provisions were depleted, Hagar had no hope of survival and mourned the death of her son before he even took his last breath (Genesis 21:15-16).

Again, in the midst of great despair, the angel of God called down from heaven as Hagar lifted her voice and wept (Genesis 21:16). God reminded her of His promise that brought much comfort to her many years before (Genesis 21:17-18). We know from the text that God had already planned to make Ishmael into a great nation because he was Abraham’s son (Genesis 17:20; Genesis 21:13). God’s word also made it clear that God saved the boy (and his mother) because He “heard the voice of the boy” (Genesis 21:17). Hence, God orchestrated both the planned outcome and the means to that outcome to give Hagar, and more importantly Ishmael, a divine experience that clearly displayed His sovereignty and compassionate mercy to their cries. Also in this mercy, God opened Hagar’s eyes to see the well of water that would bring life to her son (Genesis 21:19).

conclusion

Hagar’s story is one that we can easily relate to on a personal level. How many times have we received God’s timely mercies? Just like Hagar, some of us find ourselves in situations out of our control or deep in the ugly messes created by our own hands. Regardless, we would not have recognized these mercies from God if it were not for our utter despair, our coming to the end of our rope, or our anguish cries for help. As a witness of Himself to our incognizant understanding, God makes His mercies tangible and magnified in our weaknesses. His mercies gives us hope when there is no hope deserved and light when darkness seems to engulf us. In many ways, He comes to find us, to comfort us, and to open our eyes to Truth.

God didn’t make Hagar’s problems disappear. In fact, His instruction to Hagar was to return to Sarah and submit to Sarah. In essence, God was telling Hagar to go back to her life as Sarah’s slave and to be a good slave (Genesis 16:9). What on earth would possess Hagar to return to this life? His great promise: “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude (Genesis 16:10).” God’s sure promise outweighed Hagar’s momentary troubles. Hagar the Egyptian believed in Yahweh and was given salvation, and Ishmael’s life was blessed with God’s continual presence (Genesis 21:20). There was no room for Hagar or Ishmael to attribute their salvation to anything else other than the mercies of Yahweh.

In the same way, let us hold unto His Word in faith through our obedience no matter how difficult things may be. We were dead in our sin, slaves to our depravity (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 2:1). God, in His mercy, delivered us out from the darkness into the kingdom of His Son, “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14). God never promises to make our earthly lives easy, but He promised to never leave us (Matthew 28:20; John 14:23). He promised us eternal life in heaven with Him (John 3:16; John 11:25-26). Surely, these eternal promises outweigh our momentary troubles and suffering in this short earthly life.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5:10 (ESV)

Father, in our trials, in our darkness, in our heartaches, may Your Word find us, comfort us, and give us Truth! Magnify Yourself! Give us faith and lift our burdens, Amen.