Reflection
In chapter 15 God confirmed the promises made in Genesis 12 vv. 2-3 and 7. The confirmation included God’s promise to bless Abram with offspring and give his offspring the land of Canaan. Abram believed God and God recognized his faith as righteousness. As a result, God entered into a covenant with Abram to confirm that He would keep His promises.
Although the covenant settled Abram’s doubts, Abram’s wife Sarai was not sure she was included in the covenant (Gen 13:16; 15:5). Consequently, we learned in Genesis 11 v.30 that Sarai was barren. Therefore, in Genesis 16 Sarai designed a plan to deal with her inability to have children. Sarai decided to give her Egyptian slave-girl Hagar to Abram to obtain a child v.1. Moreover, in v.2 Sarai stated that God was the reason she had not given Abram a …show more content…
Sarai’s decision to design her own plan could imply that she did not believe God could or would give a barren woman a child. In other words, Sarai blamed God for her barrenness. Besides Sarai and Abram were past the age of childbearing and according to scripture v.3, ten years had passed since God’s original promise to give Abram offspring (Genesis 12 vv.1-3 & 7). Consequently, it was customary for a wife to give her maid to her husband and claim the child as her own. As a result, Sarai may have believed God intended for Hagar to be the surrogate mother of her child. However, it is clear that Sarai was not concerned about God, Abram or Hagar. Sarai’s only concern was to ensure that she had a child. Therefore, Sarai did not ask Abram if he agreed with her plan, she told him her plan and he followed the plan. To my surprise, Abram never considered the covenant God established with him in Genesis 15 vv.12-21. Furthermore,
In chapter 15 God confirmed the promises made in Genesis 12 vv. 2-3 and 7. The confirmation included God’s promise to bless Abram with offspring and give his offspring the land of Canaan. Abram believed God and God recognized his faith as righteousness. As a result, God entered into a covenant with Abram to confirm that He would keep His promises.
Although the covenant settled Abram’s doubts, Abram’s wife Sarai was not sure she was included in the covenant (Gen 13:16; 15:5). Consequently, we learned in Genesis 11 v.30 that Sarai was barren. Therefore, in Genesis 16 Sarai designed a plan to deal with her inability to have children. Sarai decided to give her Egyptian slave-girl Hagar to Abram to obtain a child v.1. Moreover, in v.2 Sarai stated that God was the reason she had not given Abram a …show more content…
Sarai’s decision to design her own plan could imply that she did not believe God could or would give a barren woman a child. In other words, Sarai blamed God for her barrenness. Besides Sarai and Abram were past the age of childbearing and according to scripture v.3, ten years had passed since God’s original promise to give Abram offspring (Genesis 12 vv.1-3 & 7). Consequently, it was customary for a wife to give her maid to her husband and claim the child as her own. As a result, Sarai may have believed God intended for Hagar to be the surrogate mother of her child. However, it is clear that Sarai was not concerned about God, Abram or Hagar. Sarai’s only concern was to ensure that she had a child. Therefore, Sarai did not ask Abram if he agreed with her plan, she told him her plan and he followed the plan. To my surprise, Abram never considered the covenant God established with him in Genesis 15 vv.12-21. Furthermore,