Genesis 16

Promised blessing triumphant over impatience

Read: Genesis 16

Warm-up: Who do you think is the main character in this multilayered story, and why? Whose story is it? v16

1) vv1-3: Why did Sarai propose that her husband should take her slave girl as his second wife?

• What led Sarai to reason that it was time for her to make this ‘sacrifice’ for Abraham? [v3: 10 years]
• What do you think of her theology that God apparently needed her help?
• How was this reasoning shaped by the culture in which she lived and its kings? cf Gen 12:15
• Why do you think Abraham consented with this plan? Why did he abdicate his leadership and follow the suggestion of Sarai?

2) vv4-6: What was the result of Abraham’s attempt to take it into his own hands to try to ‘help’ God?

• v5: What happened in this marriage conflict? How could Sarai blame Abraham? cf 1Tim 3:4
• v6: What do you think went on in Hagar’s mind? What were her options how to deal with the injustice done to her by the religious leader(s)?

3) vv7-14: On whose side was God in this conflict?

• v7: How did Hagar find God in her suffering? Did she search after him? Why not?
• vv10-14: How then did she conclude that she was in the presence of ‘the angel of the Lord’, and that it was he who had spoken to her? cf Ps 17:1-2 [Promise of God’s justice]

4) v12: God planned to bless Abraham through an offspring who will be the salvation for all nations (Gal 3:7-9, 16, 29). Was Ishmael part of this plan? v12 (if needed: cf Gal 4:29)

• Why was God unwilling to simply adapt his plan and use Ishmael instead of the offspring promised to Sarai? cf Gal 4:21-23
• In what sense was Ishmael born “according to the flesh” (Gal 4:2)? ->

5) Personal & applications

• How can we grow in patience? Lk 8:15
• Read Gal 3:3. What does it mean to rely on the Holy Spirit rather than the ‘flesh’ that God’s promise of blessing will come true?
• How can you ‘sow on the Spirit’ to harvest from the Spirit? Gal 6:6-1
• What ways can you think of in which you could help each other to grow patient?
• Much of the Christian life is about learning to pray and then wait patiently for God to answer prayers: What difficulties do you experience with either the praying or the waiting, or both?