But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. . . 9 The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her” – Gen. 16:6, 9
The wreck of the USS Arizona lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The ship sank when Japan launched its surprise attack on the Pacific fleet on December 7, 1941. Now seventy years later, drops of oil from the ship continue to rise to the surface daily. The Arizona is a national memorial and is treated as “hallowed” ground because of the lives that were lost when it was destroyed.
Lives are considered sacred in the Bible and therefore God desires fair and equal treatment for everyone. But the story of Hagar fleeing from Sarai seems troubling at least from the surface.
Abuse is not condoned in the Scriptures. The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Sarai is temporarily barren. So she comes up with an idea to give her husband, Abraham a child from her maid-servant. Abraham consents and a few weeks later Hagar is pregnant.
But then Sarai becomes angry that her plan had succeeded. So she treats harshly her maid-servant, so harshly that Hagar flees. God catches up to her and instructs her to return and submit to Sarai her mistress.
Do you see the problem? We often are told that for those who are experiencing abuse ought to flee and go elsewhere. But here is a case where God says to the one being abused, “return and submit.” So what are we to make of this?
Although Sarai’s proposal was expedient, it was not obedient. Although it was accepted culturally, and had merit logically, it was wrong spiritually. Therefore, Sarai was wrong for her treatment of Hagar.
Undoubtedly, God had a plan in motion. After he had told Hagar to return and submit to her mistress, He promised her a blessing (v. 10). Moreover, Hagar was deeply moved by her meeting with the Lord in the wilderness and it becomes apparent when we note that she called the well "Beer Lahai Roi" which means, "Well of the One who lives and sees me." Having been used, mistreated, and rejected by her superiors she was overwhelmed by the thought that the Lord Himself cared for her and had plans for her and her unborn son which would have worldwide repercussions. Even though she was well on the way back to her native Egypt, and had no idea what awaited her in Abram's household, she returned on the basis of the word from the Lord. In so doing she started to make something positive out of the mistakes she had made.
But it is worth adding that Abram and Sarai were also required to alter their attitudes to the young woman in order that they might receive her back into their household.
Perhaps it was the reminder that the Lord is called, among other things, "You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees" (Gen 16:13), which served to bring them to a recognition of the things that they had done so badly. Nothing is more likely to encourage men and women to rectify their errors than the reminder that the Lord is not unmindful of what they have done and requires an accounting from each one.
At the ripe old age of eighty-six Abram received the gift of a son who would perpetuate his name. Although he would later discover that he had jumped the gun on the Lord's plans, Abram nevertheless rejoiced in his boy whose very name, Ishmael—"God hears"—was a constant reminder to him that he was to live in the conscious enjoyment and under the caring gaze of the Lord his God. This would help him not to make other mistakes in the future.
At the ripe old age of eighty-six Abram received the gift of a son who would perpetuate his name. Although he would later discover that he had jumped the gun on the Lord's plans, Abram nevertheless rejoiced in his boy whose very name, Ishmael—"God hears"—was a constant reminder to him that he was to live in the conscious enjoyment and under the caring gaze of the Lord his God. This would help him not to make other mistakes in the future.
We often conclude that when God said to Hagar, “return and submit” it meant immediately. But there could very well be some considerable time for both parties to get before God and to amend their ways.
When God said to Hagar that she would have a son and call his name, “Ishmael,” which means, “God who hears,” He was teaching her that He was well aware of her pain.
I gain from this story some practical lessons concerning abuse.
First, ill-treatment of another individual is never right. Abraham and Sarai are not commended for their treatment of Hagar.
Second, running from an abuse situation with the mindset of permanently leaving can turn into rebellion. God did not allow Hagar to get very far before He told her to stop and return.
Third, a biblical solution is for the abused person to return and submit to the person’s authority (v. 9). Notice that the passage does not say, Submit to the “abuse,” but to “her authority.” God also had to work things out first with Abraham and Sarai in order for Him to command Hagar to return and submit.
Fourth, some of the greatest blessings from the Lord can only be experienced in the context of submission. Trying to escape from under a person’s authority may not be the most favorable position to receive God’s blessings. God blessed Hagar only when she returned to Sarai and submitted to her authority.
Fifth, there were no innocent parties involved. Sarai was guilty for originating her plan. Abraham was wrong for going along with it. And Hagar, although under the authority of her mistress, she still could have pleaded, prayed, or even make an appeal. The point is this: Abuse is wrong, but abuse, at least in this case, did not occur in a vacuum of total innocence.
