There are three substantial reasons why Hagar was not Abram's Covenant wife. I have already discussed the first two reasons in Article Nine."
The third reason that Hagar is not Abram's wife is as follows:
He never acknowledged her as being his wife, and he continued acknowledging all the remaining days of his life that Sarai was his wife.
"But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she [Hagar] fled from her face." Genesis 16:6
God's angel revered Hagar as being Sarai's maid and mistress - not Abram's wife, for he said:
Hagar's view of her relationship to Abram
Hagar considered herself to be the mistress of Sarai, even while she was pregnant, and she did not think of herself as being the wife of Abram because she answered the Angel as follows:
"...Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai." Genesis 16:8
God's view of the relationship between Abram and Hagar
God spoke of Hagar as being Sarah's bondwoman years after her child (Ishmael) was born, and it was spoken even after Sarah's child (Isaac) was born too.
"And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman [Hagar]..." Genesis 21:12
God's view takes precedent over what anyone else may think, or say concerning Hagar being Abram's wife. He made a promise to Abram that he would have a son born from his own bowels. The term, "from his own bowels" means the boy (Isaac) would come from the bodies of Abraham and his Covenant wife (Sarah).
"...but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir." Genesis 15:4
Do you remember what Jesus had to say about two people [a man, and a woman] becoming one, when married?
"God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE. FOR THIS CAUSE SHALL A MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THEY TWAIN SHALL BE ONE FLESH: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh." Mark 10:6-8
When a man and a woman gets married, they become one flesh until death do them part. Therefore, when God spoke to Abram, He was also speaking to Sarai.
When God promised Abram that he was going to have a son from his own bowels, Sarai was automatically prepared to conceive a child at the same time, if she believed it. It was not based on her understanding it, or not, because God could not prepare one to become fertile without automatically preparing the other one also!
"And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him [Abram], saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir." Genesis 15:4
Did you notice the word, "bowels" in Genesis 15:4 is plural?
Its not by accident that the word was written in the plural sense. It was intentionally written that way to include the loins of both Abram and his wife together, as one.
God was clearly talking to Abram and Sarai. It is exactly the same way as when God would call Adam to come meet with Him in the garden of Eden. Eve automatically came too because she knew God was talking to the both of them.
It is very obvious that Sarai did not believe at first that she could have a child from her own body, because she had been barren all her life. Then she gives her handmaid to Abram to give birth to a child in her place. So eventually Abram gave into temptation.
Abram developed urges to mate again, as a result of believing in God's promise that he would become fertile again, but his wife was unwilling to mate because of her old age and unbelief. So Abram carried out his wife's proposal, and violated the Covenant of God.
In conclusion, Hagar was not Abram's Covenant wife, just his mistress!
Be Blessed, and enjoy all future articles from Robert J. Parker, Sr.
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