Genesis 16:1-3 Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.… We might have expected that Abraham would have strenuously resisted every endeavour to induce him to realize for himself God's promise about his seed. Surely he will wait meekly and quietly for God to fulfil His own word, by means best known to Himself. Instead of this he listened to the reasoning of expediency. I. THE QUARTER WHENCE THESE REASONINGS CAME. Sarai. 1. It is always hard to resist temptation when it appeals to natural instinct or to distrusting fear. 2. We should be exceedingly careful before acting on the suggestions of anyone not as advanced as we are in the Divine life. What may seem right to them may be terribly wrong for us. II. THE SORROWS TO WHICH THEY LED. 1. To Sarah. 2. To Hagar. 3. To Abraham. III. THE VICTIM WHOSE LIFE COURSE WAS SO LARGELY INVOLVED. We mourn to see in her only one of myriads who have been sacrificed to the whim or passion, expediency or selfishness, of men. (F. B. Meyer, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. |
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