Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
Genesis 16
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)
Commentary:
16:2 Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. The Hebrew idiom implies that Abram obeyed Sarai. Abram is possibly criticized here for conceding too readily to his wife’s request (see v. 6).
16:3 as a wife. Hagar’s status within Abram’s household is changed from servant to wife, although this does not place her on a par with Sarai (see note on 25:5–6). While the OT records occasions when particular individuals have more than one wife, such instances are almost always fraught with complications and difficulties. The taking of multiple wives is never encouraged in the Bible (see 2:24; Deut. 17:17) and usually arises out of peculiar circumstances. (For more on polygamy, see Marriage and Sexual Morality.)
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 78.
16:3 as a wife. Hagar’s status within Abram’s household is changed from servant to wife, although this does not place her on a par with Sarai (see note on 25:5–6). While the OT records occasions when particular individuals have more than one wife, such instances are almost always fraught with complications and difficulties. The taking of multiple wives is never encouraged in the Bible (see 2:24; Deut. 17:17) and usually arises out of peculiar circumstances. (For more on polygamy, see Marriage and Sexual Morality.)
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 78.
Questions:
- Waiting on God can be very difficult. Not only did Sarai choose the wrong path by offering up this alternate plan for a child, but Abram went along with it. Even though it wasn't long ago that God spoke directly to Abram and promised him a miracle, Abram silently goes along with a plan that clearly ISN'T God's. Abram was silent when he needed to speak up. How often do you stay silent when you should speak up? How often do you go along to get along? How often do you choose comfort over conviction? Examples?
- Suffering can breed SILENCE. Abram here is the definition of passivity. On the contrary, we are called to boldly proclaim the truth of Scripture. We are to choose HIS truth over our own. Can you say this is true of your life and decisions?
Pray:
- That you would boldly stand on truth.
- That you would learn to stand up and speak up when necessary.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
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