HAGAR BECOMES PROUD AND BOASTFUL

When Hagar became Abraham's wife she became proud and boastful. She stopped showing the right attitude toward Sarah that a servant should. Instead, Hagar boasted that she was to become the mother of the great nation God had promised to Abraham.SRme 1.263

Abraham had to listen to Sarah's complaints about how Hagar was acting. She blamed Abraham for marrying Hagar. Abraham defended himself, saying he never would have married Hagar if Sarah had not urged him to marry Hagar. He also told Sarah that, because Hagar was her servant, she could decide what to do with Hagar. But Abraham refused to send Hagar away because she was soon to become the mother of his child. Abraham thought that through this child God's promise would be fulfilled.SRme 1.264

Abraham also had to listen to Hagar's complaints about how mean Sarah was to her. Abraham loved Sarah very much. Abraham did not know how to solve the problem. If he were to try to help Hagar, Sarah, his much-loved wife, would become jealous and more unhappy.SRme 1.265

Hagar decided to run away from Sarah. As Hagar was fleeing, an angel met and comforted her. The angel also scolded her for being proud and boastful. The angel told her she must go back to Sarah and obey her.SRme 1.266

After Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, God spoke to Abraham again, saying, "'I will keep my promise to you and to your descendants in future generations as an everlasting covenant'" (Gen. 17:7, TEV).SRme 1.267

The angel whom God sent to speak to Abraham told him once more that God had promised to give Sarah a son. Sarah was to be the mother of many nations. But Abraham still did not understand the promise of God. He thought God's promise to make him the father of many nations would be fulfilled through Ishmael. Abraham loved Ishmael so much that he asked God to let Hagar's son be his heir.SRme 1.268

But God said "'No. Your wife Sarah will. . .[give birth to] a son and you will name him Isaac. I will keep My covenant with him and with his descendants forever'" (Gen. 17:19).SRme 1.269

Angels were sent to Abraham again. They were on their way to destroy Sodom. These angels repeated the promise, making the promise even clearer that Sarah would have a son.SRme 1.270