SARAH/SARAI (Heb., ‘princess’). The NT sees Sarah as an example of the Lord’s triumph over human deadness (Rom. 4:19; Heb. 11:11) and of wifely respect for her husband (1 Pet. 3:6). This latter quality she had in considerable measure: acquiescing in Abram’s disruption of home and life to follow God’s call into the unknown (Gen. 12:1—5), in his absurd weakness in the face of supposed danger (Gen. 12:10-13; 20:2) and making no recorded protest over his decision to sacrifice her only son (Gen. 22). Gen. 16:5 finds her hitting out in every direction but is it not the understandable trauma of facing the bitter reality of a shared husband? And is not her action in Gen. 21:9-10, spiteful and mean-spirited though it was, the other side of (at last) finding her own fulfilment and worth? Her laughter in Gen. 18:12 betrayed a doubting spirit but she laughed with open delight (Gen. 2 1:6) when the LORD proved that nothing is too hard for him (cf. Gen. 18:14). No wonder Abraham wept for this human, lovable woman (Gen. 23:2). Sarah’s experience provides a case study of the spiritual dimensions of childlessness and fertility which remains as the Word of God even in our medically sophisticated age (Gen. 16:2; cf. 30:2; 18:10-14; 21:1—2; cf. 25:21; 29:31;30:17,22). Alec Motyer in The Complete Who's Who of the Bible
Bible study on Sarah & Hagar from WOMEN OF THE OLD TESTAMENT Life Guide® Bible Study by Gladys Hunt (IVP)
Waiting for God to Act
Genesis 16; 18:1-15
Do you ever think God needs a little help in keeping his promises? For example, have you ever trusted God’s promise to meet all your needs and then taken matters into your own hands, assuming God meant you to meet them your way?
It’s one thing to believe God answers your prayers and keeps his word; it’s another thing to wait for him. Waiting is so hard. Believing while waiting is harder still.
God had made a promise to Abraham and
Sarah. He said he would bless the whole world through the children he would give
them. At first, they waited eagerly. But after ten years of waiting, their faith
began to waver. Would God keep his promise? Should they take matters into their
own hands? In this passage we learn that God’s timetable may be very different
from our own.
1. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” How do you react when what you hope and pray for does not occur?
2. Read Genesis 16. Over a period of two decades God repeated his promise to make a great nation out of Abram’s offspring. As the years went by and no child was conceived, how do you think Sarai felt about herself?
3. Why does Sarai take matters into her own hands (Genesis 16:1-2)?
4. When Sarai suggested Hagar as a substitute (surrogate) mother, she was following a custom acceptable in her culture. At what point does she regret this decision (Genesis 16:4-5)?
4(a). Like Sarai, why do we want to blame others for our bad decisions?
5. What does Hagar learn about God in her personal struggles over this pregnancy (Genesis 16:7-14)?
6. Remembering Hagar’s position in Abraham’s household, what would it cost her to obey the angel’s instruction?
7. Thirteen years later God again appears to Abram, reminds him of his promise and changes his name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah (Genesis 17:5, 15). Read Genesis 18:1-15. To what lengths does God go to demonstrate to Abraham and Sarah the certainty of his promise?
8. What does the Lord seem to know about Sarah (Genesis 18:10-15)?
9. What did Sarah need to learn about the Lord?
10. What traits of Sarah do you see in yourself?
11. Is God’s knowledge of your private thoughts and fears a comfort or a distress to you? Explain.
12. Genesis 21:1-7 answers the question the Lord asks in Genesis 18:14, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” What two choices and possible outcomes face you in this matter of waiting for God to act on your behalf?
13. Respond to this study by asking God to teach you what you need to learn to have a believing heart.