Hagar had fled Abram’s household, is found by the angel of the Lord and told about the future of the son she is carrying. Soon thereafter she has the baby boy. We can deduce from scripture, that somehow she was not too far from Abram’s household because we are told he calls the child by the name that the angel told Hagar she shall name him. Abram does not actually give the child his name, but only calls him by that name already given to him. It is clear that Abram comes into contact with the child, and thus with Hagar once more.
When this occurs Abram is eight-six years old. What an experience that must have been for Abram? He is faced with product of his taking matters into his own hands in order to bring about what God Himself what God had promised to deliver. As I read these verses, I have a sense of this older man who has had a most challenging and interesting life to date, has made mistakes, strived to walk with God and be His friend, and now is content to simply accept the outcomes of his decisions. Perhaps he is through fighting; perhaps he has lost hope.
When a man (or woman) reaches his (or her) later years, there comes a point in time, we must accept the outcomes of our choices made earlier in life. Sometimes this is very hard, but no matter what, the believer in the Almighty knows that all is not lost, that God is still in control, that He still cares, and that His plan for rest of our days is much better than anything we can bring about on our own. The true believer keeps on believing.
At this point, we are not told exactly what happens to Hagar. We do not know right away whether or not she is accepted back into Abram’s household and we have no indication of how Sarai treats her. In fact, the story in Genesis picks up thirteen years later.
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