HITTING THE WALL

Genesis 16:7-16
Bob Bonner
February 6, 2005

A student is given an assignment or handed an exam. Rather than doing the work himself or herself, the student decides to cheat, plagiarize or accept the unauthorized help of another. Why? Often times, the desire to cheat comes from a desperate need to succeed because we want to prove to ourselves that we have value because we have accomplished something. Or, a student will cheat because the student is desperately fearful of failing, and thus losing the approval of their parents, peers or teachers. Hence, in order to avoid failing and rejection, the student does what is wrong, cheats and then excuses himself or herself with the rationalization of “but everyone is doing it.” Only, one day the student will get caught and the cheating will short circuit the student’s progress. And when that day of embarrassment comes, an even greater feeling of failure and unworthiness will follow.

An employer or employee comes to the point of a decision: do I lie or steal to get ahead? Do I do the honorable thing, or do a go for the gold, driven by greed? What is it that so often pushes people’s greed button? It often is the need for feeling worthwhile or important. The more I have, the more powerful I am and the more people will revere me or have to listen to me. In the end, when greed moves us to be dishonest or less than honorable, sooner or later the greedy person’s motives are revealed. When they are, businesses fail, reputations are ruined, and they feel less worthwhile than they did before they made wrong decisions.

A young women, in search for love gives herself to a man, outside of marriage. She wants acceptance. She wants someone to care for her, to value her. In return, she wants someone to whom she can show love. There is this pressing need inside to sense value and belonging. All is well and exciting, at first with her affair. But sooner than she expects, she finds herself pregnant and alone, for the father of the child wanting nothing to do with her or the child has left her. Now, she feels more rejection and less loved than before.

All three of these examples have one ingredient in common: they illustrate that so many of our bad choices are driven by a need for approval or finding a sense of belonging and worth. In most cases, we know when we are violating our consciences. Even though we know that we are doing wrong, somehow we are convinced or deceived into believing that by doing wrong everything will turn out better than if we did what we knew to be right. In the end, the more wrong decisions we deliberately make, the more we are left with a deep sense of rejection, failure and hopelessness. As a result of our own failures due to wrong choices, anger, frustration, bitterness and depression become our constant companion.

All the while, God sees this and His heart is broken. He created us that we might know Him, follow after Him and find fulfillment and meaning in life through walking with Him, obeying Him. Yet, because we have ignored His truth, because we have violated our own consciences, we end up broken people. It is to broken people that Jesus declares, “ Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden , and I will give you rest . “ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart , and you will find rest for your souls . “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Let’s face it. We all have made choices and acted in ways that were not only wrong but have brought heartache to us and those around us. Sometimes the pain is so great that the only thing we think we can do is run away and try again, only to repeat the same scenario. But sooner or later, after we have run enough times, we finally hit the wall and can’t run any further. We are forced to take responsibility or ownership for our wrong choices. For some people, as painful as that may be, hitting that wall can be the best thing that ever happened to them.

This morning, we are going to see just such a case. We are going to look at vignette of a woman’s life who made wrong choices and suffered greatly for it. In addition, we are going to see how Jesus Christ invaded her life, offering her a way out. It is a true story, a wonderful story. It is a story in one fashion or another that repeats itself daily in our world. If you think that you are at the end of your rope this morning, I hope that by the time we are finished, you will discover God’s way out for you.

Look with me in your Bibles at Genesis 16. We are going to look at a woman who made a serious mistake, a woman who with little clout in the first place and because of her mistake finds herself rejected, broken, alone and without hope. No one wants her around. She has become persona non grata. Yet, God invades her life and reveals to Hagar His personal concern for her life, if she will only trust Him and do what he says.

For those of you who have not been with us, let me bring you up to speed. By this time in history, God has already made a promise to Abraham that He would give to Abraham and his wife Sarah, a child...a son...one who would produce many descendants that would one day become a powerful nation, the nation of Israel.

However, many years have passed, since God had promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child, but no child had yet come. With each day that passed and no sign of being pregnant, Sarah became more impatient and discouraged. She was now 75 and her husband 85...both of them well beyond the child bearing years. Sarah, lacking faith in God’s ability to fulfill His promises and her takes matters into her own hands, to help God fulfill His promise. She falls back on that which was a socially accepted practice among the nations of that time. When a woman could not conceive a child, it was a common practice for that woman to offer her maid-servant to her husband to bear a child in the wife’s name. Thus, she would take away the profound stigma for women at that time of being labeled “childless.”

But Sarah’s plan backfires. As soon as her maid-servant, Hagar conceives and begins to show signs of being pregnant, Hagar turns on her mistress, Sarah and humiliates her before the rest of the household. Hagar wrongfully treats Sarah with disrespect. The Bible uses the term that Hagar despised or cursed Sarah. Hagar no longer was living in respectful submission to her mistress. In response, Sarah, already having her own self-worth crisis, turns on her slave, Hagar, and treats her harshly. She humiliates Hagar to the point that Hagar can’t take it anymore, and Hagar chooses to run away.

Let’s pick up the action with verse 7. We read, “Now the angel of the Lord found her [Hagar] by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.”

At this time, Abraham’s household had pitched their tents in Hebron. It was from Hebron that pregnant Hagar set out on foot, running back to her home country of Egypt. She did not get too far, less than one hundred miles, before the angel of the Lord confronts her by a spring. The Wilderness of Shur is on the north east border of Egypt. Somewhere between the beginning of this wilderness and Hebron is where this spring bubbles forth.

The word “Shur” means “wall” in Hebrew. This wilderness was called “the wall” because its deserts provided a barrier, a wall or border between Egypt and any invaders of the north. It was a harsh country for anyone to be traveling in, let alone a single pregnant woman by herself. But she was bound to return to the home of her birth, rather than continue to live with Abraham’s household. It is no accident that Hagar comes to this place, for symbolically, she has “hit the wall” in her life. She is being forced to see the foolishness and her rebellion against God and what it has brought to her life.

Furthermore, I do not believe it is a mere coincidence that the writer mentions that Hagar stops at a “spring.” In those days, especially in the desert, a spring was symbolic of “life” or all that is good. A spring is where weary travelers and animals sought water and were rejuvenated. It was a place of hope, despite the present suffering that is being endured. It is at this place of hope, that hopeless Hagar is surprised by a visit from “the angel of the Lord.” God takes the initiative to meet Hagar in a special way.

Don’t miss this fact: the angel of the Lord, is on a mission from God, to meet with Hagar. This is not an accidental event. God cares about this rebellious woman, just as He cares about every rebellious spirit in this room.

As to this “angel”, I personally believe that this angel of the Lord was the pre-incarnate Christ. In other words, before Jesus was born in Bethlehem and walked among us in the flesh and died on the cross, several times we are told in the Old Testament that Jesus appeared in an angelic human form. I believe this is one of those times. I believe it to be true for two reasons: First, His actions are characteristic of Jesus...always seeking after the lost! Furthermore, this angel is not called, “an angel of the Lord” as we find it stated elsewhere, but rather “The angel of the Lord” describing a uniqueness between this angel and others. Hence, I personally believe this woman was one of the first persons to ever see Jesus Christ.

Well, what happens at this meeting? Let’s continue reading to find out. “And he said, "Hagar, Sarah's maid, where have you come from and where are you going?" And she said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarah."

Right there, Hagar is not only telling the angel what she is doing, but she is revealing that she knows that what she is doing is wrong. She is running away from her rightful owner, her mistress, Sarah, who was mistreating Hagar because Hagar had more than insulted or mistreated her mistress, Sarah.

To which the angel, Jesus says, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” Those words of the Lord, are difficult words to hear. They are words of rebuke. When he says, “Return and submit” He is telling her to repent, turn around and go home, because what she has done is wrong. She rightfully and legally belonged to someone else. Even though Sarah may have been unfair to Hagar, Hagar had caused her own problems by her wrongful attitudes and actions toward Sarah. Hence, she needed to go home, seek forgiveness from Sarah and resubmit herself to her mistress.

Don’t miss this point: Jesus wants to do a work in Hagar’s life; but before He can, she must take responsibility for her sin. She must take the correct actions to repair the broken relationship with Sarah, regardless if Sarah ever repents of her wrong doing. Only then, will Jesus continue with this slave girl and bless her life.

So often we find ourselves in a horrible situation that we have caused. We go to God expecting Him to rescue us simply because He is good, kind, loving and because we ask Him to. We say or think things like,“Lord, what are you going to do for me? I don’t like my situation. I don’t like my job. Or, I don’t like my spouse. We have a horrible marriage. I wish you would help me.” But the Lord says, “Sure, I will help you. But not until you deal with your stubborn pride first, and take your eyes of the other person’s problems and obey what you know I want you to do.

When you learn to submit to your boss at work, and serve him as you would serve me, then will talk about making your job more meaningful or helping you get a raise.

You don’t like your marriage situation, you don’t like your spouse, you don’t like the lack of passion or respect that you are receiving at home? Fine. We will deal with that, but not until you start living as the spouse I have called you to be. When you submit to your spouse and love him or her, like I love you, then we will talk about the restoration of the passion in your marriage. When you begin to obey me in these areas, then we will start stirring up your love for your spouse. But nothing will happen until you commit to obeying me first.”

What Jesus was telling Hagar to do was not an easy thing to do, but she knew that it was the right thing to do. And even though it was going to be hard, she chose to do the right thing. Only then did the all-knowing Jesus, convinced that Hagar was repentant make the next move to bless her.

For Hagar, it was her commitment to return to Sarah and to be placed under her authority, it was her obedience to God that unlocked God’s future blessings in her life. It was her willingness to trust this God, who’s voice she had never heard before and to obey Him that allowed God to prove Who He is to her.

Jesus says to her, beginning with v. 10, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they shall be too many to count." The angel of the Lord said to her further, "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.”

At this point, Hagar’s jaw must have been dragging on the ground from shock. This young Egyptian slave girl is stunned. Typically, Egyptians knew nothing of the Hebrew God of Abraham. Yet, while living under Abraham’s roof for several years, Hagar began to learn about the God of Abraham. She witnessed God’s deliverance of Abraham against the armies of the kings of the east. She had come to realize that Abraham’s God was real and much more personal than the stone idols from Egypt that never spoke or showed concern for those such as the likes of her. But what she did not know until this day was that Abraham’s God would hear and answer the prayers of someone as insignificant as a runaway slave girl as herself.

Apparently, for the past several days as she fled from Sarah’s harsh treatment, Hagar had cried out to God about her situation, even though she knew very little of Him. And now that He had answered her.... she was floored.

And in His mercy, Jesus meets with her and answers her prayer for help and justice. God is promising her that when she gets home, she is not going to die. No, she is going to live and have a special child. So special will her child be that God gives her the name He wants the child to have. He tells her to name her son to be, “Ishmael.”

“Ishmael” means “the God who HEARS.” But more important to Hagar and us, is that God does more than just hear. This name “Ishmael” means not just that God hears, but our personally-interested-in-people God listens with a purpose to respond to those who seek Him. He is so personally interested in those who seek after Him, that He not only hears, but He ANSWERS as well. He may not answer exactly the way or when we want, but He answers and His timing is always perfect. So, God gives Hagar this name for her son to teach her something about God’s nature.

Furthermore, God gives her this name for her son to remind her of their visit when times get hard in the days ahead. God knew that when Hagar returned home, her life would not be a bed of roses. The conflict between she and Sarah would not go away, but get worse. Yet, in the midst of it, God did not want Hagar to think that He had abandoned her. So, He orders her to name the child to be, “God hears” or “Ishmael” so that when times get tough ahead, she can still cry out to Him and He will take care of her. Every time she hears her son’s name called, she will be reminded of God’s promise to faithfully watch out for her even when the going gets tough. When the storm clouds of life roll in, they are not to be mistaken for God’s abandonment.

In the days ahead, when times are tough, and she begins to wonder if God has abandoned her, she will take one look at “Ishmael” and remember that God has not forsaken her. In fact, He even warned Hagar that there would be tough times ahead.

But that’s not all that Jesus had to say to her. He continues in verse 12, “He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; and he will live to the east of all his brothers.”

A “wild donkey of a man” refers to the fearless and fleet-footed Syrian donkey. It is a metaphor for one who is a maverick and lives an individualistic lifestyle. Ishmael became a man who lived in perpetual conflict with those around him, because he would not listen to or submit to anyone. As a leader, he would lead as one with a chip on his shoulder. He would do things his own way. He was proud and quick to take an insult, swift to avenge it. And all his descendants after him would follow in his temperament.

There is no better description of the long history of the Arab peoples than this. Literally, for thousands of years, one Arab tribe or clan has viciously fought another. What we see taking place between the Arab Muslims in Iraq, the Sunni and the Shiittes, is just another example of this. These Arab tribes were fighting each other before Mohammad was born and have been for centuries since. These conflicts began when Ishmael became the leader of the already existing peoples, the Arabs who lived to the east of Abraham.

In verse 13, we find Hagar’s response to all that the angel of the Lord, Jesus, has said. We read, “Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "Thou art [El Roi] a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.”

Note, will you, that Hagar gives God a new name, “El Roi”. Shocked by all that has happened, she says to God, “You really are the God who sees everything! And not only that, when you see, you don’t look away, you attend to the needs of those who cry out to you. Even a rebellious, confused little slave girl like me!”

This name, “El Roi”, literally translated means, “the God who sees” Once again, Hagar reminds us that our God is not just some observer in the grandstand watching the game of life. Instead, He is personal. He looks after and attends to those whom He sees.

Again, this was too wonderful to believe, as far as Hagar was concerned. Hagar could understand God being interested in Abraham. But for Him to be interested in her, an Egyptian and a female, that was unheard of from her cultural background. In Egypt, their gods were uncaring, fickle, and easily and often without reason outraged. Women did not hold any position of value and worth before the Egyptian gods. Egyptian gods were male dominated and only on the side of the rich and powerful. Hence, until this point, Hagar would have assumed that Abraham was influential, so no wonder God was with him. But for Yahweh, El Roi, Ishmael to speak to her, a lonely, friendless, disobedient runaway slave girl in distress? No matter what would lay ahead of her, the tragedies and hardships, she would never recover from this meeting with God.

To make a monument to her meeting with God, Hagar gives a name to this spring where she personally met the Lord: “Beer lahai roi” which means “the well of the living one who sees.” Keep in mind, Moses, the author of Genesis is writing this about 400 years later. For him to mention where this well was meant that it was still in existence at that time. It had become a sacred place, the place where Hagar had met the living God.

Even the names of the two cities that are on either side of this well are significant. “Kadesh” means “holiness” and “Bered” means “judgment”. Here is this spring, this well of grace lying between “holiness” and “judgment.” What picture and message this sends to all who understand. When we begin to stray from the place of God’s blessing, from His holiness toward the certainty of judgement, God meets us on the way, at the well of grace saying, “Now wait a minute. I don’t want to have to judge you openly. Won’t you repent and submit. Won’t you let Me take over the leadership of your life?” That’s the well of grace. And Hagar took God up on His offer. She obeyed God and returned to Abraham’s homestead to have the baby and to serve Sarah.

In verse 15 we read the epilogue to the story, “So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.”

So, what can we take away from this quick look at Hagar? Many things, but here are just two.

The first lesson that comes to mind, comes from what must have happened when Hagar returned home. I’m convinced that when Hagar returned to the palace, and having been humbled and having put her trust in the Lord, she shared with passion with all who would listen to her, including Abraham, the new revelation concerning Who his God is. This new revelation had to do with the two new names of God that help paint the picture of Who God is. She told Abraham and others, “He is not just “Elohim”, the creator God of heaven and earth, nor is He just “Yahweh”, the personal, eternal covenant keeping God. He is not limited to being “El Elyon”, the strongest of the strong who defeated for you the mighty coalition of four kings from the east, who had kidnaped Lot, your nephew. He is more. God is “Ishmael.” He is the God who listens to every cry of every individual’s heart. He hears and answers their prayers. In addition, He is “El Roi”, the God who sees everything that has happened in the past of our lives, the present and the future.” With God’s vision, He plans and carefully lays out our future and our hope. This God who hears and sees does so with the purpose to personally attend to every need of those who seek Him with all of their hearts and chose to obey His will, no matter how difficult it may be. It matters not what the individual has done in the past, but only if they are willing to repent and to seek forgiveness from God and others. Feeling worthless, guilty, alone and rejected, Hagar discovered this lesson to be true, and so can you.

Maybe you are here this morning, carrying guilt over recent or past wrong decisions, actions and attitudes. In addition, you may be living with consequences of those actions that have made your life difficult, if not miserable. In other words, you have “hit the wall.” Jesus does not want you to live now or forever a miserable life. Jesus is in the business of seeking runaways, giving them another chance to once and for all to be forgiven and to find life. Hagar was ready to quit running. Hagar was ready to take responsibility for her actions. Hagar was ready to admit that the role she played in the conflict at home was her fault and wrong. She repented and sought forgiveness and God gave her life.

The same God of Hagar offers you the same deal. Forgiveness and the opportunity to start fresh again. But it starts with you and I taking the second lesson from this story and applying it to our lives. And that lesson is repentance and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ leads to eternal life, blessing and promise.

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