Lesson 6 - "Hagar"

(Please read all Genesis 16, 21:9-17, 25:12-18 and Gal 4:24-25) If at all possible, read it in at least two different translations for a beter understanding.

1. Where was Hagar from, and what position did she hold?


2. What did Sarai ask her to do? 


3. What was Hagar's attitude towards Sarai, afterwards?


HONEST REFLECTION: Is there someone in my life, whom I used to serve (or respect) that I now despise?



(The Word despise is Qalal (Kaw-lal) which means to bring into contempt, to make light of, to lightly esteem.) With this definition in mind, what is my HONEST REFLECTION? 




4. What do you think caused Hagar's attitude change? 




5. What was Sarai's reaction to Hagar's new attitude?




HONEST REFLECTION: 
 When someone's attitude for me changes, do I react negatively? Or in God's Love, do I truly pray for that person? 






6. What did Hagar do when faced with Sarai's reaction? Describe what transpired.




    -    " by="" god's="" promise="" to="" us="" we="" can endure all things.  He alone is our hope, our source of strength." (an excerpt from Women of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer)


7. Another 'attitude' reared it's ugly head fourteen years later through Ishmael and Hagar. . . . "mocking" . . . the word used is tsa=chaq (tsaw-khauk'), meaning to laugh outright, make sport of, mock, scorn. The results of this episode brought forth her banishment by Abraham and Sarah. Describe what happened.

       - "Hagar's extremity became God's opportunity."

"Abraham had given Hagar a bottle (emphasis mine) of water, but it was soon empty. God gave her a well (emphasis mine) and the lad drank and God was with him, and he grew and became an archer in the wilderness." (Lockyer)

AFTERTHOUGHT: What lessons can I learn from Hagar's life?

      - My own personal thoughts on this notation from Lockyer (and from my own life experiences) is that no matter what life offers me,and by life I mean 'man' or 'jobs' or - you fill in the blank, that it is soon empty. Only true fulfullment comes from drinking from the well that springs out of my walk with the Lord!

1. Daily "attitude" checks - Eph. 4:22-24

2. Clinging to God's promises above all else - Joshua 23:14, Psalm 145:13

3. Walking in obedience - Psalm 119:59, Daniel 3, Acts 4:18-20 and 1 Samuel 15:22