Jul 3rd, 2012 Just For Ladies, by Camille Stahl

Here is the message from Sunday Morning. Many could not get out to church due to the storm damage and power outages.

Today’s Passage – Psalms 86 – 89

Second Milers also read – Matthew 5 – 6; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3

Scripture Memory for July – Hebrews 1

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Micah 6:8

THE STUDY OF WOMEN IN THE BIBLE

Hagar, The Heathen Woman Whom God Loved

Good morning and welcome back. In this weeks lesson, I would like for you to think of Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

“Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.” (Genesis 16:1-4)

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.” (Genesis 22:9-10)

“And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.” (Genesis 21:14-20)

Hagar was an Egyptian woman. Growing up she learned to serve many gods, a heathen. Abraham and Sarah bought Hagar as their slave. How sad for Hagar. She was taken from her family, moved to a far country and was commanded to bare a child with another woman’s husband. According to the law, at that time, this practice was allowed. If a baby was born out of this kind of arrangement, the baby was legally considered to be the child of the true wife. What a sad existence for Hagar. No one to love her, not even her child. Hagar did not even have control of her own life as she was a slave. When Hagar conceived, Sarah got angry and beat Hagar. Remember, Sarah was the one who told Abraham to go into Hagar so she could give birth to Abraham’s seed. Fearing for her life and the life of her child, Hagar ran away. Where is the justice. No one loved her and she was all alone, or was she? While in the wilderness, by a spring of water, God called to her and asked her why she was there. After she explained what happened, God did not rebuke her, although He could have. He simply told her to go back and subject herself to Sarah’s authority. A young heathen woman who did not belong to the people of God, the mother of an unborn child, came before God in extreme need, and God was there. Then Hagar obeyed God and turned back . Instead of speaking out for her own rights, she humbled herself before Sarah.

Thirteen years after Sarah’s son Isaac, was born, Hagar found herself, and her son Ishmael, back in the wilderness. When near death, crying out to God, God came again and provided for them both, just as He did for us at the cross.

As Ishmael grew they traveled to Egypt and Hagar brought him back a wife. Her time with Abraham and Sarah, and her two encounters with the Lord, did not completely change her life. Hagar was still a heathen. God knew that Hagar and Ishmael would choose to serve idol gods, God permitted her to be forced to live in a desert place. This changed history, and the sons of Ismael and the sons of Isaac are still fighting today. Yet, in spite of everything, Hagar is proof that Jesus Christ loves everyone. His help to Hagar proves that anyone who cries out to Him, He will answer. Jesus Christ, who was willing to reveal Himself to a heathen woman who reached the end of her rope, even now is available to everyone who seeks Him.

Is there something going on in your life today that is keeping you at the end of your rope? Is your heart heavy with sorrow and to the point of breaking? Do you feel abandoned, unloved? We have a great King who is waiting with a reached out hand. Will you take it? Just cry out to Him.

Psalm 86:7 says, “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.”

Romans 10:13 say, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.”

Just as I am, without one plea, And that thy Blood was shed for me. And as Thou bids me, come to thee, oh Lamb of God I come.

Thank You

1 John 5:13 – 14