Our reality story of Hagar begins with Sarah and Abraham doubting God. Yes, the father of the nation Israel and his wife knew God had told them they would have a son, but when it didn’t happen in the manner they thought it would, they took matters into their own hands. Here is where our princess story begins. Hagar was an Egyptian slave that was now the handmaid of Sarah. Sarah gets anxious for a child and decides to take matters into her own hands. In Genesis 16:2, she told Abraham to take marry Hagar and have a child by her, and then she would take him as her own. This was a bad idea.
Genesis 16:1-3 “Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had a 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.”
Abraham does as Sarah asks and Hagar gets pregnant. Things worsen for Hagar. She despises Sarah and Abraham tells Sarah to treat her the way that she chooses. Sarah makes it so hard on her that Hagar runs away. However, you can’t run from God! Another beautiful attribute of our God is He is always wherever we are.
Genesis 16:4-6 “And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleases thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”
The Angel of the Lord speaks to Hagar and tells her to go back to Sarah and submit to her. Hagar had felt all alone. She had no one to understand her feelings and Sarah was making it extremely hard on her because she was carrying Abraham’s child. The Angel from God assures her that he saw her and her need. Hagar knew who God was from living with Abraham and Sarah. In Genesis 16:13, she calls Him “Thou God seest me.” She understood He was with her, and He would guide her.
Years later Sarah has her own son Isaac and becomes very jealous of Ishmael, Hagar’s son and she forces Hagar to leave. Abraham was grieved over his son Ishmael being sent away, but God assured him He would take care of him, and he too would be the father of a nation.
Gen 21:9-14 “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. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also, of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. 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.”
Once again God proves to Hagar, He had not forgotten her. He sees her crying in the wilderness and sorrowful because there was no more water or food for her son. God steps in and provides! Hagar had laid the child under a bush and moved to where she can’t see him. She does not want to see him die. As she weeps, God steps in again. The Angel hears the boy and tells Hagar not to fear. In the desert, God provides a well of water to supply their need.
Genesis 21:15-20 “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.”
Hagar had been used and abused to fulfill the desires of Sarah. When Sarah had a son, Hagar was no longer needed and was forced to leave. She may have been forced to leave the comforts and security of the only home her son had known, but the God who sees all and loved them was taking care of them. She was a princess because she followed the leadership of God the Father. God allowed a slave from Egypt to be in a situation that seemed impossible so He could show who He was.
God wants to do the same for us. We are a slave to sin before we surrender our hearts and lives to God. We too are cast down with no hope until God finds us. John 14:6 makes it clear that we can only come to God through Jesus. In Hebrews 13:5, God tells us “I will never leave thee, nor forsake us.” We like Hagar can rest on His promises and serve Him no matter what our circumstances are, or how alone we feel.
