Genesis 16:6-9 New International Version
6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. 9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”
Thursday - July 15
Hagar flees from Sarai, which is totally understandable. However, the angel of the Lord finds her and tells her to go back. In our English Bibles the messenger of the Lord tells Hagar to “submit” to Sarai. In Hebrew the words say to go back and live “under her hand.” This does not mean to submit to physical, emotional, or verbal abuse. It is talking about authority. God wants Hagar to return and submit to Sarai’s authority. Sarai’s abusive behavior is not dismissed out of hand. It is wrong. Also, Abram should not have allowed it to happen. Instead, Hagar, like us, must “submit” to the authority of God’s plan of salvation. The promised child that will “bless the nations” (Gen. 12:3) will come from Abram and Sarai. We must all submit to this! We must all live “under the hand” of faith in Jesus Christ, the descendant of Abram and Sarah, who does not treat us harshly, but forgives, loves, and serves us.