James 4:1–10 explains why Christians fight and how Christians can be at peace. Our battles among ourselves are caused because we obey our three enemies: the world (James 4:4), the flesh (v. 1), and the devil (v. 7). How can we expect to be at peace with God and each other if we are living for the enemy! “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God’’ (4:6–7 nkjv).
Hagar had to submit to God (vv. 7–14). This is the first appearance in Scripture of the Angel of the Lord, who is generally identified as our Lord Jesus Christ. In Genesis 16:10, the angel promised to do what only God can do, and in verse 13, Hagar called the angel “God.’’ These pre-incarnation visits of Jesus Christ to the earth were to meet special needs and to accomplish special tasks. The fact that the Son of God took on a temporary body, left heaven, and came down to help a rejected servant-girl surely reveals His grace and love. His servants Abraham and Sarah had sinned against the Lord and against Hagar, but the Lord did not desert them.
The angel called her “Sarah’s maid,’’ which suggests that God did not accept her marriage to Abraham. Apparently Hagar was on her way back to Egypt when she met the angel, but God told her to return to Abraham’s camp and submit herself to her mistress. That would take a great deal of faith, because Sarah had mistreated Hagar before and might do it again.
God then told her that she was pregnant with a son whom she should name Ishmael (“God hears’’). While he would not be Abraham’s heir in the blessings of the covenant, Ishmael would still enjoy blessings from God since he was Abraham’s son. God promised to multiply Ishmael’s descendants and make them into great nations (21:18; 25:12–18), and He did, for Ishmael is the founder of the Arab peoples.
Ishmael would be a “wild donkey of a man’’ (16: niv), which is not a very flattering description. It identified him with the wilderness where he lived by his skill as an archer (21:20–21; Job 24:5). It also revealed his independent and pugnacious nature.
He would be a hated man, living “in hostility toward all his brothers’’ (Gen. 16: niv). While we must not apply these traits to every descendant of Ishmael, the centuries-long hostility between the Jews and the Arabs is too well known to be ignored. The Arab nations are independent peoples, dwelling in the desert lands and resisting the encroachments of other nations, especially Israel and her allies.
Hagar’s wilderness experience brought her face-toface with God and taught her some important truths about Him. She learned that He is the living God who sees us and hears our cries when we hurt. The name of the well means “The well of One who lives and sees me.’’ He is a personal God, concerned about abused people and unborn babies. He knows the future and cares for those who will trust Him.
Hagar did return and submit herself to Sarah. Surely she apologized for being arrogant, for despising her mistress, and for running away. She trusted God to protect her and her son and to care for them in the years to come. We never solve life’s problems by running away. Submit to God and trust Him to work things out for your good and His glory.
Sarah had to submit to God. How did Sarah feel when Hagar came back to the camp and reported that God had talked with her? Did God have time for a poor servant? Was God concerned about a slave-girl’s baby? Did the God of Israel care for an Egyptian? Yes, because that Egyptian’s baby had Abraham as a father, and God had a covenant with Abraham. The record does not tell us how Sarah responded, but it would appear that she accepted both Hagar and her report and took her back as her servant. Sarah did not mistreat her again for, after all, God was watching!
Abraham had to submit to God. In this entire episode, Abraham played a rather passive role. He let Sarah talk him into marrying Hagar, and he allowed Sarah to mistreat Hagar and drive her from the camp. Apparently, Abraham did not offer to help Hagar in any way. (Later, he made up for that—Gen. 21:9ff.) But when his son was born, Abraham acknowledged him and obediently gave him the name that God had appointed.
Both Abraham and Sarah had to learn to live with their mistakes. Certainly Abraham enjoyed watching the boy grow up, and the old man’s heart was full of love for him (17:18). But Abraham knew that Ishmael would not be a permanent part of the covenant family. God’s solution to the “Ishmael problem’’ was not to blame Abraham, Sarah, or Hagar, but to send another baby into the home—Isaac. Ishmael did not give Abraham and Sarah any trouble until Isaac came along; then he started to create problems (21:1–11). As we shall see in later chapters, all of these things have profound theological significance for the Christian believer today.
As you review the chapter, you will see that several key texts from Romans are illustrated by what is recorded here.
“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin’’ (Rom. 14:23). Be sure that your plans and procedures can pass the four “tests of faith’’ outlined above. People may agree with you, and the law may defend you, but if God cannot bless you, don’t do it! Let God accomplish His will in His way and in His time. Sarah tried to run ahead of God, and she created problems that are with us yet today.
“They who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life’’ (Rom. 5:17). In Genesis 15, grace was reigning through righteousness because of Abraham’s faith (v. 6), and Abraham was reigning in life to the glory of God. But he abdicated the throne in chapter 16, and sin started to reign. Unbelief, impatience, anger, pride, and indifference took over in Abraham’s home and almost destroyed it. God’s people are kings and priests (Rev. 1:6), who should “reign in life’’ by yielding to Jesus Christ (see Rom. 6:11–14).
“But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound’’ (Rom. 5:20). This does not mean that God winks at sin or that abundant sinning is the key to abundant grace (6:1–7). Rather, it means that God’s grace is greater than man’s sin and can accomplish God’s best even when men do their worst. In grace, God saw Hagar fleeing to Egypt, and He came to her and met her needs. He made her the mother of a great nation. Of course, He did it because of Abraham, but God’s covenant with Abraham was a covenant of grace.
From the human viewpoint, this “detour’’ was a tragedy that brought God’s great salvation plan to a standstill. Consider, however, the divine point of view. God is never caught by surprise. When He cannot rule, He overrules, and He always accomplishes His purposes.
Satan wants us to think that our “disobedience detours’’ must become the permanent road for the rest of our lives, but this is a lie. Like Abraham and Sarah, we can confess our sins, accept God’s cleansing (1 John 1:9), and then learn to live with our mistakes. Yes, there will be pain and regret, but God’s grace will overcome in the end.
George Morrison is worth quoting again: “The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings.’’