BibleProject | Discovering the Exodus Way Theme in Scripture预览

Hagar’s Exodus in Reverse

Today, we encounter the Exodus way pattern in reverse through the story of Hagar, an enslaved Egyptian woman who experiences oppression from Abraham and Sarah. Wait … what? Talk about irony.

Initially, Sarah is happy about God’s promise to give her a son, but pregnancy doesn’t happen quickly. She becomes angry, even accusatory, toward God, and her dissatisfaction drives her to oppress and abuse Hagar.

Rather than receiving this promised son on God’s terms, Sarah devises a scheme to
have a son on her own terms by forcing her enslaved servant, Hagar, to bear Abraham’s child (Gen. 16:1-3).

Hagar bears a son, Ishmael. But then, Sarah eventually becomes pregnant with Isaac, the son God originally promised. Sarah favors Isaac and wants Ishmael gone, so she kicks Ishmael and Hagar out into the wildlands. It’s a brutal scene, but there’s something positive happening here as well.

Hagar names her son Ishmael, which means “God hears”—a constant reminder that God hears Hagar’s misery and oppression. He rescues Hagar, delivering her into the wilderness where he preserves her and Ishmael’s lives (Gen. 21:9-21).

Notice the ironic twist. God delivers Hagar, an Egyptian slave, from the oppression of a Hebrew family. Centuries later, Abraham and Sarah’s massive family will be enslaved and brutally oppressed by an Egyptian king, and God will deliver them too.

That’s where we’re headed next—Moses’ showdown with Pharaoh and Israel’s great exodus from Egypt.

Reflection Question:
When the pharaoh first oppresses Abraham and Sarah, God rescues them. But when Sarah and Abraham oppress an Egyptian (Hagar), God rescues Hagar. What does this suggest about the way God views people?

Today’s video gives a summary overview of the second half of Genesis, the story of Abraham’s family developing and moving. What other stories or parts of the larger narrative remind you of the Exodus way pattern we’ve been tracing so far?