Abraham
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ark with their righteous father. God has not sanctioned polygamy in a
single instance. It was contrary to his will. He knew that the happiness
of man would be destroyed by it.
Abraham’s peace was greatly marred by his unhappy marriage
with Hagar. “And the Lord said unto Abram, lift up now thine eyes
and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward,
and eastward, and westward, for all which thou seest to thee will I give
it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the
earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy
seed also be numbered.” “The word of the Lord came unto Abram in a
vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding
great reward. And Abram said, Behold, to me thou has given no seed,
and lo, one born in my house is mine heir.”
As Abram had no son, he at first thought that his trusty servant,
Eliezer, should become his son by adoption, and his heir. But God
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informs Abram that his servant shall not be his son and heir, but that
he should really have a son. “And he brought him forth abroad, and
said, Look now toward heaven, and tell me the stars, if thou be able to
number them; and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.”
If Abraham and Sarah had waited in confiding faith for the fulfill-
ment of the promise, that they should have a son, much unhappiness
would have been avoided. They believed that it would be just as God
had promised, but could not believe that Sarah, in her old age, would
have a son. Sarah suggested a plan whereby she thought the promise
of God could be fulfilled. She entreated Abraham to take Hagar as his
wife. In this they both lacked faith, and a perfect trust in the power
of God. By hearkening to the voice of Sarah, and taking Hagar as his
wife, Abraham failed to endure the test of his faith in God’s unlimited
power, and brought upon himself, and upon Sarah, much unhappiness.
The Lord intended to prove the firm faith and reliance of Abram upon
the promises he had made him.
Hagar was proud and boastful, and carried herself haughtily before
Sarah. She flattered herself that she was to be the mother of the great
nation God had promised to make of Abraham. And Abraham was
compelled to listen to complaints from Sarah in regard to the conduct
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of Hagar, charging Abraham with wrong in the matter. Abraham is
grieved, and tells Sarah that Hagar is her servant, and that she can
have the control of her, but refuses to send her away, for she is to