3 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. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes (Genesis 16:3-4).
This is an odd situation to our modern minds. But for the time in which this occurred, the idea not having offspring was one of shame. Therefore the human inclination was to do whatever it took to produce a progeny. What Abraham and Sarah did was probably commonplace at the time and within accepted behavior. But this was not God’s design and plan for humanity. So, while tolerated and allowed, it was not good and there were many problems that resulted. God however accomplishes His plan even when humans go astray. This reveals both the wisdom and mercy of our Creator.
This is an odd situation to our modern minds. But for the time in which this occurred, the idea not having offspring was one of shame. Therefore the human inclination was to do whatever it took to produce a progeny. What Abraham and Sarah did was probably commonplace at the time and within accepted behavior. But this was not God’s design and plan for humanity. So, while tolerated and allowed, it was not good and there were many problems that resulted. God however accomplishes His plan even when humans go astray. This reveals both the wisdom and mercy of our Creator.
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