READ: GENESIS 21:9-14
“And God said to Abraham, let it not be
grievous in your sight because of the lad, and because of your bond woman; in
all that Sarah has said to you, hearken to her voice; for in Isaac shall your
seed be called” (Genesis 21:12).
After several years of waiting for the promise; Sarah thought of a way out. She decided to give her Egyptian slave girl to Abraham so as to help God. When Abraham copulated with her, she conceived and eventually gave birth to Ishmael. Hagar was another ‘Lot’ Abraham imported from Egypt and she has been the mother of troubles and sorrows all over the world ever since. Years later, Isaac was born and the child of the slave began to mock and reproach the child of promise. Sarah could no more stand it so she requested that the slave and her son be sent packing. Abraham could stand sending Hagar out, but not Ishmael. He was grieved. But when God came into the scene, He asked him to restitute. Every carnal attempt to assist God in fulfilling His word creates fresh problems that would linger on in years to come. Be patient and wait for God. God is not a weakling. You cannot stampede Him into action. Cast your cares upon Him and wait in thanksgiving and praises. He will hear your cry.
Abraham restituted by sending away the slave and her son. There are many who have been saved but are strongly against restitution. They would ask: How can a man with three wives before being born again send away the second and third wives and retain only the first wife after knowing the Lord? That was exactly what Abraham did. There was no record that Hagar came back to that family after she was sent away. Are you living with more than one wife? You are living in adultery – Jesus who is the end of the law says it is one man, one wife from the beginning and we should return to it (Matthew 19:3-9). Hence the early church pursued monogamy. To over come sexual temptations, believers are enjoined to be intimate with their single spouse: Every man should have his own wife (1 Corinthians 7:1-3). Church leaders must be husbands of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2, 12). This is why polygamy is a rarity in the early church. God’s marriage formula is: two shall become one flesh. Not three or more. Apart from your first wife, all others are concubines and they are the load that may hinder you from heaven. Shed them off. See your pastor or senior pastor for proper counsel.
After several years of waiting for the promise; Sarah thought of a way out. She decided to give her Egyptian slave girl to Abraham so as to help God. When Abraham copulated with her, she conceived and eventually gave birth to Ishmael. Hagar was another ‘Lot’ Abraham imported from Egypt and she has been the mother of troubles and sorrows all over the world ever since. Years later, Isaac was born and the child of the slave began to mock and reproach the child of promise. Sarah could no more stand it so she requested that the slave and her son be sent packing. Abraham could stand sending Hagar out, but not Ishmael. He was grieved. But when God came into the scene, He asked him to restitute. Every carnal attempt to assist God in fulfilling His word creates fresh problems that would linger on in years to come. Be patient and wait for God. God is not a weakling. You cannot stampede Him into action. Cast your cares upon Him and wait in thanksgiving and praises. He will hear your cry.
Abraham restituted by sending away the slave and her son. There are many who have been saved but are strongly against restitution. They would ask: How can a man with three wives before being born again send away the second and third wives and retain only the first wife after knowing the Lord? That was exactly what Abraham did. There was no record that Hagar came back to that family after she was sent away. Are you living with more than one wife? You are living in adultery – Jesus who is the end of the law says it is one man, one wife from the beginning and we should return to it (Matthew 19:3-9). Hence the early church pursued monogamy. To over come sexual temptations, believers are enjoined to be intimate with their single spouse: Every man should have his own wife (1 Corinthians 7:1-3). Church leaders must be husbands of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2, 12). This is why polygamy is a rarity in the early church. God’s marriage formula is: two shall become one flesh. Not three or more. Apart from your first wife, all others are concubines and they are the load that may hinder you from heaven. Shed them off. See your pastor or senior pastor for proper counsel.
MEMORIZE: 1
CORINTHIANS 7:2 –Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own
wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
