However, rather than approach this subject from one of the many, many fronts it presents to us, I’m going back in time to look for a place of beginning. The axe needs to be laid to the root of the tree.
In the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, the issue of Abraham’s childlessness came up in a conversation with the LORD. God had just told Abram that He was Abram’s ‘exceeding great reward’. I guess Abram was wondering exactly how that was going to pan out! because he asked the LORD, essentially, what are You going to give me then? (v.2) Abram was concerned because, at that point, being childless, his heir would be a steward of his house, not his own son. It looked as if there would be no posterity, no lineage going forward for Abram.
God had other plans. Not only did He tell Abram that ‘…he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir’, but that those yet to be born as a result of the birth of his own son would be as great in number as the stars of heaven – if they could actually be numbered! (v.4,5) Now that was some promise!
Scripture tells us that Abram ‘believed in the LORD’. (v.6) But apparently not enough! Many of us know the story: Abram & his wife Sarai decided to try to move things along, since Sarai remained barren. At her suggestion – “…go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her” (Genesis 16:2), Abram boogied on into the maid Hagar’s tent, and, voila! we got Ishmael. NOT the child of promise is the point here. This child was produced through human planning & effort.
Because none of us is ‘perfect’ in our own right, it might be understood how Abram & Sarai undertook to usher in God’s promise. Maybe they weren’t sure what to do or what not to do. I haven’t seen any specific instruction or prohibition from the LORD to them, up to this point. So, at age 86, Abram fathered the child Ishmael by his wife’s maid Hagar.
(As you might imagine, there was trouble in the henhouse, once Hagar conceived. She herself got ‘uppity’ (Gen.16:4), Sarai seems to be blaming Abram for this (v.5), (even though the manipulated mating was her idea), and Hagar (who may not have even had a choice in the matter!) ends up fleeing into the wilderness to escape the harsh treatment of her mistress.)
Fast forward:
Abram is now 99 years old. The LORD arrives for a chat. During this chat, major issues are introduced & clarified, and promises made. One of these promises – “Sarah thy wife (who was about 89, and for whom ‘it ceased to be…after the manner of women’ {Gen.18:11}) shall bear thee a son indeed…” (Genesis 17:19) Now that is clear! No handmaidens, no surrogates! Sarah your wife! Another issue made very clear at this time: “…as for Ishmael…I have blessed him…will make him fruitful…will multiply him exceedingly…BUT (caps mine) my covenant will I establish with Isaac.” (Gen.17:20,21)
The Kingdom of God, the Republic of America & You 