Scheming (16:1b-4a)
Sarah knew that she was incapable of bearing a child but that her husband was still capable of begetting a child. God had specifically named Abraham as the father of the promised heir, but He had not yet identified the mother. Logically, it would be Abraham’s wife, but perhaps God had other plans. Sarah was “second-guessing” God, and this is a dangerous thing to do. Remember, true faith is based on the Word of God (Rom. 10:17) and not on the wisdom of man (Prov. 3:5-6) because “faith is living without scheming.” Sarah said, “It may be”; she did not say, “Thus saith the Lord!” God had told Abraham, “Know of a surety” (Gen. 15:13), but Sarah had no such assurance on which to base her actions.
Furthermore, Sarah was not concerned about the glory of God; her only goal was “that I may obtain children by her” (16:2). Perhaps there is a hint of disappointment with God and even blaming God when she says, “The Lord hath restrained me from bearing” (v. 2). It has often been said that God’s delays are not God’s denials, but Satan whispers to us, “God is holding out on you! If He loved you, things would be different! Blame Him!” (3:1-6).
Abraham’s taking Hagar as a second wife was perfectly legal according to the marriage code of that day. In later years, Jacob would marry his wives’ maids, Bilhah and Zilpah, and each would give him two sons. Moreover, the plan seemed to be successful, for Hagar conceived a child. Perhaps Sarah was right after all.
But not everything that is legal or that appears to be successful is approved by the will of God. God never accepted Hagar as Abraham’s wife; the Angel of the Lord called her Sarah’s “maid” (16:8). Later she was called “this bondwoman and her son” (21:10), not “Abraham’s wife and son.” Why? Because “whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). God rejected the whole enterprise because He had something far better in mind for Abraham and Sarah.
When you review the four evidences of biblical faith that were explained above, you can see that Abraham and Sarah did not pass the test. They were unwilling to wait on the Lord but rushed ahead with their own plans. They acted only to please themselves and not to glorify God. They were not obeying the Word, and what they did certainly did not bring joy and peace to their hearts or their home.
Scottish novelist George MacDonald was right when he said, “In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably, or succeed more miserably.” This leads us to the third stage in Abraham and Sarah’s “detour” experience.