(1). I was surprised to understand deeper the series of consequences that Sarai and Abram’s lack of faith had. Actually, they believed that God had a plan with them, but the problem was that they thought they had a part to play in fulfilling it, although God had not told them any such thing, nor approved of their involvement, that if even He was asked about.
After years of waiting in vain for the son of promise, Sarai thought it was about time to do something about it; the sooner, the better. By now, it was an emergency. God’s plan was in the game. So she took Hagar, her servant, and gave her to Abraham, that she may bear them a child. Thus has Ishmael purposely come into our world. But bitter was his finding years later as, though raised to be Abraham’s inheritor, he was removed when God fulfilled His plan in His Own time and way.
I feel for Ishamel. We may easily think that he should have just accepted his role, and stepped back to make place for the real inheritor of Abraham and the divine promise. But he surely must have felt cheated on. “Ishmael, now a youth, had been regarded by all in the encampment as the heir of Abraham's wealth and the inheritor of the blessings promised to his descendants. Now he was suddenly set aside;”(Ellen White – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 147).
Ishamael had no easy task. And yet all of us, just like him, have come without choice into this world where, despite the fact that we are subjected to sin and injustice, we are required to obey God. But God Himself makes all provision for our obedience, and with His constantly offered help, we can gain victory. Unfortunately though “in their disappointment, mother and son hated the child of Sarah. The general rejoicing increased their jealousy, until Ishmael dared openly to mock the heir of God's promise” (Ellen White – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 147). Ishmael and his mother were sent away.
What shocked me about this whole story is that the ancestor of nations that have been known for centuries as heathen (a main target of religious conversion), was a direct result of a mistake made by a God-believing couple (Sarai, who suggested the plan, and Abram, who accepted it). It makes me shrink as I think of possible consequences my own choices may have on people I many not even know personally, consequences that can extent even on future generations.
When God has discovered me some of His plans for my life, not following, and most important, not waiting on Him to fulfil it in His own way and time, could have hurtful consequences not only for me, but for others as well. I’ve pondered a lot over this, and have yet to reflect on.
(2). The second aspect of Abraham’s story was revealed in this passage: “Because Abraham had shown a lack of faith in God's promises, Satan had accused him before the angels and before God of having failed to comply with the conditions of the covenant, and as unworthy of its blessings. God desired to prove the loyalty of His servant before all heaven, to demonstrate that nothing less than perfect obedience can be accepted, and to open more fully before them the plan of salvation.” (Ellen White – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 155).
Like it says in Revelation 12:10, Satan is “the accuser of our brethren, {…} which accused them before our God day and night.” Thus, Satan’s repeated method is to take advantage of our sin and mistakes, accusing us before God. Any accusation must be answered somehow. Even God Himself, the first Being ever accused, had to prove His character before any and all of the created beings. Therefore, God has to test us. I don’t think this is necessarily the only reason God tests our faith, but, as the inspired writings record, it surely was one of the reaons in the case of Job and Abraham.
God waited longer than Abraham expected to send him a son. So there came a time when His promise did not make sense any longer. It was humanly impossible. And so Abraham agreed to intervene. Thank God, despite our foolishness, He never gives up on any of us, and has incredible patience and love.
He worked with Abraham. He gave him the opportunity to prove and increase his faith as He was to give up Isaac, the very gift that was offered him by miracle. “That he might reach the highest standard, God subjected him {Abraham} to another test, the closest which man was ever called to endure.” (Ellen White – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 155).
“Heavenly beings were witnesses of the scene as the faith of Abraham and the submission of Isaac were tested. All heaven applauded his fidelity. Satan's accusations were shown to be false. God declared to His servant, "Now I know that you fear God [notwithstanding Satan's charges], seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me."(Ellen White – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 155).
Thus, our tests of faith could be seen as opportunities to prove our loyalty to God. Most often, we don’t understand. Most often, I don’t understand why some things happen, why some don’t, or why others happened the way they do. But if it all comes down to my loyalty to God, then I want to prove it. I don’t want Satan to be proven right in his accusations. I don’t want this unloving and terrible creature to have victory.
Perhaps in situations that become “urgent” to us, when we run out of patience and trust, when we feel like things are getting out of control, when we start questioning God’s plan because things don’t happen the way we expect them, the best thing would be to “leave the place”; to adopt an "Emergency Non-Intervention" policy; to take the exit, and let God take care, keep control over things, and fulfill His plans in His time, and in His way.
