Lesson 3: Finding Strength in Powerlessness– Lessons from Hagar

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the concept of powerlessness in certain life situations.
• Explore the story of Hagar from the book of Genesis as a metaphor for powerlessness.
• Learn to express pain to God and find hope for the future instead of resorting to addictive behaviors.

Introduction

• Begin by discussing the concept of powerlessness and situations where individuals may feel trapped or controlled by others. 
• Introduce the story of Hagar from the book of Genesis as an example of someone who experienced powerlessness in her life. 

Setting the Scene (Genesis 16:1-3):

• Explain Hagar's role as a servant to Sarah and Abraham. 
• Discuss the cultural context of the time, emphasizing Hagar's lack of rights. 

Double-Blind and Escaping Through Addictive Behaviors: 

• Explore the double-blind dilemma Hagar faced, trying to please both Sarah and Abraham. 
• Discuss the temptation to escape through addictive behaviors when feeling stuck or frustrated in relationships. 

Hagar's Escape (Genesis 16:4-6): 

• Narrate the events leading to Hagar's escape after becoming pregnant. 
• Emphasize the mistreatment she faced and the loneliness she felt in the wilderness. 

Encounter with the Angel (Genesis 16:7-11): 

• Explore the angel's message to Hagar to return and submit to Sarah. 
• Discuss the promise of numerous descendants and the naming of her son Ishmael, meaning "God hears." 

God Hears Our Cries (Application to Personal Situations): 

• Relate Hagar's story to modern situations of powerlessness and frustration. 
• Emphasize the importance of turning to God in times of distress and expressing pain rather than resorting to escape mechanisms. 

Learning to Express Pain to God: 

• Discuss the significance of prayer and communication with God during challenging times. 
• Encourage students to share their struggles with God and seek comfort and guidance. 

Finding Hope for the Future: 

• Emphasize the hope God provides, as seen in Hagar's story. 
• Discuss ways to trust God's plan and find hope for the future even in difficult circumstances. 

Conclusion: 

Summarize the key lessons from Hagar's story: facing powerlessness, resisting escape through addictive behaviors, and finding hope in God. 

Encourage students to apply these lessons in their own lives, seeking God's guidance in times of trouble.

Scripture

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children1 by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram chad lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. Genesis 16:1-3

4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. 5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!” 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. Genesis 16:4-6

7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the Lord said to her,

“Behold, you are pregnant

and shall bear a son.

You shall call his name Ishmael,

because the Lord has listened to your affliction.

Genesis 16:7-11

Study Notes

Contents: Birth of Ishmael.

Characters: Sarah, Abram, Hagar, Angel, Ishmael.

Conclusion: The moment the believer takes his eyes away from God’s promises he is ready for mean devices of unbelief which bring him untold suffering.

Key Word: Despised, v. 4.

Strong Verses: 13.

Striking Facts: God promises—faith believes—hope anticipates—patience waits. Heb. 6:12. The heart prefers anything to the attitude of waiting.

History

The early Hebrews were unrivaled as historians in the ancient near east, partly because religion was history to them, the history of God's relations with his chosen people.

More than any other people throughout history, the Hebrews saw religious events as happening in historical (not mythical) time: they traced their lineage quite carefully back to the first man and woman, and major events like the Exodus out of Egypt happened in time, not out of it or before it. Not only that, but their religious covenant, or contract, with their God stressed fulfillment in this world (the Promised Land was Canaan, a place you could walk to, invade, and live in), not in the next.

An important context during the time of the writing Genesis is the political realities in present day Israel and Syria. The disputes between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah shaped the book of Genesis. Tribal domains characterized these kingdoms, whose eponymous ancestors were characters in the book of Genesis.

Source: https://www.college.columbia.edu/core/node/1756#:~:text=Another%20important%20context%20is%20the,in%20the%20book%20of%20Genesis.