This is the second chapter in Wicked Women. This chapter focuses on Sarah. The chapter beings to talk about how Abraham is almost 100 years old and Sarah is not far behind him. As the chapter begins Sarah is pregnant. That is something that was highly unlikely given both of their ages.
Hagar, Sarah's servant had tried to cause trouble. She claimed that Sarah had cheated on Abraham which in turned caused God to render Sarah barren. However, Hagar didn't have the whole story. Abraham had asked Sarah to tell a lie to save them. He was protecting them both. She had to tell the Egyptians that she was Abraham's sister lest they kill him to try to get to her.
Abraham's worst fears came to light. Pharaoh heard of Sarah's beauty and had to have her for his own. After showing Abraham with gifts of which Hagar was one, clueless Pharaoh added Sarah to his harem. Before visiting Pharaoh's bedchamber, Sarah had to look the part. That was to be transformed into an Egyptian beauty.
Then something terrible happened. A plague descended. It ravished Pharaoh's household, leaving only Sarah untouched. The stench covered every corner of Pharaoh's house. When Pharaoh finally rose from his sickbed he asked Abraham "What have you done to me?" Why didn't you tell me Sarah was your wife?" "You pretended she was your sister. Now your God has cursed me. Take her and go."
They gathered their things, including Hagar, and headed out of Egypt. Soon after Sarah asked Hagar to sleep with Abraham in the hopes of giving him an heir. Hagar was young and eager to please. Once Hagar began to swell with life she began to feel as though she was the favored wife. This made Sarah hate her.
Sarah began to make Hagar's life a living hell. Sarah lives in the confidence that she is first in Abraham's heart. Soon she realizes that she is first in God's heart too when her belly begins to swell with a child. She is amused at all the speculation.
Soon Sarah has a child. It is when Isaac is 3 years old that Abraham turns Hagar and Ishmael away. They go out into the wilderness where Ishmael grows into a "wild donkey of a man."
Sarah never knows of the day when Abraham takes Isaac to be sacrificed. She dies at age 127 not knowing of the glories and the troubles that lie ahead for the descendants of Abraham's two sons.
God spoke his promise that he would make the decedents of Abraham and Sarah into a great nation far in advance to prepare them for what was to come. By having Abraham sleep with Hagar, Sarah was trying to force God's hand.
We too at times try to force God's hand. We think that we know better than God. We loose sight of what is really important. That is to let God's will be done in his own time.
We need to let God's will be done and not or own.
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