Genesis 16 — Waiting for God’s Promise

Genesis 16 shows us what can happen when God has made a promise, but the fulfilment seems delayed. Sarai had not yet borne Abram a child, and the long wait created pressure to find another way of bringing God’s promise to pass. This chapter helps us think about faith, waiting, impatience, human solutions, consequences, and the mercy of God. It also introduces Hagar and Ishmael and shows us that even when people make poor decisions, God still sees, hears, and responds. In this study, we will look at the question, “How long, Lord?”, the danger of trying to fulfil God’s promise in our own way, and the generations of Ishmael. There is nothing wrong with asking God, “How long?” The danger begins when we stop asking God and start answering the question ourselves.

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