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Synopsis Home Genesis Chapter 16
Genesis
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapters 6 to 8
Chapter 9
Chapters 10 and 11
Chapter 12
Chapters 13 and 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapters 20 and 21
Chapters 22 to 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapters 29 to 35
Chapter 36
Chapters 37 to 41
Chapters 42 to 47
Chapters 48 to 50

The covenant of the law in Hagar

Abram seeking, at Sarah's instigation, to anticipate the will of God and the accomplishment of the promise in its time, we have the covenant of the law in Hagar, the source of distress and disquietude. God, however, takes care of the seed according to the flesh. The application of this as a figure is clear from Galatians 4. The pride of man under the law is marked in Hagar's spirit, yet her son cannot be heir. The haste of man, who will not wait God's time, will not wait on Him as to means of accomplishment (so was it with Jacob for the blessing) is full of moral warning to us; it is ever the source of disquietude and sorrow. Hagar, too, was an Egyptian -- a remembrance, also, of the want of faith in Abram. The law and flesh, and indeed sin, ever go together (see John 8: 34-36); and in connection with the unbelief of nature, that is, Egypt.

Order of chapters 12 to 16

As regards the order of these chapters, I may add, 12, 13, 14 go together, and are dependent on the double manifestation of God to Abram; first, to call him, and then in Canaan. We have power, failure, return, and enduring heavenly faith contrasted with worldliness, and thereto the display of earthly power attached, to that faith, closing with victory; God possessor of heaven and earth, and Melchisedec.

Sarah's fleshly attempt to secure the promise, and its failure

Though chapter 15 stands alone as a whole, chapter 16 is so far connected with it, that it is the fleshly attempt on Sarah's part to have the seed which was assured by the word of the Lord to Abram in the beginning of chapter 15. Here all is failure; but the purposes of God will be accomplished according to promise, and not of the flesh and man's will.

Synopsis by John Darby