princess sarah
This is the 2nd of a series of Torah teaching on marriage. Please check the link below for the 1st teaching. http://www.godzgurlz.com/the-first-marriage.html#.UssEwvRDt48
There is no other woman in the Bible used as an example of a wife other than Sarah. In 1 Peter 3, the wife is instructed to be like her in her submission to Abraham. It further challenges wives by saying, “you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you”.
What is it about Sarah that makes her a wife’s greatest example? What did she do? How did she fulfill her role?
What is it about Sarah that makes her a wife’s greatest example? What did she do? How did she fulfill her role?
Let me take you on a journey back to Genesis to take a closer look at this Princess “par excellence”. Yes, this is what her name means. In Genesis 17:15-16 Yahweh said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife – do not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name. I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son through her; I will bless her and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples will rise from her”.
There must be a reason why she was chosen by Yahweh to hold this position, and why we, as wives, are called to emulate her.
There must be a reason why she was chosen by Yahweh to hold this position, and why we, as wives, are called to emulate her.
Moving Out
And the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you.” And Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was seventy five years old when he left Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had acquired, and the souls they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-5).
How would you feel if your husband relocates you to a place away from your family, not even knowing what will face you? It is not easy. I know for sure because God took me away from my country and family, to be with my husband. Yet, it is more than the “moving out” that is of the essence here. God had to take Sarah away from her comfort zone to prepare for her bigger role. It was the beginning of God’s test for her. As if that was not enough, the event that followed put her in a very compromising situation.
And the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you.” And Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was seventy five years old when he left Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had acquired, and the souls they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-5).
How would you feel if your husband relocates you to a place away from your family, not even knowing what will face you? It is not easy. I know for sure because God took me away from my country and family, to be with my husband. Yet, it is more than the “moving out” that is of the essence here. God had to take Sarah away from her comfort zone to prepare for her bigger role. It was the beginning of God’s test for her. As if that was not enough, the event that followed put her in a very compromising situation.
Compromising Situation
And there was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there because the famine was severe in the land. Now it came to pass when he drew near to come to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Behold now I know that you are a woman of fair appearance. And it will come to pass when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife,' and they will slay me and let you live. Please say [that] you are my sister, in order that it go well with me because of you, and that my soul may live because of you.” And it came to pass when Abram came to Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very pretty. And Pharaoh's princes saw her, and they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh (Genesis 12:10-15).
Honestly, how would you have reacted if you were in Sarah’s shoes? It does not show in Scripture that she complained. She just followed her husband's orders. And as a result, Yahweh protected her. The Lord struck Pharaoh with plagues and he sent away Abraham, Sarah, and all that were Abraham’s.
Incidentally, this very thing happened again in Genesis 20. Sarah was placed in the same compromising situation. Again, she submitted to her husband, and as a result, Yahweh not only protected her but blessed her.
And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” (vv. 15-16)
And there was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there because the famine was severe in the land. Now it came to pass when he drew near to come to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Behold now I know that you are a woman of fair appearance. And it will come to pass when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife,' and they will slay me and let you live. Please say [that] you are my sister, in order that it go well with me because of you, and that my soul may live because of you.” And it came to pass when Abram came to Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very pretty. And Pharaoh's princes saw her, and they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh (Genesis 12:10-15).
Honestly, how would you have reacted if you were in Sarah’s shoes? It does not show in Scripture that she complained. She just followed her husband's orders. And as a result, Yahweh protected her. The Lord struck Pharaoh with plagues and he sent away Abraham, Sarah, and all that were Abraham’s.
Incidentally, this very thing happened again in Genesis 20. Sarah was placed in the same compromising situation. Again, she submitted to her husband, and as a result, Yahweh not only protected her but blessed her.
And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” (vv. 15-16)
Sarah’s Barrenness
The next story about Sarah is found in Genesis 16. This was after Yahweh revealed to Abraham that he will have a son. As to how Abraham told Sarah about this, we don’t know. It is not recorded in the Bible. What is recorded was Sarah’s response to having a child.
The next story about Sarah is found in Genesis 16. This was after Yahweh revealed to Abraham that he will have a son. As to how Abraham told Sarah about this, we don’t know. It is not recorded in the Bible. What is recorded was Sarah’s response to having a child.
And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing; please come to my handmaid; perhaps I will be built up from her.” And Abram hearkened to Sarai's voice (Genesis 16:2).
We can point to Sarah as the one who didn’t have faith here but we don’t know what Abraham told her.
In my personal experience as a wife, if my husband comes to me with full faith and confidence in what God has told him to do, then my faith is ignited as well. But when he is unsure, then that really keeps me out of peace. This normally leads to decisions that are not Spirit-led.
Looking at the Scripture above, I can assume that Sarah wanted to fulfill Yahweh’s promise. Why will a wife give her husband to someone else? She was exhibiting selflessness and sacrifice here. She was willing to give her husband to some other woman just for her husband to have a child, as God promised he will have.
The verses that follow explain that it was not really Sarah’s personal desire to give (or rather lend) her husband to Hagar.
In my personal experience as a wife, if my husband comes to me with full faith and confidence in what God has told him to do, then my faith is ignited as well. But when he is unsure, then that really keeps me out of peace. This normally leads to decisions that are not Spirit-led.
Looking at the Scripture above, I can assume that Sarah wanted to fulfill Yahweh’s promise. Why will a wife give her husband to someone else? She was exhibiting selflessness and sacrifice here. She was willing to give her husband to some other woman just for her husband to have a child, as God promised he will have.
The verses that follow explain that it was not really Sarah’s personal desire to give (or rather lend) her husband to Hagar.
And he (Abraham) came to Hagar, and she conceived, and she saw that she was pregnant, and her mistress became unimportant in her eyes. And Sarai said to Abram, “May my injustice be upon you! I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and she saw that she had become pregnant, and I became unimportant in her eyes. May the Lord judge between me and you!” (Genesis 16:4-5)
Sarah held her husband accountable for her decision because the prophecy and promise was given to Abraham. She may have made a decision about Hagar but only because she was not physically capable of fulfilling Yahweh’s promise of a child. Abraham could have refused Sarah’s suggestion. Yet Scripture says that Abraham “hearkened” to Sarah’s voice, and that he “came to Hagar”. This means that he didn’t only pay attention to what she said but did it.
Abraham’s submission to Sarah was definitely out of order. Sarah was not held accountable to this because the “order” to submit was given to the wife, not to the husband. Sarah’s submission to her husband was very obvious in the previous stories that compromised her life. She didn’t even question her husband about lying to the Pharaoh or King Abimelech about being Abraham’s sister.
Sarah knew that it was Abraham’s responsibility and role to lead her and to follow Yahweh’s order for them in marriage. Her suggestion of Hagar was in fulfillment of her role to support her husband. What her husband chooses to do with that suggestion was already beyond her. She expected him to know and fulfill his role. This is the reason why she said: “May my injustice be upon you! I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and she saw that she had become pregnant, and I became unimportant in her eyes. May the Lord judge between me and you!”
In short, Sarah gave Abraham the responsibility of dealing with Hagar with the way she was treating her. She wanted Abraham to tell Hagar to respect her, as the rightful wife and her mistress.
The issue here is not so much about jealousy from Sarah’s end but about a bigger picture of obedience to Yahweh and the fulfillment of His promise. Sarah lent her husband to Hagar for the very purpose of supporting her husband on what Yahweh told him will happen. It had nothing to do with any personal relationship with Hagar or some “giving in” to her husband’s desire. It was about Yahweh and her role as a wife. This was what she wanted to make clear to Abraham and Hagar.
Sarah held her husband accountable for her decision because the prophecy and promise was given to Abraham. She may have made a decision about Hagar but only because she was not physically capable of fulfilling Yahweh’s promise of a child. Abraham could have refused Sarah’s suggestion. Yet Scripture says that Abraham “hearkened” to Sarah’s voice, and that he “came to Hagar”. This means that he didn’t only pay attention to what she said but did it.
Abraham’s submission to Sarah was definitely out of order. Sarah was not held accountable to this because the “order” to submit was given to the wife, not to the husband. Sarah’s submission to her husband was very obvious in the previous stories that compromised her life. She didn’t even question her husband about lying to the Pharaoh or King Abimelech about being Abraham’s sister.
Sarah knew that it was Abraham’s responsibility and role to lead her and to follow Yahweh’s order for them in marriage. Her suggestion of Hagar was in fulfillment of her role to support her husband. What her husband chooses to do with that suggestion was already beyond her. She expected him to know and fulfill his role. This is the reason why she said: “May my injustice be upon you! I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and she saw that she had become pregnant, and I became unimportant in her eyes. May the Lord judge between me and you!”
In short, Sarah gave Abraham the responsibility of dealing with Hagar with the way she was treating her. She wanted Abraham to tell Hagar to respect her, as the rightful wife and her mistress.
The issue here is not so much about jealousy from Sarah’s end but about a bigger picture of obedience to Yahweh and the fulfillment of His promise. Sarah lent her husband to Hagar for the very purpose of supporting her husband on what Yahweh told him will happen. It had nothing to do with any personal relationship with Hagar or some “giving in” to her husband’s desire. It was about Yahweh and her role as a wife. This was what she wanted to make clear to Abraham and Hagar.
Sarah’s Awakening
In Genesis 17, Yahweh spoke to Abraham again. Ishmael, Hagar’s son, was already 13 years old at that time. Yahweh said: “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
Yahweh said, “Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year”
(vv. 15-16, 19-21).
This was further confirmed in the next chapter when Sarah herself heard what the Lord told Abraham about her.
Everything changed for Sarah from this day onward. She finally understood Yahweh’s plan.
In Genesis 17, Yahweh spoke to Abraham again. Ishmael, Hagar’s son, was already 13 years old at that time. Yahweh said: “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
Yahweh said, “Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year”
(vv. 15-16, 19-21).
This was further confirmed in the next chapter when Sarah herself heard what the Lord told Abraham about her.
Everything changed for Sarah from this day onward. She finally understood Yahweh’s plan.
And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But Yahweh said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named” (Genesis 21:8-12).
This is the only incident in the Bible when God told the husband to DO AS THE WIFE SAYS. Sarah earned her rightful position as PRINCESS PAR EXCELLENCE. She understood and embraced the vision that God has given her through her husband. This gave her the authority to drive out the very woman she gave to her husband, and the very child she bore for her husband. Her decision was not based on emotions but on the prophecy of Yahweh.
This is the only incident in the Bible when God told the husband to DO AS THE WIFE SAYS. Sarah earned her rightful position as PRINCESS PAR EXCELLENCE. She understood and embraced the vision that God has given her through her husband. This gave her the authority to drive out the very woman she gave to her husband, and the very child she bore for her husband. Her decision was not based on emotions but on the prophecy of Yahweh.
As women and wives, we have to deal with our emotions on a regular basis, which can really get in the way of our role as help-meets to our husbands. We see things from our physical heart more than our spiritual heart. We make decisions out of our worldly emotions more than our spiritual wisdom. We complain when we feel we are treated unfairly by our husbands. We sulk when we feel that we are being rejected or neglected. We take matters into our own hands when our husbands do not fulfill their responsibilities. We doubt our husbands when their decisions are not based on what we think are the right ones.
It is time to get out of our emotional bubble and see our marriage and our husbands from a bigger perspective – Yahweh’s perspective. Let us seek Yahweh more on the vision that He has entrusted to our husbands, and on how we can help them fulfill that vision. Let us ask Yahweh to show us the bigger role that we have to play in this vision. Most importantly, let us ask Him to continue making us very sensitive to His leading, and obedient to every instruction He has given to us, wives.
It is time to get out of our emotional bubble and see our marriage and our husbands from a bigger perspective – Yahweh’s perspective. Let us seek Yahweh more on the vision that He has entrusted to our husbands, and on how we can help them fulfill that vision. Let us ask Yahweh to show us the bigger role that we have to play in this vision. Most importantly, let us ask Him to continue making us very sensitive to His leading, and obedient to every instruction He has given to us, wives.
At the end of the day, we can only be called “true daughters of Sarah” if we follow her example on submission to her husband, and if we let nothing terrify us.
The good thing is that this submission is what will give us the same title that was given to Sarah: A Princess Par Excellence.
Lisa Maki is the founder/editor of God'z Gurlz, a Bible-based online magazine for women. She and her husband Jason are part of the growing movement of Christians who are discovering their Hebrew roots, and who are studying the Torah and its parallelisms to the New Testament. Lisa is likewise a Professional Writer with over 15 years of experience in the field. Jason and Lisa are part of El Shaddai Ministries, a First Century Believers Church headed by Pastor Mark Biltz.