Hagar’s World

Looking at the world, it is clear that we are in danger of descending into a dark period where ‘every man’s’ hand will be against his brother. This is an indication that the one true Law has been abandoned in every area of life and substituted by a false faith in the reason of man. For if there is no Law, to govern and be subject to, then are we left only with the contrary opinions of man.

Now “Ishmael will be a wild man”. Why should this be. Was not Abram his father, and surely though Hagar was a handmaid, she must have been a good and faithful person to be so employed. Sarai, Abram’s wife, impatient for the fulfilment of the covenant God had struck with Abram, decided she could best help out by offering her handmaid to Abram, as she Sarai was barren. Thus, we see how human impetuosity to achieve a desired result takes precedence over trusting God and waiting upon the Lord. In good time, 14 years later, God’s promise to Abraham became reality, notwithstanding Abraham’s incredulity at what God had said to him. God’s plan was not thwarted by Sarai’s decision, but, nevertheless, a diversion and division had been created which would echo down the centuries.

“And as for Ishmael … Behold I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful …. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation” Gen. 17: 20

In Galatians, chapter 4, we are given a discourse into the difference between Ishmael and Jacob. The former is child of the flesh; the latter a child of promise. The former is under the influence of present Jerusalem, whilst the latter is governed and influenced by the New Jerusalem. The former is in bondage, but the latter is free. Again, the Word tells us that the children born after the flesh will always persecute those that are born after the spirit, and that the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

The world we are in is one where humanity has decided it cannot wait for benefits and improvements that would ensue from obeying God’s word and residing in His directions. The modern world view is to “take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them”. This is the initially attractive tar baby solution whereby the more punches that are landed in the hope of effecting progress, the more you are stuck with intractable problems. And problems beget further and worse ones. The answer is to employ politicians to solve our woes, but as someone once said, “the definition of a politician is one who looks for problems that don’t exist, then employs solutions that do not work, and then blames everyone else for the consequences!”

Satan has a field day with inspiring those whose desire to ‘save the world’ overcomes the desire to save themselves (or be saved), the latter requiring too much effort and not acceptable to the impatient and those seeking self-glorification. Only when man’s actions are in tandem with a genuine Christian humility can lasting improvement be attained in any area of human existence.

This frailty of ‘knowing best’ was at the heart of the deception of Adam and Eve, who had been blessed beyond the dreams of imagination. But, even this was not enough; they wanted, desired more. If not, they would not have succumbed to Satan, who is the prince of Ambition, that unworthy driver of human endeavour. The enemies of Christ have always used human ambition to divert and destroy. In recent times we can highlight the destructive anarchic power of Marxist Leninism, which has done more damage to humanity than any other mentally deluded plague in the history of mankind, in terms of lives destroyed and the endless suffering caused, which still reverberates around the world today. Marx of course was diverted from being a Christian into a God hating zealot, who ranted and raved against God and who lived as a parasite on the efforts of those he held in contempt.

Good things cannot come about by employing evil modes of operation. Always have reservations about those who counsel in this way. Much is being made of, for instance, the actions of the Suffragettes, because of a centenary of the accomplishment of “votes for women”. However, the progress obtained was achieved using violence and therefore the greatest gain has been sullied and will not usher in true equality, as It might have done. Who can possibly state today that women are happier for having the “vote”, or that their innate wisdom has come to the fore for the benefit of all. In the Victorian age, in Britain, when the poor were really oppressed, it was the action of true Christian minded men that improved their condition. It was not brought about by violence or the Labour/Communist Party or by Trades Unions holding the country to ransom.

“The fervent prayer of a righteous man, availeth much”, the Bible states in the epistle of James. It is by following this edict that we come to understand the outworking of God’s mind. And how we may return (as man) being made in His image. For since the Fall we have not been in His image, as at the start. Our whole history since is the path of attaining once more this status.

The status we have now is, in some ways, like a higher animal, in that we mirror (at worst) the functions of the animal kingdom. And our method of bearing children is now, as the animal kingdom., which should not have been. Thus God told the woman “I will make child-birth a sore pain for you, you shall have pangs in bearing; yet you shall crave to have your husband, and he shall master you”. Genesis 3:16 – Moffatt translation. This is confirmed by comparison with the infinite ease with which the animal mammal creation produces young.

And so, we see how the current fallen world is attempting to disenfranchise those who are loyal to Almighty God and His only begotten Son. This is a continuance of the discrimination used against the followers of Christ when on earth. They of Hagar seek to overturn a Christian nation for their own evil purposes and to erase the memory of God’s servant people. And substitute a perfected slavery which will last forever. Those of our leaders who do not defend our Christian nation are like those who, as in Jeremiah chapter 23:1-2 refused to look after the flock and admit every error under the sun to enter into our land and pollute the Holy places. As we continue into this current period, more and more hatred and duplicity will be directed against us, until we may feel that all is lost. However, we have the promise of the Eternal that he will not abandon us, for His Plan for the perfected world is inviolable. Thanks be to God.

So often our sights are set too low, and that is because we set them according to our experience and understanding. But God’s sights are not limited. Jesus said, “I have come that you should have life, and have it more abundantly.” This is our destiny, as soon as we stop glorifying ourselves and seeking to make a “name” for ourselves.

So, we need not to fear the future, but to work tirelessly at proceeding with “God’s” guidance. He will not abandon us, He has never done so. But we must understand that just as strength is made perfect in weakness, so true humility is an absolute precursor to true wisdom, and wisdom along with truth and love are the greatest qualities of all to be discerned in any of God’s created human family.