The Dramatic Scandal of Abraham and Sarah

Alright, y’all, let me tell you about one of my favorite stories from the Bible. This tale of Abraham and Sarah is divinely messy and totally awesome, but I don’t think people always appreciate its full glory. You see, what I love about it is that it’s so human. It shows all the flaws and imperfections, yet it’s still filled with divine purpose. I mean, think about it: the Bible isn’t some sugar-coated version of history. It’s real, raw, and relatable. It doesn’t shy away from showing the messy bits of life. And that’s how you know it’s not just some man-made tale; it’s divinely inspired. Sure, there are moments in Abraham and Sarah’s story that aren’t exactly their finest hour. But you know what? God didn’t leave those parts out. He left them in to remind us that none of us are perfect. We all mess up, we all make mistakes, but there’s always an opportunity to learn and grow. So, let’s dive deep into the holy gossip of Abraham and Sarah, with all the juicy details and divine drama you could ever want! And remember, if God can use people like them, He can and will use you too!

Our story begins in ancient Mesopotamia, a region situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East, spanning modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and southwestern Iran.  Our main character, initially known as Abram, was strutting his stuff with his drop-dead gorgeous wife, Sarai. They were the talk of the town, living large in the ancient city of Ur, located in southern Mesopotamia, which is present-day southeastern Iraq. But hold onto your wigs, because trouble was brewing, and it was about to get real messy! Genesis 12:1-3 spills the tea on Abram’s divine call: “The Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” Talk about a divine directive! Can you imaging God telling you to just get up and go? No further directions just Go!

Well, Abram was obedient as he should be and went with his whole family. But as they journeyed to the promised land, they hit a bump in the road. Genesis 12:10-20 tells us about an absolutely scandalous encounter in Egypt. See, they traveled to Egypt due to a famine in the land of Canaan. Abram was scared that the Egyptians would notice Sarai’s exceptional beauty and kill him to take her as their own. To protect himself, Abram instructed Sarai to tell people that she was his sister rather than his wife. That’s so messy, lol! As they entered Egypt, Sarai’s beauty caught the attention of Pharaoh’s officials, who praised her beauty to Pharaoh himself. My girl was such a baddie that everybody wanted her! Consequently, Pharaoh took Sarai into his household (Genesis 12:10-20). Yes, when I read that, I was scandalized! I could not believe it, so I did more research and found out it was kind of worse. She was actually his half-sister, and we find out later that they have the same daddy!  Note: A little lie is still a lie even if it’s so save yourself … Clench my pearls! ;0

However, God intervened to protect Sarai and Abram. He afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues. God did not play about His daughter and her pretty self. Realizing that Sarai was actually Abram’s wife, Pharaoh confronted Abram and questioned him about why he had lied. Pharaoh then ordered Abram and Sarai to leave Egypt, along with all their possessions. He did not want any more smoke with The king of kings, okay! He knew better. Abram and Sarai left from Egypt and returned to Canaan.

Back in the promised land, Abram and Sarai were desperate for a mini-me of their own. In Genesis 15, God made a covenant with Abram, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars and giving him the land of Canaan as an inheritance. But when Sarai thought it was taking too long and was unable to conceive, she pulled a move straight out of a soap opera. Genesis 16:2-4 spills the tea, and we find out Sarai said to Abram, ‘The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.'” Oh, honey, things were heating up! This is my least favorite part of the story because honestly … Poor Hagar, she did not ask for any of this drama, but she was not a fool;  I imagine she saw it as an opportunity to be more than a slave! I guess, when life gives you lemons, right?

So, after Sarai convinced Abram to have a child with her maidservant, Hagar, tensions started brewing in their household. Hagar became pregnant, which likely heightened the tension between her and Sarai. Even if it was her idea, I’m sure Sarai’s jealousy got the best of her and caused her to mistreat Hagar. Something also tells me that Hagar must not have been nice about being able to conceive the baby when Sarai could not. As the situation escalated, Hagar decided to flee from her mistress, Sarai… How bad must the situation have been for a pregnant lady to run away into the desert alone?

Genesis 16:7-9 describes a pivotal moment in this story when the angel of the Lord intervenes. The angel finds Hagar near a spring in the desert and asks her where she’s coming from and where she plans to go. Hagar responds that she’s running away from her mistress, Sarai. The angel tells Hagar to go back to Sarah and put up with her mess. But that’s not all! The angel promises Hagar that her descendants will multiply like nobody’s business if she plays nice. And you better believe it, Hagar listens to that heavenly advice and goes right back to Sarah’s house. This divine intervention is significant because it shows that even in the midst of turmoil and conflict, God is aware of the situation and reaches out to Hagar to provide guidance and reassurance. It sets the stage for the subsequent events in the story, including the angel’s instructions to Hagar and the promises made regarding her future son, Ishmael.

Hold on to your bonnets because it gets better! One day, Sarai is just in her tent, minding her own business, right? Then, out of nowhere, she overhears an angel telling her man, Abram, that she’s gonna have a baby. And let me tell you, she’s not exactly a spring chicken at this point, if you catch my drift! Now, here’s the kicker: Sarai was a whopping 90 years old when she heard this news! But age ain’t nothing but a number when it comes to divine plans. So, what does she do? She lets out a big ol’ laugh! I mean, can you blame her? The idea of having a baby at her age is downright comical. But, you know, sometimes laughter is just a cover-up for shock and disbelief. Anyway, the angel hears Sarai laughing and calls her out on it, saying, “Why did you laugh, Sarai? Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

Ooh, honey, you can feel the shade in those words!

But you know what? Despite Sarai’s doubts, the angel assures her that nothing is impossible with the Big Guy upstairs. And you better believe it because not long after that, she was cradling her precious baby boy, Isaac, in her arms. Talk about a miracle! It just goes to show you, you never know what kind of blessings might be waiting for you, even when you least expect or deserve it.

Now, let’s talk about Abram because he’s not off the hook either! Right after Sarai finds out she’s gonna have a baby, God decides to give him a new name. It all goes down in Genesis 17. God pays a visit to him and drops some major news. God changes Sarai’s name to Sarah right then and there! It’s like a whole rebranding moment. Sarai becomes Sarah, and let me tell you, that name change is a sign of big things to come. But that’s not all! God says He’s gonna bless her and make her the mother of nations. But that’s not all! God doesn’t stop there. He decides that Abram needs a new name too! Right after Sarah gets her new name, God says to him, “As for Me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.”Can you believe the nerve of God? He’s out here changing names left and right like it’s nobody’s business! I LOVE IT! But you know what? When my God has a plan for you, he’s gonna make sure you know it, name change and all!

So, after Sarah finally has her long-awaited baby, Isaac, you’d think it’s all rainbows and butterflies, right? Wrong! Ishmael, Abraham’s son with Hagar, starts apparently causing trouble. Sarah, bless her heart, she’s feeling some type of way about Ishmael. She’s worried that he’s gonna mess things up for her baby Isaac and steal his inheritance as the first born. So, what does Sarah do? She tells Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael packing! Can you believe it? Talk about kicking someone when they’re down! Poor Hagar and Ishmael are left wandering in the wilderness, with only a bit of bread and water to their names. But, God steps in again. He’s like, “I got you, boo,” and He promises to make Ishmael into a great nation too. Now, that’s what I call a plot twist! But wait, there’s more!

As if things couldn’t get any crazier, God decides to test Abraham’s loyalty. He tells Abraham to take Isaac, his beloved son, and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Can you believe it? Abraham’s probably thinking, “Say what now?” But you know what? Abraham’s ride-or-die for God, so he doesn’t even hesitate. He packs up Isaac and heads to Mount Moriah, ready to follow through with God’s command. But don’t worry, there’s a happy ending! Just as Abraham is about to go through with it, God intervenes and provides a ram for the sacrifice instead. Isaac’s saved, Abraham passes the loyalty test with flying colors, and they all live happily ever after. Well, as happily ever after as you can get with a family like that!

Over the years, I’ve developed a deep passion for Bible stories. Each character has a real, raw story, not just some portrayal of a perfect life. I fell head over heels in love with them because they remind me of how clueless and beautifully broken we can be, and how deep God’s love for us is. He went out of His way not only to save them but to love them even when they were terrible and unworthy. It amazes me that He would even do that for me too!

I’ve come to see the Bible characters as people I know, even as friends. One of the people I must thank for helping me find the beauty in their truth is Sis Tanya a Bible teacher at my church. I initially went to her Bible class as a way to get out of the house, but instead, I found a door leading to the most epic stories I’ve ever learned about. She allowed me to ask my random questions and loved me enough to show me how to find the truth in the Word of God myself. For that, I will forever be thankful and grateful. She saw me, and through her love of the Word, I was able to truly learn how to live and learn to love the way God does.

-Thank you Sister Tanya your beauty is and infectious!