Let us take just the example of Abraham and Sarah's Hagar option recorded in Genesis 16. Here are just three generalizations that I have pulled out of my study of this narrative. There are many more that are present but this will give you an idea.
1. Discontinuity between the word of God and human experience always originates in the mind of man.
2. Circumstances do not dictate outcome.
3. Time, physics, and physiology are always subordinate to the will of God.
I. The Hagar Option
A. The discontinuity dilemma – Abraham's and Sarah's decision in this matter is an attempt to fill a gap or void in the logical sequence of their situation.
1. What is the given expectation? It is the promise of God - “You shall have an heir out of your own body.”
2. What is the logical sequence for producing an heir? Abraham and Sarah + fertility +time = desired result – an heir.
3. What are the discontinuities in this logical sequence?
a. They are too old. He is 85 and she is 75.
b. Sarah is too barren, 11:30
These two factors represent a physiological discontinuity.
c. Time is against them – This is a discontinuity of physics. We have a tendency make the same mistake in measuring the promises of God against the metric of time.
4. What is the only element of continuity? It is the power of God to overturn the limitations of the physics and their physiology.
B. Time as a contingency element
Quite often I think, we expect God to respond to our desires within tour perception of time. We tend to hold God accountable to time and regard the faithfulness of God as time contingent. “If he hasn't answered my prayer by now, he isn't going too.” This certainly appears to have been Abraham's reasoning. God has not acted on the matter so he feel it is up to him to act.
1. Time has relevance only within the human analysis of the situation.
2. Time is a function of God. God is not accountable to time. God responds in time but not to time. Time responds to the will of God.
3. Man, on the other hand, responds to time independently of the will of God. This is what Abraham and Sarah did. Because of the perceived limitations of the time element they interject into the situation, they attempt to manipulate the promise of God in such a way that it will harmonize with their understanding of physics and physiology. They then operate on the basis of the consistency of these two fields of discourse constraint. Time + physics + physiology = a discontinuity between the word of God and the circumstances. They then respond to the discontinuity through human resolution. Why does Hagar seem to satisfy the human resolution? Because she fills the gap in the logical sequence.
a. She is young enough for child bearing.
b. She is not barren
c. The time factor is satisfied – they can have the child now.
But, it does not satisfy the demands of faith. Control of the situation is NEVER allowed to reside within the human arena. God always reserves the right of contravention – to act against all limitations of physics and physiology.
1. Discontinuity between the word of God and human experience always originates in the mind of man.
2. Circumstances do not dictate outcome.
3. Time, physics, and physiology are always subordinate to the will of God.
I. The Hagar Option
A. The discontinuity dilemma – Abraham's and Sarah's decision in this matter is an attempt to fill a gap or void in the logical sequence of their situation.
1. What is the given expectation? It is the promise of God - “You shall have an heir out of your own body.”
2. What is the logical sequence for producing an heir? Abraham and Sarah + fertility +time = desired result – an heir.
3. What are the discontinuities in this logical sequence?
a. They are too old. He is 85 and she is 75.
b. Sarah is too barren, 11:30
These two factors represent a physiological discontinuity.
c. Time is against them – This is a discontinuity of physics. We have a tendency make the same mistake in measuring the promises of God against the metric of time.
4. What is the only element of continuity? It is the power of God to overturn the limitations of the physics and their physiology.
B. Time as a contingency element
Quite often I think, we expect God to respond to our desires within tour perception of time. We tend to hold God accountable to time and regard the faithfulness of God as time contingent. “If he hasn't answered my prayer by now, he isn't going too.” This certainly appears to have been Abraham's reasoning. God has not acted on the matter so he feel it is up to him to act.
1. Time has relevance only within the human analysis of the situation.
2. Time is a function of God. God is not accountable to time. God responds in time but not to time. Time responds to the will of God.
3. Man, on the other hand, responds to time independently of the will of God. This is what Abraham and Sarah did. Because of the perceived limitations of the time element they interject into the situation, they attempt to manipulate the promise of God in such a way that it will harmonize with their understanding of physics and physiology. They then operate on the basis of the consistency of these two fields of discourse constraint. Time + physics + physiology = a discontinuity between the word of God and the circumstances. They then respond to the discontinuity through human resolution. Why does Hagar seem to satisfy the human resolution? Because she fills the gap in the logical sequence.
a. She is young enough for child bearing.
b. She is not barren
c. The time factor is satisfied – they can have the child now.
But, it does not satisfy the demands of faith. Control of the situation is NEVER allowed to reside within the human arena. God always reserves the right of contravention – to act against all limitations of physics and physiology.
