There was a somewhat similar situation in the book of Genesis when Abraham and Sarah were given a promise from God. They decided to do things their own way and you know what happened after they chose Sarah's handmaid to have that child. That is the closest example that I can think of.
That is found in chapter 16 if you want to read that.
See,
Abraham and Sarah believed that it was Sarah's fault in some way that they had no children....that's why they gave Hagar a shot at bearing Abraham a son....and the results were disastrous. Hagar got uppity because of the relationship and was eventually banished. The resulting son fathered the Ishmaelites that has caused the Jews no end of grief to this day.
That's the result of trying to do things on your timing instead of allowing God to do things in His timing. God grants life...He does give you things at times because of your persistence....but they aren't always as pleasant.
I read it and saw how Hagar bore Ishmael to Abraham but it was against the will of God and this brought with it some unintended consequences for even the innocent parties. As JohnDB so aptly described it above.
Here's what the New Testament has to say about the whole Abraham, Hagar, Sarah, Ishmael, and Isaac situation:
Galatians chapter 4
[
21] Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
[
22] For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
[
23] But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
[
24]
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
[
25] For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
[
26] But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
[
27] For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
[
28] Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
[
29] But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
[
30] Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
[
31] So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
An allegory is basically a story which conveys a secondary or hidden meaning.
In the case of the whole Hagar/Ishmael and Sarah/Isaac situation, this was ORDAINED BY GOD to show us the two covenants or the differences between the Old Covenant/Testament and the New Covenant/Testament.
Hagar was a bondwoman, and Ishmael was "born after the flesh", and, allegorically speaking, this points to "Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children". In other words, the Jews who are seeking justification via the Old Testament law and its accompanying circumcision in the foreskins of their flesh are still in bondage to sin.
Conversely, Sarah was a freewoman, and Isaac was not only born "by promise", but he "was born after the Spirit" as well in that there was a supernatural element involved in his conception. Allegorically speaking, this points to "Jerusalem which is above" and "is free, which is the mother of us all". In other words, those of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, who are seeking justification via the New Testament and its accompanying circumcision in the spirit are truly free via our faith in the ultimate child of promise, Jesus Christ.
With such being the case, I'd recommend that people here stop suggesting that "they decided to do things their own way", or in their own "timing", or that the whole situation was 'against the will of God".
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