Biblical stories of mistreatment
There are severalstories in the Bible of mistreatment as well.
For example, Abram told his wife Sarai to say thathe is her sister. Because there was no fear of God, Abramfeared they might murder him if they found out he was her husband.As a result, God inflicted Pharohwith severe disease. God told Abimelek to return Sarah to Abraham if he did not want to die (Genesis chapter 12, verses 11-20; Genesis chapter 20, verses 1-11).
The excuse was Sarah was his brother because of his father’s family line (Genesis chapter 20, verse 12).
Another example is when Sarai toldher husbandAbramto sleep with her Egyptian slave, Hagar. Since she could not conceive any children, Sarai thought she could build a family through Hagar as she was able to conceive.
As soon as Hagar became pregnant,Sarai mistreated her because of the sufferingafter telling Hagar to sleep with Abram.The excuse was Hagar despised her mistress Sarai because Sarai could not conceive any babies (Genesis chapter 16, verses 1-6).
The righteous God
Although Abraham and Sarah did not do everything according to God’s plan, He still fulfilled His plan.
God’s plan for Abraham was to make him the father of many nations (Genesis chapter 12, verses 1-3;Genesis chapter 17, verses 1-8; Genesis chapter 22, verses 12-18).
God’s plan for Sarah was to bear a sonin her old age and make her the mother of many nations (Genesis chapter 17, verses 15-21; Genesis chapter 21, verses 1-7).
Therefore, His plan never fails (Proverbs chapter 16, verse 9). Itcan even turn bad situations into good ones, especially those who love God wholeheartedly (Romans chapter 8, verse 28).
In Genesis chapter 37, we read that Joseph’s brothers hated him because he was Israel’s favouritechild, and Joseph had two dreams of others bowing down to him.So, they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelitesfor twenty shekels of silver and Joseph was then sold to Potiphar,who was “one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.”
As Joseph was living in Egypt, he got authorised to be “in charge of the whole land of Egypt” by Pharaoh because he was the only one who could interpret Pharoh’s dreams.
Through tough times of famine in the whole country, Joseph’s dreams eventually came true.Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to get some grain,andsince he became the governor of the land and was selling grain to others, they bowed down to Joseph.
As Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he said,
“I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” (Genesis chapter 45, verses 4-8).
Depending on God has been one of the crucial lessons as biblical and theological studies are focused on Christianity. Therefore, they are about the relationship with God through faith in Christ.
When depending on God and crying out to Him, God hears His people as He is slow to anger.
For example, when the angel of the Lord heard that Hagar was running away from Sarai, the angel told her, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count” and to return and submit to Sarai.
The angel also said that God heard her misery and what Ishmael would be. Although God’s covenant was going to be with Isaac, God told Abraham that Ishmael would be the father of twelve rulers and a great nation.
These explain that God never forsakes human beings.
Why?
It is because God has loved them so much that He sent His only and beloved Son, Jesus, into the world to be crucified for every human being.
So, through faith in Jesus, people easily could come to God wholeheartedly for anything if it is His will to provide (Philippians chapter 4, verse 19).They also would be God’s righteous and blameless children because of Jesus’ sacrifice (2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 21; Colossianschapter 1, verses 21-23).
Kevin Park is studying at Carey Baptist College and finds that Christian-writing is his ultimate will of God and his ultimate method to build the kingdom of God. He started to become a Christian writer from 2013. Other than his writing life, Kevin desires to see that each finds everlasting satisfaction in God, the Almighty. You will be able to contact him at kevin.park1991@gmail.com. He loves to encourage others spiritually.
Kevin Park’s previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/kevin-park.html