Many of the Bible’s greatest truths are communicated through narrative. Merriam-Webster defines “narrative” as follows: “(a), something that is narrated [like a] story [or] account, [or] (b) a way of presenting or understanding a situation or series of events that reflects and promotes a particular point of view or set of values.”[1] The narrative of the Bible reflects and promotes the Judeo-Christian point of view and system of values. “Judeo-Christian” is an important word because it accurately reflects that we Christians are the spiritual seed of Abraham, who is the archetypal man of faith and archetypal leader of the family.
The communication of truth through narrative has certain benefits. 1) Narrative assists us in making sense of our own experiences. 2) Narrative helps us connect the principles of Biblical truth to our own experiences, to include our psychological and spiritual wellbeing. 3) The narrative helps us remember Biblical truths. 4). The narrative helps us see patterns of behavior and outcomes. 5) The narrative can also teach us to be better listeners and readers, and more sensitive to God, the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes, the Biblical narrative communicates things blatantly and obviously. For example, at Genesis 11:30, we read, “Sarai [later Sarah] was unable to conceive; she did not have a child.” However, the Bible narrative often communicates things subtly. The Bible seeks to teach us to be better listeners and readers. If we do not learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we cannot live the Christian spiritual life or understand the Bible.
Sarah’s inability to get pregnant was a major and ongoing test in the life of Sarah and Abraham. As Professor John Walton explained, “In the ancient world, people tended to find their identity not inside themselves or as individuals, but in their family, clan, or city.”[2] Additionally, there was no social security system in the ancient world. Like today, most women in the ancient world would outlive their husbands. Their families were needed to provide emotional and financial support for them in their old age. Sarah was desperate to have children.
When faced with the problem of barrenness, Professor Walton described three potential solutions identified by Abraham and Sarah’s ancient near-eastern culture. The most common solution was divorce.[3] However, we can infer from Scripture that Abraham loved Sarah very much. The second potential solution was adoption. We learn from the narrative that Abraham had already chosen his steward Eliezer of Damascus to be his heir in the event Abraham did not produce an heir (Gen. 15:2). The third potential solution was also common in their culture. Professor Walton explained that the third potential solution was even mentioned in some marriage contracts.[4] As a third alternative, Sarah’s handmaid (Hagar) could become Abraham’s second wife or concubine, and Sarah would have a child through Hagar.
However, the Biblical narrative in Genesis is teaching us that there was actually a fourth solution for Abraham and Sarah: continue in prayer and trust in God. We learn from the narrative that, in the beginning, Abraham and Sarah chose the wrong solution. Sarah gave her concubine to Abraham, who conceived a child with her, Ishmael. Later, at Genesis 25:20-26, we learn that Isaac and Rebecca also had trouble getting pregnant. In fact, it took 20 years for Rebekah to get pregnant. However, we read that in contrast to his parents, “Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children, and the Lord answered him, and his wife Rebekah conceived.” Isaac learned from his parent’s mistakes. He did not pursue a child by Rebekah through a concubine. Yes, it is true that Isaac did not have to wait as long as his parents to conceive, but the lesson learned was still the same: prayer and trust in God is the right solution. God’s timing is perfect, and His plans are fulfilled according to His divine plan and purpose.
Sarah was 90 years old, and Abraham was 99 years old when Sarah finally got pregnant. Sarah’s barrenness was a long and hard test. Pursuing a child through the concubine, Hagar, was a big mistake that caused a lot of unnecessary suffering, heartache, and negative outcomes (forced separation and banishment), which we will discuss further in the next lesson. Most notably, the addition of a second wife created new problems without solving the original problem.
With all of this in mind, I want to briefly discuss God’s intent and design for the unique male-female monogamous pair bond, commonly referred to as marriage. When we study Abraham and Sarah in Genesis, we need to bear in mind what we already learned just a few chapters earlier at Genesis 2:22-25:
And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “At last this is the bone of my bones, and the flesh of my flesh; She shall be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
God intends for the husband and wife to function as “one flesh.” This is a foundational building block of God’s design for humanity. In my opinion, this basic design feature will also characterize the eternal state. At Mark 10: 6-8, Jesus said,
“But from the beginning of creation, God CREATED THEM MALE AND FEMALE. FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.
At Mark, Chapter 10, Jesus explained that Moses allowed divorce because of the hardness of the human heart, but divorce was a departure from the foundational principle of the husband and wife becoming one flesh. Divorce is contrary to God’s original design and intent. Law, as seen in the Law of Moses, must craft practical solutions to problems created by the hardness of the human heart. Please notice that it was God’s design for the two (husband and wife) to become one, not the three, four, or five to become one. The idea of oneness in marriage is closely associated with idea of “shalom.” Shalom is a Hebrew noun defined as “completeness, wholeness, soundness, wellbeing, and peace.”[5] Couples must guard their “oneness” and their “shalom.”
Sex in marriage is a part of God’s blessing intended for the husband and wife in marriage. At 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, the Apostle Paul summarized the Judeo-Christian viewpoint of sex in marriage. At 1 Corinthians 7:2, Paul wrote, “But because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.” Please notice the idea of just two (one male and one female) forming this unique relationship. At 1 Corinthians 7:3, we read, “The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise, the wife to her husband.” Here, Paul is describing the conjugal duties that the husband and wife owe to each other. At 1 Corinthians 7:4, we read, “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does, and likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” Each has control over the sex life of the other. Sex is designed by God to be an agreement between the husband and wife. The husband’s unique authority in marriage does not extend to the couple’s sex life.
At 1 Corinthians 7:5, we read, “Stop depriving one another, except by agreement, for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer…” Again, please notice the word “agreement.” Neither party should bully the other. The “when,” “where,” “how,” and “what” of sex requires an agreement between the husband and wife. This is the basis of romance in marriage and the culture. Both the husband and wife are required to be reasonable and responsible. Both parties have the responsibility to seek “shalom” in their marriage and sex life.
For more information on this subject, please see this video Bible Class on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k_mH70Dzf4
[1] “Narrative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/narrative. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
[2] “Genesis.” Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Volume 1, Gen. Editor, David E Garland, et al., Zondervan Academic, 2002, p. 91.
[3] “Genesis,” p. 68.
[4] “Genesis,” p.87.
[5] “H7965 – šālôm – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 17 Feb, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7965/kjv/wlc/0-1/>.
