The Promise To Abraham, Painted Papers and Fabric, Marcia Carole
Hagar. She is a purchased woman, someone’s property, enslaved and eventually told to sleep with another woman’s husband to give the family a boy child. Suddenly, she is a bride, of sorts. Then she becomes proud in her new position, leading her mistress to despise her, abuse and beat her. (Get in your place.) Hagar runs from her mistress and her life. In that page of her story, she meets the one true God.
I began this collaged book all over again this week. I decided I needed to back up to the beginning. At the very beginning, God announces to Abraham that he will be the father of many, yet Abraham is old and has no children. The promise is from God, and He seals the promise or covenant with burning a sacrifice. God burns the sacrifice supernaturally with fire.
Sealing The Covenant with a Sacrifice and Fire, Painted Papers, Marcia Carole
Stay Tuned! The above pieces are merely pages one and two of Hagar’s story.
*According to the Midrash (Gen. R. xlv.), Hagar was the daughter of Pharaoh, who presented her to Abraham. The same story is told in Mohammedan tradition. Pharaoh, who, seeing what great miracles God had done for Sarah’s sake (Gen. xii. 17), said: “It is better for Hagar to be a slave in Sarah’s house than mistress in her own.” In this sense Hagar’s name is interpreted as “reward” (“Ha-Agar” = “this is reward”).
