The Big Question

He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Genesis 16:8 NASB

Where – So, where are you going? Perhaps this is the most important question anyone will ever ask of you, if you understand the full consequences. But it’s not a question about your final destiny. This is not a “Where will you go when you die?” question. This is a question about where you are going here, on the earth, among the world of men and women. That’s why the angel instructs Hagar to return to Sarai. Hagar’s answer is not leaving the world. It is returning to it with new purpose.

There are really only a few answers to the really big question. The answers actually demarcate significant differences between the world’s great religions. Let’s examine these answers to see what they suggest.

First, Buddhism. Where is the true Buddhist going? Nirvana. And what is nirvana? It is the ultimate absorption of the self into non-self, into nothingness, into the one great spirit. In other words, the Buddhist is going to non-existence. Nirvana is the place where nothing matters anymore. Unlike the teaching of Qohelet, the Buddhist believes that the end of Man is to extinguish all of the desires that make a man who he is here on this earth. The end of Man is to become non-Man. By the way, Hinduism has the same goal. So the first big answer to the question, “Where are you going?” is “Away from here. Away from myself. Away from anything that resembles what it is to be human.”

Second, Islam. What would a true Muslim answer? “Paradise.” And what is Paradise? Well, for males at least*, it is the world of unending pleasure, the complete indulgence in all that has been stored up for me by Allah. It is the world where all of my dreams come true. But it is not here! Here I am simply tested to see if I am worthy of such reward. Here the world is filled with those who oppose Allah and His will and I, as a true believer, must either convert or remove such offense. How does this happen? The most expeditious way of getting to Paradise is to destroy this world because it stands in the way of the will of Allah. Allah desires to bring about Paradise for all true believers so whatever I can do to hasten this end is necessary and commanded. By destroying the “evil” of this world, I not only provide a way for the will of Allah to take dominion, I also ensure that I will be ushered into Paradise now. Where am I going? “Away from here in a cloud of destruction and death on my way to Paradise and all its pleasures.”

Third, Christianity. What would a Christian say? Most evangelical Christians seem convinced that the proper answer is “Heaven.” They, too, are leaving, but not in a cloud of nuclear waste. They are leaving with a cloud of angels who will meet them in the air in a great escape, a rapture, bringing them to all those mansions in the heaven. While they have some responsibility while they are on earth to be “good people,” loving the Lord and doing His will, they are still focused on the end game, the heavenly reward, the way out. It is important to exhibit the character of God on earth, but that does not mean that the earth is our real home. The “new heaven” and the “new earth” are coming, and what a joy it will be when they arrive. In fact, the promises of the Lord are not only a new location but a new “you,” a hard-disc reboot that will correct everything that was ever wrong with the first iteration.

Finally, Judaism. The significant difference between Judaism and the other major answers is simple. Jews are staying. The answer to the question recognizes that the Hebrew word is not about location. The word is from ‘ay, not ‘epoh. It is a word that usually does not expect an answer because it is not about destination. It is about inner awareness and relationship. The angel is not questioning Hagar about her physical origin or destination. He is asking about her emotional and spiritual state in relation to her present human relationships. Hagar isn’t going anywhere except back into the fray. Hagar is staying right here where the cauldron of human interactions have to be met. For Judaism, this world is home. There isn’t any other. In fact, heaven was never meant for human beings. That’s why the renewed earth is coming here. God made it perfect to begin with and it’s hard to improve on perfection. So, if you are going to adopt a Hebraic attitude toward your role in the world, be prepared for the long haul. This is where you will have to work out your righteousness. This is where you will have to discover your faith in action. This is where you belong.

In the end, it is either a form of escape or a commitment to stay.  Ah, now you decide.

Topical Index: where, ‘ay, ‘epoh, Genesis 16:8, heaven, paradise, nirvana

*Women and families also reside in Paradise, but males seem to find the place much more to their liking with no lack of food, drink and sexual pleasures, although the seventy virgins idea may be an urban legend.

TWO QUICK UPDATES:  First, one of the supporting families of At God’s Table is in dire need of prayer.  The whole family was on board a small aircraft that crashed in South Africa.  How they survived is a miracle itself, but the parents both have serious injuries.  The three children are OK.  Please pray for Willem, Sanja, and the children.  Thanks.

Second, I continue to teach at the First United Methodist Church of Winter Garden, FL, this Sunday evening at 6PM.  For the next two weeks we will explore the depths of Psalm 103.