Ellen Chat Conversation

This passage comes from **Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 1**, which was published in 1870 and serves as the precursor to the later book *Patriarchs and Prophets*. ### The Full Quote > "If God had sanctioned polygamy, he would not have thus directed Abraham to send away Hagar and her son. He would teach all a lesson in this, that the rights and happiness of the marriage relation are to be ever respected and guarded, even at a great sacrifice. Sarah was the first and only true wife of Abraham. She was entitled to rights, as a wife and mother, which no other could have in the family. She reverenced her husband, calling him lord; but she was jealous lest his affections should be divided with Hagar. God did not rebuke Sarah for the course she pursued. Abraham was reproved by the angels for distrusting God's power, which had led him to take Hagar as his wife, and to think that through her the promise would be fulfilled." — *Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1*, 1SP 98.2 ### Context of the Passage This quote is found in Chapter 7, titled "Abraham." In this section, Ellen White discusses the domestic trials that arose in Abraham’s household after he followed Sarah’s suggestion to take Hagar as a second wife. The primary lesson Ellen White highlights is that God’s original design for marriage was monogamy. Even though Abraham was a "father of the faithful," his departure from God's plan for marriage brought discord and sorrow. The passage emphasizes that: * **Polygamy is not sanctioned by God:** The instruction to send Hagar away was a divine affirmation of the exclusivity of the marriage bond between Abraham and Sarah. * **The sanctity of marriage:** The "rights and happiness" of the marriage relation are paramount and should be protected, even when it requires difficult decisions. * **Lack of Faith:** Abraham’s decision to take Hagar was rooted in a lack of trust that God could fulfill His promise of an heir through Sarah. *** **Search Results Summary:** Found thousands of passages containing these keywords. For the complete list with filters, try the Full-Text Search: [Full-Text Search](/advanced-search?q=1SP+98.2) **Book breakdown:** 1SP (2472)