
In the previous article, we learned about the Angel of the Lord who found Hagar and said, “Do not run away from your problem! Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands!” Why God told Hagar to return and not to leave Abraham and Sarai? Because Abraham and Sarai so far had been a boon that made Hagar could live and grow. Even God’s desire to bless Ishmael whom was born to Hagar it’s because of Abraham.
If Hagar ran away and no longer connected with Abraham, she would have lost the grace and God did not necessarily notice her anymore. In this case, God did not allow Hagar to flee. But in the Bible, there are other cases where God allows and even requires or orders a man to flee.
I bring up these cases so that everyone understands when to flee and when to stay, because there are many people who remain still in one place when they should flee and on the contrary, they flee when they supposed to stay.
When is the time we should flee?
1. When our boss wants to drag us to fall into sin.
“And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out” (Genesis 39:7-12).
Joseph worked in the house of Potiphar, the Egyptian, and became his master’s right hand. Joseph was submissive and obedient to his employer until Potiphar’s wife asked him to commit the sin of adultery. In a case like this, what Joseph was supposed to do was: flee! He was obedient to his “lord” but he had to be more obedient to his “Lord”
The Bible says that all authority and power have been subdued at the feet of Jesus. So Jesus is Chief above all chiefs, Boss above all bosses, Lord above all lords. When our master wants to plunge us to violate the statutes of the Lord, then we must choose to be obedient to our Lord than to our lord. It’s time to flee!
2. When our boss wants to kill us.
“And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?” (1 Samuel 20:1)
“And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath” (1 Samuel 21:10).
David served Saul with all his heart, there was no fault he had done that made him worthy of death. But Saul wanted to kill him and tried very hard to kill him, because he was jealous of David. In this case, David fled from Saul and God continued to protect him.
When we have already served with sincerity in one place, but our leader continues not to like us for some reasons and he always has evil intentions against us, that’s when we have to flee!
3. When majority of people there live in sins that is increasing
“And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed” (Genesis 19:17).
Lot and his family lived in Sodom, remember that Lot previously was connected with Abraham, but because he wanted to be “more successful”, he left Abraham, whereas Abraham had been a boon for his life. Slowly but surely he lost his boon because he was no longer connected with Abraham.
Sodom, a place he was living, live in sins that was increasing, so that God wanted to condemn it. That’s when God commanded Lot to flee!
These are when is the time we should flee. When a place where we are living live in sins that is increasing, God will condemn that place. And before God condemn that place, the Lord commands us to flee!
Also read: Reasons Why We Must Not Run Away from Our Problems.