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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 18:9 - 18:15
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The Specific Promise of Isaac's Birth
v. 9. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah, thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
v. 10. And He said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah, thy wife, shall have a son. The Lord Himself, as the spokesman, opened the conversation by inquiring after Sarah. Abraham, without the hesitation which the modern perverted life might cause him to feel, could answer that she was inside the tent. Then the Lord announced to him his visit at the same time in the next year, stating that Sarah would then have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent-door which was behind Him.
v. 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. They were both beyond the usual age when procreation was normally possible.
v. 12. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, as the result of the return to youthful vigor, my lord, my husband, who is the head of the household, being old also? That was not the joyful laughter of faith, as in the case of Abraham, but a sneer of incredulity, of doubt.
v. 13. And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Sarah had supposed herself unnoticed, since she was behind the curtain of the tent, and her laughing had been in her heart only. But the omniscient Lord knew her thoughts and reproved her doubts.
v. 14. Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. The Lord, the almighty God, is nevertheless also the merciful God, for He did not withdraw His promise to visit Abraham and Sarah in the gift of the son whom they had long waited for; there was nothing too difficult for Him to perform.
v. 15. Then Sarah denied; saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And He said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. In her chagrin at being discovered, Sarah hastily denied the charge, but the Lord added a second reproof, convicting her of her falsehood. As the following events showed, Sarah accepted the reproof and turned to the Lord in true faith, for through faith she received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child, Heb_11:11. Even now the Word of God reproves the sins and weaknesses of the believers, especially their lack of trusting faith. And we should at all times receive His reprimands with all humility.