There are several reactions people have to bad news.
Some wallow in it and are the first to say, “woe is me.” Some cry it out, pick up, and try to move on. Others try to find something funny. They look for something optimistic in the gloominess.
In the last three chapters of Genesis, we have dealt with some very sad parts of God’s Word. These chapters are also sobering and reflective. It was way back in Genesis 17 where we last had the reaffirmation of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah. Between there and here, though, we have covered a lot of ground: Sodom’s impending destruction, Abraham’s intercession for wicked cities, Lot’s deliverance, the destruction of the cities of the plain, Lot and his daughters, and Abraham’s lying incident with Abimelech.
After all the promises, reminders, and missteps by the patriarch and others, we come to Genesis 21:1-7:
1 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Genesis 21:1-7, New International Version
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Look at the emphasis in this passage. Verses 1 and 2 tell us three times that the Lord had brought this about. The Lord was faithful to His word! Quietly and perfectly, He did exactly what He promised.
The Lord keeps His promises. He promised to bless all nations through Abraham. From this point forward, a new era is in view. The focus begins to shift towards Isaac, the promised child.
Verse four even reminds us of the exact precision here. Abraham named him Isaac. He circumcised him on the eighth day. This action was just as the Lord had commanded. Sarah’s laughter changes from mocking to joy.
We don’t see it in English, but Sarah makes a great pun. She says in verse six (literally), “God has brought me laughter (the Hebrew word for Isaac) and everyone who hears will laugh (Isaac) with me.” What a great reminder of God’s blessings!
There is also another pun on Sarah’s lips. When she says (again verse 6) “everyone who hears,” she uses the word “yishmael” which is Ishmael to us. There is the not-so-subtle reminder that Isaac and not Ishmael is the promised child from the Lord.
Her laughter is now that of amazement! God has done it. He has accomplished what He told them 20 years earlier He would do.
When the Lord works things out and you look back, can you laugh as Sarah did?
I pray that God will let all of you get to the laughter quickly after the pain. May we see the joy while we make the journey. May we never forget we are the winning side. Whether we live or die, we live and die for Jesus.
We bear His name and never worry IF He will fulfill His Word. It’s always a matter of WHEN. When it does happen, may we, “Isaac,” as Sarah did, joyously marvel at what God has done!
Life Meets Theology 