Bible Study Lesson 2

"Sarah struggles with the challenge of believing God or believing her circumstances."

For thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, Abraham and Sarah heard nothing from God. The heavens were silent. But finally God broke the silence when Abraham was ninety-nine years old. God restated His promise, and then the stage was set. In fact, God in His perfect timing and infinite wisdom had set the stage in such a way that He get the greatest glory --- He made it impossible apart from Him. When the child finally came there would be no doubt who did it. The challenge that faced Abraham and Sarah here is significant though. While what they were hearing from God pointed in one direction, their circumstances pointed the opposite way. Humanly speaking, producing a child at such an old age is an impossibility. Like the father whose demon-possessed son the disciples could not help, Sarah's cry is, "Lord, I do believe...help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24)

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Today we want to look at Sarah's response when the promise was given again. Read Genesis 18:1-8 to get an idea of the context, and then look at 18:9-10 and identify what the message is for Abraham and Sarah?

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We see from Genesis 18 and 19 that apparently the three men of 18:1 are the "angel of the Lord" and the two angels who would rescue Lot from Sodom (19:1). Most theologians interpret the term "angel of the Lord" to mean the pre-incarnate Christ --- verse 13 indicates it is "the Lord" speaking. Their message is that in a year Sarah will be pregnant. Like any clever busybody, Sarah was eavesdropping outside the tent and heard all that was said.

Looking at 18:11-12, write what you learn about the circumstances and how Sarah responded to the message from God.

WORD STUDY - How Did Abram and Sarai Become Abraham and Sarah?
It was God who changed Abram's name to Abraham. The name "Abram" literally means "exalted father" which must have been painful to a man who was childless until he was eighty-six. "Abraham" means "father of a multitude." God also changes "Sarai" ("my princess") to "Sarah" (princess"). At a casual glance, the change of Sarah's name seems much less significant, but there is a point to the change. No longer is Sarah to be Abraham's princess only. Now he will share her with a family that will multiply beyond belief.

Verse 11 tells us that Abraham and Sarah was very old---in fact, she was past childbearing (literally, "past the manner of women" ---she has been through menopause). Abraham was ninety-nine years old and Sarah was eighty-nine.

Circumstantially, the promise of God looked impossible. It is not surprising that Sarah laughed. She says, "can two old people like us have pleasure? In other words, she is saying, "We are too old even to make love---how could we have a child?"

Now look at Genesis 18:13-15. What do these verses reveal about God and about Sarah?

When Sarah laughed in disbelief, God heard. This truth reflects the Lord's omniscience. He knows everything about us. Nothing in our hearts is hidden from Him. Even though we may have been taught this as a child, we often don't live our lives as if it is true. We also see here a very human portrait of Sarah. Not only did she laugh in disbelief, but when confronted she also lied about it. Yet this did not change God's plan and purpose. He affirmed His plan and made it clear that Sarah's untruth was not ignored.

"Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son." Genesis 18:14

As you read Genesis 18:13-15 again, what is significant about the phrase, "...at the appointed time..."?

What an awesome thought it is that God had appointed a time for Isaac to be born. He was not sitting in heaven waiting to see what Abraham and Sarah would do; but the child of promise arrives just when He planned: "at the appointed time."

As we finish this lesson, read Hebrews 11:11. We have seen Abraham's faith applauded, but this verse is a fitting balance, showing us the conclusion from the vantage point of Sarah. What does this verse reveal about what Sarah did and what the result was?

Hebrews 11:11 shows us that Sarah "considered Him faithful who had promised." She was not leaning on Abraham's faith; she had faith of her own. And as a result, she was given the ability to conceive a child well beyond the proper time of life. Both Abraham and Sarah had to exercise faith in order for a child to be born, and they had to take action on what God had said. Theirs was no immaculate conception. They had to have relations in order to get pregnant, and that took faith. Faith in it's purest form is simply taking God at His word---that what He says will happen really will happen, that what He says He will do, He really will do---and acting accordingly.

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