Isaac: Son of Laughter

• Bringing it up to speed:
  • In the previous chapter, we are left with a reminder…
  • God’s to Abraham has not come to pass yet
  • Sarah is just getting
  • The wombs of Abimelech’s house have been “ ” because of Abraham’s shenanigans
  • This was a reminder to the reader that Sarah is in the same condition
  • Sarah used these same words to describe her condition – that it was God who was actively “ ” her womb

  • Dusting off the Gray Matter; remember the promise of Isaac? (Gen.17:1-21)

  • What was the most significant part of this story?

  • Abram and Sarai were becoming with the Lord’s promise
  • Abram and Sarai concocted a way for God to keep his promise of a son.
  • Abram and (the Egyptian maid) attempted to have a son. (We will get back to Hagar later)
  • A son was born and called Ishmael (“God has heard”)
  • For 13 years, Ishmael has been Abram’s focus for an and a

2Introducing El Shaddai; The All-Powerful God

• God introduces himself in a unique Gen.17:1

3This is the first usage of El Shaddai in Scripture

• El Shaddai is in its true meaning
• Used 48 times in OT (Genesis – 6, Exodus – 1, Numbers – 2, Ruth – 2, Job – 31, Psalm – 2, Isaiah – 1, Ezekiel – 2, Joel – 1)
• In the most simplistic sense: means “ ”
• Commonness of usage: Every time God introduces himself with this name, it is an indication that he is the “Almighty (Invincible) ”
• Perhaps most popular translated understanding: “God’s power”
• One Commentator: he is the “ of so that his promises might be fulfilled”
• Nothing can resist his power to get his will done
• yD'v' lae - “Shaddai evokes the idea that God is able to make the barren fertile and to fulfill his .” (Wenham)

4The Infamous “Laugh”

• Abram, now Abraham, hears the renewal of the Covenant and responds by 17:16
  • Abraham assumed that his hopes for future descendants would come through
  • Sarah was years old, Abraham was
• Abraham’s laugh was probably more of unbelief Genesis 17:17
• Sarah hears the promise and responds by also Genesis 18:10-12
  • Sarah’s laugh is also probably more unbelief
  • The response of the angelic visitors was more harsh on Sarah (Genesis 18: 13-15)
  • Sarah was afraid and when questioned
  • The visitors called her on her
• Sarah names the child – “ ” Genesis 21:1-7
  • Reflection of their of unbelief
  • Reflection of their in seeing fulfillment of God’s promise

5The Point: God is Faithful to His Promises

• There is an intentional emphasis on the of the (regardless of the time frame)
• “As he had said…”
• “As he had promised…”
• Abraham’s expectations rested solely on the Divine
• “The thing was utterly beyond all that could be expected according to natural principles. He (Abraham) believed the thing that was an object of hope. He believed the promise. Belief respects anything that is testified, whether desirable or otherwise. But the thing testified to Abraham was an object of hope, therefore he is said beyond hope to believe in hope.”
• “His becoming the father of many nations was the object of his belief.”
• -Haldane, Exposition of Romans 4:19
  • Notice the redundancy as emphasis for the reader
• “Which was to him…” 21:2
• “Which Sarah had to him…” 21:3
  • The mention of Abraham being years old (17:1 – “very old”; 17:17; 21:5)
  • The reader is intended to see an example of faith in Abraham
  • We are meant to understand that this birth was indeed a miraculous intervention of the Promise Maker to keep his .
  • We are intended to see fulfilled

6“Laughter” takes on a Whole New Meaning

• Sarah breaks out in a poem to invite all who hear the story to contemplate God’s grace and power (Wenham – WBC)
• Sarah names her son “ ”
• The root for Isaac is “laugh” (because of all the laughing going on)
• Literally, Sarah uses Isaac’s name to describe how people will react to the of his
• “Everyone who hears it will ‘Isaac’ (qjx) for me”
• Isaac’s name describes the of his birth
• Laughter has taken on a new
• Earlier, the name Isaac had been associated with the laughter of incredulity
• Now, laughter is the laughter of
• Conclusion
  • Note: Hebrews 11:1-2 – We are presented with men and women of God who were commended for their
• In seeing a God promised that they had not seen
• In believing that building an in the middle of the desert would rescue a handful of people from a
• In taking God at his word that the dead would be
• In choosing to be with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time
• In following a leader who suggested that simply walking around an impenetrable wall for 7 days would cause it to
• In walking the path to martyrdom for a belief that a life not for God was not worth at all
  • Note: Abraham was commended for his faith; even in the middle of his
  • Application:

• We are directed to see God as the Invincible Promise Keeper – What promises can we count on from God?

• Hebrews 12:1 – Our responsibility is great to follow in the paths of of which these men and women of the faith gave us examples
• And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
• Hebrews 11:6
  • No one is commended anywhere for living more “practically” and less by faith