Laugh with Sarah
This message from Genesis chapter twenty-one could make you laugh or mock.
Start from verse one.
God visited Sarah according to a promise He made earlier (see Genesis chapter seventeen, from verse fifteen to verse twenty-one, KJV).
Verse two now.
Sarah became pregnant. She gave birth to a boy baby. The timing of the birth was according to promise.
Verse three next.
Abraham named his son Isaac. That name was given to him by God (see chapter seventeen, verses eighteen and nineteen).
Now to verse four.
Abraham fulfilled God's commandment of circumcision of his son Isaac. He kept the commandment when Isaac was eight days old.
In verse five.
In this verse Abraham's age of one hundred years is given. That was his age when his son Isaac was born.
Verse six. Sarah's Laugh.
This verse contains an important declaration by Sarah. She declared that God made her laugh. This laughter was for joy, because the old, once barren Sarah, can no longer be reproached because of barrenness.
She went on to say that all those who hear will laugh with her. Did she mean that only those who heard her laughing will laugh with her? Could it be that those who hear about Sarah's laughter now, will also laugh with her? Yes, because Sarah did not say only those who were in her presence would laugh with her. She said all those who hear. Hear what? Sarah's laughter, or that God had made Sarah to laugh?
It is important to note that Sarah said "ALL THAT HEAR" will laugh with her. To understand this kind of hearing consider verse nine. Soon after Sarah's declaration (about three months), Ishmael was caught mocking Sarah's son. The son that God ordained to give many laughter. Certainly Ishmael was not one of the group of "ALL THAT HEAR", because he failed to hear. If he was one of those who heard, he would have behaved differently.
Look what happened next. Check it out in verse ten to verse twelve. Sarah was not laughing. When Sarah stopped laughing because Ishmael failed to laugh with her, it affected Abraham. Next it affected Hagar. Ishmael should have laughed with Sarah. Ishmael had to go. Sarah was sure about that. How could she be so sure? God had made her laugh. God's will was to make others laugh with Sarah and not at her. Therefore God will not be pleased with those who do not laugh with Sarah. Sarah was confident about that.
So who are those that will laugh with Sarah? They are the ones who understand that it was not a light thing that God did for Sarah. They understand that even Abraham had to submit to God and to Sarah, to cast out Hagar and her son Ishmael, in order to restore Sarah's laughter. They understand clearly, and are confident as Sarah, that God's choice for Abraham's heir was Isaac and not Ishmael.
When you laugh with Sarah you are laughing with Abraham's God. When you mock Sarah by mocking her son Isaac, you are mocking Abraham's God.
If you exalt Ishmael above Isaac you are not laughing with Sarah. You are in serious trouble. You need to repent. You need to call upon Sarah's God to give you an understanding of Sarah's laughter.
You can find Sarah's God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Now, can you imagine if you mock Sarah it is a serious offence? Do you realize that God's Son, Jesus, is far greater than Sarah? Are you mocking God's Son?
This message is brought to you by A. Nizamuddin by the authority of God's Son, Jesus. Sinners, Jesus is not willing that you perish. However, you must do your part and believe in Him.
Thank you for learning with me.
Abdool N.
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posted by Abdool N @ 12:56 a.m.
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