Where is Sarah thy wife? Genesis 18:9
Abraham and Sarah had been through a lot already at this point. (To read the full story go to Genesis 11:27 through chapter 25, it’s worth your time.)
He had moved family and servants, cattle and herds, countless times all at God’s direction. In fact, Abram, later had his name changed by God to Abraham. He heard directly from God several times and he believed everything and acted on it. Sarai, later named Sarah, on the other hand had not heard from God. Abraham had always came back from an encounter with God and told her about it. She had to trust that he was telling the truth. As far as the story goes, she did trust him because she was with him to the end. That trust did not come easy, but she learned it during their marriage.
Sarah tried to help God. She tried to make a nation happen through her handmaid, Hagar. That failed. God had to step in and rescue Hagar and restore her to Sarah (Chapter 16). Hagar bares Ishmael, Abraham’s son.
In Chapter 17, Abraham had an unforgettable encounter with God. He changed both Abraham’s name and Sarah’s name. He reinforced His original promise to make Abraham a father of many nations (verse 4); He established a covenant with him (verse 7); and promised the land of Canaan to him for an everlasting possession (verse 8). Circumcision is established as a sign of the covenant (17:11-14; 23-27).
Think about this, for Sarah to have heard all these crazy things from Abraham, must have been hard. Most of this was so far out there! Review this: Abraham and Sarah will have a son! They were well past child-bearing ages! Their names were suddenly changed! (How long did they wrestle with calling each other the right name after that?) Not only was Abraham going to be a daddy, but of many nations! Wow! And get this, the sign of this covenant was circumcision! Very strange indeed! And God was also promising the whole land of Canaan to them! Really?! Try to pretend that you were Sarah and your husband was saying these things to you! Women today would be tempted to leave a husband like this one! God knew the timing of this was perfect.
While Abraham was going on about this extreme vision, he said, “By the way, God changed your name too; and you will bear a son! Soon!” She gets her blessing from God in this (17:19). Abraham has always got the message from God by himself, but this time He blesses Sarah.
Abraham had established a camp in the plains of Mamre. He was sitting in his tent door and noticed that some people were walking toward them. Abraham recognized that one of the men as the Lord. He quickly showed them to a place out of the sun and arranged for them to have a meal. Sarah was told to make the ash cakes (probably bread) for them. She was just inside of the tent and could hear their conversation. The only thing recorded that these men said at this time was: (18:9) “Where is Sarah thy wife?”
Why ask for Sarah? This was an age when men talked with men and women were pretty much possessions. It was odd they should ask this. This was the Lord. He knew where Sarah was! They did not ask to talk with her, but they knew she could hear them. Sarah was now understanding that she was to be a big part of God’s plan even if she tried to make it happen on her own with Hagar. She was faced with the reality that God was calling her personally. She was paying very close attention to their words by now. What they said, verse 10: “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.”
Sarah could not help it, she laughed inside herself! Was she going to have a child, a son, after all these barren years?! And Abraham was old too! This was crazy, I know Abraham said this was God’s words to him, but now that we are old! The next part is unreal too. They are asking Abraham, in verse 13: “Wherefore did Sarah laugh saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?” Sarah did not say any of this out loud! They didn’t give her any time to speak then they made this statement, verse 14, “Is any thing 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.”
At this point Sarah was afraid and started to deny she said anything. But they came back with, “Nay, but thou didst laugh.”
This was the end of that conversation with Sarah. She had received her promise from the Lord’s mouth. She was left to ponder all that was said and to find her husband attractive after this!
This was an amazing story if you take it apart like this. Here she had been a faithful wife to a man who heard from God. And God rewards her with a personal visitation and invitation to believe His promises to her husband. She had a lot to be thankful for in her old age. A godly husband, her mistake with Hagar had been corrected but not completely resolved, she would finally have a son, and she had seen the Lord personally now!
Where is Sarah thy wife?
Can you hear God calling to you? "Where is (say your name here)? I have good news for you! I am calling you now to a new thing! I have been preparing you for this all your life. Yes, you have been impatient and tried to make something happen by yourself. I have adjusted that in My favor. But now you will have a new life, a new purpose. Follow Me!”
Please share and leave me a comment if God has been talking to you through this post.
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