THE SON OF LAUGHTER.
Genesis 18:1-15, Genesis 21:1-7.
1. The promise (Genesis 18:1-15).
This passage is described as an encounter in which “the LORD” (= YHWH, Hebrew) “appeared unto” Abraham when he was having his siesta “in the heat of the day.” When he lifted up his head, suddenly, there were three men standing by him. As if waking with a start, he “ran” to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the ground (Genesis 18:1-2).
Abraham addressed his speech to “Adonai” = “my lord” (singular). “If I have found favour in thy sight,” he begged, “do not pass by thy servant.” Abraham offered “a little water” to wash your feet, “rest” under the tree, and in a masterstroke of understatement, “a morsel of bread” (Genesis 18:3-5a).
(‘You’ll come in for a wee cup of tea,’ offered the Minister to the student. ‘A wee cup of tea’ turned out to be a table spread with all sorts of goodies, both savoury and sweet. All to be served with the obligatory ‘wee cup of tea!’)
One of the marks of true Christianity is hospitality. Jesus singled out our attitudes to the hungry, the thirsty, and the stranger, when He was separating the ‘sheep’ from the ‘goats’ (cf. Matthew 25:34-35). Paul suggests ‘given to hospitality’ as a qualification for an overseer (cf.1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8).
The hospitality being accepted, Abraham “hastened” into the tent to Sarah, telling her to make ready “quickly” cakes upon the hearth. Abraham himself “ran” unto the herd to choose out a suitable calf, and gave it to one of his young men to prepare. Then Abraham personally served his guests, and stood by them under the tree while they ate (Genesis 18:5-8).
We may wonder here whether Abraham was ‘unaware’ that he was ‘entertaining angels’ (cf. Hebrews 13:2). The narrative itself quickly moves on to the subject of Sarah’s long promised but yet to be conceived son (cf. Genesis 17:16).
“THEY (plural) asked him, Where is Sarah thy wife?” Abraham seemed unsurprised that they knew his wife’s name. “And he said, Behold, in the tent” (Genesis 18:9).
“HE (singular) said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life, and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.” (Genesis 18:10a). (“He” here seems to be the spokesman of the three, introduced as “the LORD” back in Genesis 18:1.) Sarah overheard what the LORD had said as she stood behind Him in the tent door (Genesis 18:10b).
It had been a long wait already (Genesis 18:11), and seemed impossible. “Sarah laughed within herself” at the thought that this old couple should yet have a child (Genesis 18:12).
The LORD was well aware of Sarah’s scepticism, and asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Is anything too hard for the LORD?” He then repeated the promise, “At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” (Genesis 18:13-14).
This question contained a gentle rebuke for Sarah, who answered for herself: “I did not laugh.” But the LORD asserted again, “Nay, but thou didst laugh” Genesis 18:15).
2. The fulfilment of the promise (Genesis 21:1-7).
When Abraham had first heard that Sarah was to have a son, Abraham ‘fell upon his face and laughed’ (cf. Genesis 17:17). When the promise was repeated, Sarah “laughed within herself” (Genesis 18:12). However, ‘with God nothing is impossible’ (cf. Luke 1:37): what God has promised, He will fulfil.
“And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken” (Genesis 21:1). It all happened “at the set time” exactly how the LORD had promised (Genesis 21:2). The sense of amazement continues as Abraham names “his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to Him, Isaac” (Genesis 21:3).
Abraham circumcised “his son Isaac” being eight days old, as God had commanded him (Genesis 21:4). “And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him” (Genesis 21:5).
The name “Isaac” means, “he shall laugh.” Now the laughter turned from scepticism to celebration as Sarah shared the story with her neighbours, that they may also laugh with her (Genesis 21:6-7).
