Genesis 18:11 Commentary and Bible Study

Abraham was now about 100 and Sarah about 90 years old, and Sarah was at an age at which she could no longer have children, causing Paul to say concerning Abraham, that ‘being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform’ (Romans 4:19-21). But Sarah when she heard the promise laughed silently to herself in unbelief; she certainly should not have done so. Some think it was an audible chuckle; others, that it was a soundless smile. But the Lord heard it as he hears every thought. And Abraham would have sensed that his wife would find this very difficult, very incredible. He never laughed in this way. In the previous narrative, we saw Abraham laughed, but his laughter was one of surprise and joy. Abraham is spoken of in the Scriptures as one who did not stumble at these promises, but had firm faith in them. He was never chastised for laughing in unbelief, for his laughter was the laughter of an aged man overwhelmed that the promise of God was going to be fulfilled. But Sarah's laughter is incredulity and unbelief. She does not have the same level of faith as Abraham. That is one of the reasons for this appearance of God and the angels: to strengthen Sarah's faith. Sarah is going to have to be reproved for her unbelief and encouraged to exercise belief. Why? Because no great thing can be accomplished without faith. If she is going to be given this astounding and remarkable blessing, this miraculous conceiving and birth – not miraculous, of course, in the sense that Mary's was when Christ was born; Isaac came from Abraham his natural father, but nevertheless, if she was going to be instrumental – she must have faith. Faith is essential, and it is so with us.