seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”
7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
“There, in the tent,” he said.
10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
Oh goody, the commentary is working this morning. This is what I read before writing my comments.First of all, ... the commentary says it's Jesus appearing before Abraham. I don't agree. Just because Abraham calls a man "Lord" doesn't mean he thinks he's talking to Jesus. I was taught "my lord" was a common phrase. It would be like me calling the guy down the street "my good man". In some neighborhoods today, "Wad Up" would do. It's a greeting of respect.
I think this is one of the most comical, considering the importance, in the Bible. It's right up there with the one where the left-handed swordsman left the king's body in the toilet to ensure he would escape before the body was found.
Sarah was a gorgeous woman. She was well past childbearing years. She didn't have kids... So, her body was pristine. I don't think she was laying with everyone in Egypt, as one forumite suggested. I think she was teasing everyone. I think she was preserving her body for her own pleasure. She enjoyed being the most beautiful woman in the nation and she wasn't going to tarnish it with childbirth. Besides that, ... I can just hear her saying... "PU... diapers stink!"
These three men were not introduced to Sarah. Abraham didn't present his wife to them. They knew her name and asked about her.
When the one said.... "This time next year... when I come back... you'll have a son..." they could have been commenting on her youthful beauty and her childless state. That would have been very flattering... considering her age and beauty.
Perhaps it's a comment on the toll childbirth takes on the human body. Sarah had avoided childbirth until now... and now she didn't have to slide a slave girl in to take her place. All the running around and bumping in the bedroom was long past gone. She didn't need to run anymore.... she was well past childbearing age... so, she could just enjoy the sex without worrying. She was, by this time, well over 100 years old. She was extremely hard to catch, apparently.
I think... after dinner with the three strangers.... Abraham and Sarah went back to playing... and that's when she relaxed and things happened.
Do I think it's a miracle.... of course. She was well past menopausal. The strangers were sent by God... we'll be proving that when we read the verses for tomorrow. She didn't see some golden aura or crowns on these three guys. She was laughing at the idea.... she was way past the time to worry about such things.
But then... Look at verses 13 and 14. It wasn't Abraham who asked Sarah why she laughed. It was one of the three men. One of the men said "is anything too hard for the Lord?" Was that a comment on the seemingly impossible task of going through childbirth at her advanced age? Was the man just being nice? "Ah Sarah, you're so beautiful and youthful... you must still be young enough." Could Sarah have just been laughing at the notion of being thought of as that young?
I'm way past menopausal. If someone said "this time next year you'll have a son".... I would guffaw at them so loudly they'd hear me for miles! It's an absurd statement for any woman of her age.
Go ahead and laugh Sarah.... The joke's on you. These men will prove to be actual men of God.
God ahead and laugh Sarah....
The joke's on you!
