February 3 - Abraham & Sarah

February 3 - Abraham & Sarah

We know very little of these two in their younger years. We meet them in Genesis 11:27-32 in the account of Terah. All we really know at this point is that Abram took a wife, Sarai and she was barren. Pretty sad news in those days. But, beginning in Genesis 12, God calls Abram to leave his father's household. This amazingly obedient man does exactly that. He is 75 years old when this all occurs and later in the story we find that Sarai is 9-10 years younger than he, but we also discover that she is beautiful! Hear Abram's words to her in Genesis 12:11-12, "I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live." Now, while Abram was about to perpetuate a deception here, what woman among us wouldn't want to hear those words from our husbands?

The Pharoah did think she was beautiful and took her into his harem. Genesis 12:16 also says that he treated Abram well for her sake. She must have been an incredible beauty!

God set forth a covenant with Abram that he would have offspring as innumerable as the stars, but considering the fact that Sarai was still barren, I suppose he probably wondered if he needed to make this happen on his own. It was probably not much of a stretch for him to accept her maidservant Hagar. When Hagar had Ishmael, Abram was 86 years old. (Genesis 16:16)

Thirteen years later, God had another conversation with Abram and renamed him Abraham. Abram means 'exalted father' and Abraham means 'father of many.' He also renamed Sarai to Sarah which means 'princess.' During this conversation, God promised that Sarah would be blessed with a son and she would bear the child, Isaac, by the same time the next year (Genesis 17:21).

Both Abraham and Sarah laughed at the thought of her giving birth. Abraham did so in Genesis 17:17 and Sarah in Genesis 18:12. She got caught by the Lord, though and lied about it. Good heavens, early on in God's relationship with humanity, they were lying to him. History really doesn't change all that much, does it?

Abraham messed around again with the fact that Sarah was his sister when he met up with Abimelech, king of Gerar. At 90 years old, the woman was still gorgeous. And at nearly 100 years old, Abraham was still a stupid man.

When Isaac was born, Sarah remembered the laughter and so, she named him Isaac which means 'he laughs.' On the feast that was held at Isaac's weaning, Sarah, a very beautiful woman, who now had a child, could no longer stomach Hagar and Ishmael's presence. Abraham listened to his wife and sent them on their way. Fortunately for everyone involved, God stayed involved and offered them protection. Even though God's chosen people would come through Isaac's line, the blessing of the Lord would also follow Ishmael. Abraham is considered the father of nations other than the Hebrew people.

Sarah died about 35 years after Isaac was born - at the age of 127. Genesis 23:2 tells us that Abraham wept over her and insisted on purchasing property for her burial.

Abraham had known Sarah all of his life. She was gone from him, so he did take another wife - Keturah (Genesis 25:1). She bore him 6 more sons and Abraham's descendants moved from the area to the east (Genesis 25:6). He died at the age of 175 and Isaac & Ishmael together buried him with Sarah.

James 2:23 tells us that "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God's friend."

This amazing man and his beautiful wife continue the story by adding a Covenant with God which promised offspring as numerous as the stars in the heavens. God didn't make it easy for them to believe in Him by causing Sarah to have multitudes of children or even bearing one child at an early age. They had to learn together to trust in God's Covenant for what it was - a promise from the Holy of Holies. Can I do anything less than that?