THE BIRTH OF ISAAC

---

In the preceding chapter, we saw the sin that must be dealt with, confessed, and put away before Isaac could be born to Abraham and Sarah. Now in chapter 21 we have the birth of Isaac.

Isaac was in this a type of Christ, that Seed which God has so long promised, and long expected by Sarah and Abraham. He was born according to the promise, at the set time of which God had spoken.

God’s promised mercies will certainly come at the time in which He sets, and that is the best time which is always on time. Genesis 21 begins with the long-awaited birth of the son God had promised to Abraham and Sarah.

This is the child through whom God would make of Abraham a great nation (Genesis 17:6–7). More recently, the Lord had promised both Abraham and Sarah that they would conceive and bear a son within a year’s time.

Both of them laughed (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12). God said the name of their son would be Isaac, which means laughter (Genesis 17:19). Now the time has come. The Lord visits Sarah.

She and Abraham conceive, just as God said, just as He promised (Genesis 18:14). At the ages of 100 and 90 respectively, Abraham and Sarah become parents. Sarah bears Abraham a son, full of joy at the laughter He has brought to her (Genesis 21:1–7).

 

Genesis 21:1-8 KJV

[1] And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

[2] For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

[3] And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

[4] And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

[5] And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

[6] And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

[7] And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

[8] And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

 

Genesis 21:1 KJV

And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

---

You will notice that there is a very striking similarity between the birth of Isaac and the birth of Christ. I believe that the birth of Isaac was given to us to set before mankind this great truth before Christ came.

The Lord keeps His promises, no matter how unlikely they may seem from a human perspective.

Not only had God promised to make Abraham a great nation, He had promised specifically that this nation would come through Sarah, a vow made twice within the last year (Genesis 17:16–21; 18:10–15).

Now the Lord visits Sarah “as he had said” and the Lord does to her “as he had promised.” Somehow, in this visiting, the Lord made Sarah, finally, able to conceive a child with Abraham.

It’s interesting that, though most of God’s promises about the great nation that would flow from Abraham have been made directly to Abraham, the focus of the promise’s fulfillment rests on Sarah.

God maintains a relationship with her and His promise is made to and through her. The repetition and phrasing in this verse is meant to slow us down and cause us to notice that God is faithful. He does as He says.

 

Genesis 21:2 KJV

For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

---

Isaac was born at the set time God had promised, and Paul says, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Gal. 4:4). God’s timing is perfect.

He had said within the hearing of both Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child within a year from a specific moment (Genesis 18:14).

Though Abraham and Sarah had attempted to scheme a way to gain a son through another woman (Genesis 16:1–2), God specifically meant to provide them with their own natural child (Genesis 17:15–16).

Despite their disbelieving laughter (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12), that’s exactly what happened. Not only does God keep His promises, He keeps them specifically. Sarah bears a son to Abraham in his old age.

Saying these two are in their “old age,” in this situation, is quite an understatement. The following verses will reveal that Abraham is 100 years old, meaning that Sarah is right around 90.

It’s never too late for God to keep His word. This makes Isaac’s birth miraculous, not only because Sarah had been barren her entire life, but also because of her advanced age when she conceived.

 

Genesis 21:3 KJV

And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

---

The name Isaac means “laughter,” When Sarah received the promise, she laughed with distrust and doubt. There are some very remarkable truths here that we need to lay hold of.

When God gives us the mercies we began to despair of, we ought to remember with sorrow and shame our sinful distrust of his power and promise, when we were in pursuit of them. This mercy filled Sarah with joy and wonder.

Just as God had instructed them (Genesis 17:9), Abraham named his son Isaac, which means “he laughs.”

The repetition of the phrases here—”the son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him”—is meant to continue to slow the reader down and force us to ponder what has happened. Two primary points stand out.

First, of course, God kept His promise. He is faithful. He said this would happen, and it did.

Second, Abraham and Sarah were old and well beyond conceiving and bearing children.

Further, Sarah had been barren for her entire life up to this point. Genesis intends for us to fully appreciate the idea that Isaac is a miracle baby.

A normal married couple might reasonably have ten children, or even more, during their childbearing years, leading to numerous offspring for generations to come.

This particular couple, though, through whom would come the nation of Israel, had just one son under miraculous circumstances. There should be no mistake that this birth was anything but the very work of God in the lives of His people.

 

Genesis 21:4 KJV

And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

---

The birth of Isaac was a miraculous birth. It was contrary to nature. God’s Blessings to His covenant people surpass their own and others’ thoughts and expectations.

On the very same day when God had changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah, He told Abraham that Sarah would have a son within a year and they would call him Isaac.

Abraham had laughed (Genesis 17:15–17). On that day, God had also commanded Abraham to be circumcised, along with every male in his household, and to circumcise all future male children born to his household at eight days old (Genesis 17:10–13).

The act of circumcision involves removing the foreskin from the penis, cutting in a circle around the organ. This ritual is deeply symbolic, echoing God’s sovereignty over fertility and children, the uniqueness of His people, and the permanence of His influence.

God would continue the requirement for circumcision in the laws given to Israel through Moses (Leviticus 12:3). Now Abraham obeys that command with this promised son Isaac, circumcising him on the eighth day of his life.

 

Genesis 21:5 KJV

And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

---

In the fourth chapter of Romans, Paul writes that Abraham “. . . considered not his own body now dead . . . neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom. 4:19). Out of death God brings forth life: this is a miraculous birth.

Abraham’s age at the time of Isaac’s birth is given to emphasize that this was a supernatural work of God. This also reminds us that it has been less than a year since God had told Abraham and Sarah they would have a son.

Both had laughed at the very idea of it (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12), but even though Abraham was 100 years old, the day finally arrived.

God had kept His impossible, laughable, beautiful word. Even though Abraham and Sarah were well beyond the normal age of conception, and Sarah had been barren for her entire life, God provided them with a natural-born son.

 

Genesis 21:6 KJV

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

---

We need to call attention to the fact that God did not flash the supernatural birth of Christ on the world as being something new. He began to prepare men for it, and therefore way back here at the birth of Isaac we have a miraculous birth.

Previous verses listed the facts of Isaac’s birth. God has done as He said. He has kept His promise. The long-awaited child, the one who makes all future promises possible, has at last been born to a 100-year-old man and his childless, 90-year-old wife.

This child is a blessing Abraham and Sarah have both desperately wanted for many years. Here, we are witness to Sarah’s joyful emotional response. In a play on words, she gives all the credit for the birth of Isaac to the Lord.

He has “made laughter” for her—Isaac’s name means “laughter.” Everyone who hears her story will laugh over her or with her, or perhaps she means people will laugh “at” her.

Most scholars interpret this statement to mean Sarah believes her story will bring the joy of laughter to others. Some suggest that perhaps she believes others will laugh, as she did, at the idea that a 90-year-old woman could bear a child.

In any case, it has happened. She has laughter, at last.

 

Genesis 21:7 KJV

And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

---

We also find here that God had to deal with both Sarah and Abraham. They had to recognize that they could do nothing, that it would be impossible for them to have a child.

Abraham is 100 years old; Sarah is 90 years old. In other words, the birth of Isaac must be a birth that they really have nothing to do with.

Sarah, 90 years old, continues to express her joyful response to the birth of Isaac. In the previous verse, she says that everyone who hears will laugh with her, or perhaps “at” her, since her situation is so unusual.

Now she asks, who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? The implied answer is that nobody would have said such a thing. The truth, though, is that the Lord said exactly that thing to Abraham.

He is the only one who could have predicted this moment, because He is the one who made it come to pass.

Despite Abraham and Sarah’s own doubts (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12), and their schemes (Genesis 16:1–2), God has faithfully provided exactly what He said He would, in the time He said He would provide it (Genesis 18:14).

Sarah concludes her expression of joy by saying that though nobody could ever have predicted it, she has indeed borne Abraham a son in his old age.

 

Genesis 21:8 KJV

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

---

This little fellow first lived by feeding on his mother’s milk, but there came a day when he had to be weaned. Even this has a lesson for us. When mamma is getting the bottle ready for the little baby in the crib, everything in his entire body is working.

He’s got his feet up in the air, he’s got his hands up in the air, and he’s yelling at the top of his voice—he wants his bottle! “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

It is wonderful to be a new Christian with an appetite like that for the milk of the Word. The day comes when you are ready to start growing up as a believer. Instead of just reading Psalm 23 and John 14—wonderful as they are—try reading through the entire Bible.Grow up.

Don’t be a babe all of the time. Notice God’s admonishment in Hebrews 5:13–14. “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age . . .” Grow up, friends.

Not only was the miracle child Isaac born, he survived being weaned. Compared to modern times, this era would have had extremely high infant mortality rates. A substantial number of infants did not survive to become independent adults.

A child who survived the helplessness of their early years, until they were no longer directly dependent on their mother for food, took a step towards surviving to adulthood.

Women of this time may have breastfed their children as late as two or three years old, so Isaac was likely a toddler on the day of this great feast thrown to celebrate his life.

As earlier verses indicated, there is no doubt that Isaac’s birth was entirely miraculous. His parents are decades beyond the normal age to bear children. His mother had previously been unable to conceive.

 

 

I hope that you have really enjoyed this post,

 

---