God's promises also applied to Sarah, his wife. Right at the beginning of Genesis it says that we were created in the image of God, male and female. Both men and women reflect the image of God. In the New Testament Paul says that there is neither male nor female in Christ (meaning that both are equal members of the body of Christ), Galatians 3:28, and Peter says that husbands and wives are both heirs of Christ (1 Peter 3:7).
Like Abraham, her name would be changed from Sarai to Sarah. Sarah means princess, but the meaning of Sarai is not clear. Sarah would be blessed and would have a son. Just as Abraham would be the father of nations, Sarah would be the mother of nations. So in all the ways both share equally in the blessing of God. See how much better God's plan is than the botch-up that Abraham and Sarah planned in Genesis 16.
You might think that after all this Abraham would have a little more faith, but this was not the case. He fell face down and laughed. He considered God's promises to be impossible, and thought that Ishmael was the only way the blessing could be fulfilled.
It is perhaps worth pondering how God appeared to Abraham in this encounter. Abraham is clearly not easily persuaded, and this tends to make one think that God did not appear to him in a dramatic way (eg as a glorious angel). When God speaks or reveals things to us it will often not be in a dramatic manner, but we will recognise His voice (John 10:4).
Like Abraham, her name would be changed from Sarai to Sarah. Sarah means princess, but the meaning of Sarai is not clear. Sarah would be blessed and would have a son. Just as Abraham would be the father of nations, Sarah would be the mother of nations. So in all the ways both share equally in the blessing of God. See how much better God's plan is than the botch-up that Abraham and Sarah planned in Genesis 16.
You might think that after all this Abraham would have a little more faith, but this was not the case. He fell face down and laughed. He considered God's promises to be impossible, and thought that Ishmael was the only way the blessing could be fulfilled.
It is perhaps worth pondering how God appeared to Abraham in this encounter. Abraham is clearly not easily persuaded, and this tends to make one think that God did not appear to him in a dramatic way (eg as a glorious angel). When God speaks or reveals things to us it will often not be in a dramatic manner, but we will recognise His voice (John 10:4).
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