FAITH || Lesson 8 

FAITH

Text:  Hebrews 11

Lesson Eight – V.11

Examples of the ancients who were commended for their faith: (Cont’d.)

SARAH – V.11 (Amplified Bible) – Because of faith also Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she was long past the age for it, because she considered [God] Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His word.

Because of faith also Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she was long past the age for it – See Genesis 21:1-7.

Sarah’s barrenness is recorded in Genesis 11:30 – Now Sarai was barren; she had no children.

She considered [God] Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His word – Note that there is no mention of her unbelief.  The Matthew Henry’s Commentary states:  “Her unbelief is pardoned and forgotten, but her faith prevailed and is recorded.”

Let us thank the Lord for Psalm 32:1-2 – Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  ²Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Compare: Genesis 18:9-15 – ⁹“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he said.

¹⁰Then the LORD 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.  ¹¹Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.  ¹²So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

¹³Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’  ¹⁴Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”

¹⁵Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

(V.13) – Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?  Note V.12 – So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Let us therefore ask the Lord to help us to be always mindful of:

Psalm 69:5 – You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.

Psalm 139:1-3 – O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.  ²You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  ³You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

Hebrews 4:13 – Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

(V.14) – Is anything too hard for the LORD?  Let us ask the Lord to help us to believe the following:

Isaiah 59:1 – Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

Luke 1:37 – For nothing is impossible with God.”

I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”  This had been previously communicated to Abraham.  See Genesis 17:15-22.  (V.17 – Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”   Note that Abraham’s laughter, in contrast to Sarah’s, was of delight.

V.20 – And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.)

Note Genesis 21:13, 18 – ¹³I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

¹⁸Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

See Genesis 25:12-16 – (V.16 – These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps.)

Regarding the fulfillment of the promises concerning Ishmael, let us thank the Lord that His promises are sure, as stated in the previous study.  Numbers 23:19 – God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

(V.15) – Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”  But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”  It is inferred that she repented at the Lord’s response. Note Hebrews 11:11 (Amplified Bible) – Because of faith also Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she was long past the age for it, because she considered [God] Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His word.

Let us thank the Lord that, like Sarah, if we repent, our unbelief, lies, and other sins will be blotted out.  Note:

Isaiah 43:25 – “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Isaiah 44:22 – I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

Isaiah 55:7 – Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Micah 7:18-19 – ¹⁸Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.  ¹⁹You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

1 John 1:8-9 – ⁸If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.