Summary of passage: The Lord gave Sarah and Abraham a son whom Abraham names Isaac (which means he laughs). Isaac was circumcised at 8 days old. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Sarah said God has brought her laughter and everyone who hears about Isaac will laugh with her.
Questions:
7a) The Lord did for Sarah what He had promised at the very time God had promised.
b) Abraham in hope believed that God had the power to do what He had promised. He was strengthened in his faith and gave the glory to God.
c) Personal Question. My answer: “This week” I haven’t experienced any new spiritual awakening. However, I am trying to be more trusting and more faithful and maybe a spiritual awakening will occur. But if it doesn’t, I know at least I’m growing closer to God and that’s all that matters to me.
8 ) John 3:3-6: We must be born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of heaven. We must have the Holy Spirit indwelt to enter the kingdom of heaven (believe in God and Jesus as the Son). Isaac was born of a woman but because of the Spirit.
Romans 4:17-25: Abraham had hope and faith that Isaac would be born just like we have faith and believe Jesus died for our sins so we could be reborn.
James 1:18: He gave us birth through the word of truth. Because of God’s words Isaac was born and so are we–through faith in God’s words.
1 Peter 1:23-25: We have been born again through the living and enduring word of God which is imperishable (eternal) as Isaac was born.
In general, Isaac’s birth was a miracle of God and came about because of the faith and belief Abraham and Sarah had in God to do the impossible. The same is for us. We have faith and believe Jesus died on the cross for us so thus we are declared righteous and justified in God’s eyes.
Conclusions: Basically, believe in the God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit and you will be born again like Isaac was born because of Abraham and Sarah’s belief and God’s miracle.
I absolutely cringe every time I read “this week” in a question as if a change is supposed to miraculously happen inside of me and there’s something wrong with me if it doesn’t. Like I’ve stated before, I just can’t see the changes or “awakenings” God does in me. I’m too close to myself and too selfish and blind probably to realize it. But I know He is working. How? Couldn’t tell you. When? Definitely not “this week” in my view. Why? Cause He loves me. And that’s all I need to know.
Overall, didn’t like this lesson. We read the passage and immediately got sent to other parts of the Bible. I was kind of just hoping to hold Isaac the baby for a bit after all this build-up and anticipation and revel in God’s goodness and greatness instead of being distracted with how a real birth compares to a spiritual birth. Couldn’t that have waited?
I’d take a study any day of God’s greatness over my spiritual birth (granted, a symptom of God’s greatness but nothing when compared to Him). But that’s my opinion, of course.
End Note: One commentary I read on this passage compared the birth of Isaac with the birth of Jesus with some rich scripture references. Now THAT would have been a great question for this passage.