Home
Contact
PrintLaughter in the Life of Abraham and Sarah
by Michael Vogelsang
When we hear laughter we usually associate it with joy and happiness, but that is not always the case. In the life of the patriarch Abraham and his wife Sarah we read three times about laughter and each time it arose from a different motive.
"Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" (Gen. 17:17). "Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" (Gen. 18:12).
In this case we have the laughter of unbelief. Abraham and Sarah did not believe that they could have a son in their advanced age. Have we ever laughed in this way, or heard others do so? It is laughter which expresses our doubts that God will do something, and which perhaps is connected with a feeling of bitterness in our hearts. There may be so many difficulties in our lives that we do not see a solution to them. But when we stop doubting and put all our trust simply in our God we will find that He has already planned a way for us, and that this is for our present as well as our eternal blessing, even if there is no immediate change in our trying circumstances.
Think of the apostle Paul. Even when he could not see a way his faith was sure there was a solution (2 Cor. 4:8). Think of Hannah when she had poured out her soul before the Lord. We read, "and her countenance was no more as before" or "no more sad" (1 Sam. 1:18, J.N.D. Trans.). The peace of God filled her heart even if her circumstances had not yet changed.
"And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me" (Gen. 21:6).
What a different situation is presented here! Now thankfulness and joy are the motive of Sarah's laughing. How grateful Sarah was after God had blessed her so abundantly. She, who first had laughed a laugh full of doubt and unbelief, now demonstrates her godly joy in calling her son Isaac, which means "laughter." If we look back on the ways the Lord has led us do we not have to agree that there is abundant reason for real, thankful joy?
"And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking" (Gen. 21:9).
At first glance there seems to be nothing about laughing in this verse. But if you look up the word "mocking" in Strong's concordance you will find that it comes from a root meaning "to laugh." Every faithful Christian knows something about this. Perhaps you are a young Christian who is the target of the mockery and scorn of others at school or work because of your faith. "They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you" (1 Peter 4:4). Be sure, the Lord sees you in your situation. He will reward your faithfulness and testimony for Him. In Galatians 4:29 we find the Holy Spirit's judgment about the incident in Genesis 21: "But as then he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." God considers it as enduring persecution for His sake.
Michael Vogelsang
