Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.””
(Genesis 21:6-7)

Isaac means ‘laughter’ or ‘he will laugh’. It is an expression of JOY. He was named that by Abraham and Sarah is joining with the sentiment. After DECADES of being barren (something looked on as a shame and a curse in the ancient world), she had borne a natural child. She was not barren any longer, but had been fruitful. Though she was old, she had trusted in the Lord and He had blessed her. She could laugh with her family, her friends, and anyone who heard the tale because the glory for it belonged to the Lord. He made the seemingly impossible possible.

Sarah’s laughter on hearing the promise was scornful laughter (Genesis 18:12). But here the word for laughter is different and means pleasure. Sarah must have been happier than she ever had been at this moment. Her entire attitude had turned around because of her trusting in God (Hebrews 11:11).

God had promised this decades before (Genesis 15:4). We must never mix TIME with the promises of God. If God says it will be so, we need to believe Him, hold onto that promise, refuse to let go, and trust that He WILL bring it to pass. Time is something that was created for OUR benefit (seasons, plantings, etc). It is a tool for humanity and we need to never let it interfere with our trust in God. What God says IS. Period.

The sage Rashi writes: ‘יצחק לי means will rejoice on my account. The Midrashic statement is (Genesis Rabbah 53:8): Many barren women were remembered together with her, many sick were healed in that day, many prayers were answered with hers and there was great rejoicing in the world. מי מלל לאברהם The word מי is used as an exclamation of praise alluding to the distinguished position of the Being spoken of. The sense therefore is: See, Who it is, and to what extent He keeps his promise! The Holy One, blessed be He, promises and performs! מלל SAID — Scripture employs here an unusual expression and does not use דבר, said, because its numerical value (i. e. of מלל) is one hundred, signifying as much as: Who was it who spoke in reference to the end of one hundred years of Abraham’s life (Genesis Rabbah 53:9). הניקה בנים שרה THAT SARAH WILL HAVE SUCKLED CHILDREN. What is the force of the word “children”, in the plural? On the feast-day princesses brought their children with them and she (Sarah) gave them suck, for these women said, “Sarah has not given birth to a son; she has brought into her house a foundling from the street” (Bava Metzia 87a).’

The Torah: A Women’s Commentary writes: ‘“all who hear will laugh with me.” Sarah responds to maternity with laughter. Earlier the laughter was private (18:12). Now it embraces everyone else. “Sarah shall nurse.” Sarah is celebrating her capacity to nurture her child. (For details about the practice of nursing babies in the ancient world and in the Bible, see at Exodus 2:9.) “I have borne a son.” In the book of Isaiah, the prophet urges the people to look “to Sarah who brought you forth” (Isaiah 51:2) as a source of hope and renewal. After the exile to Babylon in the 6th century B.C.E., Sarah’s giving birth apparently exemplified the potential for renewal. “in his old age.” Abraham’s age seems to be more of a miracle to Sarah than her own, as she celebrates her capacity to bring forth life.’