FAITH AND SARA
Friday – April 20, 2018, Iyar 5, 5778
Greetings and welcome back to this wonderful Bible Study taken from the faith Book of Hebrews and we are in the faith chapter. The featured picture today shows Sarah laughing at the tent door. We will be advancing forward today into new text so let’s do that right now, reading aloud together.
Hebrews 11:11-15 (KJV)
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Sara gave birth to Isaac when she was ninety years of age (Genesis 17:17) and Abraham is one hundred. The text tells us that she no longer had periods. She must have been thrilled when all that started again. Of course, we don’t know if there was a time of menses before conception or following the birth of Isaac, I suspect this was a one-shot deal for Sarah. A very notable miracle of God. You may recall that following Sarah’s death at one-hundred and thirty-seven Abraham remarries and has six additional children. Our primary text tells us that faith was what caused the changes necessary for Sarah to bear a child. That faith was in the One who made the promise, God.
Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The thing or Word hoped for was a son whose name was to be Isaac and in the course of time, the Messiah (the seed). They acted upon their belief in the Word of God. God had given them new names, they received those new names and confessed them and a child was born. They didn’t say, “aw that would be lying”. They acted just like God Who calls things that be not as though they already are. There was no question in the mind of God and Abraham and Sarah choose to have no question in their minds as well. Let’s take a look at this issue in Genesis and Romans.
Genesis 17:3-5 (KJV)
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
In the preceding text verse three suggests that God is thinking of Abraham as becoming in the future the father of many nations but as we continue into verse four it becomes clear that God considers Abraham at that moment to be the father of many nations. That brother and sister is unwavering faith. One might say: “well that was God, of course He has unwavering faith!” Isn’t that the kind of faith Jesus had? Are we not to do as Jesus did? Are we not in the image and likeness of God, of like kind with God? Is not the faith of God what we receive or is activated at the new birth? In case you are struggling the answer to all of these questions is an emphatic yes. The Apostle Paul writes about this faith of Abraham and Sarah in his letter to the Romans, lets listen in. I am presenting the same verse in three different translations to drive home the Truth. We are to call things that we cannot detect with our senses as though they already exist by faith with no doubt.
Romans 4:17 (KJV)
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Romans 4:17 (HCSB)
17 in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.
Romans 4:17 (YLT)
17 who is father of us all (according as it hath been written–`A father of many nations I have set thee,’) before Him whom he did believe–God, who is quickening the dead, and is calling the things that be not as being.
The Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) is probably most accurate. I have heard it said that in the Hebrew when the KJV says: “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3 (KJV)) the more accurate translation is: “light be, and light was”. To increase clarity on this exercise of faith review Mark 11:22-25. Lord will I will pick up with this right here on Monday. Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
2 Peter 1:2-4 (KJV)
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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