13th.: Abram’s Lingering Doubts
After some time, God spoke again with Abram.
This time:
1. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham.
2. God reiterated His promise to give Abraham many descendants through Sarah (she had a name change).
Nevertheless, Abraham’s and Sarah’s advanced age, brought back the old doubts.
It had been at least fourteen years, since Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’
Filled with a conflicting mixture of a strong desire for Sarah to have a child, and the incredulousness that it would happen, he laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred, and shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear” [a son]? (Gen. 17:17).
With these complex emotions, Abraham outwardly replied, “Oh that Ishmael might live before thee?” (Gen 17:18).
Put another way, Abraham said, ‘Please do not forget that we have Ishmael, for you to fill these promises.’
God reaffirmed that Sarah would get pregnant (Gen. 17:19a) – at the age of ninety.
God also heard Abraham’s request regarding Ishmael. God would bless Ishmael greatly (Gen. 17:20).
Nevertheless, God would fulfill his main promise through Sarah’s son, Isaac.
Isaac means laughter, and Abraham had to use this name, as a reminder that he had laughed at God’s promise.
When Abraham had no more questions, “… he [God] left off talking with him.” (Gen. 17:22).
God is patient with us, even if we have lingering doubts.