JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q1. Laughter at Isaac's Birth - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q1. (21:5-7) The name Isaac means "he laughs." What is Sarah's laughter like now compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17? What does this tell you about God's sense of humor? 

Pastor Ralph, on Oct 21 2004, 07:18 PM, said:

The name Isaac means "he laughs." What is Sarah's laughter like now compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17?
It’s laughter of joy, hope, and promise fulfilled

What does this tell you about God's sense of humor?
God is not worried about what others think but what they do . . . He understands people and gives them the grace they need to understand Him. He probably throws up His hands at times and says whatever; WHATEVER, but you will see I hold true to my promises so I can wait it out, let you make your mistakes, pay your consequences for them and then realize what I’ve been telling you all along it the truth and the way. I am patient; full of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

God’s humor is a controlled one.

Pastor Ralph, on Oct 21 2004, 07:18 PM, said:

Sarah's laugh when first she heard that she would conceive was more a nervous laugh, one of disbelief. Her laughter now is of belief & great joy, in which it pleases Our Lord to bring us Joy!!!

Q1. (21:5-7) The name Isaac means "he laughs." What is Sarah's laughter like now compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17? What does this tell you about God's sense of humor?

She is full of joy because her arms are full of the son God had promised her! It just bubbles up our of her--as well as gratitude to her Lord who had so blessed her. Before, her laughter had been mocking that she could possibly have a child in her old age.
Abramham's laughter was now joy. His beloved Sarah had borne him the promised son! It must have deepened his love and dependence on God, knowing now that surely He could be trusted to do what He promised!
God surely does have a sense of humor. Just looking at some of the animals and plants He has made shows us that--aardvarks, wildebeasts, playful seals and other such. And, above all, the things that He has revealed to me as I sometimes pray stupid prayers--and He answers them! Sometimes, I think I can hear Him laugh--not in derision, but in joyful enjoyment of the beings He has created! Especially, I think He joys in us when we get an "Ah-hah!" moment and understand something He has been trying to teach us!

Q1. (21:5-7) The name Isaac means "he laughs." What is Sarah's laughter like now compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17? What does this tell you about God's sense of humor?

Sarah's laughter earlier was kind of a derisive laughter because of the seemingly absurd thought that she could bear a child at such an advanced age. Now Sarah's laughter is a laughter of joy. It show's us God has a sense of humor. It's kind of like saying "See? Previously you laughed at me! Now you laugh because of me!"

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[color="blue"]1a.) Laughter of celebration and thanksgiving and praise. I think their laughter before the promise being fulfilled in Isaac was a laugh of skepticism.[/color]
1b.) (21:5-7) What does this tell you about God's sense of humor?
[color="blue"]1b.) I don't know if you could say anything about God's sense of humor. I do believe that he loves to please us, as if we are a toddler standing before a Christmas tree with the anticipated excitement of opening the presents. The LORD speaks through Isaiah: "[/color][color="purple"]and his understanding no one can fathom.[/color][color="blue"]." (Isaiah 40:28c)[/color]

[font="Geneva"]Sarah’s laughter has changed from skepticism to great amazement and bliss—amazement that at her age she has become a mother—and bliss at the great joy parenting brings.

[color="blue"]DEFINITION: “Sense of Humor” – the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous.[/color]

I don’t think we can ascribe a sense of humor to God. What we attribute as God's humor, appears so only because we’ve filtered through our human perceptions. God works all things through this divine plan. To infer he is a joker, or uses us for his amusement greatly misunderstands the Bible.

If God has a sense of humor, I don’t believe it is on the scale of a “practical joker”. Although Abraham and Sarah were well along in years, Isaac’s birth was part of God’s divine plan—not a prank.

On the other hand, humor, or patience, is required of God as he endures our stubbornness—otherwise he would have ended humanity’s reign on earth long ago.
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Sarah's laughter in Genesis 18:12-15 was of unbelief, she thought it was incredible that she would have a child in her old age. Abraham's laughter in Genesis 17:17 was a delightful laugh at the impossibility of a son for him in his old age.

Sarah's laughter now that Isaac is born is full of joy and realization that GOD keeps His promises. Isaac's birth was miraculous and his parents realized that and believed that GOD was with them and that He would always do what He said He would do.

. When Sarah received the promise, she laughed with distrust and doubt.
When God gives us mercies we begin to despair of, we ought to remember
with sorrow and shame our sinful distrust of His power and promise when we were in pursuit of them. Now it is with joy and wonder.
. Maybe in Abraham's case, this laughter of his may be toward himself as
he clearly was told that the child of promise would come, and now laughs
at his own efforts to concieve a child as per his own personal plan instead
of holding on to God's promise.

. God's favours to His covenant people are such as surpass their own thoughts and expectations.

Q1. (21:5-7) The name Isaac means "he laughs." What is Sarah's laughter like now compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17? What does this tell you about God's sense of humor?


[color="blue"]Comparatively, Sarah's laughter is pure ecstacy and joy unspeakable. Previously she laughed derisively out of sheer unbelief but now she is laughing along with others at the promised son that was given to her.

God's sense of humor is practical in this case. He wanted Abraham to name his son Isaac (he laughs); the very name intended by God is a source of joy. God wanted the laughter of Abraham and Sarah to be practical. Derisive laughter turned into pure joy and thanksgiving. [/color]

God obviously wants our attention to be drawn to Him. I’m sure it is a sense of humor, but God intends us to grasp the intention behind that sense of humor. I find a lot of meaning behind God’s humor, something I can learn from. The list of examples is too long.

God is reminding Abraham and Sarah that He provides their every need. He is intent on having a reminder every moment of everyday, 24/7, of His never ending grace. And have you noticed when God wants to do something He almost invariably starts with a baby. When I look at children I see God’s humor! Who can say that their child has not brought great joy and lots of humor into their lives. Parents eagerly anticipate their babies smiles and chuckles, which are major milestones in early childhood development. Such behavior reassures the parents that their child is fully human. Laughter comes easily to a child, the result of finding humor and joy in many things. Children are a marvelous example of the lightness of being. If it is true that we are made in the likeness of God Himself , and that we are His children, then humor is a gift. This gift is characterized in many different ways, and sizes, and shapes. Thus it is evident that God is quite funny and His creation was made for His good pleasure and ours.

Sarah's laughter now is pure joy, compared with the laughter of cynicism of before. Abraham's laugh also was unbelief beforehand. She was also embarrassed that the angel's knew her laughter, even though it was not outward, but in her heart.

God's sense of humour is deeply sweet, and is only about giving joy. My experience is that God has the most wonderful sense of humour, or sense of fun, which He loves to share among His children. Hi Dad, love you!

she is overjoyed that she has had a son and that God kept His promise to them of a child

In chapter18, Sarah laughed because she was beyond childbearing years, and prior to that God had told Abraham that Sarah would be mother to many nations and that King's would come from her. Nothing is impossible for God, so never laugh when God tells you something that you think is impossible. God has a great sense of humor and loves it when we marvel and laugh at His doings.

The name Isaac means "he laughs." Sarah's laughter is now hapy and exuberant compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17 wheich was anguished and doubtful. God's sense of humor is wacky. He definitely has one.

I know I am behind on the lesson, and as I was trying to catch up, I was reading in my Bible instead of the text and saw that Chapter 22 has Abraham and Sarah moving away from the stinky area after the destruction of Sodem and Gomorrah. He told the local king they were bro and sis so God closed up the wombs of all the women until God revealed to the king in a dream that Sarah was a wife already. Claiming inocence before God having not touched her God also said I kept you from her because her husband is a prophet, then he released Sarah to her husband and offered anyplace they wanted to live with gifts and the LOrd opened all the wombs again so they bore children, as he did to Sarah as well. So, she had to be there with the grand womb reopening to Glorify God in the whole process. AB wasn't so aweful for the deception because it really did give glory to God in the process. Many were in fear and reverent then in this process. Surprise to me. this should be inculded back with the other discussions we had on Ab being chicken about other kings decieving them as being sister and bro, not married.

Sarah's laughter now is filled with joy and happiness.
Earlier it was the laughter of unbelief.
I think God wanted Sarah and Abraham to remember that they had doubted Him when He said they would have a son. Isaac's name is a reminder of that.

The first laugh was due to unbelief ("yeah, right") the second was due to being overjoyed and probably unbelief mixed in ("I can't believe He did this!") God has a great sense of humor. I love that He does things no one would ever expect, i.e. walls of Jericho, tax money in fish's mouth..beware of the leaven of the Pharisees (knowing they didn't have bread)..just to name a few examples. Also, the Jewish people I have encountered all have a great sense of humor - it seems innate.

Pastor Ralph, on Oct 21 2004, 09:18 PM, said:

Sarah's laughter was from God, a joyous laughter. Before, she laughed because of lack of faith and unbelieving. God did not bestow laughter upon her before. Abraham's laughter before was because of disbelief of Sarah and his age. Now his laughter is of joy. God has a great sense of humor and its filled with joy and love.

Q1. (21:5-7) The name Isaac means "he laughs." What is Sarah's laughter like now compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17?
Abraham and Sarah’s first laugh was a laugh of disbelief. Their laugh now is a laugh of hope, happiness and the promise of God.

What does this tell you about God's sense of humor?
Anyone that spends time in the Word and looks around at some of His creations, knows that God does indeed have a sense of humor. I think God enjoys our laughter.