Genesis 60 – Where Is Sarah?

Genesis 18:9-15

Please lend your ears to the Word of God from Genesis chapter 18, verses 9 through 15:

 

“They said to him, ‘Where is Sarah your wife?’ And he said, ‘She is in the tent.’ The LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?’ The LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied it, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’ for she was afraid. He said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” Amen.

 

God Seeking Sarah

Soon after the circumcision took place in Abraham's house, God Himself visited his home, as recorded in Genesis chapter 18, which we have just read. God sat at the table like an old friend and, uniquely in the Old Testament, was depicted sharing a meal. Through this scene, we get a glimpse of the meaning of the Holy Communion, which Jesus Christ, our eternal bread and drink, our true life, would complete.

 

As soon as Abraham realized who his guests were, he quickly sought out his wife. The Bible records that he hurried to Sarah. He asked Sarah to make bread with a massive amount of flour—three seahs, about 22 liters. This was enough to feed a grown man for an entire month. We can infer how grandly and earnestly Abraham prepared the feast for his three esteemed guests.

 

Sarah's Hesitation and God's Call

However, there is one curious point in this story. Sarah, at Abraham's request, made a huge amount of bread and served it to the guests. It would be natural for the hostess, who prepared the food, to welcome the guests. Some might think that women in the ancient Near East did not often appear in public. However, considering stories like Abigail and David, or the widow of Zarephath, it was not at all unusual for the hostess to welcome guests. Yet, Sarah did not show herself to the guests at all.

 

What did Abraham say to Sarah when he ran to her? He surely didn't just make the sudden demand, "You must make a huge amount of bread right now!" He must have said something like, "The one who changed your name to 'Sarah' has come. It seems that the God who led us from Ur of the Chaldeans to this place has visited our home!"

 

The proof of this is revealed a little later. One of the three guests, the Lord, asks, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He already knew her name was 'Sarah.' This name was directly given by God in Genesis 17. This implies that Abraham had already told his wife about God changing her name and the promises He made. Sarah also knew who had come and why her husband was in such a hurry.

 

Nevertheless, Sarah could not readily come out. Was it out of indifference? Did she think, 'Even if God has come, He'll just stay for a short while and leave'? Not at all. The text shows that while Sarah remained inside the tent, she was pressed against the tent door, listening intently to the conversation outside. God was speaking to Abraham, but all those words were essentially directed at Sarah. God knew where Sarah was, and Sarah was very curious about what God was saying. Yet, she could not come out.

 

Some hypothesize that Sarah might not have come out because she had resumed her menstrual cycle and was unwell, unable to appear before people. However, this is not clear in the Bible, and the words used in the scripture suggest a slightly different approach is needed.

 

God's question, "Where is Sarah?" reminds us of a scene from early Genesis: "Adam, where are you?" When someone is sought with "Where are you?", it implies that they are hiding. Why did Adam hide? Because he had sinned and was ashamed to stand before God.

 

Ultimately, the core of this story is that Sarah, too, had shame that prevented her from coming before God. She had heard through her husband the promise that she would bear a son, and through him, descendants would multiply. However, as the text shows, Sarah did not believe those words. Since the God who made that prophecy to her was right at the door, she felt, as we say, "even a flea has a face," and couldn't bring herself to step out. Instead of saying, "God, thank you for the promise," she just hid.

 

God's Call: Meaning in a Name

When God sought Sarah, He called her by her new name, 'Sarah,' which is an important difference from calling Adam, "Adam, where are you?" When Adam was called, it was a moment of impending divine judgment. But here, God calls her by the new name He Himself gave her, 'Sarah,' not her old name, 'Sarai.'

 

This is like calling Eve. Eve's original name was 'woman.' Only after God proclaimed the first Gospel, "the offspring of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," did Adam give her the new name 'Eve,' meaning 'mother of all living.'

 

Similarly, God is now calling 'Sarah.' The meaning of that name is 'mother of nations.' If He had called her "Woman, where are you?", it would have carried a strong sense of judgment. But the call, "Eve, where are you?" implies, "My promised one, where are you?" God is now asking Sarah, "My promised one, you who are to be the mother of nations, where are you?" But Sarah, still not believing that she would become the mother of nations, could not step forward in response to that call.

 

Sarah's Complex Heart and Problems

The text shows that Sarah was standing by the tent door, eavesdropping on the conversation. Here we can glimpse two aspects of her heart. One is her shame, which prevented her from stepping forward. She was trapped by her own judgment and circumstances. Her problems were complex, but the most fundamental one was the long-standing pain of infertility. It was a problem that had burdened her for over 60 years.

 

What if you had prayed for 60 years with no hope in sight, and now you were biologically completely unable to have children? And yet, God says He will give you children right now. How complex would those feelings be? Sarah had already given up. Looking at her own body and her aging husband, there was nothing more to expect.

 

Furthermore, she carried deep wounds from her husband, Abraham. If we were to ask Sarah, "What was the greatest wound in your life?" she would probably answer, "It was when my husband, to save his own life, pretended I was his sister and handed me over to another man. Could you ever forget that memory?" He was a selfish husband who used his wife as a shield in the face of a threat to his own life. What joy could she have experienced from such a husband? Sarah says to herself today, "my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?"

 

She had no hope. No child, no trustworthy husband. In such situations, we either give up or try to survive by convincing ourselves. We comfort ourselves by saying, "Well, it could be worse." Sarah may have tried to live stoically, having given up on everything, but deep within her, there was profound shame and suffering as a woman. With such a heart, she could not come before the God who sought her.

 

A Desire to Listen and God's Voice

However, there was not only shame in Sarah's heart. At the same time, we find her eager to listen to the conversation between God and the two angels behind the tent door. 'What will they talk about?' This was another part of her heart. Sarah, unable to step out and holding her breath, had all her attention focused on the conversation. She wanted to hear those words, and in our terms, she truly wanted to believe. 'What blessing will I receive? There's something I want to hear.' She knew all too well that she couldn't have a child, so she was hoping for a different kind of story. Oh, what a pitiful woman! Think about the life of this woman, Sarah.

 

But now, the Bible shows that God is 'drawing out' or 'calling out' this Sarah. "Where is Sarah?" This was a woman who hid behind her circumstances, hid behind her situation, hid behind tears, and hid behind sighs. The Lord asks this woman, who could only hide within her problems, "Sarah, where are you?" This whole story seems to be told to Abraham, but in reality, it's all for Sarah. He speaks to Abraham in front of him, but in fact, it's all for Sarah. He does this even though He knows all the circumstances perfectly well. If He had said, "Sarah, you're hiding there, come out," what would she have said? She would have come out ashamed. But God, knowing that Sarah was clearly standing behind and listening, spoke as if to Abraham.

 

Imagine and ponder what kind of God He is. What kind of heart does God have for a human being, calling her by the name 'Sarah,' even deliberately calling her 'Sarah'? That name, 'Mother of Nations,' given by God, contains His deep intention. "Where is Sarah? Where is My daughter of promise?" Isn't this the same for us? How often are we like Sarah, still unable to believe God's Word? Isn't that why we hide? How often do we still hide in our problems, unable to believe? There are times when we are so overwhelmed by our problems that we cannot even seek God.

 

Doesn't the Lord say, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden"? Who was the Lord calling then? "My sheep, come to me. My sons and my daughters, this is your name. Where are you?" The Lord draws us out and sets us before His voice. He draws out those of us who are hiding behind the door. He calls us, knowing everything, us who are still in weak faith, and us who are exhausted by overly obvious answers. Wasn't it the same for Sarah during all those long years?

 

You don't think Sarah never prayed, do you? How much do you think Sarah wanted children? She was a woman who wanted to be a mother. But she had no hope and saw no way for her to bear children, and for children to come from her. But one day, at the age of 90, God spoke to her for the first time through Abraham. "Through you, I will have a child, and through that child, I will form descendants." Was this answer a comfort to her, or despair? You know, she must have been so exhausted. How many such obvious yet upsetting answers do we receive? When things are hard and difficult, saying "Don't worry, everything will be fine" or "All this will pass, so let's just bear it for a little longer" can sometimes be comforting, but other times it can be even more irritating, can't it? There are countless words that make tired people even more tired.

 

But how significant was the first word God spoke to Sarah, who was standing behind the tent door, trembling and waiting for God's voice? Calling her by her new name, "Sarah," and asking, "Where is Sarah?" My beloved daughters and sons, whom I have rescued from the world, where are you? You might feel God is distant, and Sarah probably felt the same way. But in reality, only a tent curtain was blocking them. It was nothing. And God sought Sarah, and surprisingly, Sarah, who thought she was avoiding God and trying to hear His voice from beside the tent door, could not help but hear God's voice.

 

Isn't that true for us too? How much do we give up? How much do we run away? How distant does God feel? And how upset are we because of it? There are times when we don't know if God is hearing our prayers or not. But haven't you found yourself in such a state? How often do you find yourself already by God's side? Why are you believers? Is it because "my faith is so strong that I can risk my life for God"? Is that why you're a believer? No. When do you know you're a believer? You get angry and complain. "God, how could You do this? My life is so arduous and difficult." Yet, isn't there someone we complain to and shout at? We come to our Father, unknowingly. When do we realize we are believers? Is it only when we live our faith well, devote ourselves to God, and actively engage in missions, or when we obey and live according to God's will? No. You complain to God, yet you want to hear God's voice. You want to run away from God, but you want God to be by your side. You pretend not to care, but you want to hear what God says. You desperately want to hear, "It's okay, My son," or "I love you, My daughter."

 

So, don't avoid or run away. It is so clear that the place where you are avoiding and running is where God is, so why don't you disarm yourselves instead? Aren't those scales you've put up against God, those sharp thorns, ultimately your cry, "God, please look at me. God, I am so tired. God, please hear my lament"? Therefore, listen to the voice God calls out to you. "Sarah, where are you?" Where are we? We are where that voice is heard. Did we run away? Are we broken? Are we upset? Are we frustrated? No. You are God's children who come to God when you are upset. This is an amazing place where you confirm your faith. Now, if you know that God is calling us like that, if you hear "Sarah, where are you" and "My beloved daughter, my son, where are you," then it's time to hear God's amazing answer.

 

God's Answer: The Promised Son, Jesus Christ

God from heaven came to earth and visited Abraham. And what answer did He give to Sarah? He didn't say, "Sarah, don't worry or fret. Am I not now by your side?" Nor did He say, "I will show you something." The word God spoke was the very word that made Sarah laugh: "I will give you a son." You see, isn't that the whole point? He will give her a son. Who had she heard this from? Abraham had told Sarah, "God promised us, He promised you. He will give you a son through you, and through that son, descendants will be formed. The son you bear will be like that." But does Sarah believe those words now, or not? She cannot believe it. She laughed because she didn't believe it. She hadn't believed it before, and she still didn't believe it, yet God said He would give her a son. So the Bible says Sarah laughed to herself. Her husband's words seemed meaningless.

 

'If He had told me 30 years ago, I might have had some hope.' But now, she is unable to have children. She cannot possibly have children with all her thoughts and experiences. Now, at 90, the Lord tells her, "You will bear a son." No matter how she thinks about it, it's an impossible promise. This answer is not the answer Sarah was waiting for. It's not the answer Sarah wanted. Sarah would be happy to have a son now, but that's not the answer she wants. It's ironic. God offered a solution to the problem, but for us, it's not the answer. Do you know how often this happens in our lives as believers? God gives us precise answers, but very often, they are not answers to us. That's why we often get upset and frustrated, and even complain to God. We don't even know what we truly want, or what we truly need. So we ask God for answers. 'Since it's God, there must be a way.'

 

The answer God gave is different from the answer Sarah thought of. It's not that Sarah doesn't know that "if God gives me a son, this problem will be solved." But what about Sarah? "That's impossible." God's answer that He would give her a son is not 'the answer' to Sarah. Just as God's grace and love given to you may not be 'the answer' for you. We have something else we want. Therefore, this answer, the answer given by God, is also different from what we usually consider an answer.

 

We often think, 'Now, if only I have a son, won't this problem be solved? Isn't it over if I have a child as God said?' But it's not that simple a problem. It's not just "You don't have a son, so I'll give you one." This answer is about the mother of nations. This answer is about God saving all His people through Sarah, and through Sarah, even Gentiles will receive blessings. This answer is not a simple one; it is an answer to the deepest and most difficult problems of all humanity. This answer is not just for Sarah; it is God's answer to all His people. It was the answer to "How will I save you?"

 

Our Real Problem and God's Solution

Friends, Sarah's problems were diverse, but how diverse are our own? Problems with money, work, health, children, and family hurts. Like Sarah, we carry many burdens. And for those problems, we also seek answers. Just as for Sarah, "if she doesn't have a son, just give her a son" was an answer, for us, if we don't have money, "God should open the heavens and let money rain down on us" can sometimes be our answer. If we're sick, "just give me health" might be the answer we imagine. For Sarah, what would have been the answer? "Abraham will only love you now" could have been an answer, and further, "you will bear a healthy son, and no one will ever look down on you again." That would seem like an answer.

 

But God's answer is not that kind of answer. It's true He says He will give a son, but this 'giving a son' is different from that kind of answer. It's not "I will give you a son so that no one can look down on you." God is now giving us and speaking to us the answer to our true problem.

 

We think we understand our problems. You probably think you know your life better than anyone else. You know what you need. 'I need this and that. Maybe with a little more money, my life would be fine.' Some might think, 'If only I had married the right person,' or 'If only my children would listen, my life would blossom even more.' You seem to know your problems and your answers. So sometimes you blame yourselves: 'I did something wrong.' But most of the time, what happens? We blame others. Whether it's a church problem or a family problem, in every issue, we see the speck in someone else's eye as larger than the log in our own, just as Jesus said in the Bible. So, we're all good at knowing and pointing out all these problems. When someone does something, we readily say, "This is wrong, this is the problem, you have this kind of heart, so it's a problem, you're just showing off." We often forget that we ourselves are the 'people with logs in their eyes,' the 'people with planks in their own eyes,' who are participating in that very thing.

 

You see, in some ways, we think we know ourselves, but the Bible doesn't say that. Who knows us? Psalm 139 says: "O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar." And then it says in verse 6: "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?" How can I flee from God? Only God knows me perfectly. That's clear.

 

The 'you' that even you don't know. Why can't I handle this wound? Why am I unknowingly angry? Why can't I solve this problem when I encounter it? Why do I have these things? So I try to understand by thinking, "Perhaps I was born with this temperament," but then, why do I have such a temperament? Is this unavoidable? Why, then, are there so many things from my past that I cannot escape? Why do I carry the wounds I received all my life and live like this? We don't even accurately understand ourselves.

 

That's why what God says to Sarah today, about Sarah's life, is so important. God begins by saying, "I will return to you." In our Korean Bible, it says, "I will return next year at this time." A literal translation would be much easier for you to understand. Literally, it means: "I will visit you at the next season of life."

 

This means that Sarah and her current situation are seen as death. And Isaac's birth is seen as life. By the birth of the promised son, life will be given to you, and the Bible speaks of the deepest root of that problem as the 'problem of a son.' Isn't that so strange? It doesn't say, "Your really deep problem is because of the abuse you received from your mother or father when you were young." Or, "Your real problem is because you were too poor, and you couldn't overcome that poverty, always living for money, money, money." "Your real problem is that one hurtful word your mother said to you, that one word is your real problem." We usually try to find all problems in the past or in our lives, but God is saying, "In your real problem and in the solution to your problem, there is a son." That's what He's saying right now. It says that Sarah's problem is solved by a son. Who was that son? Isn't this son, spoken of as the promised offspring, looking towards Christ?

 

Now, a person without children is in a situation like death, but God says He will give a son who will bring life. This is God's answer to Sarah, who is listening in hiding. You could express it this way, precisely: "I will give a son." And that son is Jesus Christ. "I will give Jesus Christ." What is at the most fundamental root of the problems we have? The cross is there. The root of your hatred, the root of your pride, why do I live so self-deprecatingly? Why is my self-esteem so broken? Why can't I escape from continuous guilt? That root, the root of my greed. Why do I unknowingly feel envy and jealousy when I see people who are a little better off than me? That root. Why are my relationships so painful and difficult? Where is the root of that broken relationship? It is in the cross, in the life of the Son who suffered on that cross.

 

The Cross, the True Solution

Friends, when we say Jesus died for us, the cross isn't talking about some abstract, floating sin. The Bible doesn't say Jesus died for a sin. More specifically, you and I live hurting those we love in so many ways. One reason we inflict hurt is because of our own wounds. We hurt others because of the pain we've experienced. Yet, we often forget this or don't even consider it. Of course, there's also our own greed within us. And because of that greed, we hurt others. Friends, Jesus died because of your hurts and your greed, which cause you to inflict pain on others. Jesus died because of the 'me' that I can't help being, the 'me' that doesn't change even with tears and sighs. He died for that 'me' who never even thought about how much I sadden God by living my life as I please, without thinking of Him. The Lord died for the 'me' who is so self-centered that I believe the world should revolve around me.

 

Friends, now, as you think about life, consider what it truly means when God says He died for your sins. Why would the Lord say He will wipe away your tears? Are all the hurts you carry only those inflicted by others? No, that's not true. A great many of your hurts are probably self-inflicted. We often see children who suffer lifelong pain because of wounds from their parents. In counseling, I sometimes discover the deep pain and bitter roots in the hearts of children struggling because of parental wounds. Children sometimes weep sorrowfully because of their parents. What about the parents? They weep because of children who hate them. Why are we so unable to connect with each other? I don't know how we manage to misunderstand each other so completely. We often just accept things, thinking, 'Well, they're my parents, I just have to understand and live with it.' The truth is, we have given each other so many painful wounds, and we still carry them, constantly hurting each other. Husbands and wives don't just hurt each other; they truly live with sharp, drawn swords. They even know where to strike to inflict the most pain. So, they expertly target those very spots. The scariest thing is, they strike the same wound again and again. And then they get angry, saying, "How could you do this to me?" Friends, if the knife doesn't work, what happens? One side brings out a gun. Then the other side brings out a cannon.

 

Do you know what Jesus says? He doesn't say, "Stop it, you shouldn't live like that." Instead, Jesus enters that very battlefield and says: "Stab Me with that knife. Shoot Me with that cannon and gun. I will die. In return, you live happily. Because I will die, because I will take that spear, because I will be pierced by that sword, you must forgive. You must accept each other. And you must be happy. Don't let this ruin and destroy your lives. Why do you forget the true purpose for which I built and created you? Don't waste your lives because of it. I died for it, so now, forgive and love." Isn't this what God is saying? Isn't this the Gospel that Christ came and gave us? Where is the solution to your life? Will it be solved by good communication, or simply by thinking, 'Oh, well, it'll work out somehow, I'll just have to endure it'? No, it is found in the cross.

 

Friends, do you understand why God is so insistent on the 'story of a son'? Is He so insistent just to tell a story about having a baby? Hagar had a child in three verses. The story of Isaac begins in Genesis 12 and the child isn't born until chapter 20. Throughout that period, the continuous narrative is "I will give you a son." Why is that story so important? Because it touches the very root of who you are. Because it is the word that makes you consider true reconciliation and love, and because no one can be happy without starting from here. No one. Many people desire a happy family. Everyone thinks about that happiness when they get married. And perhaps the world tells you that you've been deceived, but the Bible tells you that you are absolutely not being deceived. It simply asks, "Have you come to Jesus Christ?"

 

'Pastor, I have come, but my enemy hasn't yet.' What are you saying? Does Jesus say that this problem will be solved if the other person repents and returns? Or does He say it will be solved if we believe in Christ? You have greatly misunderstood. You and I are people who know that Christ Jesus took the sharp knife that I held. We are all murderers; we are the ones who killed Jesus. Instead, we live. Instead, you found peace.

 

The Amazing God, True Laughter

At this point, God uses the name 'Yahweh' for the first time and says, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" While this can simply be taken to mean 'you can have a child,' I believe it's far more fitting to translate this phrase as, "Is anything a wonder to the LORD?" or 'Is anything beyond God's wonder?' This suggests, "Will God be surprised by this?" Why wouldn't God be surprised? Because God Himself is the one who surprises us. Do you know one of God's names? It is 'Wonderful.' God is the one who amazes us.

 

"Could it be that God would come even here?" He goes even to hell. He goes there for you and for your life. "Could it be that He would revive this, even though I've ruined it so much?" My life is completely shattered, you say? No. God is God because He is the one who revives it. "Could it be in my heart, where only this anger and hatred remain?" No. Right there, He weeps and suffers with you, and it is Jesus Christ who raises you up from that very place. In the very place where you are exploding with anger, not knowing what to do with it, "Could it be here, in this place of nothing but sin, nothing but anger, nothing but this heart torn to shreds?" Yes, it is the Lord who comes to that very place. That is why God's name is 'Wonderful.' Because He amazes us.

 

He gave us a child. The name of that child, His name is 'Wonderful Counselor.' He is amazing, the one who counsels and discusses with us, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

 

Friends, Sarah says to God: "God, I didn't laugh." You and I, even when we stand before the Lord and taste the Kingdom of God, everything crumbles because of this one thing we always say: "No, God, it's okay. God, I didn't laugh. I never mocked God." But what happens if "I didn't laugh" is translated? It means 'there is no laughter.' There is no Isaac. 'There is no Isaac.' "It's fine. Well, God always said He'd be with me, so just be with me as You are now." We don't cling. We don't seek a solution from God. We still trust our own hands and abilities. "I didn't laugh."

 

What does God say? Sarah should have cried out to Jesus, but she insisted she didn't laugh until the end. She doesn't cling to God saying, "God, I laughed. I laughed because it seemed impossible, because it was ridiculous. God, what should I do?" "Oh, I never laughed." What does God say? "No, you did laugh. You are hurting now, and your faith is weak. I saw that. That's why you laughed. Isaac will come. Therefore, Christ will come." God gives His answer in the response of this pitiful woman. "You laughed. I saw your tears and you cried. You were hurting. You truly had tears and sighs in your life. That is why I, Christ, will come to you and have come to you." This God called Sarah and He calls you. "My daughter, my son, where are you? Did you mock Me, and does all this seem pathetic to you?" "No, God, I didn't."

 

"You didn't? No. I saw it clearly. I clearly saw your lack of faith, I saw your tears, I saw your sighs, and I saw all the feelings you have about your life. A bitter and painful life, and some things, the more you think about them, your heart feels like it's tearing apart—I saw it. You laughed. But it doesn't end there; that's why I am sending Isaac. Jesus Christ will be your life today, Isaac will be born through you, he will revive you, and he will save you." Your life will not end with "I didn't laugh," but now it will end with the true laughter the Lord will give.

 

Prayer

Let us pray. Is anything a wonder to God? Because the Lord is the one who amazes us. As we look back at our lives, we still stand in the place of the defeated, and still where nothing can happen. 'My life has become one that no one can change. Not even God can change my life. Not even God can give me joy. Not even God will be able to help me.' What could possibly amaze God? God is the one who amazes us. When everything was dark and we could see nothing, the Lord showed us. And He became our answer. Therefore, beloved Lord, allow us to live not as those hidden behind the tent door, but as Your children who see Your face again, who look upon the Son, and who thus regain strength. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.