Hebrews 11:11-12: Through Faith Also Sara
Hebrews 11:11
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. (Hebrews 11:11)
Sara was 90 years old when Isaac was born, being about 89 when she conceived. Neither Abraham nor Sarah embraced this at first when the LORD mentioned the promise of the son of their old age. Consider Genesis 17:15-19. Abraham laughed when he heard it and even asked if Ishmael would be the son of promise. However, the LORD said the promise would be from Sarah, which was Isaac, and the seed after him. “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).
Consider also Genesis 18:9-15. Sarah was “old and well stricken in age.” She had long lost hope of having children. She laughed at the thought of trying to have children as someone that age. Menopause was long past. However, she was rebuked, and was quickly afraid. She then took this promise seriously.
See also Genesis 21:1-8. Sarah’s laughter of doubt became the laughter of realized hope. The name “Isaac” means laughter. We see the faith needed for Sarah to conceive, give birth, and nurse her son. How did someone who was “old and well stricken in age” do all this? She learned to embrace God’s promise. This son was going to be instrumental in fulfilling God’s promises to Abraham and was the forefather of the Messiah. God would ensure that Sarah would go through with all of this, and she embraced the promise.
Finally, we read, “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking” (Genesis 21:9). The word for “mocking” is a related form of laughter. The children of promise should expect mocking from others. “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now” (Galatians 4:28-29).
Hebrews 11:12
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. (Hebrews 11:12)
Because of Sarah’s faith, the promise to Abraham came true. Abraham could have all the faith in the world, but if Sarah didn’t exercise faith in the Lord’s promise, it would not have come to pass. From a couple very past the age of childbearing came a multitude of descendants.
Consider what it says of Abraham in Romans 4:18-22. It was hopeless according to the laws of nature for them to conceive. Sarah’s womb was dead and his body seemingly dead. Abraham’s belief was contrary to reason. What we believe is often considered contrary to reason as well, and even more so as the years go by. But faith will often run contrary to what the world system is telling us. This is one way you know something is from God, that only He could do it. Once they got past the initial laughter, they held firm to God’s promises. Romans 4:23 tells us that “it was not written for his sake alone.” We also cannot stagger with unbelief, but cling to the promises of the Lord.
The phrases “stars of the sky in multitude” and “the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable” are both significant because these were how the seed of Abraham was going to be measured: impossible to count.
“And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be” (Genesis 15:5). No bright city lights were there. The stars were far more overwhelming without the artificial lights. Far more stars were visible than what we can see today. After this, what do we read? “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).
Again, after Isaac was saved from the sacrificial knife, the Lord told Abraham, “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies” (Genesis 22:17).
The promise was renewed to Isaac. “And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 26:4).
However, of physical seed, we read, “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved” (Romans 9:27).