Genesis Sermons (written)

Genesis 25:1-18
The Man of Faith

Introduction: Today’s passage brings us to the end of the life of the great man of faith, Abraham. His life shows the unfolding process of any believer who is drawn to God. A believer hears the call and eventually comes to the decisive moment where he places his faith and trust in Him alone for salvation.

It is this act by which a person is declared righteous and is justified before God. Nothing else will do. After this call and answer comes the process of sanctification where we walk with God and grow in the knowledge of Him and become molded into His image.

We walk and fellowship with Him through prayer, reading the Bible, and communing with other believers. This is the life of Abraham in a nutshell and it is the life we are called to as well. In this great man’s life, we saw the following pattern –

In chapter 12, he was called out by God. In Chapter 15, he placed his faith in God’s promise and was declared righteous. After this, he walked in faith each step of the way until his faith was tested to the highest measure in Chapter 22 when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah.

In chapter 23, we saw Abraham’s sorrow at the loss of his princess and bride Sarah, but even that mournful account showed us his great faith. In the last chapter, he sent for a bride for his son and then he lived out his years full and content as we’ll see today.

Abraham has been a picture of Christ, a picture of God the Father, and a picture of the faithful soul God searches for. Let us carry with us the many lessons we’ve learned as God has displayed the life of this man in the pages of His word.

Text Verse:  “Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness,
You who seek the Lord:
Look to the rock from which you were hewn,
And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.
² Look to Abraham your father,
And to Sarah who bore you;
For I called him alone,
And blessed him and increased him.”
Isaiah 51:1, 2

Abraham is called the rock from which belief is hewn and the faith of Abraham is what digs us from the pit we were born in. Because of such faith, God blessed Abraham and increased him and He will do the same for us as we live in faith just as this great man of faith did, and so… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Life Goes On

From the time that Sarah died until the time that Abraham died is a period of 38 years. From time of our last Genesis sermon where Isaac received Rebekah as his wife, which was 3 years after Sarah’s death, it is a period of 35 years.

During that time, we’ll see today that Abraham had another wife and concubines as well. For us, like Abraham, life goes on after tragedy and loss. Abraham made the most of his time and had lots of children as these years went by.

One of the important things that we should learn from today’s verses though is the scant amount of information that we receive about these 35 years. God only includes details that are necessary for us to know what He is doing in and through history as we have seen so many times already.

In the coming four verses, we will see Abraham’s line continue through another wife that he will take. In all there will be six sons, seven grandsons, and three great-grandsons of Abraham mentioned, making sixteen in all.

¹ Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

If you can mentally follow the progression of what’s happened, Sarah dies and only afterwards Abraham finds a wife for his son. Because Sarah is dead, Rebekah moves into Sarah’s tent. Now, after that has occurred, Abraham is noted as having another wife.

The wife of the son of promise, Rebekah, receives the tent of the mother, not a second wife or concubine of the father. This follows the Bible’s concept of what we call “dispensationalism.” God works through dispensations, of which there are seven –

1. Man innocent. 2. Man under conscience. 3. Man in authority over the earth. 4. Man under promise. 5. Man under law. 6. Man under grace. 7. Man under the personal reign of Christ.

Other things are going on in the world around us, but there is an overall pattern to what God is doing. The same is true with how the Bible presents the sequence of the life of Abraham and now as it moves into the life of Isaac.

Abraham’s wife is named Keturah. This name means “incense.” As we’ll see in a few verses, Abraham has other concubines, and children through them as well, but only Keturah is mentioned. In all honesty, I couldn’t find any reason why she alone is mentioned along with her children, but the name “incense” may explain it.

² And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. ³ Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

Keturah had six sons by Abraham and in turn the sons of one of her sons are listed and then one of those sons has his sons listed. The name Keturah or “incense” may be given because as incense flows out and eventually disappears into the world, it seems that most of these groups of people did as well.

However, two of her sons, Medan and Midian, will later play a role in the purchase and transfer of Joseph when his brothers sell him to the Egyptians. And Midian will also be the people who Moses escapes to when he flees from Egypt.

After the time of Joseph, the line of Medan isn’t mentioned again, but the line and name of Midian will be noted many, many more times throughout the Old Testament and even once in Acts. Almost always, these people, the Midianites, will be in strife with the people of Israel, but there is one notable exception.

The people of Midian are where Moses’ wife Zipporah will come from. Her father, Reuel (also known as Jethro) who was the priest of Midian, became an instrumental figure just prior to and after the Exodus and it is from him that a notable size of the basis for our American government comes from.

When Moses was in the wilderness, he was the sole judge of the people. When his father-in-law saw this, he gave Moses advice which was accepted for the people of Israel and which eventually became a foundation of our society until not too long ago –

So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. ¹⁸ Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. ¹⁹ Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. ²⁰ And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. ²¹ Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²² And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.” Exodus 18

So the wisdom of Jethro, which was carried on even in the establishment of our nation, can be traced right back to the verse we’re looking at in the sons of Keturah the wife of Abraham.

Surely her name – “incense” – has proven true. From her the line and wisdom of Abraham has wafted around the world in a fragrant display.

⁴ And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

Of all of these names of the sons of Midian, only one – Ephah – is mentioned again outside of the book of Chronicles. He along with his father Midian is mentioned in Isaiah 60 in a prophecy about the future blessings of the Land of Zion –

The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come;
They shall bring gold and incense,
And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. (v. 6)

Even if we have forgotten who these people are or where they’ve settled in the world, the Lord hasn’t. Someday all of these lines will be known and we will be able to look back on the verses from Genesis and see how God wove it all together in His grand plan.

Now that we’ve looked at this entire group of people who came from Abraham, I will note that I went through every name and every line of each name mentioned here and I couldn’t find a single person who is included in the line of Jesus.

This is similar to what we saw about Ishmael in a previous sermon and as I’ll note again later today. It seems that the line of Keturah, other than leading to the family of Moses’ wife, is a troubling line of people who have been at war with Israel throughout the ages.

⁵ And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.

Isaac is the son of promise and the inheritor of all that Abraham has. This was already noted in the previous chapter by the servant of Abraham who went to Mesopotamia to get a wife for Isaac. When he was there, he said this to the family of Rebekah –

“I am Abraham’s servant. ³⁵ The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. ³⁶ And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has.

Imagine how Ishmael and these other sons of Abraham felt about this. This very well may be a part of the reason for their hatred of Israel even today. Stories get passed down as do bad feelings. And along with the physical blessings, it cannot be missed that Isaac’s line, the people of Israel, have also been blessed in other ways.

They have been far more educated and prosperous in both mental and spiritual understanding. Of course, with these blessings comes even more material wealth and of course, more animosity and more jealousy. There is a way around this which far too few are willing to take.

Instead of being angry at the blessings of the Jewish people, the world can join in their blessings and thus be blessed. But the exceptional person will do this and there are very few exceptional people in the world.

The Bible notes a few, like Ruth. And there are some in the church too, but for the most part the people would rather hate and take than bless in order to be blessed.

⁶ But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.

The same groups who were excused from the inheritance were also excused from the home, but he did give them gifts while they lived at home. This may include Ishmael who was sent away a long time ago, and it included the sons of any other concubines.

However, when they were old enough to be given the boot, he sent them eastward, away from Isaac. This means that he probably had them leave before they got married or had children and so all of the grandsons, and great-grandsons mentioned above were born after the sons of Abraham had already been sent away.

It is Isaac who would receive the inheritance and his descendants through Jacob would continue toward the Messiah. The rest were sent east, which in the context of the Bible is a place of false worship, exile, and which almost exclusively lacks the true God.

If you can see it, Isaac is a picture of Jesus, who is the inheritor of all of things from God the Father. The amazing thing for each of us is that again and again the New Testament says that when we receive Jesus, we join in that inheritance. In fact, in Revelation 21:7, Jesus says that those who overcome will inherit all things.

II. The Man of Faith

⁷ This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years.

Abraham was first noted in Genesis 11 and he was the main focus of the biblical narrative until the end of Genesis 23 where Isaac began to take the lead role. His time of life in the land of Canaan has been 100 years and this is now the year 2184AM.

The life of Abraham is singularly noted as the epitome of a person who lives by faith and he will continue to be noted in this way throughout the rest of the Bible.

But the narrative of his life comes to an end in these few verses. He died at 175 years of age. His grandfather died at 148, his father at 205, Isaac will be 180, and Jacob will be 147. So this is the general lifespan of people at this time. Now he dies and he awaits his final reward with the redeemed of the ages.

To put Abraham’s death into proper perspective, we should note that Isaac is now 75, Ishmael is now 89, and Abraham’s grandchildren, the twins Jacob and Esau who haven’t been mentioned yet are 15 years old.

And as something for us to think about, this verse actually uses the term, “the days of the years of Abraham.” The great scholar Adam Clarke beautifully states what we should take to heart –

“There is a beauty in this expression which is not sufficiently regarded. Good men do not live by centuries, though many such have lived several hundred years, nor do they count their lives even by years, but by days, living as if they were the creatures only of A Day; having no more time than they can with any propriety call their own, and living that day in reference to eternity.”

Moses sums up this thought in the 90^th Psalm –

So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom. (12)

⁸ Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

This verse is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham from Genesis 15 –

Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. (15)

He attained the years God had determined and was gathered to his people. This verse, along with many other Bible references, implies that he didn’t cease to exist but his soul has continued on in another sphere. He and those with him are in a world of consciousness, but without an actual body.

In one example from Jesus’ mouth, we read this from Luke 16 –

¹⁹ “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. ²⁰ But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ²¹ desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

If you read the KJV, this verse, rather than saying “breathed his last” says “gave up the ghost.” This really isn’t accurate if you think it through. Abraham had no power to keep or give up his ghost. That is God’s prerogative, not ours.

There is only one who truly gave up the Ghost and that is Jesus when He died on the cross. The terminology used in the original languages will bear this out. Jesus even states this in John 10, which is another of countless verses which point to His deity –

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Abraham had no such power. He breathed his last, not “gave up the ghost.”

⁹ And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, ¹⁰ the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.

Isaac is noted first in this verse because he is the son of promise and the one who had authority over the household of Abraham. Ishmael is an invited family member to the burial of their father, the great man of faith, Abraham.

Unless you listened to the sermon on Genesis 23, the terminology in this verse won’t make much sense. But in short, Abraham is buried in the cave which Sarah was buried in. The names of the people point to death in this world, a world owned by Satan and which is the repository for the souls of the sons of Adam.

The purchase of this cave pictured the price Christ paid to redeem Adam’s seed and it is therefore a place which is now one of comfort for believers as they await the resurrection. Understanding this, the parable Jesus gave about Lazarus makes much more sense.

¹¹ And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.

The final verse of this particular section is given to show us that the blessings of God on Abraham have now been passed onto Isaac. What should be noted is that the term God, or Elohim, is used instead of Jehovah.

The work of Jehovah is described in the covenantal sense which follows the plan of salvation for the world. The blessing of God in this verse is referring to worldly blessings such as crops, herds, money, servants, etc.

This particular sort of blessing now rests upon Isaac, just as it did on Abraham. Isaac is dwelling by the well which was named when Hagar had fled from Sarah which we talked about in Genesis 16.

This area, centering on this well, is where the blessings of God first begin to come upon Isaac apart from Abraham.

III. The Generations of Ishmael

¹² Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.

We now come to seven verses which are given as a branch from the main narrative of the Bible. This is now the seventh set of “generations” listed in the Bible. In order, they are –

The generations of the heavens and the earth (2:4); the generations of Adam (5:1); the generations of Noah (6:9); the generations of the sons of Noah (10:1); the generations of Shem (11:10), and the generations of Terah (11:27).

In the sermon on Genesis 5, I talked about the spelling of the word toledot which is the Hebrew word for “generations.” I’m not going to go into any great detail here, but I will mention that this word toledot can be spelled in a variety of ways based upon the structure of the sentence.

In this word toledot, there can be one or two letters called vav, which is the sixth letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet. Six is the number of man in the Bible. Before the fall, toledot is spelled with 2 vavs.

From after the fall, all the way up to the time when King David is introduced, the toledot is never again spelled with two vavs.

It’s believed that the missing vavs indicate the fallen state of man. David is the final piece of the Messianic puzzle and so the second vav is reintroduced. Anyway, there are only three times out of the 30 between the fall and David that there is no vav at all.

This line of Ishmael is the first and I believe the reason is because there is no one from Ishmael’s line who is recorded in the line of the Messiah. The book of Galatians shows us that Ishmael is a type, or picture, of the law.

The law cannot save anyone and therefore there is no hope if one is of the spiritual line of Ishmael – the bondage of the law. A person must move from Ishmael to Isaac, from the law to grace, from Adam to Christ or they cannot be saved.

As I said, there is only one other line of people where there is no vav in a genealogy from Genesis to Ruth and it is in the line of Levi – one of the 12 sons of Israel. All of the other sons have a genealogy listed and they all have a vav. Levi however is mentioned twice and both times the vav is missing.

Why would there be a vav in every other genealogy of all of Israel’s sons except Levi? Because Levi is the administrator of the law! The Levites picture the law.

God is giving us amazing clues concerning the enormity of our decision to follow Christ and trust in Him alone, apart from works of the Law. One is separated from God and disqualified from the prize if they choose to participate in the mandates of the law in hopes of pleasing God.

Think of that when you are told you must observe a Saturday Sabbath, be circumcised, not eat pork, not get a tattoo, or any other thing which is found under the law but which is not mentioned in the proper context of the New Testament.

A second point to be made about the verse we’re looking at is that this genealogy of Ishmael is given and it will be followed immediately by the genealogy of Isaac, though that will be in next week’s sermon.

The custom of the Bible is to cite the lines of people who branch off from the Messiah before the Messianic line is given. This was true with the history of Cain before that of Seth, the history of Japheth & Ham before the history of Shem, the history of Haran & Nahor before that of Abram.

The pattern now continues with Isaac. This is a pattern known as the doctrine of divine election – God makes a divine choice. Isaac is the son of promise even though he is younger than Ishmael. The promise skips over Ishmael and goes to Isaac.

This pattern will continue throughout the Bible and it points to the work of Jesus, the second Adam, replacing the work of the first Adam as Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 15. In next week’s sermon, we’ll talk about election and predestination in detail.

¹³ And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵ Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

The line of Ishmael is given here to show the fulfillment of the promise God made to Abraham, about Ishmael, in Genesis 17 –

¹⁹ Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. ²⁰ And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

God promised, and now we see that God delivered. Only God could look into the future and see what would occur. By speaking to Abraham as He did, the word was binding and so now we see the fulfillment of what was promised.

¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations.

Two words are used to designate the dwelling places of Ishmael’s descendants – towns and settlements. The first is khats-re-hem and would be places like living as tent dwellers in the wilderness. The second is tirotam and is translated castles or towers sometimes. This would be mountain tops, fortified caves, etc.

¹⁷ These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.

I have already mentioned that the only people in the generations or toledot from Adam to David without a vav were the generations of Ishmael and Levi. Interestingly, Ishmael and Levi, along with Levi’s son Amram – the father of Moses the Lawgiver, all died at the same age of 137 – the only three in the Bible to die at this age.

It’s too much of a coincidence. Ishmael, who pictures the law, and Levi and his son Amram, through whom came Moses and Aaron, all died at the same age. I think God is telling us quite clearly that the law cannot save and He is doing it through hints like these.

¹⁸ (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren.

This final verse about Ishmael is given to remind us of when God spoke to Hagar in chapter 16 where the same words are used –

He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” (v. 12)

Once again, we see God’s transcendence over time. He sees what will occur, tells us what will occur, and then He shows us what occurred in fulfillment of His word. These details aren’t boring repetitions. They are exciting features of God’s workings in history and for the sake of His chosen people.

The words used here, “he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren” have a multiple meaning and all apply beautifully to the sons of Ishmael. The phrase can mean he will live in the presence of, in the face of, or to the east of.

Fittingly, these descendants moved east of Israel, they are in the face of Israel, and they are in the midst of Israel – exactly as the Bible foresaw. Here we are 4000 years later and the Bible is still being validated in this line of people.

The spiritual lessons we are to learn from Abraham and Ishmael are that we can only find salvation and reconciliation with God through faith. The deeds of the law only separate us further from God. They make us knowledgeable of our sinful state and the law is given then to direct us to the knowledge of our need for Jesus.

He alone fulfilled the law and now He offers to you His righteousness in exchange for your failures. Let me take a moment and explain Christ’s work and what you can do to receive it…

Closing Verse: Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:19,20

Next Week – Genesis 25:19-24 – (Divine Election – The Older Shall Serve the Younger)

Living by Faith or Dying by the Law

Abraham again took a wife, and Keturah was her name
And she bore to him Zimran, Jokshan, and Medan
Also Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah, from her these six boys came
And then her sonJokshan begot Sheba and Dedan

And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim
And the sons of Midian are by name and number five
Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah it would seem
All these were the children of Keturah to keep her name alive

And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac
But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines too
And while he was living he sent them eastward with a backpack
Away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east, it’s true

From the Bible the years of Abraham’s life we can gauge
It was a total of one hundred and seventy-five years
Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age
And was gathered to his people, old and full, dying with no fears

And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave
Of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the field of Ephron
The son of Zohar the Hittite, which for silver he gave
The field he purchased from the sons of Heth after Sarah was gone

There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife
And it came to pass, after Abraham’s death, you see
That God blessed his son Isaac in his life
And Isaac dwelt at the Well of the One Who Lives and Sees Me

Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son
Whom the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant to him bore
And these are the names of Ishmael’s sons, each one
According to their generations, let’s name the whole store

The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, and Adbeel
And Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, and Hadar
Also Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah all sons of Ishmael
These, their names, by their towns and settlements, near and far

Twelve princes according to their nations
These were the years of the life of Ishmael
One hundred and thirty-seven years in his generations
And he breathed his last and died, so sounds the funeral bell

He was gathered to his people when he died
They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur
As you go toward Assyria by Egypt on the eastern side
In the presence of all his brethren his name does endure

Thus is the story of these Bible men
But the story continues on after them

Everything leading eventually to Jesus
Who would come and give His life for us

What a gift, what a treasure
That God has given in His word
He pours out blessings which are beyond measure
Because He is a great and awesome Lord

And so Lord help us to live aright
And bring glory to You in all we do
Help us to live by faith and not by sight
Help us to be faithful followers of You

Hallelujah and Amen…

Genesis 24:29-52
A Work of the Spirit 

Introduction: Today’s sermon will have a recounting of much of what occurred in the previous sermon and so we’ll read through those verses without much commentary, but we won’t skip them as they will keep continuity in our biblical traveling adventure .

The Bible often repeats passages for a variety of reasons. Today’s repetition is for Rebekah’s family to understand that what has come about was divinely orchestrated. In the repetition, maybe we can see our own testimony about when we were called to Christ.

What happens to us is of benefit to others and so we repeat it in order for them to have the same assurance that we have. It’s important to understand then that your calling doesn’t have to be dramatic or filled with suspense in order to convince others.

Instead it simply has to be truthful and given as a demonstration of how it was molded by God into the call which forever changed your destiny.

Text Verse: Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Matthew 24:45, 46

The Lord commissions those whom He chooses. However, there are some who stand in the Lord’s house as servants but they are faithless in their tasks. Maybe they serve because the Master is kind and easy in what He directs.

Maybe they serve because they can steal from God’s people. The Lord isn’t blind to them, nor is He blind to His faithful servants. Abraham’s servant went about his task with faithfulness and he is remembered for this many eons later.

How will we be remembered when we stand before our Master? The question stands and so… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Receiving the Spirit

Before we actually start looking at today’s verses, we need to remind ourselves of what these verses picture. They form a story which tells us of how God continued to select people who would become a part of the family of God, but they are also pictures of the greater story of His work in all of the people of God.

The servant pictures the Holy Spirit who doesn’t speak of Himself, but rather is given to procure a bride for the Son. Rebekah is that bride and she pictures the church of God’s people. And Isaac is the son of Abraham who pictures the Son of God who awaits the bride in the land of promise while the Holy Spirit accomplishes His task.

I want to remind you about the meaning of Rebekah’s name today so that we can see how this account is being worked together by a wise Creator who chooses each word and each action and each name to tell us of His wisdom in the unfolding story.

The name “Rebekah” denotes tying up of cattle for their own protection, the establishment of their home, and to keep them from wandering off. Within the name lies the notion that individuals are placed together by some authority higher or smarter than they.

Try to keep that in mind as you see how God has orchestrated her selection for his son of promise Isaac and how each thing that happens comes about by more than mere chance.

²⁹ Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well.

Notice that the servant didn’t follow Rebekah. Instead he stayed at the well. This tells us that we don’t receive the Water of Life through our family. No one can say, “I’m a Christian” because their parents are Christians. Jesus doesn’t transfer automatically by birth, but rather everyone needs to come to Him individually.

Laban has a counterpart in the New Testament. Whether he is a saved person or not is hard to tell. One thing is sure. If he is, he is what we would equate with a “carnal Christian” in today’s lingo. Someone who made a commitment to the Lord, but who never really lives the life.

His name means “white” but it also means “brick” maybe because of what happens when you fire a brick – it turns whiter. Man was made from the dust, and in the New Testament believers are equated with jars of clay because we are vessels waiting to be filled with God’s Spirit.

Being a brick though doesn’t allow for any filling – they’re hard and they’re solid. At the building of the Tower of Babel, the term for “make brick” uses the same root words as the name Laban. Laban is a brick and unless he softens back to clay he will never know the Lord personally. What about us?

And so he, according to the verse, ran out to the man by the well. It seems as if he’s like one of us, but remember last week – it was the servant that ran to Rebekah, not the other way around. Why then is he running to the servant…

³⁰ So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well.

The Bible specifically notes Laban as having seen the nose ring and the bracelets that were given to Rebekah. Those precious gifts, along with what she said, caused him to rush out there to the place where the man was. But where does he stand? The Bible says, “by the camels!” Aha!

Here we have a shadow of a man known as Simon the Sorcerer who is found in Acts 8. We can’t understand Laban without noting the account of Simon and so let’s read that account together –

⁹ But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, ¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ¹¹ And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ¹³ Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. ¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” ²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

Do you see the parallels between the two? Laban saw the gifts given to Rebekah by the servant at the well. Simon saw the gifts given by the Spirit to Christ’s bride from the Well of Salvation.

Laban rushed to where the gifts were, on the camels looking for the same thing that Simon did. What it comes down to with Laban is personal benefit rather than a desire for God.

This doesn’t mean that the brick named Laban didn’t soften back into clay and it doesn’t mean that the sorcerer named Simon didn’t repent and accept what the Spirit freely offers, but it shows us the hardness of human hearts that live apart from God.

Now think of those who come to churches and see all the gifts God offers. Do they rush to the gifts or do they, with an open heart, allow the Spirit to rush to them? The difference is more than galactic.

Whatever the final state of Simon the Sorcerer, to this day we have a term we use to describe someone like the Bible describes him – the term is “simony.” Simony is the practice of buying or selling spiritual or church benefits such as pardons, relics, etc.

And the halls of Christianity are filled with simonizers even now. Turn on Christian TV and you’ll see them by the score. Walk into many churches and money, not Christ is king. The lust for gold and wealth will always draw Laban to the camels.

And the desire to be ultra-spiritual is a type of simony in itself. There are those who pretend tongues, pretend prophecy, pretend visions, and pretend understanding of the Bible, but they are unwilling to yield their hearts. Do you know many pastors get their sermons right off the internet or from books?

Simony isn’t just a disease of lay people. Instead it is an affliction of the human heart. What out for simonizers…

³¹ And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside?

Laban in his excitement about the potential riches calls out to the servant, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Come inside and fill my house. It’s not out by the well that you belong, but in here.” Is this what we will call out to the Spirit? Are we calling to Him in truth?

^{31 (con’t)} For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”

Some ancient Jewish commentators look at this verse and comment that his preparation of the house included removing from view the idols that they worshipped. This is a good analysis too because later in Genesis, Laban will still have idols in his house.

The symbolism again reaches to each of us. Have we removed the idols from our own house, meaning our life, or have we merely hidden them from sight in order to appear ready to receive the Spirit. God does know the difference.

How many people go to church and call for the Spirit to fill them, but then spend the rest of the week running as far from the Well as possible. What are we going to do with the One who alone can bring us the true Water of Life? Are we inviting in the Spirit for the fellowship with the Lord or merely for the gifts that he brings?

And those idols in our home, how many and what a variety! We read horoscopes, we knock on wood, we have Feng Shui arrangements, we may even have a statue of Buddha somewhere – I used to have dozens. What about porn videos?

What is it that gets our attention away from Christ? These idols aren’t just detrimental to us, but to others who come to our home and see them, knowing that we are supposedly Christians.

How many of us have made an idol out of sports, money, our car, or even another person. We rush to our idols and we hide from God… except on Sunday morning. God isn’t a cosmic dummy – He does see. Let us strive to attain holiness and godliness in life.

³² Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

When they got to the house, the first thing Laban did was to unload the camels and feed them. Only then does it note that he cared for the travelers. Remember, the camels are where the gifts are. Are we welcoming the Lord or trying to get goodies from Him?

As far as the washing of feet, it’s an important concept. The symbolism here reaches throughout the New Testament, but can be nicely summed up from the book of 3 John –

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, ⁶ who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, ⁷ because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

Again though, if we do good things for those in the church, is it for the Lord’s honor or that we will benefit from our actions. What is the motivation behind our deeds? In the end, if they are deeds lacking faith, then they’re ultimately as useless as a football bat.

³³ Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”

This servant is on a mission and it was by a binding oath to Abraham. Before he eats a bite he wants to know if his mission will be a success. If so, his food will digest so much better and he will have the relief of knowing he had served his master well.

In a beautiful parallel from John 4:31-34, we see this account in Jesus’ life as He sat by a well in Samaria –

In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
³² But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” ³³ Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

Like Abraham’s servant, Jesus was far more interested in accomplishing His task than He was about eating a meal. I hope this is something that each of us will reflect on also. What is important to you? Is the Bible important to you, or sitting on Facebook. Is attending church more important than the NFL?

Is helping other Christians with gifts of money or your talent as important as going out to dinner a couple times a week?  It all comes down to priorities. What are yours? Just so you know, and which I’ve said at least 3 jillions times, if you just read your Bible 30 minutes a day, you will be able to read it twice in a year.

It can be tough, but how else are you going to know God? From me? If you’re relying on me or someone on TV to reveal Him to you, then your knowledge of Him is limited to a person who could be wrong. If nothing else in your life, please read your Bible.

II. The Servant’s Faithfulness

³⁴ So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.

In this society, a servant would be known as a servant by sight. Laban would have known this, but now he knows whose servant. This is an important verse, because although Rebekah may have told him this, until he hears it personally, he can’t be certain.

The reason this is important for us is because there is a real God and there are false gods. The messengers and servants of the false gods are out there and ready to deceive the world and to steal away those who would otherwise belong to Christ. There are false religions such as Buddhism, Islam, and others around the world.

But there are also false sects of Christianity. They bear Jesus’ name possbily, but they don’t serve Him. Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesseses, Adventist sects, and others need to be exposed in order to reveal those who serve the true Master, Jesus.

When you stand at the judgment, what will your words be? For me, “I am a servant of Jesus Christ, and Him alone.”

³⁵ The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

Let’s remember the role of the Holy Spirit within the Godhead from John 15 so that we can understand this servant’s role now –

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷

In the same way, the servant of Abraham is being sent on behalf of the son carrying all the gifts needed to accomplish the mission.

We’ve seen many times in past sermons the increase of Abraham’s wealth and status as he journeyed to Egypt and throughout the land of Canaan. God blessed him abundantly in worldly wealth and power. All of this has been seen since He departed from his house and moved to the Promised Land.

None of it was gained wrongfully either. Abraham has been a man of integrity and uprightness and God has blessed him because of this. In a similar way, God will bless you for your integrity as well. I am not one to preach a prosperity gospel. God will not reward you because you hope for something in return.

However, He will reward you if you give out of love for Him. There is a difference. If someone tells you that God will unlock His blessings when you give to them, the very implication of what they are saying is that they are the access point of God’s blessing being realized.

It also implies that when you give to them, that you are expecting something in return. In this, there can be no true reward. Jesus teaches us in a parable in Luke 17 –

And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? ⁸ But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. ¹⁰ So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

In other words, do your job as a faithful Christian and expect nothing in return. What God gives you is more than you deserve already and every new blessing should be received with thanks.

³⁶ And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old;

There are a few reasons the servant said this. The first is to prove that Abraham is really his master. The servant personally knows about Sarah and he also knows that she was without a child when she left the family years earlier. They have every reason to now believe without doubt that this guy is being truthful.

The second reason is that Sarah is the cousin of Milcah, Bethuel’s mother and Laban’s grandmother. Rebekah is probably not much more than 14 or 15 years old and if Isaac was Sarah’s son from a normal age, he could be 70 or so. It wouldn’t be a good marriage for Rebekah.

But that leads to the third reason for this verse. It was to show the miraculous nature of Isaac’s birth. While Rebekah is Milcah’s granddaughter, Isaac is only Sarah’s son. She had a child despite her old age.

^{36 (con’t)} and to him he has given all that he has.

This verse is key to understanding the entire passage. The servant now gives them the best news of all from their perspective. What is Abraham’s belongs to his son – all of it. Isaac is the heir and his bride will therefore be joint-heir with him in Abraham’s house. Here we have a picture of Jesus, the church, and the Holy Spirit.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16

The servant is proclaiming the message of Christ. The Son has all things which
belong to the Father, and the bride is a co-heir with Christ. We find this in Romans 8 –

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…

What a wonderful treat to be able to see how God has used these people and this beautiful story to show us His own plan for us and our true Husband, Christ Jesus.

The next 12 verses are a repeat of the account from last week’s sermon. As that sermon only took about 45 minutes, I’m going to repeat it completely so that you remember every thing we talked about. Ok, I won’t do that. Instead, I’m going to read the verses and give just a few comments.

 ³⁷ Now my master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; ³⁸ but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’ ³⁹ And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ ⁴⁰ But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. ⁴¹ You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’ ⁴² “And this day I came to the well and said, ‘O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, ⁴³ behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” ⁴⁴ and she says to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,”—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’ ⁴⁵ “But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water.

The story is similar to what we looked at last week, but this verse adds in something new. The servant said, “Before I had finished speaking in my heart…” The servant’s prayer was silent. This is important to note for a couple reasons.

First, Rebekah couldn’t have heard the prayer and therefore didn’t simply do the things he requested based on what he said. What happened was divinely inspired in her. It’s also important because it is something people email me about from time to time. “Is it ok to pray silently?”

The answer depends on the prayer and the person. A silent prayer was also heard by God in 1 Samuel 1:13 when Hannah, the mother of Samuel, prayed for a child. In both occasions, no vocalization occurred yet God heard and answered the prayer.

Interestingly, the 17th letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet is the letter Pe which also means “mouth.” This letter is drawn in 2 ways, one with a closed mouth at the beginning or within a word, and with an open mouth at the end of a word.  Jewish scholars say that the closed mouth refers to speech in this world, and the open mouth to speech in the world to come.

The word for mouth is Peh and is pronounced like the letter.  As believers are already “crucified with Christ” and dead to this world, we can infer that believers don’t need to vocalize their prayers to be heard.

However, non-believers must vocalize prayer. And because they are non-believers and thus not adopted children of God, there is only one prayer that God wants to or will hear from them. It is the prayer of accepting Jesus.

This goes along with Romans 10:9 – “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” A prayer of confession is to be audible.  Let’s finish with the servant’s words –

And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ ⁴⁶ And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. ⁴⁷ Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. ⁴⁸ And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

III. The Bride is Granted

⁴⁹ Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”

This is a rather obvious plea – “I’ve told you the story and given you all the details, now please let me know your answer.” The servant has nothing further to add and so their response is all that stands between him and accomplishing his mission.

If they say “no,” then he will “turn to the right hand or to the left.” That is an idiom which means that he has other options and will pursue them. Abraham’s brother Nahor had seven other sons besides Bethuel and so he will search those families next if needed.

⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.

In the Hebrew, the order of the words is, “then answered Laban and Bethuel.” The word for “answered” is singular. Because of this, we can see that Laban gave the answer for his father. The Jewish scribe Jarchi seems to have it right when he said that Laban was wicked and impudent, jumping in and speaking for his father.

He knew that if they didn’t agree that they wouldn’t receive anything from the servant in payment for her. And so he jumped in very quickly and responded – “Oh yes, we agree. Of course we do. This came from the Lord so how can we speak against it?”

By saying this, he’s putting anyone else who would think otherwise in a bad position. If this was from God and they didn’t agree, then they’d be fighting against God. This is what Laban is implying and he’s doing it to get wealthy off his sister. Does anyone see TV evangelists written all over this?

⁵¹ Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.”

The bride is granted. The offer is accepted. The son will have a bride. God has taken this lovely young woman and divinely orchestrated her life so that she would come into the direct line of Jesus Christ. And in the same way, God divinely orchestrates the lives of His people whom He knows will accept the work of Jesus.

Those who do will be a beautiful bride, adorned for her husband. We will become the Master’s Son’s bride, just as the Lord has spoken. What a beautiful story of what God does for each of us who are willing to follow Him by faith and without ever having seen our precious Lord.

⁵² And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.

The servant prostrated himself to the earth in humble adoration and in great gratitude for the kind hand of the Lord upon his journey. In the same way, the Spirit of God surely rejoices over each person that He woos to the point where they call on Christ as Lord.

Surely along with Him, the Bible says that the angels in heaven also rejoice over that moment. Let us be ever grateful for the day that Christ called us and made us His own. And let us pray without ceasing for others to receive the wonderful gift of life.

If you’ve never known the joy of being called by God to be united to His Son, let me take just a moment and tell you how you can have that happen in your own life…

Closing Verse: The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. ¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. ¹¹ Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:9-11

Next Week – Genesis 24:53-67 (The Son Receives His Bride)

The Bride is Granted

Now Rebekah had a brother, whose name was Laban,
And Laban ran out to the man by the well
So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring,
And the bracelets on her wrists, he knew things were swell

And when he heard the words of Rebekah, his sister
Saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that to the man he went
And there by the camels at the well stood the servant mister
He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Before the day is spent

Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared everything
Even a place for the camels, so let the dinner bell ring

Then the man came to the house and the camels he did unload
And provided straw and feed for them, the camels that he rode

And he brought water to wash his feet
And the feet of the men who were with him too
Food was set before him to eat
But he said, “I will not eat until I have told what I am here to do.”

And he said, “Speak on.” It was time to hear the account
So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant, my words do not discount

The Lord has blessed my master greatly you will be told
And he has become great indeed
He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold
Also servants, camels, and donkeys, now let my words proceed

And Sarah though she was old bore to my master a son
And Abraham to him everything he has bestowed
And so let me recount to you all that has now been done
To bring me here and to whom the credit is owed

So he repeated the story of the sermon from last week
And certainly the families’ rapt attention it did pique

When he finished his retelling of the account, he then said
If you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me
If not, I will turn to the right hand or to the left instead
I’m on a mission for my master as you can plainly see

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said
This is from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good
Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go that she may be wed
Let her be his wife; the Lord has spoken and we have understood

And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their word
That bowing himself to the earth, he worshiped the Lord

This story shows us that God is in control
Of all the details which occur in our life
All of our joys and sorrows are written in His scroll
Every happy moment as well as each moment of strife

God attends to us in each and every way
And so we should return to Him our praise each and every day

Let us offer to Him our lives to direct and use for His glory
And let us remember to tell others of the gospel story

It is through Jesus that He reveals His very heart
And it is through His Spirit that He searches ours as well
And the Spirit does rejoice when the gospel we impart
Yes, He rejoices when to others the good news we do tell

So let us share this wonderful gospel story
And to God let us give praise and honor and glory

Hallelujah and Amen…

Genesis 24:12-28
Rebekah

Introduction: The great theologian John Wesley and his noted brother Charles, who wrote countless Christian hymns, made such decisions as their journey to America by opening the Bible in a random manner and deciding what they should do from the verse that first came to view.

When this type of thing didn’t work, they would turn to drawing lots. In other words, the Bible didn’t give me what I want, so I’ll try dice. These types of superstitions were common with him and they deviate from sound biblical practices. In one instance Wesley decided to attack the Calvinist theory of grace.

In 1739 he preached on and published a passionately Arminian sermon entitled Free Grace. He did this only after seeking a sign from heaven and drawing lots twice.

Today we will learn more about how the Holy Spirit works in our lives and what His role and function is. We can get quite a bit out of today’s story and we’d be remiss if we didn’t attempt to learn from the pictures God has given us here.

Text Verse: And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:9, 10

In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God directed Abraham’s servant to find a wife for his son. In the New Testament, we see the Holy Spirit directing God’s people in the spreading of the gospel in order to search out those who will be a part of the Bride of Christ.

We need to live in such a way that we are always ready to be filled with and respond to the Holy Spirit as He directs us to others in need of this good news. And so… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Spirit Directs God’s People

In our last sermon we saw Abraham call his chief servant and he asked him to swear to a vow to obtain a wife for his son Isaac. He directed him to go to Mesopotamia where his family was and get a wife from there. The servant was instructed to in no way take Isaac there, but the woman had to come, by faith, to meet her husband.

The last verses we saw said – “Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. ¹¹ And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.

This is where we start today then, with verse 12…

¹² Then he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

The servant has arrived and is waiting by the well. What he does here is absolutely vital to the mission and therefore it is the very first thing he does – he prays. He prays in the name of the Lord.

He acknowledges the Lord’s authority over Abraham and that he in turn is subservient to him. He then he asks for success in his mission which is on behalf of his master. In other words, he’s not praying for himself, but for the mission which he has been sent on.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with praying for yourself, and there are times in the Bible when this happens, but I find it extremely hard to do personally. The reason is that if I belong to the Lord, then whatever I do should be meant to honor Him.

And so when I pray about something that involves me, it is always under the premise that it should be to bring Him glory, not me. The Lord already knows everything I want and need and so I see asking for those things in prayer as repetitive and pointless.

However, I don’t want to frighten you off from praying. There are only three ways that we can commune with God. The first is through reading the Bible. The second is through being filled with the Holy Spirit. But that isn’t at all what most Christians think.

Being filled with the Spirit is a passive action, not active. In other words, if you are a believer in Jesus, you are sealed from the moment of belief by the Spirit. You have all of the Spirit that you can ever get at that moment. However, the Spirit can get more of you. Being filled is passive and it can only happen in a few ways.

By knowing your Bible, by living out what the Bible expects, and through the third way of communing with God – through prayer. And so, Abraham’s messenger does what each of us should do in all things – he prays.

To expect any good thing to be accomplished without using the means of getting that thing accomplished is both stupid and arrogant. How can we expect God to respond to our needs without stating them in a manner which honors Him?

So in the future I want all of you to do three things every day – 1) Read your Bible. 2) Live out what your Bible instructs for you, and 3) Pray to God that His will and plan be worked out through you and for you as well as for the others you pray for. By doing these three things, you will – like Eliezer, commit your whole life to the direction and blessing of God.

¹³ Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

Notice that the servant acknowledges the Lord first and asks Him for his petition to be granted. Then in this verse he mentions the well where the women will come to. He doesn’t wish from the well and he doesn’t pray to the well. He prays to the Creator of the water and the land from which the well was dug.

Likewise, we aren’t to petition anything in creation in our prayers. Not horoscopes, not tarot cards, not the sun, moon, or stars. We don’t wish upon a rainbow or upon a figure of Jesus that shows up in a piece of Ravioli. There is no thing in creation that we pray to or bow to, not Mary or the saints. We only offer prayer to God.

¹⁴ Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

The verses in this story are what we call “descriptive.” In other words, they describe what happened. They are not “prescriptive,” meaning they don’t prescribe what we should do. He is at the well and He is praying to God on behalf of His mission, which is on behalf of Abraham who is living his life under the Lord.

And so he asks for a sign. When I said this verse isn’t prescriptive, it means that this simply records what happened, not what we should necessarily do. There are many times in the Bible when people ask for a sign. Can anyone here tell me what the difference between them and us is?

The difference is twofold. First, we have the Bible – they didn’t. And the second is that if you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, then you also have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. Except under different circumstances and for different reasons, they weren’t.

Because we have the Bible and because the filling of the Holy Spirit is available to us, then asking for a sign is presumptuous and it is therefore sinful. This doesn’t mean that God doesn’t give signs, but that we are to understand them for what they are when He gives them, not when we ask for them.

The Bible says we not live by faith and not by sight. If we go around asking for signs, then we are not living by faith, but are trusting in the sight of a sign. A sign that is given when not requested still requires faith to understand that God gave it.

The case here at the well requires special direction from God which he otherwise didn’t have. Unlike him, we have God’s special direction in the Bible and in the presence of the Spirit.

In 1 Corinthians 1 Paul explains the difference between those who look for signs, those who live by the intellect alone, and those who follow what the Bible proclaims –

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

¹⁵ And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.

Enter Rebekah… According to Abraim the meaning of her name denotes the tying up of cattle for their own protection, the establishment of their home, and to keep them from wandering off. Within this name lies the notion that individuals are placed together by some higher authority or someone smarter than they.

This account is the perfect fulfillment of her name. God in His wisdom sent her to Eliezer even before he finished his prayer in order to fulfill His plans for the world’s people. It’s something we need to think on with every single thing that happens in our lives.

Have you ever prayed for something and within no time at all it came about? Or have you ever prayed for something for an immensely long time and when it did occur you realized that it was at the perfect time instead of when you started praying – which would have actually been a terrible time for it to happen?

God is infinitely smarter than us and every single thing that happens is because He has planned for it. This is even true with a pretty young girl walking up to get water from a well at evening time. So intelligent is God that speaking through Isaiah He says –

It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

At the time that God determines to fulfill His word, it will happen as surely as the sun will rise. As the Geneva Bible says about this verse, “God gives success to all things that are done for the glory of his name and according to his word.”

Although we haven’t come to the end of the story, we can already guess that Rebekah is the girl God has chosen for Isaac. And because she is the grand-daughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, we will learn something here that most people never consider.

Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldees and he traveled with His father Terah, His brother Nahor, and His nephew Lot who was the son of Haran, Abraham’s older brother who died in Ur. If you think this verse through along with what we also learned from previous sermons, all of these people are ancestors of Jesus.

Terah is the father of Haran, Abraham, and Nahor and he also had a daughter named Sarai. Haran is the father of Lot who is Jesus’ ancestor through both of his own daughters. Haran is also the father of Milcah, Rebekah’s grandmother.

Nahor is the father of Bethuel, the father of Rebekah, and Abraham and Sarah are the parents of Isaac. So, all of these people are in Jesus’ genealogy and they all come from Terah, Abraham’s father.

Terah, all three of his sons and his daughter, and the others mentioned – all of them – lead to Jesus. This then is one of the most pivotal families in all of redemptive history.

¹⁶ Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her.

Rebekah is noted as very beautiful and so I bring up the point now that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being beautiful, and there is nothing wrong with noticing that in others. In some denominations, it’s almost scandalous to even note it and women do their very best to look as plain and as dull as possible.

However, the Bible never recommends this. What it does ask for is whether a lady is beautiful, or not-so-much, that she carry herself with the dignity of a lady and not trust in outward adornments, but in the beauty of what God has given her.

The next thing this verse notes is that she is a virgin and it explains it by saying that no man had known her. To “know” in this sense specifically means sex. This verse is prefiguring Rebekah as a picture of the church. Paul speaks of us in this way –

For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2

What the Bible is speaking of in Rebekah in a physical sense is what Paul desires of us in a spiritual sense. We are to be unknown in dealing with other gods. We are never to mix our devotion to Christ with anything else. Unfortunately, this message is all but lost in the Christian world today.

^16(con’t) And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up.

Rebekah is a picture of us. She knows where the water is and she goes down to it. This well is lower than ground level and she has to descend to it before drawing out the water. The symbolism here is seen in our descending to the Water of Life, Jesus, as we go to our knees in the prayer which will change our eternal destiny.

After we obtain the Water through our prayer, something wonderful happens…

¹⁷ And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”

If you were here during last week’s sermon, you’ll remember that the servant is a picture of the Holy Spirit. When Rebekah receives the water from the well, the servant runs to her. And in the same way, the moment we receive the Water of Life into our jar of clay, the Spirit rushes into us, sealing us for the day of redemption –

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

After we are sealed and belong to Him, Paul explains the mystery of Christ in us in 2 Corinthians 4:7 – “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

The NIV uses the term “jars of clay.” Just as Rebekah filled her jar of clay, we also are filled – both at the well of the water of life, one physical; one spiritual. Everything we are reading about is pointing to Jesus and our relationship with Him. It is the Spirit which leads us to Him and it is the Spirit who calls to the people of God…

II. The Spirit Calls God’s People

¹⁸ So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. ¹⁹ And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”

The bride of Christ, the Church, isn’t just a beautiful virgin lazing around until the Lord returns. Just as Rebekah is the carrier of the water from the well, the church is the carrier of the Water of Life – the message of Jesus. The church is the one who carries the message to others either directly or by supporting those who do.

If you remember from last week, the camels and all that they carry are a picture of the gifts which God has given to His people. Her drawing water for these camels is a picture of our willingness to serve those who bear the gifts of God. She is the church and the church has people that can do anything the world does.

There are people who preach and there are missionaries. There are people who can build buildings and there are those who clean the buildings. There are camels and there are those who water camels. God has appointed all of us to do something.

It is unthinkable that people go to church on Sunday morning and do nothing more for the Christ during the week. At church on the beach, we may seem to have fewer opportunities to serve than at other churches, but this isn’t so. We have people to invite to come, and we have an offering bucket for those who can afford it.

We have people we can tell about Jesus during the week, and we have people who can carry stuff to the truck when we’re finished. We have people we can share the weekly video with on the internet with others too. We have people who occasionally bring something for others to eat. Whatever your gift is, use it like Rebekah used hers – with diligence and to the point of completion.

And one more thing about this verse – remember that the servant is a picture of the Holy Spirit. Rebekah said to him, as we should say to the Spirit, “Drink my lord.” As believers, we have all the Spirit that we can get. However, the Spirit can get more of us.

Despite what charismatic churches teach, the Bible doesn’t ask us to say “Come Holy Spirit” because He is already there. Instead it is the Spirit who says “Come.” The more we offer to Him, the more we will be filled. And so Rebekah offers to him.

²⁰ Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

Camels drink a lot. This wasn’t one trip to the well, but many. One camel that’s been on a journey like this will drink about 25 gallons. This then would be 250 gallons. If her jar held 3 gallons, which would be about 25 pounds (8.34), then it would take her about 83 trips between the well and the trough.

In total that’s about 2080 pounds of water, plus the weight of the jar for each carry. This girl is no slacker. Even if they only drank half that much, it’s probably much more work than any of you will do after dinnertime tonight… well, except for maybe Kelly.

Rebekah serves until the job is complete and this is what we are asked to do as well. There is a world full of people who need the Water of Life and there are a million jobs within the church that need to be accomplished. Rebekah didn’t stop until the job was done and we are to continue on until our job is finished as well.

And as a piece of trivia for you, camels don’t store water in their humps. Rather it is stored in their bloodstream. The humps are storage for fat for when there’s no food. When needed, that is their food source and that is when the hump shrinks.

²¹ And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

The word translated here as “wondering at her” is only used this one time in the entire Bible and so it is translated differently by different people. Some say gazed, watched closely, looked steadfastly, was astonished at her, etc. It is the same as another root word which means to twirl to giddiness like a child might do.

Adam Clarke’s comment on this verse is so funny that I have to quote it for you, “And he was so lost in wonder and astonishment at her simplicity, innocence, and benevolence, that he permitted this delicate female to draw water for ten camels, without ever attempting to afford her any kind of assistance! I know not which to admire most, the benevolence and condescension of Rebekah, or the cold and apparently stupid indifference of the servant of Abraham. Surely they are both of an uncommon cast.”

In the New Testament, Paul tells us to be filled with the Spirit. In the Greek the verb is a present imperative. This means to keep being filled, just as Rebekah is continuously filling her pitcher. The stream of water into and out of it is continuous, just as the stream of the Spirit should be in each of us.

Through understanding the Bible, allowing Him to fill us, and through prayer, He will be there with every task. We may be doing the physical part, but He is there and He is supervising. The job will get done and it will be, in the end, a great work of God.

III. The Spirit Gives Gifts to God’s People

The Spirit Directs God’s People; The Spirit Calls God’s People

²² So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold,

Once the task was done, the man pulls out a gold ring. Some translators call it a nose ring, some an earring, but it is singular and so this isn’t likely, and some say an ornament for her head. Any of these could be right and we can only speculate which it is. He also brought out two bracelets of ten weight.

You can still see Middle Eastern women wearing these things. The ones the servant gave to her would have been very valuable and it was a great amount of money for her work. Likewise, we will receive a great reward for the work we do for Christ.

The Spirit is the one to give us our spiritual gifts and they come as we grow in our walk with the Lord. If you read your Bible, you’ll eventually receive the gift of discernment. As you witness to others, you’ll eventually have developed the gift of teaching, etc.

Other than what we have naturally from birth, these things need to be developed and the Spirit will give them graciously as we grow in our Christian life. Likewise, the rewards for the work we do for the Lord will be great. Nothing that we sacrifice now will be forgotten or left unrewarded by Him.

²³ and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?”

What seems obvious is that the Lord provided exactly what the servant wanted, a beautiful bride for his master’s son. But he needs to make sure that this isn’t a false sign and so he asks who she is and he immediately follows up with a second question, “Do you have room for us?”

There were no inns at this time and so, like you’ll find in the country of Japan, there are people who will take travelers into their own home as a type of substitute inn. In Japan, they’re called ryokan and staying at them is a fun way of traveling the country and meeting nice people… plus they have really great food.

The servant is hoping for a place to stay and for good news about her family line. If she is the right girl, staying in her home will only make his journey and his task easier.

²⁴ So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” ²⁵ Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.”

In response to his question of “Whose daughter are you?” she responds with her father’s name. Bethuel means “Daughter of God” and so she says, I am the daughter of the daughter of God.” It’s an interesting play on words, but it points again to the church.

Bethuel is an unusual name for a man, but because he is Rebekah’s father, and they are key to bringing in the nation of Israel, we have a picture of the church as the daughter of the daughter of God.

This family, which is so heavily entrenched in the genealogy of Jesus, openly welcomes the servant in for the evening – they have plenty of straw and feed and room to lodge.

²⁶ Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord.

Her sudden appearance as he finished his prayer was certainly directed by God. Her willingness to do exactly what he had prayed for was also directed by God. And her words to him now assure him that even this is directed by God.

Exactly the spot, exactly the fulfillment of the request, and exactly the right family line… all of it has the sure sign of God’s divine hand upon his journey and so the man, overwhelmed by God’s gracious hand, bows his head and worships.

²⁷ And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

Today’s first verse said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.” Now at the end of this journey, the servant uses the same words in praise of the Lord for fulfilling his prayer.

What we can learn from this, even if the verse is simply describing what happened, is that for each blessing we receive, and especially those we asked for in advance, we should stop and praise the Lord.

Unfortunately, we too often forget to show gratitude at the end of the same journey that we asked help for when we started. Whether it’s a journey of an illness, a college education, or a family vacation, we usually remember to ask God to bless it.

But when the trip is over, the thanks and praise is often forgotten. The servant was faithful to stop and praise the Lord here and it would be right for each of us to do the same after any successful journey.

²⁸ So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things.

If Rebekah is a picture of the church and she has run home to tell her mother’s household, then shouldn’t this picture us telling those around us about the wonderful dealings of God as well? Not only should we tell those in our family, but what about the people we work with and the people we socialize with.

And ultimately, as Christians, don’t we have a debt to the Jewish people, to take this message back to the well from which we sprang? In all, the story of Rebekah is the story of the church. We have a story to tell and it’s about the greatest wedding which will ever occur. And it is a marriage to the King of kings.

Let me tell you how you can be a participant in this glorious ceremony which God has prepared for His own beloved Son…

Closing Verse: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37, 38

Next week – Genesis 24:29-52 (A Work of the Spirit)

The Virgin at the Well

The servant said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham
Please give me success this day
And show kindness to the master of who I am
Please grant me my petition I pray

Behold, here I stand by the well of water
And the daughters of the men of the city
Are coming out to draw, please send a family daughter
I beg for You in this matter to extend pity

Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say,
“Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,”
That she in turn will respond as how I pray
“Drink and I will also give your camels some I think”

Let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac
And by this I will know You have kindness to my master shown
And it happened, before he had finished speaking, he turned back
A girl coming with a pitcher on her shoulder, walking alone

Now the young woman was very beautiful to see
A virgin; no man had known her
And she filled her pitcher, this young beauty
As the servant watched in order to be sure

After coming up from the well, the servant ran to meet her
And said, “Please let me have a little drink of water”

“Drink, my lord,” Letting her pitcher down to her hand
She gave him a drink which was refreshingly grand

And when she had finished giving him a drink
She said, “I will draw water for your camels also
When they have had enough, only then I think
That back to my home is where I will go

So she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough
And ran back to the well to draw more water
She drew for all his camels before she took off
The servant sat watching this exceptional daughter

And the man wondering at her remained silent as water she drew
Had the Lord brought him to where his journey was now through?

So it was, as the camels had finished drinking that then
The man took a golden nose ring, half a shekel its weight
And two bracelets for her wrists weighing of gold ten
And he spoke to her making his words straight

“I would like to know whose daughter are you?
Tell me, is there lodging in your father’s house for us too?

“I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son,
It was he whom she bore to Nahor”
Moreover she said to him, Aren’t you the blessed one
We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge for sure

Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord
And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham
He has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward
My master… In this, humbly gracious to Him I am

As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me
To the house of my master’s kith and kin
So the young woman scurried home, ever so quickly
And told about the things at the well where she had been

God directs our steps as He did in this story
He does it for our good and also for His glory

Just as Rebekah had this most timely meeting
We too have a most important date
It’s coming when Jesus will call out His greeting
And when that day comes, won’t it be great?

To meet our beloved Lord
As we’re promised in His precious word

Hallelujah and Amen…

Genesis 24:1-11
To Find a Wife

Introduction: We’re going to start chapter 24 today and this chapter gives us the story about how Isaac got his wife. The account is really lovely, and goes into great detail so that you will hopefully come to see in it patterns and pictures that focus on our relationship with Jesus.

Because the chapter is so long, it will take four full weeks to get through it and it won’t make complete sense unless you listen to the entire series, but when you see the overall pictures of the Godhead, it is a beautiful testament to the way God works through His word.

He takes real people, who really lived, and He uses them and their circumstances to point to Jesus and our relationship with Him.

One of the things that we need to understand in order to really grasp this chapter are the roles of the members of the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The pictures in today’s sermon are dealing mostly with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the preparation of a bride for the Son.

Text Verse: He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22

God performed the first wedding ceremony when He presented Eve to Adam. He is preparing another wedding and it will be with His Son’s bride – a spotless and chaste virgin who has been selected especially for Him and so… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. To Find a Bride

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

As we go along, we’ll see the people in this account representing others. Abraham is a picture of God the Father. Keep that in mind as we go. There is both the literal story and there is the intended picture of what God is showing us as He works out His plan of redemption.

At this time, Abraham is 140 years old. We’ll find this out from details in the next chapter which tells us that Isaac was married at 40 years of age. Abraham had Isaac when he was one hundred and Sarah died when she was 127.  So, this is 3 years after Sarah’s death and it is the year 2149AM.

An amazing fact which I would hate to skip is that Shem, the son of Noah, who is Isaac’s great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather will still be alive for 10 more years. That is 12 generations – 9 greats, a grandfather, and a father.

Anyway, in his old age, it says that Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things. We already know from Abraham’s life that he is a very wealthy man and in a few verses, we’ll see that he will use this immense wealth in the process of obtaining a bride for Isaac.

² So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh,

As I said, Abraham is a picture of God the Father. As we go on, we’ll see that this servant is a picture of the Holy Spirit. Abraham here calls the oldest servant of his house who is also the one who rules over all he has. This person is like the CEO of a company.

He makes all the decisions and directs all the people. He is the most trusted person in Abraham’s life. Almost all commentators agree that this is Eliezer of Damascus who was the chief steward of the house all the way back in Genesis 15.

That was about 55 years earlier and he was the head of the household at that time which means that he has worked for Abraham for a very, very long time. From this chapter we will see that he is completely and wholeheartedly dedicated to Abraham.

This chief servant of the household speaks not on his own authority, but on the authority of the one who sends him. This is exactly how Jesus describes the Holy Spirit in John 16 –

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

We will see how accurately he fulfills this position described of the Holy Spirit in the verses ahead. Even his name implies this. It is Eliezer which means “God is Help.” Jesus not only calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of Truth” but also the Helper in John 14 –

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

He is the one to help Abraham in the task ahead, just as the Holy Spirit is the Helper of God in the parallel tasks that are going on, even now in the Church Age. Anyway, Abraham calls him and says to him, “Please, put your hand under my thigh…”

This is the most intimate part of the man and it is therefore the most solemn vow that can be made. Under the thigh is where Abraham’s life was continued on through his seed, resulting in Isaac. It is also where the rite of circumcision was conducted.

Both of these actions point to the coming Messiah. Abraham’s seed would lead to the Messiah through Isaac, the son of promise and circumcision as a rite pictures the cutting away of the sin nature. The oath that is being made concerns the highest decision in the life of Abraham and it is the highest priority of the servant who will carry it out.

³ and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;

Abraham uses an elongated form of what is stated in Genesis 1:1. There it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Here he says, “the Lord, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth.”

b’Yehovah elohe ha’shemayim v’elohe ha’arets

There is no doubt in the Old Testament that Jehovah is both the Creator and the Sustainer. And yet Genesis 1:1 doesn’t say that. Instead it only says “God.” We’re learning as we progress through the Bible about both the nature of the Godhead and how God reveals Himself through verses like this one.

We’ve already seen that Jehovah walked in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were present, and He walked up to Abraham as he sat in a tent. In both cases He talked to these people face to face. And yet we know that God is Spirit, that God dwells in an unapproachable light, and that no man has seen God.

We will also learn, from both Old and New Testaments, that Jehovah is Jesus. If you’re having a hard time grasping these things, don’t feel ashamed or overwhelmed. The mystery of the Godhead and the mystery of the incarnation are so complicated that men have been studying them for thousands of years and we are still struggling to fully comprehend them.

We’ll have to trust for now that what God has revealed in the Bible is true and then align our theology with that, rather than trying to align our theology with what we want to believe about God.

It is by Jehovah, who is the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, that Abraham makes Eliezer swear that he won’t take a wife for Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom he dwells. And here we have an interesting hidden concept. The word that Abraham uses for “dwell” is the Hebrew word yoshev.

This word, yoshev, has the same numerical value as the name of the chief servant, Eliezer. Both of them numerically equal 318. If you were here during the sermon of Genesis 14, you might remember that this number is the same as the number of fighting men that were in Abraham’s camp.

I think what is being told to us here is that Abraham, who is a picture of God the Father, is sending his helper Eliezer, who is a picture of the Holy Spirit, to conduct a particular task which is his responsibility.

The things of God the Father and where He dwells are different than the things of the Helper, the Holy Spirit. I don’t think this is a crazy analysis either, but rather these things are hidden here for us to dig out and to learn in order to see how each member of the Godhead functions and what their responsibility is.

As far as the reason for a wife not to be taken from the Canaanites, it certainly stems from the curse of Canaan which goes all the way back to Genesis 9. When Ham, the youngest son of Noah committed an offense against his father, Noah turned and cursed his youngest son Canaan –

“Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants
He shall be to his brethren.”
²⁶ And he said:
“Blessed be the Lord,
The God of Shem,
And may Canaan be his servant.
²⁷ May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant.”

It would be out of the question for the son of promise to have a wife from a people who were under a curse. This brings in the next concept. Isaac is a picture of Jesus, the Son of the Father. The Canaanites then picture the people of the world – all who are under the curse of the law, which is God’s standard.

Paul explains this in the Galatians 3 –

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” ¹¹ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” ¹² Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” ¹³ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

One more thing about the Canaanites, in addition to being under a curse, they would eventually be dispossessed by Abraham’s descendants. He knew that this would happen in little over 350 years. And so He makes his wish known to his chief servant…

⁴ but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

At this time, it would be good to introduce Jesus’ words from Matthew 22 –

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son

Jesus equates the kingdom of heaven to being like a king – and Abraham is certainly a kingly figure in the Bible – who arranged a marriage for his son. And he is arranging someone to marry Isaac who is of his same people and family.

They would have the same customs and understanding of God and they would have his same nature. Are you seeing Jesus and the church in any of this? I hope so.

II. She Must Come by Faith

⁵ And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”

Before swearing the oath, the servant asks an obvious question because it’s something that if he didn’t get an answer for in advance, it could get him into trouble later. “What if I can’t find someone willing to follow me back here? Shall I take Isaac there?”

The way he speaks shows that he assumes he will find someone but that she may want to see Isaac first, before actually agreeing to marry him. If this happens, then would it be right to take Isaac back to Mesopotamia to meet her? This verse now points to us.

Regardless of what thousands upon thousands of people have claimed since Jesus left, no believer has seen Him since the time of the apostles. I don’t care how honest they sound, how adamant they are, or how convincing their story is, it hasn’t happened.

There are several ways that we can know this directly from the Bible and they are prefigured in this verse right here. We are betrothed to a husband we have not seen. One of countless sets of verses which tell us this is so is from 1 Peter 1 –

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, ⁸ whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Faith is, as Hebrews explains it, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith that is seen is no longer faith and we, as the Bride of Christ, live by faith and not by sight. I wish anyone who claims they have seen Jesus well, but I simply do not believe them.

⁶ But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there.

As this account pictures the taking of a bride for God’s Son, this verse confirms what I just said. Isaac was not to be taken back to the land where his bride was residing and Jesus will not return to the land where we are now.

Instead, we will meet him in the clouds for the first time when we meet Him at the rapture. This verse is an imperative from the father. Either the bride agrees to the terms or the bride won’t meet the one she was to be chosen for. And this reflects our state.

We must agree, without seeing Jesus, that He is the one in whom we will place our trust and our hope. If we aren’t willing to, by faith, receive what He offers, then we will have no part at all with Him. Just as the choice is given to the bride of Isaac, the choice is also given to the people of the world.

As has been the pattern since the very first verses after the fall, everything about our relationship with God comes down to faith. This is what God expects and this is what pleases Him. He is asking each one of us to pick up His love letter to us, read it, and accept it by faith. Are you willing to do this? Romans 10 says so –

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Will we stay in our own land, not believing God’s word, or will we be ready to meet the Lord when He comes in the clouds? The word which was sent from father Abraham through Eliezer is given and the word which has been sent from the Father through the Holy Spirit, which is the Holy Bible, has also been given.

This is another in a long line of reasons why you should read your Bible, know your Bible, and believe your Bible. The Son is there, in its pages, waiting for His bride.

⁷ The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

Here in verse 7, Abraham shortens what he said earlier and simply states “the Lord God of the heavens” or Yehovah elohe ha’shemayim. This time he leaves off the second half of the title which said, “the Lord God of the earth.” Why? Why did he do this?

The only real difference between the verses is that the Canaanites aren’t mentioned and so it must be that he is connecting Jehovah of the earth to the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. The One who brought him into Canaan is more fully revealed to him now.

Abraham says it was the Lord God of the heavens that took him from his father’s house and from the land of his family, and it was He who swore to him that he would be given the land. The same Lord, he is certain, will now find a wife for Isaac.

So you can comprehend what I really want you to understand, think of it like this. You work for a person who owns two big companies – Charlie’s Cookies and Charlie’s Cakes. You work at Charlie’s Cakes.

You tell your best employee that you want him to do something for you and you let him know that the owner of Charlie’s Cookies and Charlie’s Cakes will be keeping an eye on how this goes. Your employee agrees and so you tell him you need him to find out how they get their cookies to be both tasty and delicious.

He says, “What if I find out how but I need to bring someone from Charlie’s Cakes to the Cookie Company?” That is a “no, no” because company rule’s won’t allow that. Instead you tell him that the owner of Charlie’s Cookies will ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Even though the same person owns both companies, you now only mention the cookie company. This is what’s going on here with Abraham. Through the Bible, we’re seeing an explanation of how we can and should perceive God.

He is sovereign over all of creation, but He is working things out in different ways at different times and fulfilling different roles in the process. This is the same as when we call Jesus Savior, but we also call Him Redeemer. We call Him King, but we also call Him Lord. We call him our Brother, and yet we call Him our Friend.

God is putting these details in here and is asking us to pay attention to them, not skip over them with a ho and a hum, or a fee, a fie, a foe, and a diddly dum.

If it is important enough for God to place in His word, then we owe Him the honor and the respect of paying attention to it as we read and study. Great God, beautiful word, glorious Lord!

III. The Son Remains in the Promised Land

⁸ And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.

Abraham already knows the outcome of what he’s requested. God has promised him that he and his descendants will possess the land. He also knows that one of the Canaanites will not be a suitable wife for Isaac. He is going on the certainty that what he is doing is the right thing. And yet, he has misunderstood things in the past.

Because he has, he tells Eliezer that he will be released from the oath if the woman he is certain is there simply won’t come back with Him. The imperative is repeated though – “Only do not take my son back there.” There must be willingness on the part of the bride and she must accept this deal by faith and not by sight.

Isaac was to remain in the Promised Land while the servant sought out a bride for him. In the same way, Jesus will remain in heaven, exactly as the Bible says, until the Holy Spirit has His bride ready. This is both a challenge and a test for us. Are we willing to live by faith, and by faith alone, in what God has promised?

Some of the gifts that the Bible speaks of for believers are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy, discernment, tongues, administration, and helping.

Let me ask you, are any of these unique to Christianity? No. Not one of these gifts is exclusive to Christianity. There are false prophets. There are people who speak in tongues in many religions. All over the world there are healers, and performers of miracles, and givers, and those who lead, and those who exhort.

If we are relying on outward signs of gifts in order to be taken to the Promised Land, then we are making a fundamental error in our religion and we are violating the very premise of the Bible – that we are to live by faith. Of all of these gifts, the gift of discernment is wonderful, because we can tell when other gifts aren’t real.

But even this gift can be misused by wrong discernment. In the end, what we must have in order to be among the marriage ceremony is faith that our promised Bridegroom is who He claims to be. Keep that in mind as you’re in church that requires speaking in tongues.

⁹ So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

As I said earlier, within the Godhead there are individual roles. This isn’t speculation, but rather it is what the Bible teaches in both testaments. The Spirit issues from the Father through the Son. The Gospel of John makes that perfectly clear. Because this is so, we have a picture of the Spirit’s work beginning here.

The servant was asked to perform his duties on an oath which required him to place his hand under Abraham’s thigh. Here in this picture is the Spirit receiving His direction from the Father through the Son, just as the servant is symbolically receiving his instruction from Abraham through the Issac who issued from Abraham.

What the servant is doing is directed by the father for the benefit of the son. Even though the son, Isaac, isn’t explicitly seen in this picture, he is seen implicitly, because of the placement of the hand during the oath. Abraham’s seed issues from this place.

Likewise, even though the Son isn’t seen in the world today, He is implicitly here – both in word (the Holy Bible) and in Spirit through the gifts we are given. This will become evident in the next verse…

¹⁰ Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand.

Ten is the biblical number for fullness. I could give you many examples of this, but we’ll pick two just to give you an awareness of the concept. There are Ten Commandments, right. But in the law there are actually 613 lesser laws. However, these are summed up in the ten. They are the fullness of the law.

As a second example, we can go to Revelation and see Jesus’ words there – “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

The term “ten days” indicates a fullness of testing. It is an indeterminate amount of time which is used by Job, Daniel, and elsewhere. As I said, there are numerous uses of the number 10 in the Bible and they will invariably indicate fullness.

And this is what we see here. The servant takes ten camels with “all his master’s goods...” This doesn’t mean that he left Abraham and all of the people in the camp sitting on the ground out in the open. It means that he took a fullness or a full representation of everything Abraham possessed.

And once again, this is exactly what the Spirit does. The New Testament is filled with descriptions of the gifts of the Spirit, the workings of the Spirit, and the comfort of the Spirit. This servant, picturing the Holy Spirit, sets off with his goods at the direction of the father and on behalf of the son, echoing Jesus’ words about the Holy Spirit as he goes –

¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:14, 15

Isaac is the inheritor of Abraham’s estate and all things which belong to Abraham likewise belong to him. And so it is with Jesus. He is the inheritor of all things. Isaac is to receive a bride and Jesus is also going to receive one. Will you be ready when He comes?

^{10 (Con’t)} And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

Off goes the servant with his ten camels to Mesopotamia. In Hebrew, the land is known as Naharaim or “the two rivers.” In this land he went to the city of Nahor, Abraham’s younger brother.

In the coming verses, Nahor will be mentioned several times, but only in reference to someone else. In other words, he is probably already dead. However, Nahor is an important figure in the Bible even though it doesn’t record him really doing anything. In a coming sermon, I’ll explain why he’s important.

¹¹ And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.

This is our last verse today and we end with the servant’s arrival at a well outside the city. The importance of wells is found throughout the Bible and this one will be no different. The day I was typing this sermon, I was thinking about water.

If we are deprived of water, then nothing in the world is more important to us. Food is similar, but if we are deprived of both food and water, the first thing we will go for is the water. We are so tied to it that even a short period without it and our life will end.

The water is the first spot that the servant goes to after his long journey. Not only does he need it, but his camels will too. And when he arrives, it is evening time – the end of a long day and the time when the women go out to draw water for the evening.

They do this because it’s hot during the day. Going in the early morning and the evening allows them to keep out of the heat during the task of carrying the jar, working at the well to bring up the water, and then carrying the full jar back.

In John 4, there is a story about a woman at a well that we’ll take a short look at –

⁵ So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. ⁶ Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

⁷ A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” ⁸ For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

⁹ Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

¹¹ The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? ¹² Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

¹³ Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

¹⁵ The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

What I want you to get from this story about the life of Jesus today is that this woman was going out to get her water at the sixth hour. By the time standard that John uses, this is noon – the middle of the hot day in Israel.

Unlike the other ladies, she went at noon because she was an outcast. She’d been married 5 times and was at that time living with a man she wasn’t married to. But Jesus still sat and talked with her, leading her to a much deeper well with much purer water than she would find elsewhere.

The point I’d like to make is that your life may be completely messed up and you may be hiding it from others, but Jesus is there and He knows full well everything you have done. You very well may need the water of life that He offers. If so, stop going to the well in the heat of the day looking for water that will never satisfy.

Instead, reach out to Him and He promises you water which will spring up to everlasting life. And He offers it freely. On the very last page of the Bible, we read this in Revelation 22:17 – “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

The Spirit is out, right now, bearing gifts and calling the bride to meet the Bridegroom. And some day, He will depart with that bride to meet the Lord. Though we haven’t seen Him, we love Him, and though You may not know Him, He knows you. Let me take just a moment to explain how you can become a part of what God is doing through and for His Son, Jesus…

Closing Verse: For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him. 2 Samuel 14:14

Next Week – Genesis 24:12-28 (Rebekah)

Sending Out For a Bride

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in life
And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all ways
It was his intent to obtain for his son a wife
One that would bring him joy, all of his days

So He said to his oldest servant, a very good guy
The one who ruled over all his house
“Please, put your hand here under my thigh
And I will make you swear an oath concerning my son’s spouse

By the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth
You will not take a wife for my son from Canaan’s daughters
Those among whom I dwell, and the land of his birth
You shall go to my country, to the Two Rivers’ waters

From my family, you shall take for my son Isaac a wife
This is the oath to which you shall bind your life

And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not
Be willing to follow me to this land whence Isaac was begot

“Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?
“Beware you don’t take him back there, Abraham did exclaim

The Lord God of heaven, who led me from my father’s band
And from the land of my family, and who spoke to me
Swore to me, saying, “To your descendants I give this land,
He will send His angel before you to find a wife, you see

And you shall take a wife for my son from there
But if the woman is not willing to follow you
Then you will be released from this oath, do not despair
Only do not take my son back, this you shall not do

So the servant put his hand under the thigh
Of Abraham his master, and to the oath he swore
Then he took ten of Abraham’s camels and waved goodbye
And departed, with his master’s goods which the camels bore

He arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor
And he made his camels kneel down outside the city
From the journey he was probably tired, thirsty, and sore
But he was on a mission, not one looking for pity

By a well of water at evening time he waited
The time when women go out to draw from the well
And certainly as he sat, he antici………pated
The completion of his task and hearing the wedding bell

Likewise the Father is looking for a bride for His Son
And the Spirit is searching hearts, searching every one

And the heart which is tender and responds to the call
Will be led to the waters which spring to eternal life
And someday the bride will wear her wedding shawl
When Jesus comes for His long anticipated wife

Oh! A beautiful bride for the Lord wearing radiant white
The marriage of the Lamb will be a resplendent sight

Until that day we wait in faith for our precious Lord
And seek His face through His wonderful word

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

Genesis 23:1-20
The Death of the Princess

Text Verse: The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. ⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. ⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:6-8

God is the Creator and we are His creatures. Some of us are faithful and some lack faith, but no matter what, we are still just flesh and we will all wither like the grass and fade like the flower. We have one chance to get things right in this life and so we should be attentive to the word of our God now while we have the chance. And so… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Death of the Princess

Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.

Sarah is the only woman in the Bible whose age at death and specific place of burial is recorded. She lived to the age of 127 and died 37 years after Isaac was born. This then would be 2146 AM.

She is the first woman who is actually noted since Eve who was in the line of the Messiah. From the Bible, we can infer other women who are in His line, but Sarah is explicitly mentioned as bearing the son of promise, through whom God’s plans would be realized.

And so from Sarah, there is a connection directly linking her to Mary, the mother of Jesus – both physically and spiritually. Through her came the otherwise impossible birth of Isaac, who is a picture of Christ, and through both her and Mary came the Messiah Himself. The patterns of the life of Sarah are deep and rich.

In Hebrews 11, she is noted for her life of faith –

“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.” Hebrews 11:11,12

In Galatians 4, Paul shows her to be a type of the Church which exists by the grace of Christ rather than the bondage of the law, and in 1 Peter 3, she is noted as the mother of all believers. This great woman of God is so noted throughout the pages of the Bible.

² So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan,

This place, Kirjath Arba, now known as Hebron, is still a city in Israel. It’s in a valley which is surrounded by seven mountains. The Arabs call it el Khalil which means “the friend,” a title which refers all the way back to Abraham and his friendship with God.

It says that Hebron is “in the land of Canaan.” This is in contrast to Beersheba where they lived before which was “the land of the Philistines.” In other words, Sarah died in the land of promise.

^{2 (con’t)} and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

There are some Jewish traditions that you will hear, even in synagogues today, which say that Abraham and Sarah never spoke again after Abraham went to offer up Isaac at Mount Moriah. They say that what Abraham did was disobedient and sinful and that is why Sarah is never mentioned from that time until now – she disagreed with Abraham.

There are numerous things wrong with that and there is actually evil intent behind it too. I’m being as honest as I can because this is such a serious matter. First, Abraham did what God asked and the Bible, from then on, speaks of him as the epitome of faith and obedience.

Secondly, Sarah isn’t mentioned again because she is no longer relevant to the story. The son of promise is born and the narrative moves on. This is exactly the same as Mary. She is mentioned only once after the resurrection of Jesus and it isn’t any more than a fleeting cameo.

Mary is not the source of our faith and she has nothing further to do with the unfolding story. Sarah was noted when she played her role and then she was given the quiet respect of a woman who had done her service. Only at her death is she mentioned.

And finally, the reason “why” there is an attempt to malign Abraham in this way is because the story so clearly and concisely points to the life of Jesus. The only way to get around this is to diminish the magnitude of Abraham and his life.

Having said that, Abraham had his tent and Sarah had her tent. This is the way families worked and we know this from Genesis 24:67 where Isaac takes his new wife to Sarah’s tent after they were married; it is now her tent. They each had their own space.

When Sarah died, Abraham “came to mourn for Sarah and weep for her.” The two words in Hebrew for “mourn” and “weep” indicate true sadness and great sorrow. They’re combined to show the magnitude of the loss to Abraham after 127 years of life together and most of that time as husband and wife.

Abraham was truly mournful. However, a secret is found in the original text of the Hebrew Scriptures. It is something extremely rare in the Bible and it shows us of the Abraham’s continued faith. The word for “weep” is libkhotah and the middle letter of libkhotah is the letter kaph.

It is the 11^th letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet and it is symbolized by an open palm. It has four possible meanings “bend, open, allow, or tame” – all things which occur with an open hand. In the Hebrew of this word in this verse, this letter kaph is smaller than the other letters, a writing tool known as miniscule.

The question is, “Why did God choose this one letter to be made smaller than the rest?” I believe the answer is that as Abraham wept, he opened his hand as a gesture of offering. When he did, he was saying what Job said at his own loss,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Abraham is demonstrating faith that what the Lord had taken would be returned through the Seed of promise whom he had seen on Mount Moriah when he was given a ram in place of Isaac. Abraham, in other words, is demonstrating faith in the resurrection of the dead.

This is only the third time so far in the Bible that a letter is made larger or smaller than the text around it. The first was in Genesis 1:1 and the second was in Genesis 2:4, both of which are speaking of the creation of the heavens and earth.

In all, there will be very few times in the entire Bible that such rare letters will be used – only 17 in the five books of Moses and a few others after them. God is giving us clues about Himself and His plan of redemption in these unusual sized letters.

³ Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, ⁴ “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

When it says he “stood up from before his dead” it notes the type of mourning seen elsewhere in the Bible. In the book of Job, it says when his friends came to mourn with him they “sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights.” 2:13

It’s a common description in the Bible and is simply the way they did things and probably still do in many Mid-East nations. When he had poured out his heart and his tears, he stood and spoke to the sons of Heth. These people, the sons of Heth, were first mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:15.

Eventually, king David’s wife Bathsheba will come from them and she will be an ancestor of Jesus. When Abraham spoke, he noted his lack of property, stating he was a foreigner and a visitor in the land. This is true, because the land belonged to the Canaanites until God determined they were to be removed, 400 years later.

It’s also something Abraham and others were noted as being faithful for in Hebrews 11. They acknowledged that they were pilgrims in the land and that God had something better prepared for them. Peter writes in the New Testament that this is still true among believers – this is not our home and we should recognize that. God has something better for us.

God is preparing a city for His people where there will be only joy, contentment, and an eternal filling of life. We will live in the presence of God and He will be pleased to dwell with His people.

⁵ And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, ⁶ “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”

The terms “sons of Heth” and “hear us” doesn’t mean everyone said this, but just a leader speaking for the people. It would be like someone interrupting us out here on the beach and me saying, “Leave us alone;” one speaking for the whole.

When he addresses Abraham it’s in a very respectful way. “Hear us my lord: You are a mighty prince among us.” The term he uses is nesi elohim or a prince of God. They understand Abraham’s favor with the Lord and mention it now.

Although the word is different than the name of Sarah, it could be that they are using this term to tie him directly to Sarah. Her name means “princess” and by calling him nesi elohim or prince of God, the Bible is directly connecting the two as noble people.

In his address to Abraham, and speaking on behalf of the people, he offers a resting place for Sarah freely and without condition.

II. The Cave of Machpelah

⁷ Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.

Starting with this verse, and going through verse 18, there is a treasure which was hidden until I found it preparing for this sermon. It’s a literary form of writing known as a chiasm. I’ve found about twenty of them, some spanning many chapters and even entire books of the Bible.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of them in the Bible and people, as they find them, publish them for others to see. I did a search on line and there is no record of this one, so you are probably the very first people since Genesis was written to see this.

I’ll pass it around for you and I’ll try to remember to post it on the video as well. A chiasm says something in order and then turns around and says it in the opposite order, making an X. The Greek letter for X is called chi and so these are called “chiasms.” I hope you enjoy this one.

Genesis 23:10-18 – Abraham Buries His Dead
A Purchase of Land (10/15/2012)

a (7) sons of Heth
b (9) the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his
field
c (10) – in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the
gate of his city
d (11) – the field and the cave that is in it
e (11) – in the presence of the sons of my people
f (11) – Bury your dead!”
g (12, 13) – Abraham spoke to Ephron
x (13) “If you will give it, please hear me. I
will give you money for the field;
take it from me and I will bury my
dead there.”
g (14) Ephron answered Abraham
f (15) – So bury your dead.”
e (16) – in the hearing of the sons of Heth
d (17) – the field and the cave which was in it
c (18) – in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who entered
at the gate of his city
b (19) the cave of the field of Machpelah
a (20) sons of Heth

There is a second chiasm that I found in this chapter as well which we’ll get to later. Wonderful treasures hidden in God’s word! Anyway, Abraham gets up and bows to the people as a sign of respect and thanks and then he makes his desire known…

⁸ And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me, ⁹ that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field.

Abraham repeats what he said earlier and adds to it. His statement, “If it is your wish” acknowledges their agreement. He will be allowed to bury his beautiful wife who is now returning to the dust. This verse is basically saying, “Because you agree, please meet with Ephron on my behalf as I’d like to buy the cave of Machpelah.”

This name of this cave means “double” and its probably a cave within a cave or a cave linked to another cave and is something that he’s both aware of and wants. The Bible doesn’t tell why he wanted it, but being “double” means it would have enough room for others. Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah will all be buried there, along with Abraham.

^{9 (con’t)} Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”

Abraham has already been offered any place among the people, and without cost, but that isn’t how the world works and Abraham knows it. To accept a gift like this would be rude and the offer was one of respect, but shouldn’t really be considered as a freebie.

Understanding this, he asks for it using the term mah-lay kesef or at full money or full weight. Silver was the mode of money and it would have been weighed out to the required weight. “I want this and I will pay what it is worth.”

This is similar to what he did when he defeated the four kings and returned all the booty to the king of Sodom in Genesis 14 –

²¹ Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” ²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, ²³ that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

Abraham didn’t want anything later to interfere with what he was buying now. Instead of being a leech on those around him, he wanted to be a man who paid his bills and owed no one. What he wanted would be paid for free and clear. Paul tells us in the New Testament to live our lives in the same way –

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

We’re asked to not get ourselves into debt because when we do, we’re in bondage to the lender. Unfortunately, both as individuals and especially as a society, we’ve rejected this principle. The Bible asks us to correct it because when we don’t, we only become enslaved to someone other than our rightful Master.

¹⁰ Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying, ¹¹ “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you. Bury your dead!”

In what may seem to us as a complicated ritual, this is simply the way these things were done and still are done in many areas of the world. Abraham asks for a place to bury his dead and the leader offers a place freely. Then Abraham offers to pay for a specific location which he has actually been freely offered.

Then Ephron the owner speaks up, in the presence of “all who entered at the gate of his city.” “No my lord, I have given you (past tense) the field and the cave… It’s yours and that’s it.” Ephron notes that his gracious offer is in the people’s presence. But it’s also done in the gate of the city.

This is the place where legal transactions occur and everyone there is either a judge or a witness. Abraham could, right at this point, say “Ok, thank you” and it would be his, but the customs and propriety would never allow that. An offer of free land isn’t free.

¹² Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land; ¹³ and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.”

Abraham, following what to us is a confusing ritual, bows in gratitude that the offer has been made and now he leaves himself just as open to being cheated as Ephron just did for him. In the “hearing of the people” meaning in full view of judges and witnesses, He basically says, “Seeing as you will give it to me, then you will also let me pay for it.”

But here is the part that we shouldn’t miss. Abraham asked for the cave. Ephron offered the field and the cave, even though the field was never mentioned by Abraham. This means if Abraham wants the cave, the field has to go with it.

Ephron wants to retire from this deal. Even though he offered them for free, he knows Abraham will counteroffer with payment. But Abraham only mentions the field in the counter offer, not the cave. There is much more going on here than you may imagine.

He is buying both, but he is allowing Ephron to appear noble by selling the field and giving the cave as a bonus. What is happening here is wheeling and dealing at its best and yet it’s done in a way that no one will really be a loser – even if Ephron is dishonest in the field’s price.

Ephron gets rich off a field that’s not worth whatever he asks and Abraham gets a cave as a gift when he pays too much for a field that he doesn’t need…. All very simple, right? Wait till you see what all of this symbolically represents.

¹⁴ And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, ¹⁵ “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”

The Hebrew doesn’t say “the land is worth four hundred shekels.” Ephron uses an idiom that needs to be translated this way for us to understand. And we should understand… “Listen Abe, a land of four hundred shekels, pshaw, what is that between good friends like you and me. Just bury your dead and forget about the money.”

Abraham was offered the land for free, knowing it wasn’t really free. Then he offers to pay full value – whatever it is, knowing that payment is necessary, but setting himself up for any amount by not giving an advanced amount… which he could have done.

Now Ephron pulls a figure out of the sky… somewhere way up by the North Star, but he says, “Gee, that field is worth sooo much, but that enormous price doesn’t matter to me – just bury your dead.”

Abraham now has one more chance to take the field for free. If he does, he’d look like a scab for not paying. If he turns it down, then he’d look like a poor wheeler-dealer. And so there is but one option…pay the high cost and receive the cave that went along with the expensive field.

What is even more important in this confusing story is what this purchase points to. Ask yourself, “Why is this story here at all? Why did God include all of these complicated details about a land purchase?” People die all the time and land is bought all the time, but they’re not in the Bible. Why is this one?

I had to ask myself this too and it wasn’t until a day later as I was completing the sermon that I realized it. Before we finish today, you will know too.

¹⁶ And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.

Four hundred shekels of silver go to Ephron at the gate of the city where the judges preside. Ephron has a lot of money, and Abraham has a field and a cave. But before we get to our last thought of the day, I’d like to remind you about what happened in chapter 20.

Abraham received Sarah back from Abimelech the King of Gerar, and when he did the king gave him 1000 weight of silver to cover the matter of what happened. God not only watched over Sarah then, He also ensured the right place would be there in her death.

And Abraham had 600 of silver left over as a blessing from the Lord. This is what God does. When Sarah was taken by the king, it was probably a very stressful time for them. But God turned it around for good. And not only that, He gave them a blessing for later.

And this is exactly what He will do for each of us. When something bad happens in our lives, we have to trust that not only will it turn out for good, but God will actually bless us abundantly in the process.

Of all the people you will ever meet, I am the most opposed of all to the “prosperity gospel” which says we will get rich and have a lot of stuff if we give to the church. And yet I am completely convinced that in the end, a faithful life will receive more blessings than any of us could possibly imagine… and I can imagine a lot.

III. Permanent Ownership of the Land

¹⁷ So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded ¹⁸ to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

The purchase is complete and everything is restated to ensure it is completely understood by us. Who the owner was, who the buyer and new owner is, what the price was, and that everything – every single thing – including the field, cave, borders, and even the trees are included. Nothing has been left unattended to.

This was in the presence of the sons of Heth and in the place of legal transactions – the city gates. All of this detail. Are you wondering why?

¹⁹ And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Abraham asked for this spot to bury his dead. Now he buries his princess. Undisputed right and title to the land and cave is acknowledged by this verse. Her burial is noted to confirm this. Her presence is the formal title deed of the transaction.

Just so you know, this chapter contains the first biblical record of mourning for the dead, of burial, of owned land property, of purchased land property, and that silver is used for a land purchase.

It’s also laid out in a special structure, given to us by God to show us what He is doing and why. Chiasms aren’t just a mere curiosity of literature to God. They are placed in the Bible to reveal His mind.

In addition to the chiasm is the introduction of the small letter kaph in the middle of a particular word for a particular reason. And all of it … all of it, points to Christ. Stand by for the explanation of why this chapter records such minute detail and what it means to you.

²⁰ So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.

This final verse of the chapter is a shortened repetition of verses 17 and 18. One must ask, why? Why is this repeated? The answer is that this forms another mini chiasm. And we have to note that this chiasm centers on the burial of Sarah, just as the previous one did.

a. so the field of Machpelah… before Mamre…the field and the cave in
it… were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth
x. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of
Machpelah
a. so the field of Machpelah… before Mamre…the field and the cave in
it… were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth

This is no mistake, it isn’t arbitrary, and God is trying to tell us something if we will just open our thick skulls. What we need to do is to determine what it is. So let’s take a few minutes and look at details that we could actually talk about for several more hours.

I can only give you an overview of how important this story is and how it points to God’s love for you. And as far as I know, you are the first people in history to hear this…

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Abraham’s bride is dead, but she is the mother of the promised son. In last week’s sermon, he was given a preview of substitution for atonement and the resurrection when he was on Mount Moriah.

In today’s chapter, he becomes a picture of Christ. He has no title deed to the land and so he must make a purchase. In this story Abraham was called nesi elohim or a prince of God. Jesus is noted as God’s Prince in both Isaiah and Acts.

He wants a place to bury his dead in anticipation of the resurrection, and in order to get it, he must take the land with the cave. And in actuality, it is the land which is being purchased; the cave is given as a part of the deal. Are you seeing it yet?

You see, back in Genesis 3, the devil obtained the title deed to the earth. This is proven in Matthew 4 where the Bible says – “Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

More to the point though, the earth is the repository for the human soul. This is noted time and time again in the Bible. Let’s go through and see how the land deal went –

Abraham wants the cave, the repository for his dead, and asks the sons of Heth to go to Ephron and sell it.

Ephron means “of the dust” and he is a picture of Adam, who was created from the dust (see 1 Corinthians 15:48) and thus he represents all of us.  Adam, the man of the dust, was deceived and now belongs to the devil (see 1 John 3). The name of Ephron’s father is Zohar which means “brightness” or “shining.”

Zohar then is a picture of Satan, the ruler and title owner of the world. Paul writes this about Satan, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14

This story is a picture of our redemption. Adam gave up the title to the earth when he sinned. Jesus came to buy it back.

Heth means “terror” and is a picture of all the people of the world who live in fear of death because they cannot meet God’s law. When it was given at Mount Sinai, the people trembled and asked not to hear God speak to them directly again.

Since the law was given, men have lived in terror because there is no way we can meet it as Paul clearly explains in Galatians 3. It condemns all to death. These sons of Heth, or “sons of terror” are witnesses of what will transpire.

Hebrews 2 explains this – “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

“Through death He might destroy him who had the power of death…” Sarah’s death and burial is a picture of this!

The sons of Heth first offer any place Abraham chooses. But not any place will do. Abraham specifically asks for the cave of Ephron, the son of Zohar, and offers the full price for it.

Jesus asks specifically for the cave of Adam and his seed. The people of the world have many choices of religion, but only one will do. Jesus has come to buy the place where his bride will lie in repose awaiting what He knows will be the resurrection. But Satan doesn’t know this.

Ephron the son of Zohar, picturing Adam son of the devil, willingly offers the field and the cave for free in the presence of witnesses and Abraham declines stating that payment will be made for the field. Jesus determines, like Abraham, that the full price for the title deed to the earth will be paid. There will be no later claims against his ownership.

The devil offers the title deed to Jesus for a mere act of worship as we saw in Matthew 4, but Jesus denied the devil. The devil next tries to stop Jesus when he indicates that what He is proposing will involve His death. When did this occur? It was when Peter tried to stop Jesus in Matthew 16 –

“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. ²² Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” ²³ But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

The devil has lost out a second time to Jesus, just as Abraham declines free land for the second time.

Ephron then says the land is very expensive – 400 shekels – a high price indeed. He notes that Abraham doesn’t need to pay such a high price – “You don’t need the land, just bury your dead.” Abraham declines again and offers the full price.

The devil freely offers Jesus to bury his wife, His redeemed, because the title deed to the world is an exceedingly high price. “You don’t need the title deed to the land. It is too high a price. Just bury your dead.”

This is the third time Ephron freely offers the land. And when was the third time the devil tried to stop Jesus? It’s recorded in Matthew 27 –

While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

The devil finding no other way to stop what is happening goes back to his very first trick in the Bible, deceiving man by going through his wife. Eve was deceived and then got Adam to sin and now he is trying it again through the wife of Pilate. But it doesn’t work.

Abraham weighs out the money in silver. The four hundred shekels of silver represent a period of divine completion. God noted in Genesis 15 that the affliction of Abraham’s descendants would be 400 years until their freedom from bondage.

This amount of four hundred shekels for payment is symbolic of the full price being paid for our bondage and also that there is both a guarantee of an end to it, and a set time of redemption.

Jesus accepts the offer of the payment price for the land and understands that the cave – the tomb, is a part of the deal. Jesus pays the price at the cross of Calvary. The title deed is transferred, the right to the world is His, and the tomb is His reward.

These dealings between Ephron and Abraham were in the presence of witnesses at the city gate where legal transactions occurred. Jesus completed His work in the presence of witnesses in fulfillment the Law of Moses, which is the legal transaction necessary to fulfill the contract.

As He Himself said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

This still leaves one detail missing, why this particular cave –Machpelah? The name of the cave means “double” and it therefore signifies the double delivery from death. Jesus didn’t come to just purchase the title deed to the world for Jews, but He did it for gentiles as well. His death filled this double role.

Ephesians 2 – Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

All of this took place in a town called Kirjath Arba. This name means “City of the Four” and is a picture of the world which Jesus is reclaiming. The number four consistently designates the earth in the Bible – four corners or directions of the earth – “north, south, east, west;” the four elements – “earth, air, fire, water;” the four seasons – “spring, summer, autumn, winter;” etc.

Kirjath Arba however is also called Hebron in this chapter. This means “conjunction” or “joining” and takes us right back to Ephesians 2 where Christ made one bride out of two – Jew and Gentile.

Do you remember what I said a while ago about the money Abraham received from Abimelech? He gave Abraham 1000 weight of silver for a covering of what had happened to Sarah. Now Sarah is being buried in land that was paid for with that money.

Abimelech means “Father of the King.” The Father of King Jesus orchestrated all of this in the pages of His word to show us the marvel of what He would do through His own Son 1800 years later. Remember, Sarah means “princess.” She is a picture of us.

Jesus secured the right to the earth where His princess, His bride lies – waiting for the day when He will come again for her. Every story in Genesis is given in order and with specific details to show us this marvelous unfolding story of God’s love.

And as a last note, in verse 17, the word for “deeded” as in the title deed, is the word v’yakham. This word means “rose” or “stood up.” The selection of this word has mystified scholars throughout the ages. One Jewish scholar named Jarchi came rather close to why it was used.

He said that the reason for this particular phrase is that this field, with all belonging to it, came into the hands of a greater person; out of the hands of a private man into the hands of a king. And so, without even realizing what he had written, he clearly identified what had happened.

The King of the Universe bought back the title deed to the earth from the common man, Adam – symbolized by Ephron – “of the dust.” The transfer was from the lesser to the greater; from Adam to Jesus; from death to life. Jesus now has both the title deed and, because of the resurrection, the power over the tomb as well.

I should note to you that the term “sons of Heth” – symbolizing those who are in terror because of the demands of the law which condemns all to death, is used 8 times in this story. Eight is the number of “new beginnings” in the Bible. We, the sons of terror, are now free from the terror of death because of the high price Jesus paid on our behalf.

One more thing – silver was used for this land purchase. In reality, Jesus death was a result of a transaction in silver and that money was used to buy a field as well… a field known as Akel Dama, the Field of Blood.

So why is this story given? It is because this woman of God, Sarah, was the mother of the promised Seed who would destroy the works of the devil by paying a debt He didn’t owe to save the likes of you and me. And His reward was a tomb, a double tomb. The first half of the tomb was where He lay; the other half is where we will lay.

He was victorious over His half of the tomb and He is also victorious over our half if we simply accept the payment. Let me tell you how to…

Closing Verse: Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back. Isaiah 38:17

Next week – Genesis 24:1-11 (To Find a Wife)

Buried but not Forgotten

Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years
These were the years of Sarah’s life
So Sarah died and Abraham came to shed tears
It was in Hebron of Canaan that he mourned for his wife

Then Abraham stood up from before his dead
And spoke to the sons of Heth saying
I am a foreigner here, wherever I lay, that is my bed
And now for a burial place from you I am praying

Give me property for a burial place among you
That I may bury my dead out of the place of my view

And the sons of Heth answered Abraham from their faces
“Here us my lord, you are a mighty prince among us
Bury your dead in the choicest of places
None of us will withhold from you a place, it is decreed thus

Then Abraham stood and bowed himself low
To the people of the land, the sons of Heth
And he spoke with them saying that if this is so
He desired a special cave for Sarah to rest in her death

“If you wish that I bury my dead out of my sight
Hear me and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me
That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, it is just right
It is at the end of his field, go look and see

Let him give it to me at the full price
As a property for a burial place among you
The one I want is suitable and nice
The one belonging to Ephron, it’s true

Of the sons of Heth, Ephron was one
And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham
In the presence of all of them, not just one
Who entered at the gate of the city with an ox or a lamb

“No my lord, instead please hear me
I give you the field and the cave that is in it
I give it to you in the presence of my people, it’s free
I give it to you, bury your dead, this I permit

Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land
And he spoke to Ephron as a wish, not a command

If you will give it, please hear me
I will give you money for the field
Take it from me, I will pay what you ask, you see
And I will bury my dead there, for this I have appealed

And Ephron answered Abraham, to him saying
“My lord listen, the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver
What is that between you and me, I am praying
So bury your dead, this message I deliver

And Abraham listened to Ephron and weighed the silver
Which Ephron had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth
Four hundred shekels of silver he did deliver
Currency of the merchants, to purchase a place for resting in death

So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah
Which was before Mamre, the field and the cave
And the all the trees that in the field he saw
Which were within the borders for silver he gave

These were deeded to Abraham as a possession
In the presence of the sons of Heth
Before the gate of the city, its thronging procession
Abraham purchased the place for resting in death

And after this Abraham buried Sarah his wife in…
The cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre
Which is in Hebron in the land of Canaan
Because the field and the cave now were his, you see

They were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth
For property as a burial place for resting in death

But death isn’t the end for Sarah that faithful soul
Because the story continues on and it is glorious indeed
There is One who came from her who would open the scroll
And restore eternal life to Adam’s fallen seed

Jesus is the Promised One
Born of a woman and yet God’s own Son

And through His obedient life
He has purchased for Himself a spotless wife

These things are pictured in the Bible’s holy pages
And they have been loved and cherished for ages and ages

Take time each day to read this beautiful word
And take it to heart each and every day
It tells us of this wonderful Lord
Who prevailed over the devil and so let us say

Great and awesome God, in your light we shall trod
And so for all of our days, let us give You all of our praise

Hallelujah and Amen…