Abraham is now one hundred and thirty seven years of age. Sarah is one hundred and twenty seven years old and Isaac is thirty six.[1]

   After Abraham and his son came down from the mountain in the land of Moriah, “they … travelled home again to Beersheba, where Abraham lived for quite some time.” (Genesis 22:19). But now the focus shifts back to Hebron. Griffiths Thomas[2] suggests that it is more than likely “that Abraham had two establishments with separate flocks and herds, one at Beersheba … and the other at Hebron …”       

   Abraham has entered the twilight years of his life. Only thirty eight years or a little over a quarter of his life on earth are left to him. Continuing our exploration we find that we can identify with the life experiences of the closing years of his life. We come firstly to the time when there was ...

A Death In The Family. (Read Chapter 23)

It is possible that Abraham is away in Beersheba at this time. If that is so, he would have returned quickly to Hebron on receiving the news of Sarah’s death. We read that “When Sarah was 127 years old she died at Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron) in the land of Canaan.” (vs. 1-2a).

   This was a time of great grief for Abraham as there in Hebron he “mourned and wept for her.” (vs. 2b). They had been together for well over a hundred years. They had come through the storms of life together, established a prosperous business on the land, brought up their family, and most importantly, grown in their faith.

   Grief is something that all of us will experience sometime in our lives, perhaps many times. It may be the death of a loved one, the waywardness of a child, the sorrow after a disappointment, the hurt caused by a friend. No matter the cause, the Lord is there to take us through. No matter how great the grief, his love is greater. “For the LORD does not abandon anyone forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.” (Lamentations 3:31-33).

   For God’s people, hope walks side by side with the grief. As Paul reminded those in Thessalonica, “And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). And as Jesus himself said to Martha in her grief over the death of her brother, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. Do you believe this Martha?” (John 11:25-26).

   The decision for Sarah’s burial to be in Canaan reveals the depth of Abraham and Sarah’s faith in God. Because of the cultural and religious practices built around the respect for ancestral spirits, it was customary in the Middle East for people to be buried in the place of their ancestors. But Abraham and Sarah had left behind them, on the other side of the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia, the gods worshipped by their ancestors. They had put their complete faith in Jehovah, the creator God of all people. No doubt they had discussed their place of burial beforehand and so Abraham did not hesitate to look for a suitable spot. Following the cultural ways of doing business he was able to negotiate the purchase of a plot of land near to their home in Hebron.[3] Included were the cave and trees that were on the land. “They became Abraham’s permanent possession by the agreement made in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. So Abraham buried Sarah there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, which is at Hebron. The field and the cave were sold to Abraham by the Hittites as a permanent burial place.” (vs. 18-20).

    And now we come to the time in these twilight years when there was ...

A Wedding In The Family. (Read Chapter 24)

As the final chapters of his life unfold, Abraham’s thoughts turn to his son Isaac who is forty years old[4] and not yet married. And so he talks to his most senior servant about finding a wife for him.

An Important Decision.

   Choosing a life partner is one of life’s most critical decisions. We discover some helpful guidelines in this story …

-    God’s people ought not to look for a life partner among those who do not know him. This is why Abraham said to his trusted servant, “Swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not let my son marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.” (vs. 3-4).

-    We should look for one who shares a desire to serve the Lord. The girl for Isaac must be one who is willing to leave her home country to serve the Lord in Canaan. Isaac must not leave Canaan, the land to which he is called, and return to Haran. Abraham makes it clear to his servant. “Be careful never to take my son there. For the LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my offspring.” (vs. 6-7). Paul’s warning to God’s people in every generation is equally clear. “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).

-    The Lord can be trusted to arrange things perfectly. He will see to it that the paths of the couple he has planned for each other cross at the right time. He goes ahead to prepare the way. As Jesus said of himself by way of an illustration drawn from a shepherd and his sheep, “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t recognize his voice.” (John 10:4-5). Abraham shares this confidence with his servant. “The LORD, the God of heaven … will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a young woman there to be my son’s wife.” (vs. 7).

A Sure Guide.

   The servant of Abraham is led by the Lord …

-    To the right place. “He travelled to Aram-naharaim and went to the village where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled.” (vs. 10b). He was led not only to the right village but to exactly the right spot. “There the servant made the camels kneel down beside a well just outside the village.” (vs. 11a).

-    To arrive at the right time. “It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water.” (vs. 11b).

-    To the right person. The servant asks the Lord for a sign that enable him to make the right decision. The one who responds in a certain way to his request for a drink of water will be the girl for Isaac. “And as he was still praying, a young woman named Rebekah arrived with a water jug on her shoulder.” (vs. 15). She is engaged in the everyday activities of her life. She is doing what she does at this time each day. But today is different. She is about to meet someone who has news that will change the direction of her life.

The Right Girl.

   A question comes to mind. Why was she the right girl for Isaac? We find the answer as the story unfolds.

-    She was from the right group of people, as Abraham had requested. “Her father was Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.” (vs. 15).

-    She possessed the right kind of beauty. As well as her outward beauty she had the inner beauty of purity that Peter encouraged his readers to desire. “You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. That is the way the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.” (1 Peter 3:4-5). Rebekah is this kind of girl. “Now Rebekah was very beautiful and she was a virgin; no man had ever slept with her.” (vs. 16).

-    Her family approves of the marriage. When the servant presented the proposal to them, “Laban and Bethuel replied, ‘The LORD has obviously brought you here, so what can we say? Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has directed.’ ” (vs. 50).

-    Rebekah herself agreed. “So they called Rebekah. ‘Are you willing to go with this man?’ they asked her. And she replied, ‘Yes, I will go.’ ” (vs. 58).

-    She brought strength and stability to the marriage. “And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother’s tent and she became his wife. He loved her very much and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.” (vs. 67).

-    The reason that draws together all of the above is that Rebekah was the right girl for Isaac because she was chosen by the Lord. Allen Ross[5] comments,

So the choice of a bride for Isaac was God’s. The sign confirmed it. Laban recognized it. Rebekah complied with it. Those who do the will of God, prayerfully and obediently, are led by God. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

An Instructive Picture.

   The Scriptures portray the church as the bride of Christ. Paul for instance, writes to the church in Corinth. “I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2). John was shown this picture of the church. “And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband …Then one of seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ ” (Revelation 21:2, 9).

   In the story before us then, Isaac may be seen as a type of Christ, and the servant, of the Holy Spirit. Just as Abraham’s servant went looking for a bride for Isaac so the Holy Spirit is searching out a people who will make up the church, the bride of Christ. Notice some of the features in this picture …

-    The servant was sent by the father. Remember what Abraham said to him. “Go … to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.” (vs. 4). Jesus says this of the coming of the Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counsellor, who will never leave you … But when the Father sends the Counsellor as my representative—and by the Counsellor I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.” (John 14:16, 26).

-    The servant comes loaded with gifts from the father. “He loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with gifts and set out, taking with him the best of everything his master owned.” (vs. 10a). Likewise the Holy Spirit brings with him a wonderful range of gifts from God. Jesus said, “If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11). And Paul writes, “How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3).

-     He is courteous in his approach. “Running over to her, the servant asked, ‘Please give me a drink.’ ” (vs. 17). He is not intrusive. He waits patiently for her response. “The servant watched her in silence, wondering whether or not she was the one the LORD intended him to meet.” (vs. 21). On meeting her family he waits until the invitation is given for him to join them. “Laban said to him, ‘Come and stay with us, you who are blessed by the LORD. Why do you stand here outside the village when we have a room all ready for you and a place prepared for the camels?’ ” (vs. 31). Likewise the Lord in the person of the Holy Spirit does not force entry into our lives. He waits for an invitation. “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal as friends … Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 3:20, 22). He talks only with those who will listen.

-     He carefully explains his master’s plans for Isaac. " 'I am Abraham’s servant,' he explained. 'And and the LORD has blessed my master richly. He has become a great man. The LORD has …” (read vs. 34-49). The servant explained his master's plans for Isaac just as the Holy Spirit explains the ways of the Lord to those who will listen to him. Jesus promised, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16:13).

-    The servant gives glory to God. " 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham,' he said. 'The LORD has been so kind and faithful to Abraham, for he has led me straight to  my master’s relatives.' "(vs. 27). This is one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit—to glorify the Lord, to make him a reality in our lives. He does not want praise directed to himself. Jesus continues, “He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me.” (John 16:14-15).

The Final Call. (Read Chapter 25:1-11)

Abraham is now a very old man. His final call from the Lord is to show his family and others how to die.

The Most Valuable Gift.

Abraham’s greatest blessing is the many children and grandchildren around him. Besides Isaac and Ishmael and their children there are now others from his second marriage. “Now Abraham married again. Keturah was his new wife and she bore him …” (read vs. 1-4).

   The Psalm writer tells us that, “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hands. How happy is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.” (Psalm 127:3-5). And Solomon adds, “Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.” (Proverbs 17:6).

Careful Preparation.

Abraham was mindful to put his affairs in order while he remained mentally alert and in control. “Abraham left everything he owned to his son Isaac. But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to the east, away from Isaac.” (vs. 5-6). While Isaac is the main beneficiary, the families he shared with Hagar and Keturah are well provided for prior to his death. Henry Morris[6] comments …

    The few intimations of the names of the sons of Keturah that have appeared in the archaeological inscriptions do seem to confirm the statement of verse 6 that they were sent by Abraham into the east country, which would mean into Arabia. Through millennia of migrations and intermarriages, it seems likely that all of these peoples, together with the descendants of Ishmael, Lot, and Esau, along with earlier descendants of Shem and, in some cases, Ham, have gradually merged and become the modern day Arabic peoples.

   Before he died, Abraham endowed all the sons of Keturah, as well as Ishmael, the son of Hagar (Keturah and Hagar are both called ‘concubines’ at this time, to distinguish them from his primary wife Sarah), with ‘gifts’, no doubt a reference to an adequate provision for each to have a reasonable start on his own flocks and herds. The bulk of his inheritance , however, he gave to Isaac.
 

Kept Until Life’s Work Is Completed.

Abraham lived to see his son Isaac settled in the land. The beginnings of the new nation are well established. The Messianic line will continue through Isaac. “Abraham lived for 175 years and he died at a ripe old age, joining his ancestors in death.” (vs. 7). This refers to taking his place with those who have died with faith in God. Henry Morris[7] points out that, “The location of such departed spirits was, nineteen hundred years later, actually called ‘Abraham’s bosom’ ” (Luke 16:22).

   Long life is a gift from the Lord. “The LORD says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honour them. I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation.’ ” (Psalm 91:14-16).

   Abraham did not live to see all of God’s promises to him fulfilled. But he, like Paul, “fought a good fight … finished the race … and remained faithful.” (2 Timothy 4:7). He now waits in the company of all those who faith is in God. He waits with them to share in the prize, ‘the crown of righteousness.’ (2 Timothy 4:8). The Scriptures declare, “All of these people we have mentioned received God’s approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had far better things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can’t receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race.” (Hebrews 11:39-40).