The Births of Esau and Jacob

A clear display of God’s sovereignty.

Genesis 25:19-26 (NLT)
The Births of Esau and Jacob
¹⁹ This is the account of the family of Isaac, the son of Abraham. ²⁰ When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.
²¹ Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. ²² But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.
²³ And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”
²⁴ And when the time came to give birth, Rebekah discovered that she did indeed have twins! ²⁵ The first one was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau. ²⁶ Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. So they named him Jacob.  Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 25:19-34 (NLT)
The Births of Esau and Jacob
¹⁹ This is the account of the family of Isaac, the son of Abraham. ²⁰ When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

• Part of God’s sovereign plan was for Isaac to marry Rebekah. (Romans 9:7-12 clearly supports this bullet point.)

Refer to Family Tree

Genesis 24:15 (NLT)
Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.

 Near Haran

Terah, Abraham’s father died in Haran.

 ²¹ Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children.

Rebekah was barren for 20 years.

Genesis 25:20 (NLT)
When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah …

Genesis 25:26 (NLT)
…. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

• Isaac’s wife, Rebecca, was barren for twenty years.

• Unlike Abraham, Isaac pleaded with the Lordon behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children.

Remember the Promise:

Genesis 12:1-2 (NLT)
¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.

Genesis 15:3-5 (NLT)
³ You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” ⁵ Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Genesis 22:17 (NLT)
I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.

The Pattern:

Genesis 16:1 (NLT)
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. 

Genesis 25:21 (NLT)
Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife (Rebekah), because she was unable to have children.

Genesis 29:31 (NLT)
Jacob’s Many Children
³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.

• Sarai, Abram’s wife, Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, and Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were all unable to have children.

• God’s sovereignty supersedes physical limitations.

The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. 

 Compare Isaac and Rebekah’s behavior to Abraham and Sarah’s behavior.  Abraham and Sarah tried to work out God’s plan on their own.  Isaac and Rebekah took their concerns to the Lord.

• The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer and Rebekah became pregnant.

²² But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it.

 Like Isaac, Rebekah took her concerns to the Lord.

 “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.

Hosea 12:3 (NLT)
Even in the womb,
Jacob struggled with his brother;
when he became a man,
he even fought with God.

 Why is this happening? 

• God chooses people according to his own purposes;he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.

 Romans 9:7-13 (NLT)
⁷ Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.⁸ This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. ⁹ For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
¹⁰ This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. ¹¹ But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; ¹² he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” ¹³ In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” 

• God sets individuals apart and appoints them to specific callings.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NLT)
⁴ The Lord gave me (Jeremiah) this message:
⁵ “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

 Galatians 1:15-16 (NLT)
¹⁵ But even before I (Paul) was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him ¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

Psalm 139:16 (NLT)
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed. 

• God’s plans began in eternity past and will be accomplished and completed in eternity future. (Human understanding cannot accurately capture this thought.)

²³ And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals.

 Israelites vs. Edomites

 One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

The older serving the younger was not the natural order.

God decides when nations rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

Acts 17:26 (NLT)
From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

Psalm 22:27-28 (NLT)
²⁷ The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.
All the families of the nations will bow down before him.
²⁸ For royal power belongs to the Lord.
He rules all the nations.

Job 12:23 (NLT)
He builds up nations, and he destroys them.
He expands nations, and he abandons them.

Psalm 66:7 (NLT)
For by his great power he rules forever.
He watches every movement of the nations;
let no rebel rise in defiance. 

• Power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations.

• God’s sovereignty supersedes tradition and culture. 

²⁴ And when the time came to give birth, Rebekah discovered that she did indeed have twins! ²⁵ The first one was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau. 

Hairy
(red-see verse 30)
The red man

²⁶ Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. So they named him Jacob. 

To watch from behind
One who grabs the heel
One who trips up
He whom God protect

 Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

The Death of Abraham

Genesis 25:1-18 (NLT)
¹ Abraham married another wife, whose name was Keturah. ² She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.³ Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s descendants were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. ⁴ Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. These were all descendants of Abraham through Keturah.
⁵ Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. ⁶ But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to a land in the east, away from Isaac.
⁷ Abraham lived for 175 years, ⁸ and he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. ⁹ His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. ¹⁰ This was the field Abraham had purchased from the Hittites and where he had buried his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who settled near Beer-lahai-roi in the Negev.
Ishmael’s Descendants
¹² This is the account of the family of Ishmael, the son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian servant. ¹³ Here is a list, by their names and clans, of Ishmael’s descendants: The oldest was Nebaioth, followed by Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These twelve sons of Ishmael became the founders of twelve tribes named after them, listed according to the places they settled and camped. ¹⁷ Ishmael lived for 137 years. Then he breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. ¹⁸ Ishmael’s descendants occupied the region from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt in the direction of Asshur. There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 25:1-18 (NLT)
The Death of Abraham
¹ Abraham (approximately 140 years old) married another wife, whose name was Keturah. 

 1 Chronicles 1:32-33 (NLT)
³² The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
The sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan.
³³ The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
All these were descendants of Abraham through his concubine Keturah.

 ² She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.³ Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s descendants were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. ⁴ Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. These were all descendants of Abraham through Keturah.

 Refer to genealogy chart.

When Moses fled the wrath of Pharaoh, he traveled to Midian (Exodus 2:15). There, Moses met and married his wife, Zipporah, and served his father-in-law, Jethro, as a shepherd for forty years.

The Midianites were the descendants of Midian and therefore children of Abraham. They settled in “the land of the east” (Genesis 25:6). Most scholars believe the land of Midian was officially on both sides of the Gulf of Aqaba, although the Midianites showed nomadic tendencies later in their history. 

• Abraham’s genealogy includes six sons through his wife (concubine) Keturah.

A concubine has a lower status than a wife.

⁵ Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. 

• Isaac was the rightful heir of Abraham’s estate.

More importantly:

The promise (God’s covenant) was first made to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21), then confirmed to his son Isaac (Genesis 26:3), and then to Isaac’s son Jacob (Genesis 28:13), Abraham’s grandson.

Genesis 17: 21 (NLT)
²¹ … my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.”

 Genesis 26:2-4  (NLT)
² The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. ³ Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. ⁴ I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 

• God’s covenant with Abraham was confirmed with Isaac. 

Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT)
⁶ For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.

More about Isaac to follow in future lessons.

 ⁶ But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to a land in the east, away from Isaac.

 The earliest ancestors of the Arabs??

Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, but these sons were never considered to be Israelites, or God’s chosen people.

• The sons of Abraham’s concubines were not considered a part of the Jewish nation.

⁷ Abraham lived for 175 years, ⁸ and he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. 

 Rabbit trail:

No one is indispensable. God’s plan is bigger than individuals.

James 4:14 (NLT)
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)
Living by the Spirit’s Power
¹⁵ So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. ¹⁶ Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. ¹⁷ Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

⁹ His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. ¹⁰ This was the field Abraham had purchased from the Hittites and where he had buried his wife Sarah. 

• Isaac and Ishmael reunited to bury their father.

 ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who settled near Beer-lahai-roi in the Negev.

 The torch (God’s blessing) was passed on to Isaac.

Ishmael’s Descendants

Genesis 17:20-21 (NLT)
²⁰ As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.²¹ But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.”

¹² This is the account of the family of Ishmael, the son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian servant. ¹³ Here is a list, by their names and clans, of Ishmael’s descendants: The oldest was Nebaioth, followed by Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These twelve sons of Ishmael became the founders of twelve tribes named after them, listed according to the places they settled and camped.  

• God also blessed Ishmael with numerous descendants. 

¹⁷ Ishmael lived for 137 years. Then he breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. ¹⁸ Ishmael’s descendants occupied the region from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt in the direction of Asshur.

 There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives.

 Israel’s neighbors

Ishmael’s descendants lived in open hostility toward all their relatives.

 

In Biblical times, there were certain nations who were specifically identified as the descendants of Keturah, such as the nation of Midian. Today, however, the children of Keturah have more or less assimilated in with the children of Ishmael.

Mission Accomplished!

Genesis 24:50-67 (NLT)
⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. ⁵¹ Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”
⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. ⁵³ Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and presented them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. ⁵⁴ Then they ate their meal, and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight.
But early the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, “Send me back to my master.”
⁵⁵ “But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least ten days,” her brother and mother said. “Then she can go.”
⁵⁶ But he said, “Don’t delay me. The Lord has made my mission successful; now send me back so I can return to my master.”
⁵⁷ “Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.”⁵⁸ So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her
.And she replied, “Yes, I will go.”
⁵⁹ So they said good-bye to Rebekah and sent her away with Abraham’s servant and his men. The woman who had been Rebekah’s childhood nurse went along with her. ⁶⁰ They gave her this blessing as she parted:
“Our sister, may you become
the mother of many millions!
May your descendants be strong
and conquer the cities of their enemies.”
⁶¹ Then Rebekah and her servant girls mounted the camels and followed the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
⁶² Meanwhile, Isaac, whose home was in the Negev, had returned from Beer-lahai-roi. ⁶³ One evening as he was walking and meditating in the fields, he looked up and saw the camels coming. ⁶⁴ When Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camel.⁶⁵ “Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?” she asked the servant.
And he replied, “It is my master.” So Rebekah covered her face with her veil. ⁶⁶ Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done.
⁶⁷ And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.

Examine the Scriptures

Review:

Genesis 24:12 (NLT) (The servant’s prayer)
¹² “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham.

Genesis 24:50-67 (NLT)
⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. 

“The Lord has obviously brought you here.”

• Laban and Bethuel recognized that God was actively working through Abraham’s servant.

¹ Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”

 “… as the Lord has directed.”

God was directing these events and Laban and Bethuel, along with others, were responding appropriately.

 ⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. 

“… he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord.”

Genesis 24:26-27 (NLT)
²⁶ The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. ²⁷ “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.”

 Genesis 24:48 (NLT) (repeating Genesis 24:26-27)
⁴⁸ “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. 

• Abraham’s servant continued to recognize God’s sovereignty and continued to worship and praise the Lord.

 ⁵³ Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and presented them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. 

 “… expensive presents …” “Bride price” not dowry

• Presenting expensive presents to Laban and Bethuel finalized these arrangements.

 ⁵⁴ Then they ate their meal, and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight.

 But early the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, “Send me back to my master.”

 As before, Abraham’s servant wanted to get right down to business.

His mission was successful. (As a servant he had to be “dismissed”.)

 ³³ Then food was served. But Abraham’s servant said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.”

⁵⁵ “But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least ten days,” her brother and mother said. “Then she can go.”

Time to prepare for the departure. (a reasonable request.)

 ⁵⁶ But he said, “Don’t delay me. The Lord has made my mission successful;

 “The Lord has made my mission successful.”

Genesis 24:26-27 (NLT)
²⁶ The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. ²⁷ “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.”

Genesis 24:48 (NLT)
⁴⁸ “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. 

• God made Abraham’s servant mission successful. 

now send me back so I can return to my master.”
⁵⁷ “Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.”⁵⁸ So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her.

 And she replied, “Yes, I will go.” 

• When asked, Rebekah was willing to return immediately with Abraham’s servant.

 ⁵⁹ So they said good-bye to Rebekah and sent her away with Abraham’s servant and his men. The woman who had been Rebekah’s childhood nurse went along with her. ⁶⁰ They gave her this blessing as she parted:

 “Our sister, may you become
the mother of many millions!
May your descendants be strong
and conquer the cities of their enemies.”

 This blessing echoed the promises God made to Abraham.

• The blessing given to Rebekah echoed the promises God had previously made to Abraham.

 Genesis 13:14-16 (NLT)
¹⁴ After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. ¹⁵ I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. ¹⁶ And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!

Genesis 15:5-7 (NLT)
⁵ Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
⁶ And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
⁷ Then the Lord told him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”

Genesis 17:6-8 (NLT)
⁶ I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
⁷ “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸ And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” 

⁶¹ Then Rebekah and her servant girls mounted the camels and followed the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
⁶² Meanwhile, Isaac, whose home was in the Negev, had returned from Beer-lahai-roi.
 ⁶³ One evening as he was walking and meditating in the fields, he looked up and saw the camels coming. ⁶⁴ When Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camel.⁶⁵ “Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?” she asked the servant.
And he replied, “It is my master.” So Rebekah covered her face with her veil. ⁶⁶ Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done.
⁶⁷ And Isaac (age 40) brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.

• Rebekah became Isaac’s wife.

Review

Four participants:

Abraham in preparing for the future.

Genesis 24:1-4 (NLT)
A Wife for Isaac
¹ Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. ² One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. ³ Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. ⁴ Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”

The servant in carrying it out.

Genesis 24:9-10 (NLT)
⁹ So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions. ¹⁰ Then he loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram-naharaim. There he went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled.

Rebekah in responding to it.

Genesis 24:57-58 (NLT)
⁵⁷ “Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.”⁵⁸ So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her.
And she replied, “Yes, I will go.”

Human responsibility was evident

God in performing it.  27, 48, 50-51 God was not visibly active.  No word from God, no miracle, no prophetic oracle.

Genesis 12:2-3 (NLT)
² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

 Genesis 15:18-21 (NLT)
¹⁸ So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River— ¹⁹ the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, ²⁰ Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,²¹ Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

Genesis 17:3-8 (NLT)
³ At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,⁴ “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! ⁵ What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. ⁶ I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
⁷ “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸ And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

Genesis 24:6-7 (NLT)
⁶ “No!” Abraham responded. “Be careful never to take my son there. ⁷ 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 descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son.

Genesis 24:48 (NLT)
⁴⁸ “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife.

Genesis 24:50-51 (NLT)
⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. ⁵¹ Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”

God was behind the scenes directing the actions.

 

What role has God given to you?

Will your response be similar to that of Abraham’s servant?

            The mission continues.

Abraham’s servant:

Obedient
Respectful
A man of prayer
Patient
Dependable

Abraham’s servant introduced to Laban

Genesis 24:28-49 (NLT)
²⁸ The young woman ran home to tell her family everything that had happened. ²⁹ Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to meet the man at the spring. ³⁰ He had seen the nose-ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said. So he rushed out to the spring, where the man was still standing beside his camels. ³¹ Laban said to him, “Come and stay with us, you who are blessed by the Lord! Why are you standing here outside the town when I have a room all ready for you and a place prepared for the camels?”
³² So the man went home with Laban, and Laban unloaded the camels, gave him straw for their bedding, fed them, and provided water for the man and the camel drivers to wash their feet. ³³ Then food was served. But Abraham’s servant said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.”“All right,” Laban said, “tell us.”
³⁴ “I am Abraham’s servant,” he explained. ³⁵ “And the Lord has greatly blessed my master; he has become a wealthy man. The Lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and camels and donkeys.
³⁶ “When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns. ³⁷ And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. ³⁸ Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’
³⁹ “But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with me?’ ⁴⁰ He responded, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. ⁴¹ Then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you, you will be free from my oath.’
⁴² “So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission.⁴³ See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” ⁴⁴ If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.’
⁴⁵ “Before I had finished praying in my heart, I saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ ⁴⁶ She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she watered the camels.
⁴⁷ “Then I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, and my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
⁴⁸ “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. ⁴⁹ So tell me—will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 24:28-49 (NLT)
²⁸ The young woman ran home to tell her family everything that had happened. 

 Why do you think the young woman ran?

 ²⁹ Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to meet the man at the spring. 

“the man” again no name

Laban served as the grown spokesman for his father Bethuel’s house.

Laban played a key part in arranging the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah.

Genesis 24:50-55  (NLT)
⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. ⁵¹ Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”

 ⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. ⁵³ Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and presented them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. 

 ⁵⁴ Then they ate their meal, and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight.
But early the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, “Send me back to my master.”
⁵⁵ “But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least ten days,” her brother and mother said. “Then she can go.”

• Laban served as the spokesman for his father Bethuel’s house.

What do you know about Laban from other passages in scripture?

Abraham’s servant was described as obedient, respectful, a man of prayer, patient, and dependable

Laban proved to be crooked, deceptive, dishonest, double-dealing, fraudulent, shady, shifty, and underhanded.

Laban repeatedly mistreated Jacob throughout his and Jacob’s twenty-year relationship.

Genesis 31:38-42 (NLT)
³⁸ “For twenty years I have been with you, caring for your flocks. In all that time your sheep and goats never miscarried. In all those years I never used a single ram of yours for food. ³⁹ If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, I never showed you the carcass and asked you to reduce the count of your flock. No, I took the loss myself! You made me pay for every stolen animal, whether it was taken in broad daylight or in the dark of night.
⁴⁰ “I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights. ⁴¹ Yes, for twenty years I slaved in your house! I worked for fourteen years earning your two daughters, and then six more years for your flock. And you changed my wages ten times! ⁴² In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side—the God of Abraham and the fearsome God of Isaac—you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen your abuse and my hard work. 

• God can use anyone to carry out His plans.

 ³⁰ He had seen the nose-ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists,

Laban was impressed by the gold jewelry given to his sister on behalf of Isaac.

and had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said. So he rushed out to the spring, where the man was still standing beside his camels. 

 Why do you think Laban rushed out to meet Abraham’s servant?

 ³¹ Laban said to him, “Come and stay with us, 

• The sight of all of the gifts on the ten camels may have generated the warm welcome from Laban. (This is only an opinion.)

 you who are blessed by the Lord!

 This comment was made shortly after meeting Abraham’s servant.

Why did Laban make this comment?

More importantly, why would you make this comment about someone?

Proverbs 16:3  (NLT)
³ Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.

Behavior matters

Proverbs 20:11 (NLT)
¹¹ Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right. 

• We are known by the way we act, whether our conduct is pure, and whether it is right.

Christians are called to be salt and light

Matthew 5:13-16 (NLT)
Teaching about Salt and Light
¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Ephesians 4 (NLT)
¹ Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 

 ² Always be humble and gentle.

 Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 

 ³ Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

 ¹⁵ … speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

 ²³ … let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

 ²⁵ … stop telling lies.

 ²⁹ Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

 ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 

 ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT)
¹² Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

1 Peter 2:12 (NLT)
¹² Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors.

Proverbs 22:1 (NLT)
Choose a good reputation over great riches;
being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.

Matthew 7:16-17 (NLT)
¹⁶ You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. 

• Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. 

• We are known by the way we act, whether our conduct is pure, and whether it is right. (repeated) 

Why are you standing here outside the town when I have a room all ready for you and a place prepared for the camels?”

 ³² So the man went home with Laban,

and Laban unloaded the camels,

gave him straw for their bedding, fed them, and provided water for the man and the camel drivers to wash their feet. ³³ Then food was served. But Abraham’s servant said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.”

Abraham’s servant wanted to get right down to business.

“All right,” Laban said, “tell us.”

³⁴ “I am Abraham’s servant,” he explained. ³⁵ “And the Lord has greatly blessed my master; he has become a wealthy man. The Lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and camels and donkeys.
³⁶ “When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son,

 and my master has given him everything he owns. 

Told how God had blessed Abraham.

Verses 37-48 are a retelling of Genesis 24:9-26

Details matter!

³⁷ And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. ³⁸ Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’
³⁹ “But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with me?’ ⁴⁰ He responded, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. ⁴¹ Then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you, you will be free from my oath.’
⁴² “So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission.⁴³ See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” ⁴⁴ If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.’
⁴⁵ “Before I had finished praying in my heart, I saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ ⁴⁶ She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she watered the camels.
⁴⁷ “Then I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, and my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
⁴⁸ “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. 

 Told how God had blessed his mission.

A committed, faithful, and selfless servant.

• Details matter!

⁴⁹ So tell me—will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master?

Did the servant recognize Laban’s character?

Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next.”

 Abraham’s servant stayed focused.

• Get on with the business at hand.

Matthew 5:37 (NLT)
³⁷ Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

• Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

The Earnest Prayer of a Righteous Person Has Great Power and Produces Wonderful Results.

Obedience, prayer, worship and praise all combined together.

Genesis 24:10-27 (NLT)
¹⁰ Then he loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram-naharaim. There he went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled. ¹¹ He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water.
¹² “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. ¹³ See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴ This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’—let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.”
¹⁵ Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah. ¹⁶ Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. ¹⁷ Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.”
¹⁸ “Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. ¹⁹ When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” ²⁰ So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.
²¹ The servant watched her in silence, wondering whether or not the Lord had given him success in his mission. ²² Then at last, when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists.
²³ “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “And please tell me, would your father have any room to put us up for the night?”
²⁴ “I am the daughter of Bethuel,” she replied. “My grandparents are Nahor and Milcah. ²⁵ Yes, we have plenty of straw and feed for the camels, and we have room for guests.”
²⁶ The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. ²⁷ “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 24:10-27 (NLT)

¹⁰ Then he

 Abraham’s oldest servant, the man in charge of his household,

Genesis 15:2 (NLT)
But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth.

 Abraham’s oldest servant may have been Eliezer.  Scripture does not name the servant in chapter 24.

  loaded ten of Abraham’s camels

 Obedience

⁹ So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions.

 Ephesians 6:5 (NLT)
Slaves and Masters
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.

Colossians 3:22 (NLT)
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.

• Abraham’s servant obeyed his earthly master with deep respect.

 with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master,

Transport the gifts as well as transport the bride and her companions.

Gifts for the bride and her family.

and he traveled to distant Aram-naharaim. (Aram of the two rivers)

Between Euphrates and Tigris Rivers (or between Euphrates and Habur rivers.)

There he went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled. 

 The city of Nahor (Nakhur)

⁴ Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”

 Near Haran – 500 miles away (450-550)

• Abraham’s servant traveled a long distance in service to his earthly master.

 ¹¹ He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water.

 Camels rest kneeling.

The servant’s prayer.

 ¹² “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed.

 “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. 

He prayed for himself as well as for Abraham.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

• Abraham’s servant prayed for his earthly master.

 ¹³ See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴ This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ 

• Abraham’s servant’s prayer included very specific requests.

—let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.”

Asked for a sign

Judges 6:36-40 (NLT)
³⁶ Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, ³⁷ prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” ³⁸ And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” ⁴⁰ So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew. 

• Abraham’s servant prayed a prayer asking God for a sign.

¹⁵ Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.   (Isaac’s father’s grandniece)

 James 5:16 (NLT)
¹⁶ …. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

• Abraham’s servant prayed a prayer that had great power and produced wonderful results.

¹⁶ Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. ¹⁷ Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.”
¹⁸ “Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. ¹⁹ When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” 

10 camels would drink a lot of water.
25 gallons per camel.
8.5 X 25 = 212.5 lbs. x 10 = 2,125 lbs.  (Plus the weight of the water jug.)
This was beyond the call of duty.

 ²⁰ So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.

 ²¹ The servant watched her in silence, wondering whether or not the Lord had given him success in his mission. ²² Then at last, when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists. 

• Abraham’s servant was patient. (It would have taken a long time to water the ten camels.)

 ²³ “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “And please tell me, would your father have any room to put us up for the night?”

 ²⁴ “I am the daughter of Bethuel,” she replied. “My grandparents are Nahor and Milcah. ²⁵ Yes, we have plenty of straw and feed for the camels, and we have room for guests.”

 ⁴ Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives,

 ²⁶ The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 

²⁷ “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.”

“he has led me”

Psalm 145:18 (NLT)
¹⁸ The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.

• Abraham’s servant witnessed God’s unfailing love and faithfulness.

• Abraham’s servant responded with worship and praise.

“Praise the Lord.”

 

• We can learn a great deal from Abraham’s servant.

The Commission – Genesis 24:1-9

Equipping the next generation.

Genesis 24:1-9 (NLT)
A Wife for Isaac
¹ Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. ² One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. ³ Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. ⁴ Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
⁵ The servant asked, “But what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from?”
⁶ “No!” Abraham responded. “Be careful never to take my son there. ⁷ 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 descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. ⁸ If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son there.”
⁹ So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions.

Examine the Scriptures

Abraham had buried Sarah in Canaan.

He understood that Canaan was the Promised Land.

Now he was thinking about the next generation.

Genesis 24:1-9 (NLT)
A Wife for Isaac
¹ Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 

Abraham was 137 years old in our last lesson and died when he was 175 years old.

Most likely this story takes place a number of years later then the last lesson.

• Abraham was blessed by God.

• God’s covenant with Abraham required Abraham’s obedience.

Genesis 22:16-18 (NLT)
¹⁶ “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that ¹⁷ I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. ¹⁸ And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”

• God’s blessings did not end with Abraham.

Genesis 25:11 (NLT)
¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac …

Genesis 26:2-5 (NLT)
² The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. ³ Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. ⁴ I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. ⁵ I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”

• God’s loves individuals, but His plans are universal.

Individual

Matthew 10:29-31 (NLT)
²⁹ What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. ³⁰ And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Universal

Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT)
¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
    He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
¹⁶ for through him God created everything
    in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
    and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
    Everything was created through him and for him.
¹⁷ He existed before anything else,
    and he holds all creation together.

² One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. 

An oath

Again, Abraham acted. He wanted to be sure Isaac was not living outside of God’s will.

The oath was related to the continuation of Abraham’s line through Isaac.

If the oath were not carried out, the children of Abraham would avenge the servant’s unfaithfulness.

³ Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. 

Abraham was not thinking about himself, he was looking out for Isaac.

• Abraham was looking out for future generations.

• Abraham wanted to make sure Isaac did not marry a Canaanite woman, which would have been outside of God’s will.

Deuteronomy 7:1-4  (NLT)
7 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. ² When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. ³ You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, ⁴ for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you.

Joshua 23:11-13 (NLT)
¹¹ So be very careful to love the Lord your God.
¹² “But if you turn away from him and cling to the customs of the survivors of these nations remaining among you, and if you intermarry with them, ¹³ then know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive them out of your land. Instead, they will be a snare and a trap to you, a whip for your backs and thorny brambles in your eyes, and you will vanish from this good land the Lord your God has given you.

1 Kings 11:2 (NLT)
² The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.

• Abraham was aware of some of the pitfalls the next generation would face.

⁴ Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”

500 miles away  (450-550)

It was customary for parents to arrange the marriage of their children and it was also customary to marry relatives.

⁵ The servant asked, “But what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from?”

• Abraham wanted to be sure Isaac stayed in Canaan.

⁶ “No!” Abraham responded. “Be careful never to take my son there. ⁷ 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 descendants. 

“The Lord … solemnly promised …”

• Abraham believed and had faith in God’s promise to give the land of Canaan to his descendants.

• Abraham understood that God’s promises applied to future generations.

He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. 

Divine oversight

• Abraham understood the sovereignty of God.

⁸ If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine.

But under no circumstances are you to take my son there.”

Abraham understood that this would be contrary to God’s plan.

⁹ So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions.

Abraham’s servant took his assignment very seriously and prayed and asked God to give him success.

¹² “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham.

Genesis 24:12 (NLT)
¹² “ Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham.

Application:

            What can you take away from this lesson?

The Burial of Sarah

A Giant Step of Faith.

Genesis 23:1-20 (NLT)
The Burial of Sarah
¹ When Sarah was 127 years old, ² she died at Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron) in the land of Canaan. There Abraham mourned and wept for her.
³ Then, leaving her body, he said to the Hittite elders, ⁴ “Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.”
⁵ The Hittites replied to Abraham, ⁶ “Listen, my lord, you are an honored prince among us. Choose the finest of our tombs and bury her there. No one here will refuse to help you in this way.”
⁷ Then Abraham bowed low before the Hittites ⁸ and said, “Since you are willing to help me in this way, be so kind as to ask Ephron son of Zohar⁹ to let me buy his cave at Machpelah, down at the end of his field. I will pay the full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family.”
¹⁰ Ephron was sitting there among the others, and he answered Abraham as the others listened, speaking publicly before all the Hittite elders of the town. ¹¹ “No, my lord,” he said to Abraham, “please listen to me. I will give you the field and the cave. Here in the presence of my people, I give it to you. Go and bury your dead.”
¹² Abraham again bowed low before the citizens of the land, ¹³ and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. “No, listen to me. I will buy it from you. Let me pay the full price for the field so I can bury my dead there.”¹⁴ Ephron answered Abraham, ¹⁵ “My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead.”¹⁶ So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction.
¹⁷ So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. ¹⁸ It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. ¹⁹ Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron). ²⁰ So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place.

Examine the Scriptures

 Genesis 23:1-20 (NLT)

¹ When Sarah was 127 years old (2028 B.C.),

 Sarah was the only woman in the scriptures to have her age at the time of death recorded.

Genesis 17:17 (NLT)
Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”

 This would make Abraham 137 years old.

This would make Isaac 37 at this time.

Abraham was 75 years old when he left Haran.  This is 62 years later.

Genesis 25:7 – Abraham was 175 years old when he died.

² she died at Kir i ath-ar ba (now called Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

North of Beersheba 26 miles.

Between Beersheba and Moriah.

Half the distance to Moriah.

There Abraham mourned and wept for her.

Married in Genesis 11:29 – at least 67 years of marriage

 ³ Then, leaving her body, he said to the Hittite elders, 

Hittites lived in this area.  The Hittite empire was north of this area.

Lived in Canaan at the time of the conquest. They fought against the Israelites but they were not driven out by the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 7:1-4  (NLT)
¹ “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. ² When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. ³ You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, ⁴ for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you.

Esau married Hittite wives.

Solomon had Hittite women in his harem.

⁴ “Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you.

• Abraham recognized that he was a stranger and a foreigner in the land of Canaan. (62 years)

Acts 7:5 (NLT)
“But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants—even though he had no children yet.

Hebrews 11:9-10 (NLT)
⁹ And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. ¹⁰ Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.”

 *It was important to be buried in their native land (Ur or Haran).  Even though Abraham was considered an alien and a stranger among the people of this area, Abraham had faith that this would be the native land of his ancestors.  For Abraham, there was no going back.  Canaan was now Abraham’s native land.

Exodus 13:19 (NLT)
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to help you. When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”

 Verse 17 & 19 – in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron).

• Abraham believed God’s promises.

⁵ The Hittites replied to Abraham, ⁶ “Listen, my lord, you are an honored prince among us.

• Abraham was held in high regard by the people around him, in spite of some of his previous behaviors.

Abraham’s Covenant with Abimelech
Genesis 21
²² About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. “God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do,” Abimelech said. ²³ “Swear to me in God’s name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner.” ²⁴ Abraham replied, “Yes, I swear to it!”

Abraham was able to interact favorably with the citizens of the land.

(In the world but not of the world.)

 Choose the finest of our tombs and bury her there. No one here will refuse to help you in this way.”
⁷ Then Abraham bowed low before the Hittites ⁸ and said, “Since you are willing to help me in this way, be so kind as to ask Eph ron son of Zo har⁹ to let me buy his cave at Mach pe lah, down at the end of his field. I will pay the full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family.”
¹⁰ Ephron was sitting there among the others, (most likely at the city gates) and he answered Abraham as the others listened, speaking publicly before all the Hittite elders of the town. ¹¹ “No, my lord,” he said to Abraham, “please listen to me. I will give you the field and the cave.

 “I will give you” did not mean the property was free.  This was a form of Bedouin bargaining.  Giving for giving.

 Here in the presence of my people, I give it to you. Go and bury your dead.”¹² Abraham again bowed low before the citizens of the land, ¹³ and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. “No, listen to me. I will buy it from you. Let me pay the full price for the field so I can bury my dead there.”
¹⁴ Ephron answered Abraham, ¹⁵ “My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead.”
¹⁶ So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver,

Paying 400 pieces of silver was paying a premium price for the property.

Comparison:
Jeremiah 32:9 (NLT)
⁹ So I bought the field at Anathoth, paying Hanamel seventeen pieces^[a]of silver for it.

Footnotes:

32:9 Hebrew 17 shekels, about 7 ounces or 194 grams in weight.

weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction.

A legal business transaction.

¹⁷ So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Eph ron at Mach pe lah, near Mam re. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. ¹⁸ It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. 

The only part of the Promised Land Abraham himself ever received he bought.

This was the first real occupation of the land.

• Abraham paid a price to bury Sarah in Canaan.

¹⁹ Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron). 

Abraham buried his wife in Canaan.

²⁰ So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place.

Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah were all buried here.

• Abraham believed that Canaan would be the home of his ancestors.
• For Abraham, there was no going back. Canaan was now Abraham’s native land.
• Abraham recognized that he was a stranger and a foreigner in the land of Canaan.
• Abraham believed God’s promises.
• Abraham was held in high regard by the people around him, in spite of some of his previous behaviors.
• Abraham paid a price to bury Sarah in Canaan.
• Abraham believed that Canaan would be the home of his ancestors.
• For Abraham, there was no going back. Canaan was now Abraham’s native land.

Applications for us.

• Christians need to recognize that they are “temporary residents and foreigners” and do not belong to the world.

John 17:14-16 (NLT)
¹⁴ I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵ I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶ They do not belong to this world any more than I do.

Hebrews 13:14 (NLT)
¹⁴ For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

1 Peter 2:11 (NLT)
¹¹ Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.  

• Christians need to know and believe God’s promises. God saves us by his grace when we believe.

Ephesians 2:8 (NLT)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

John 3:16 (NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

• Christians must be careful to live properly among their unbelieving neighbors.

1 Peter 2:12 (NLT)
Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

• Christians must be willing to pay a price for following Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:12 (NLT)
Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Mark 10:29-30 (NLT)
²⁹ “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, ³⁰ will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.

 Mark 8:34  (NLT)
³⁴ Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

• Christians know that they will spend eternity in Heaven.

Philippians 3:20 (NLT)
²⁰ But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

 John 14:1-4  (NLT)
¹ “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.”

 Like Abraham, we need to press on to reach the end of the race.

Philippians 3:14 (NLT)
¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

All the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because Abraham obeyed God.

 Genesis 22:15-24 (NLT)
¹⁵ Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven.¹⁶ “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that ¹⁷ I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. ¹⁸ And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”
¹⁹ Then they returned to the servants and traveled back to Beersheba, where Abraham continued to live.
²⁰ Soon after this, Abraham heard that Milcah, his brother Nahor’s wife, had borne Nahor eight sons. ²¹ The oldest was named Uz, the next oldest was Buz, followed by Kemuel (the ancestor of the Arameans), ²² Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. ²³ (Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) In addition to these eight sons from Milcah, ²⁴ Nahor had four other children from his concubine Reumah. Their names were Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Examine the Scriptures

In the previous lesson:

Abraham’s Faith Tested – A Test That Defies Logic – Abraham passed the test

This lesson:

All the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because Abraham obeyed God.

Genesis 22:15-24 (NLT)
¹⁵ Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven.¹⁶ “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me

“Because you have obeyed me.”

Hebrews 11:8 (NLT)
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Hebrews 11:17 (NLT)
It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,

 Where did Abraham’s faith originate?

 Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
^[a] 12:2a Or Jesus, the originator and perfecter of our faith. 

• Faith obeys completely. 

and have not withheld even your son, your only son,

• Faith surrenders the best to God, holding nothing back.

John 3:16 (NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 8:32 (NLT)
Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?

 I swear by my own name that ¹⁷ I will certainly bless you.

 “I will certainly bless you.”

Luke 11:28 (NLT)
Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

James 1:25 (NLT)
But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

• God blesses those who obey Him. (God blesses those who obey His Word.)

God again confirms his covenant.

 I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.

Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. 

 Galatians 3:6 (NLT)
In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Romans 4:3 (NLT)
³ For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”  ….
²² And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. ²³ And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded ²⁴ for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

• God will count us righteous if we believe in Him.

¹⁸ And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed

Descendants = seed

Seed plural = us

Singular seed = Jesus

Galatians 3:16  (NLT) Quoting Genesis 12:7
God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ.

—all because you have obeyed me.”  

• Application for us.

Spend time in the Word

Romans 10:17 (NLT)
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

James 1:22 (NLT)
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Make the right choices.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NLT)
¹⁹ “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! ²⁰ You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Joshua 24:14-15 (NLT)
¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

 Make hard choices.

Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. ²⁴ If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

Romans 12:1 (NLT)
A Living Sacrifice to God
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)
¹⁹ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, ²⁰ for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Let God transform you.

Romans 12:2  (NLT)
² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

James 4:10 (NLT)
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Live righteously.

Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 ¹⁹ Then they returned to the servants and traveled back to Beersheba, where Abraham continued to live.

 ²⁰ Soon after this, Abraham heard that Milcah, his brother Nahor’s wife, had borne Nahor eight sons.

Communication existed between Beersheba and Ur.

that Milcah, his brother Nahor’s wife, had borne Nahor eight sons. (Ur-Mesopotamia) ²¹ The oldest was named Uz, the next oldest was Buz, followed by Kemuel (the ancestor of the Arameans), ²² Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. ²³ (Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) In addition to these eight sons from Milcah, ²⁴ Nahor had four other children from his concubine Reumah. Their names were Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Abraham’s Faith Tested

Genesis 22:1-14 (NLT)
Abraham’s Faith Tested
¹ Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.
“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
² “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
³ The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”
⁶ So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, ⁷ Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
⁸ “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
⁹ When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. ¹⁰ And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. ¹¹ At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”
¹² “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
¹³ Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. ¹⁴ Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 22:1-14 (NLT)
Abraham’s Faith Tested
¹ Some time later,

  A number of commentaries (6) have Isaac between the ages of 18-37.

God tested Abraham’s faith.

God does not tempt us.

Tempt – do something wrong. Test – do something right.

A most difficult test.

A test that defies logic.

James 1:2-4 (NLT)
² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect (mature) and complete, needing nothing.

• The testing of our faith helps us to become fully mature, complete, and lacking in nothing.

“Abraham!” God called.
“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
² “Take your son, your only son—

Abraham had already sent Ishmael, a son he loved, away.

Genesis 21:9-14 (NLT)
⁹ But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac. ¹⁰ So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!”
¹¹ This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. ¹² But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. ¹³ But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.”¹⁴ So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.

 yes, Isaac, (a young adult) whom you love so much

Much like God the Father and God the Son.

Matthew 3:17 (NLT)
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

 —and go to the land of Moriah.

Land of Moriah vs. Mount Moriah – Solomon’s temple (Jewish tradition – not certain)

Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

Unreasonable

Genesis 12:1-3 (NLT)
The Call of Abram
¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Trust and obey.

• God asks that we love Him enough to trust and obey

Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.

• The burnt offering of children existed in ancient Canaan.

Are there any stories in scripture of parents offering up their children as a burnt offering?

Judges 11:29-40 (NLT)
Jephthah’s Vow
²⁹ At that time the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he went throughout the land of Gilead and Manasseh, including Mizpah in Gilead, and from there he led an army against the Ammonites. ³⁰ And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites, ³¹ I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
³² So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him victory. ³³ He crushed the Ammonites, devastating about twenty towns from Aroer to an area near Minnith and as far away as Abel-keramim. In this way Israel defeated the Ammonites.
³⁴ When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his one and only child; he had no other sons or daughters. ³⁵ When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. “Oh, my daughter!” he cried out. “You have completely destroyed me! You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”
³⁶ And she said, “Father, if you have made a vow to the Lord, you must do to me what you have vowed, for the Lord has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites. ³⁷ But first let me do this one thing: Let me go up and roam in the hills and weep with my friends for two months, because I will die a virgin.”
³⁸ “You may go,” Jephthah said. And he sent her away for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never have children. ³⁹ When she returned home, her father kept the vow he had made, and she died a virgin.
So it has become a custom in Israel ⁴⁰ for young Israelite women to go away for four days each year to lament the fate of Jephthah’s daughter.

³ The next morning Abraham got up early.

 Obedience without hesitation.

 He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 

 Abraham was prepared to offer Isaac as a burnt offering.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT)
¹⁷ It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, ¹⁸ even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”  ¹⁹ Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

• Abraham was prepared to offer Isaac as a burnt offering.

⁴ On the third day of their journey (50 miles),

 Not an easy task.

Obedience is not always easy.  (It was not always easy for Jesus.)

Luke 22:42-44 (NLT)
⁴² “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” ⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. ⁴⁴ He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

•  Obedience to God can and will be difficult.

Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther.

We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”

Worship

Paying honor to God.   The feeling and expression of adoration, reverence, trust, love, loyalty, and dependence directed to God.

Psalm 34:1 (NLT)
 I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.

• Worship helps us maintain a right relationship with God.

⁶ So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, ⁷ Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

 ⁸ “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,”

Prophetic (dual meaning)

Mark 10:45 (NLT)
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
⁹ When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. ¹⁰ And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. ¹¹ At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

¹² “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

 Abraham demonstrated the fact that he clearly feared God.

Abraham was willing to give God anything, even his only son.

Abraham passed the test.

¹³ Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 

Verse 8 – a sheep

John 1:29 (NLT)
Jesus, the Lamb of God
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Thessalonians 5:10 (NLT)
Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.

¹⁴ Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

•  The Lord will provide.

Abraham’s Covenant with Abimelech

This story takes place between the stories of Isaac and Ishmael and the sacrifice of Isaac.

Why is this passage included in the scriptures?

A glimpse of God working in the life of a man of faith.

Some of the details of God’s sovereign plan for Abraham.

Genesis 21:22-34 (NLT)

 Abraham’s Covenant with Abimelech

²² About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. “God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do,” Abimelech said. ²³ “Swear to me in God’s name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner.”

²⁴ Abraham replied, “Yes, I swear to it!” ²⁵ Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had taken by force from Abraham’s servants.

²⁶ “This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Abimelech answered. “I have no idea who is responsible. You have never complained about this before.”

²⁷ Abraham then gave some of his sheep, goats, and cattle to Abimelech, and they made a treaty. ²⁸ But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them off by themselves. ²⁹ Abimelech asked, “Why have you set these seven apart from the others?”

³⁰ Abraham replied, “Please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well.” ³¹ Then he named the place Beersheba (which means “well of the oath”), because that was where they had sworn the oath.

³² After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines. ³³ Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God. ³⁴ And Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time.

Examine the Scriptures

A quick look into the life of a man living by faith.

A New Testament description of Abraham.

Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16

⁸ It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. ⁹ And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. ¹⁰ Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

 ¹³ All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. ¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

• It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance.

A glimpse of God working in the life of a man of faith.

 Genesis 21:22-34 (NLT)

 Abraham’s Covenant with Abimelech

²² About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham.

 Abimelech came to Abraham.

 “God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do,”

Abimelech recognized that God had blessed Abraham.

• God was helping Abraham in everything he did.

Abimelech said. ²³ “Swear to me in God’s name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants.

• Abimelech knew that Abraham was deceptive.

Genesis 20:1-10 (NLT)
Abraham Deceives Abimelech
¹ Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, ² Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.

³ But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!”

⁴ But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? ⁵ Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”

⁶ In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her. ⁷ Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”

⁸ Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told them what had happened, his men were terrified. ⁹ Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done! ¹⁰ Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”

Proverbs 20:11 (NLT)
Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.

Abraham was known by his actions.

• We are known by our actions.

I have been loyal to you,

 Genesis 20:14-16 (NLT)
¹⁴ Then Abimelech took some of his sheep and goats, cattle, and male and female servants, and he presented them to Abraham. He also returned his wife, Sarah, to him. ¹⁵ Then Abimelech said, “Look over my land and choose any place where you would like to live.” ¹⁶ And he said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’ 1,000 pieces of silver in the presence of all these witnesses. This is to compensate you for any wrong I may have done to you. This will settle any claim against me, and your reputation is cleared.”

 Abimelech had treated Abraham generously.

 so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner.”

Abraham was the outsider.

Technically, Abraham should have gone to Abimelech.

²⁴ Abraham replied, “Yes, I swear to it!” 

•  Abraham and Abimelech made an oath to be loyal to each other.

 A covenant Abraham made with the residents of the land allowing him to live there in peace.

  ²⁵ Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had taken by force from Abraham’s servants.

Importance of wells.

The area had limited water resources.

²⁶ “This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Abimelech answered. “I have no idea who is responsible. You have never complained about this before.”

²⁷ Abraham then gave some of his sheep, goats, and cattle to Abimelech, and they made a treaty. 

 A covenant Abraham made with the residents of the land allowing him to live there in peace.

 

²⁸ But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them off by themselves. ²⁹ Abimelech asked, “Why have you set these seven apart from the others?”

³⁰ Abraham replied, “Please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well.” 

• Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant giving ownership of the well to Abraham.

Abraham’s right to ownership of the well.

³¹ Then he named the place Beersheba (which means “well of the oath” or “well of seven”), because that was where they had sworn the oath.

 God was supplying Abraham’s needs.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

 Philippians 4:19  (NLT)
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

•  God supplied Abraham’s needs.

 ³² After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines. 

 Abimelech can expect God’s blessing.

Genesis 12:1-3 (NLT)
The Call of Abram
¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

 ³³ Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba,

 A sign of peaceful security.

Zechariah 3:10 (NLT)
“And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.”

The covenant Abraham made with the residents of the land allowed him to live there in peace.

 and there he worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God. 

 Abraham’s worship continues in chapter 22.

 Genesis 22:5 New Living Translation (NLT)
“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”

•  Abraham worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God.

 ³⁴ And Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time.

 Life applications:

• Christians (like Abraham) are temporary residents living in a foreign land.

1 Peter 1:1 (NLT)
1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

1 Peter 2:11 (NLT)
Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.

Hebrews 13:14 (NLT)
For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Philippians 3:20 (NLT)
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

Live by faith.  Christians, like Abraham, live by believing and not by seeing.

• Christians are called to live by faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT)
For we live by believing and not by seeing.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

 Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

 2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

Worship the Lord

Luke 4:8 (NLT)
Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’”

•  The scriptures tell Christians to worship the Lord and serve Him only.