In my Abraham blog series, which begins in Genesis 11, I have covered the life of Abraham from age seventy-five to now, in Genesis 25, where he is one hundred and seventy-five years old. The blog began when Abraham was a productive senior, and it concludes with this last blog, marking the end of his life story.
This twenty-fifth chapter of Genesis opens with the revelation that Abraham took another wife named Keturah, who bore him six sons. The scriptures do not state the age of Abraham when this marriage occurred; however, he lived for thirty-eight years after the death of Sarah, and so I assume the marriage took place somewhere in that time period. For Abraham to have the ability to have more children is a testament to the power and favor of God in permitting an older man to be fruitful. The scripture reveals that Abraham gave gifts to these sons and sent them to live eastward, in the east country, which may explain why they were not present to participate in his burial. Moreover, upon Abraham’s death, Ishmael and Isaac dutifully came together to bury him, and as I previously stated, missing from the burial were the six sons of Keturah. It is also important to note that the scriptures do not record Ishmael or Isaac mourning over the death of Abraham.
Abraham’s story ends by informing readers of his lineage. His first son, Ishmael, whom he had with Hagar, the Egyptian handmaiden of Sarah, lived to be a hundred thirty-seven years old. He had twelve sons who were described as princes over nations that resided in their castles and towns from Havilah to Shur. This confirms the words of God to Abraham in Genesis 17 concerning him becoming the father of many nations, as seen in the numerous Arab nations that originated from Ishmael and Keturah’s sons. Also, in chapter seventeen, He told Abraham that Isaac was the heir of the covenant promise, and this chapter states that Isaac was the heir of Abraham’s estate.
Abraham’s story ends in verse eighteen, and then in verse nineteen of this chapter, the story of Isaac’s family begins with the proclamation of his marriage to Rebekah.
Here are my final nuggets from the story of Abraham:
With the help of God, you can be fruitful in your old age.
God is faithful to fulfill every promise that He makes to you.
The impact you have made on your children will be evident after your passing.
Children who live far away may not be able to travel the distance to attend their parents’ burial.
Children can bury their parents out of duty and still be devoid of an emotional attachment to them.
As I bring this series to an end, it is my prayer that you, the reader, have begun to examine the story of Abraham’s life in a different way. That you did not just see him as a man of faith but also a man with flaws that were detrimental to his family. Equally important, you were able to learn from his successes and failures, for after all is said and done, scripture is given for inspiration, instruction, and correction.
Genesis 24 shares the story of Abraham’s actions in securing a wife for his son, Isaac, from his family in Mesopotamia. Thus, the chapter opens with the fact that Abraham was an older man whom God richly blessed. Probably feeling that his time on earth was coming to an end, and with the continued absence of his son, Isaac, in his life, Abraham summoned his faithful long-time servant, Eliezer, and assigned him the task of going to Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac from among his kindred.
Abraham made Eliezer swear that he would not secure Isaac a wife from the daughters of the Canaanites. Consequently, Eliezer was willing to do what Abraham desired; however, he asked, “Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?” Abraham cautioned him against taking Isaac to where his family resided. Further, he said, “The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.”
In this statement, Abraham shared his confidence in what God had done in his life and the promise that God made to him and his seed. He believed God would send an angel before Eliezer, and he would find a wife for Isaac. Howbeit, if the women did not want to come to the land of Canaan, Eliezer would be released from this responsibility.
As the story goes, after performing the ancient oath method of putting his hand under Abraham’s thigh, Eliezer loaded ten camels with goods and traveled 450 miles to Mesopotamia. Upon arrival, Eliezer stopped outside the city of Nahor by a well. Eliezer prayed this request and asked God to allow the damsel whom He had chosen as a wife for Isaac to give him some water to drink, and also to offer water for his camels.
Exactly, at that time, Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, who was the grand-niece of Abraham, came to the well to get water for her family, and when Eliezer asked her for some water, she responded in the way he had prayed. After the camels had finished drinking the water, Eliezer, who was amazed at what occurred, gave Rebekah a golden earring and two bracelets. He questioned her about her family and whether he could lodge with them. Rebekah shared who her parents were and that there was room for Eliezer in their home. At that point, Eliezer bowed his head and worshipped the Lord. He said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
Rebekah ran back home and told her family about what happened at the well. When her brother Laban saw the gifts that his sister had received, he ran to the well to meet Eliezer and extended an invitation for Eliezer to come to their home. Upon arrival at the home, the camels were fed, and Eliezer and his traveling companion were given water to wash their feet. Before eating, Eliezer shared with them his mission. He told them about how God had blessed Abraham with wealth, about the birth of Isaac and his inheritance, and how Abraham wanted Isaac to marry a kindred. Furthermore, he shared Abraham’s confidence that God would prosper his errand and that he would find a wife for Isaac from amongst his father’s house.
Eliezer revealed the prayer he had prayed when he arrived at the well, and afterwards, all that happened between him and Rebekah. Then he asked the family if they were amenable toward Abraham’s request, and they said, “The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken.” Once again, Eliezer bowed and worshipped the Lord when he heard their response. Eliezer gave Rebekah clothing and jewelry of silver and gold. Plus, he gave Rebekah’s mother and brother, Laban, precious things.
After successfully accomplishing his assignment, Eliezer and his company ate and then rested for the night. The next morning, Eliezer asked to leave the family with Rebekah immediately; however, the family allowed her to make that decision, to which she willingly complied. With her nurse accompanying her, the family sent her off with this blessing, “Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.”
Following Eliezer on camels, they came to Beer-lahai-roi in the evening, where they spotted Isaac meditating in the field. Isaac looked up and saw the camels coming. Eliezer informed Rebekah that it was Isaac whom they saw, so she dismounted the camel and took a veil and covered herself. When they got to Isaac, Eliezer told him what he had done, and Isaac reacted favorably for the last verse in this chapter stated, “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
As I have done in the past, I will share additional insight into this chapter before I share my nuggets. First, according to the scriptures, when Sarah died, she was one hundred twenty-seven years old. Isaac was approximately thirty-six years old, and Abraham was probably one hundred forty years old. Genesis 25:20 reveals that Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah; therefore, Isaac had been mourning the death of his mother for four years.
How many years Isaac had been estranged from Abraham was not stated. From the time Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac, there is no record of them meeting with one another. This was supported by the fact that Abraham did not involve him in the selection of his wife, Eliezer informed the unknowing Isaac of his actions in securing him a wife, and during this period of alienation from his father, Isaac remained in his mother’s tent.
Biblical historians revealed that placing your hand on the thigh of an individual as an oath was a serious act that could cause repercussions to you if not carried out as instructed.
Some facts relating to Rebekah are that the gifts that Eliezer gave to Rebekah and her family after she accepted his proposal were believed to be the expected dowry for a bride. Rebekah veiled herself before meeting Isaac because, in Eastern culture, women covered themselves with a veil, which denoted a sign of modesty, chastity, and subjection. A new bride never approached their husband unveiled and riding on an animal.
Now here are the nuggets I gained from Genesis 24:
When God makes a covenant with you, He will bring it to fruition.
Don’t cast away your confidence in God.
Pray for God’s intervention in the things you must accomplish.
Always express your thankfulness to God for answering your prayer and ordering your steps in the right direction.
You never know what your charitable acts will yield.
Seeing your wealth often causes strangers to be accommodating to your needs.
When an individual is courteous to you, in return, be courteous to them.
Before pleasure, take care of business.
Behind the actions of man is the providential hand of God.
Loving companionship can be comforting when a person is grieving.
Years had passed since the test of offering Isaac as a sacrifice, and Abraham had still not reunited with Sarah and Isaac. The words, “I’m sorry I did not tell you what God spoke to me, please forgive me, but I knew I had to obey God and I was trusting him for the life of Isaac,” were not spoken. And now in Kirjatharba, better known as Hebron, Sarah, at a hundred and twenty-seven years old, is dead, and a bittersweet reunion between her and Abraham never took place.
This blog, centered around the purchase of a burial place for Sarah, reveals that upon receiving word of Sarah’s death, Abraham traveled the twenty-six miles from Beersheba to Hebron, where he mourned and wept for Sarah. No doubt, when Abraham saw the body of his wife, he had many regrets over his failures and the years of separation from her.
Abraham spoke to the sons of Heth, who owned the land, concerning the purchase of property to bury Sarah. Recognizing and acknowledging Abraham’s status, they allowed him to select which sepulchre he wanted to purchase. After making his selection, Abraham asked the men to negotiate for him with Ephron, the son of Zohar, who owned the cave of Machpelah, located at the end of his property. Additionally, Abraham was willing to pay the asking price for it.
Ephron responded positively in the Bedouin bargaining manner to Abraham’s request and said, “Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.” First bowing in respect and then rising and speaking, Abraham agreed to pay the stated amount of four hundred shekels of silver for the purchase. The transaction was completed at the gate of the city, in the presence of the sons of Heth. For this transaction, Abraham acquired the field, the cave, and all the trees within its borders, and then Abraham buried Sarah in the newly purchased cave of Machpelah.
According to biblical scholars, Abraham initially sought to purchase only the cave for a burial plot; however, Ephron sold Abraham the cave and the surrounding field due to Hittite law. The land and cave were considered a unit, which required the owner to pay feudal obligations. If the cave were the only thing sold, Ephron would be responsible for the feudal obligations, which he apparently did not want to assume; therefore, he required Abraham to purchase the entire unit. This purchase for Abraham, who lived the life of a nomad in Canaan, was the first actual property that his family would own. By purchasing land, Abraham was indicating that he and his family intended to continue living in Canaan. Thus, in the future, the cave of Machpelah served as the burial ground for not just Sarah, but also Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob.
From the scripture, I also noted that Isaac was not present during the purchase of the land or the burial of his mother, Sarah.
Here are the nuggets I gained from Genesis 23:
While you are living, it is never too late to explain why you acted the way you did to those you may have offended.
Sometimes people allow death to occur without resolving issues.
Make amends with loved ones before they die.
People do not necessarily have to accept your reasoning.
The absence of family members during a burial can be a sign of unresolved family issues.
When possible, people will eliminate financial obligations.
When you give respect, you will receive respect in return.
Apostle Paul in his writings (Galatians 3:6-9, Romans 4:11-12) noted that Abraham was known as the “father of faith” because of the example he displayed in Genesis 22. In that chapter, God tested Abraham with an order that said, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”
As I pondered this order, I wondered if Abraham’s previous actions led God to this point. From Genesis 11 to Genesis 20 the scriptures revealed Abraham as being a man of secrets and often wavering in his faith. Unfortunately, during his time of wavering, his family was negatively impacted, and God repeatedly had to come to their rescue. In this blog, I will share how Abraham displayed his faith and trust in God and passed God’s test; however, his approach caused irreparable damage to his family.
Early in the morning, choosing to obey the directive he received from God, Abraham took Isaac, two of his young servants, and his ass saddled with wood and started on their journey. Arriving at their destination three days later, Abraham instructed his servants to stay with the ass while he and Isaac went further on. Abraham gave Isaac the wood to carry, while he carried the fire and knife. Seeing they had no sacrificial lamb, Isaac questioned his father about the missing sacrifice, to which Abraham replied, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.”
When they arrived at the place of sacrifice, Abraham built an altar, laid the wood on it, bound Isaac on it, and lifted the knife to slay Isaac. At that moment, an angel from heaven stopped him and said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught in the bushes behind him, and he replaced his son with it. The scriptures state, “Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.”
After the sacrifice was completed, the angel again called to Abraham and told him that because of his obedience to offer up his only son, God would bless him greatly, his seed would be numerous as the stars and the sand, and they would possess the gate of their enemies. When the communication with the angel ended, Abraham, with Isaac notably missing, returned to his two servants, and they went to Beersheba, where he took up residence.
Genesis 22 ends with the lineage of Abraham’s brother Nahor being shared with the name of Rebekah, Nahor’s granddaughter and Issac’s future wife being revealed in the text.
Before I share my nuggets, I will share my commentary on this chapter. I believe Abraham received instructions from God that he should have shared with his wife. Since Sarah had to wait so long to bear a child, I am sure she would have protested Abraham’s actions; however, this could have been Abraham’s opportunity to build Sarah’s faith in God.
Isaac’s age at this time was not stated. I assume he was possibly in his teen years. He probably had a good, loving relationship with his father and trusted him with his life. Also, he probably thought he was on a nice sacrificial trip with his father. When Isaac questioned Abraham about the sacrifice, Abraham probably did not want to scare Isaac by telling him that it was him. Unbeknownst to what was going to occur during the last legs of the journey, Isaac carried the heaviest items. He became the burden bearer and, without realizing it, walked with his father into a difficult place.
I believe Isaac was traumatized as his father tied him up and placed him on the altar. His trust in his father was shattered, and when he was released, he did not wait to accompany his father off the mountain. He probably ran most of the three-day journey home and then told his mother, Sarah, what had transpired. Abraham did not return home to face the wrath of Sarah, and according to the scripture, he never saw his wife alive again. Sadly, after all the years they were together, their later years ended with them separated.
Now, here are the nuggets I gleaned from this chapter:
When God tests you, He may require you to give up something that is very valuable to you.
Unless God advises otherwise, it is best to share information that could gravely affect your loved ones.
Ask God how to approach those who are connected to your destiny with vital information.
Let your testimony build others to trust God as much as you do.
Delaying doing a difficult task does not make it easier to do.
Answer difficult questions.
Keeping secrets can be detrimental to your future.
Some sacrifices have to be tied up before they are offered.
There are rewards for being obedient and passing the test.
God is our Jehovahjireh.
Genesis does not record how long Abraham and Sarah were married before our initial introduction to them in Genesis 11. What had been revealed was the barrenness of Sarah until at age ninety, when she became fruitful and she birthed Isaac, the promise of God, which represented the beginning of the Abrahamic lineage.
Genesis 21 shares the jubilation of Sarah and her declaration, “Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.” And when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham obeyed God’s instruction and circumcised him.
Also, in keeping with the ancient East customs, Abraham had a weaning celebration. Unfortunately, during the celebration, Sarah saw Ishmael teasing Issac. Consequently, she told Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.” This was not what Abraham wanted to do with his firstborn son, with whom he had established a loving relationship in these last seventeen years. However, God agreed with Sarah and shared with Abraham that He would make a nation from Ishmael, because he was Abraham’s seed, but it was Isaac whom He chose to be Abraham’s heir.
The next morning, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away with bread and a bottle of water, and they wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba until they had drunk all of the water. Thinking thirsty Ishmael was dying, Hagar left him in the shade, moved away from him, and started crying as she sat afar off. The scriptures revealed that God heard Ishmael’s voice and an angel from heaven called to Hagar, saying, “What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.” Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well, which she went to and filled her bottle with water, and was able to give Ishmael water to drink. Faithful to His word, God was with Ishmael as he grew, living in the wilderness of Paran, becoming an archer, and his mother, Hagar, found a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
Genesis 20 shared how King Abimelech told Abraham he could settle wherever he chose in Gerar, and now in chapter twenty-one, another encounter between them is shared. Realizing that God was with Abraham, the king and his chief captain, Phichol, met with him to suggest that a generational peace treaty be made between them, to which Abraham agreed. Additionally, Abraham reprimanded the king concerning a well which his servants had viciously taken away from him, and the king admitted he had no knowledge of that happening. To seal their pact with a sacrifice, Abraham gave King Abimelech sheep and oxen. Furthermore, Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs and told the king they were a gift to him as a public confirmation that the well which he had dug and called Beer-sheba, meaning “Well of the Oath,” was his. Afterwards, King Abimelech and Phicol returned to their home, and chapter twenty-one ends with Abraham living in the Philistine country for a while, planting a tamarisk tree beside the well and praying and calling upon the Eternal God.
Before sharing my nuggets from this blog, I want to share some additional information and personal thoughts.
First, biblical scholars believed Sarah was afraid that since Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn, he would be entitled to his father’s inheritance, which she wanted for their son, Isaac, so she was adamant about Hagar and Ishmael’s departure.
Next, God understood Abraham’s emotional ties, and He acknowledged that Abraham had feelings for both Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham, who was a wealthy man, displayed this in his actions of sending Hagar and Ishmael away with a little substance. This showed he did not want them to travel too far away from him.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not point out that Hagar and Ishmael’s lives changed overnight. Ishmael, whose father had been present since his birth, would no longer be around. He and his mother, Hagar, were banished from Abraham’s house, so they no longer had protection, position, provisions, or possessions. From now on, Ishmael would be raised by a single mother, and they had to fend for themselves. I can only imagine the hurt and anger they must have felt toward Abraham and Sarah.
Now here are the nuggets I gathered from Genesis 21:
Ismael’s name means God hears, and God continually heard and responded to him and his mother’s cries. In our times of desperation, God hears our cries.
God can bring to life that which was lifeless.
God can do the improbable.
There are times when we must wait a long period before a promise is fulfilled.
The manifestation of a long-awaited promise brings joy to the receiver.
The birth of Issac represented the beginning of the Abrahamic lineage.
Oftentimes, mistakes and blessings grow up together.
You can become bound to someone or something that is not part of your destiny.
In life, when you are no longer seen as useful and fulfilling a need, you can be disposed of.
In life, it is not easy to end relationships with someone with whom you have a strong bond, because bonds formed over time are painful to sever.
There are times when men can assist you with provisions, but for their own personal reasons, they choose not to do it.
It is difficult to watch a family member die from thirst or lack of food.
God hears our cries and He sends comfort to the needy, for Hagar and Ishmael were forsaken by man but not forgotten by God.
Sometimes it takes God opening our eyes to see the provisions that he has made for us.
Unlike man, you can trust God for daily provisions, for He provides for our survival.
When God favors you, men recognize it.
Seeking a relationship with those who have favor with God is beneficial.
About twenty-four years ago, Abraham took his family down into Egypt due to a famine in Canaan. At that time, he told Sarah to say she was his sister to prevent him from being killed. Sarah, being a beautiful woman, was taken into Pharaoh’s harem. Nevertheless, before Pharaoh could defile her, God intervened and allowed the truth of Abraham and Sarah’s marital relationship to be revealed.
Now, twenty-four years later, and even after God told Abraham that Sarah would conceive a son by him within a year, he takes the family down to Gerar and, for a second time, exposes Sarah to being defiled. Once again, Abraham tells the people that the still beautiful Sarah is his sister, and consequently, King Abimelech of Gerar takes Sarah into his harem.
God intervenes for Sarah by causing the king to have a dream in which God reveals to him that Sarah was married and if he touched her, he would die. Abimelech declared his innocence and the integrity of his heart, to which God acknowledged and revealed, because of his purity, He prevented him from touching Sarah. God also instructed Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham, that Abraham would pray for him, and that his life and all that was his would be preserved and not die.
Early in the morning, the king arose and gathered his servants. He shared his dream with them, which frightened them. Next, King Abimelech summoned Abraham and questioned him about his actions. Abraham shared how he was afraid for his life, and that Sarah was his half-sister; therefore, he told her, “This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.”
In response, the king returned Sarah to Abraham, gave him sheep, oxen, men-servants, and women-servants. Plus, God granted Abraham the opportunity to settle wherever he chose in the land. Furthermore, Abimelech told Sarah, “Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other. Chapter twenty ends with Abraham praying for Abimelech, his wife, and maidservants, and God healed them of barrenness.
The actions of Abraham in this chapter were disturbing to me. Abraham had resided in Hebron for approximately twenty years before moving to Gerar, which is a city in the Philistine territory. The scriptures revealed that Abraham knew if you were an unmarried female and the king wanted you for his harem, you had no choice but to comply with his wishes. Apparently, as recorded in Genesis chapter twelve, Abraham did not learn the lesson from his time in Egypt. Though he felt his life was in danger, rather than trust God to be his protector, he allowed his fear and cowardice once again to manifest, and he placed the life of his wife, Sarah, the one who was to bear the promise within a year, in jeopardy.
Here are the nuggets I gathered from Genesis 20:
Abraham’s personal safety was more important to him than Sarah’s well-being.
When faced with challenges, seek God for direction.
As we experience life, sometimes our faith wavers, and we make wrong decisions.
Learn the lesson the first time.
Some lessons are not easily learned.
If not corrected, old failing patterns will continue to create new problems.
Do not repeat mistakes.
God is merciful.
God reveals and gives men a choice.
God recognized and rewarded Abimelech’s integrity and honesty.
Words do not always justify actions
Persuading others to lie for you is wrong
Expose truth.
A half-truth is a whole lie.
God would not allow another man to inseminate Sarah.
God is present to prevent us from sinning
As needed, God will use the heathen to chasten you.
Your actions can jeopardize the fruitfulness of a nation
When the promises of God are forgotten, human reasoning takes place.
Even when you have done wrong, God will cause you to be blessed and to bless.
In Genesis 18, Abraham interceded for Sodom, where his nephew Lot resided, and persuaded the Lord to spare the city if ten righteous people were living in it; however, there were not. Consequently, Genesis 19 shared the judgment of God on Sodom and Gomorrah for their grievous sins.
According to the story, two angels who were sent to Sodom were met by Lot, who rose from his seat at the gate when he saw them approaching. He extended an invitation to them to spend the night in his house, which at first they rejected, but after Lot’s vehement urging, they consented to do so.
After the angels ate their meal and before retiring for the night, the house was surrounded by old and young men who wanted Lot to send the angels, whom they thought were men, out to them so that they could have a sexual encounter with them. Refusing to do so, Lot went outside and attempted to dissuade the crowd from their actions by offering his two virgin daughters in their stead. Rejecting his offer, the crowd attempted to break into Lot’s house, but the angels rescued Lot, pulled him into the house, and struck the crowd with blindness, disabling them from finding the door.
Safe in his house, the angels informed Lot that God sent them to destroy the city, and Lot was instructed to bring his family members, sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else out of Sodom. Following their instructions, Lot went to his future sons-in-law and revealed the imminent destruction of Sodom, but they did not believe him.
In the morning, the angels took the hands of Lot, his wife, and his two daughters and escorted them out of the city. They were told, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” Being fearful, Lot asked if he and his family could go to a small nearby city named Zoar, and the angels agreed not to destroy it, so Lot and his family would be safe there. As Lot and family entered Zoar, God rained brimstone and fire from heaven upon Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain. Unfortunately, Lot’s wife did not obey the instructions, and she became a pillar of salt when she looked back.
Also, early that morning, Abraham went to the place where he and the Lord had last spoken to each other. Looking in the direction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he saw the ascending smoke, which was a sign to him that there were not ten righteous people in Sodom. In His mercy, God remembered Abraham and allowed Lot and his family to escape without harm.
This chapter ends by revealing that Lot feared for their life in Zoar, so he and his daughters went into the mountains and lived in a cave. Additionally, thinking their family line would end, Lot’s daughters got him drunk and each daughter committed incest with him and became pregnant. The eldest daughter had a son named Moab, and the younger daughter had a son named Benammi, both of whose ancestors became Israel’s hereditary enemies.
Before sharing nuggets for this blog, I would like to offer some additional insight. In biblical times, when an individual sat at the gate of the city, it typically meant that they were recognized as a respected elder with authority, wisdom, and governance power. Since Lot was found at the gate, apparently over the years after his rescue by Abraham from being a prisoner of war, he gained a position of prominence in Sodom.
In the Orient, protecting a visitor who is in your home is considered a sacred obligation, which Lot attempted to do. Unfortunately, the lives of women (Lot’s two virgin daughters) were not highly valued, for they were offered as pawns in exchange for the men’s safety.
Since the Lord did not say to Abraham that He would save the life of Lot and his family if there were fewer than ten righteous individuals in Sodom, when Abraham saw the smoke ascending over Sodom, no doubt he was concerned about the lives of his family. Furthermore, the scripture does not say whether Abraham ever met with Lot in the future.
Here are the nuggets I gained from Genesis 19:
God will tolerate sin, but for a time.
Sometimes your safety is the result of the intercession of the righteous.
It is valuable to have righteous individuals praying for you.
A genuine covenant relationship with God provides great dividends.
Disobeying instructions can cause your demise.
Oh, but for the mercy of God, your life can be snuffed out.
Choose to be hospitable when others are not.
Sin will lead to destruction.
Erroneous thinking leads to faulty actions.
Family members who reject wise counsel will not prosper.
When danger is imminent, move quickly.
When you receive divine instruction, follow it rather than trying to alter it.
God is not in favor of sexual immorality and unnatural desires.
When God is not consulted, ungodly decisions and actions are often made.
In Genesis 17, God met with Abraham, changed his name and Sarah’s name, and revealed to Abraham that Sarah would bear a son to their union within a year. You would have thought Abraham would be so excited that he would immediately tell his wife, who had been barren during their lengthy marriage, that her heart’s desire was about to come to pass. Still, he did not disclose this important information to her.
Therefore, I believe God made a visit to Abraham’s lodging so Sarah could receive this glad tidings. Thus, Genesis 18 opens with God appearing to Abraham while he sat at the entrance of his tent in Mamre. Abraham saw three men standing in front of him, and he ran to meet them, inviting them to rest at his house while he extended Bedouin hospitality to them.
With the acceptance of his hospitality, Abraham requested Sarah to make three cakes of fine meal, while he had a young man prepare a tender calf. When all was prepared, Abraham gave the men butter, milk, and the dressed calf, which they ate while Abraham stood by them.
The question was asked, “Where is Sarah thy wife?” and Abraham told them Sarah was in the tent. The Lord then spoke of the birth of a son by Sarah, and Sarah, who heard what was spoken, laughed. Sarah was menopausal, and she believed that at this point in their lives, she and Abraham were incapable of conceiving. Hearing her laughter, God questioned Abraham concerning it and said, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Scared Sarah denied that she laughed; however, God rebuked her for doing so
Abraham asked, “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked, as he requested the cities be saved for the sake of fifty righteous individuals, then forty-five, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and finally ten. God continuously replied positively to each of these numbers and concluded with the last amount Abraham requested, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.” The chapter ends with God departing from Abraham and Abraham returning home.
Biblically, the only recorded communication between Sarah and God in the Bible was when she lied to Him, and God reproved her.
Here are the nuggets I gleaned from this chapter:
Be hospitable to strangers, unbeknownst to you, you may be entertaining angels.
Be willing to serve others with the best version of yourself.
No matter your age, God can work miracles in your life.
Your feelings do not alter God’s promises.
God does judge man according to their sins.
Your prayers can save a city.
In His kindness and mercy, God will spare the ungodly to save the lives of the righteous.
From reading the scriptures, it has been twenty-four years since Abram left Haran, and over a decade since God had their last recorded conversation. Now, at the age of ninety-nine, God revisits him. First, declaring who He is, El Shaddai the Almighty God, He then informs Abram to obey Him and do His will. Once again, God reaffirms His previous covenant with Abram, and in response, Abram bowed himself down before God.
God informs Abram that he would be the father of many nations and that his name would be changed to Abraham. Abraham’s seed would be exceedingly fruitful, and from them would come nations and kings. This everlasting covenant was not only to Abram but also to his future seeds with the land of Canaan, where they were a stranger, promised as their inheritance.
As a token in keeping this everlasting covenant between him and God, every male child was to be circumcised. From then on, at eight days old, an infant was to be circumcised. This covenant included circumcision for the house-born slaves and purchased slaves. If there were a male who was not circumcised, they would not be part of the covenant.
Furthermore, God said Sarai’s name would be changed to Sarah, and He would bless her, she would bear a son, and she would be a princess and the mother of nations and kings.
Hearing this information, Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He thought, “Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” Remembering Ishmael, his firstborn, who was now thirteen years old, Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live before thee!” God informed him that He had heard his request and would bless Ishmael, who would beget twelve princes, be fruitful, and multiply, and from his seed, a great nation would come. However, Isaac, the child Sarah would bear next year, and Isaac’s descendants would be the ones with whom He would establish His everlasting covenant.
Abraham, who was ninety-nine years old, followed God’s instructions and circumcised all the males in his household after God had departed from him.
In Genesis 17, four new names were introduced. First and foremost, God reveals to Abram that He is God Almighty, which in Hebrew is El Shaddai. Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah, which means “princess,” and Isaac, the name of their son, which means “laughter,” was given to them.
Biblically, the name El Shaddai, which means “Almighty God” in the Hebrew language, is found forty-eight times in the Old Testament. In this chapter, the words “I will” are found approximately twelve times, and “my covenant, ” which denotes the relationship between God and Abraham, is recorded nine times.
Historically, as recorded in the scriptures, twenty-four years ago, God spoke to Abraham about blessing his seed; however, prior to this time, He never revealed who would bear this seed, and Abraham did not ask. Now, in chapter seventeen, God informed Abraham that the covenant promise was to be for the child he and Sarah would bear. Through the years, Abraham had bonded with his son Ishmael, and accepting the fact that Ishmael was not the chosen child was a bit challenging for him.
Here are the nuggets I gained from Genesis 17:
God desires to pour out blessings on those with whom He has a covenant.
God wants His people to know that He, the Almighty God, is capable of doing impossible things.
In His relationship with humanity, God places requirements on them.
The gracious acts of God cause men to be humbled.
A good, loving father will be concerned about the welfare of his child.
When God wants to bless His people, He gives them land.
Obedience is key in receiving all that God has for you.
The Teacher's Pick 