The Son of the Promise

Transcript

GRS 7
March 2, 1986
The Son of the Promise
Old Testament Survey
Genesis 21-25
Gil Rugh

We’re in the book of Genesis together and the 21st chapter. Genesis chapter 21. The book of Genesis has been unfolding God’s plan and purpose in preparing for Himself a nation through which He would honor and exalt Himself. Through the opening chapters of Genesis we saw creation take place and the Fall occur. We was the development of nations with the tower of Babel and the associated events there as the peoples of the world are divided into their nations and their tongues.

In chapter 12, God selected Abraham to be the one through whom God would build a great nation. And now for some 25 years we’ve been waiting for something to happen. God calls Abraham in chapter 12 of Genesis. Abraham’s 75 years old when he leaves his leaves his homeland and goes to the land of Canaan. And it takes 25 years before Abraham and Sarah have their first child – a son through whom the promises of God can be realized. Abraham is an outstanding man of faith, but he’s a man who has his ups and downs. And in chapter 18 God reaffirmed His promise to Abraham. And He said, “Next year at this time, Sarah’s going to have a son in fulfillment of My promise to you.” And you know, after waiting 24 years, Abraham does his best to blow it right at the end, because in chapter 20 he ends up putting Sarah in another man’s harem – Abimelech, a local king. Abraham like; Abimelech takes Sarah into that harem. But God sovereignly overrules and protects Sarah.

You know, it’s a reminder. If God’s purposes and plans depended upon us and our faithfulness, they wouldn’t amount to much, would they? But we’re reminded – God’s faithful, and He demonstrates even in that situation His sovereign control to bring about what He has promised. You know, Isaiah 55:11 tells us that God says that His word will not return void. It will not fail to accomplish what He intends it to accomplish. And He has promised Abraham that he will build a great nation, that Sarah will have a child, and the nation will be built through that child. So God is obligated to see this program through to realization.

Chapter 21 of Genesis is the birth of Isaac. We’re going to stare the one major event; I would say that it is the birth of Isaac. But there are other things that happen in Genesis 21. The first 7 verses cover the birth of Isaac. So the minor part of the chapter is given over to the major event. And then verses 8 to 21 deal with the departure of Ishmael – a heart-rending event for Abraham. Ishmael has to go. And the chapter will close in verses 22 to 34 with a covenant that Abraham establishes with Abimelech guaranteeing Abraham water rights in that part of the land.

The chapter opens up in verse 1 where God “Took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. Sarah conceived and bore to Abraham in his old age at the appointed time which God had spoken to him.” Remember in chapter 18 God said, “next year at this time.” Now at the appointed time that God had promised, Sarah conceives and bears a son. And the son is called Isaac in verse 3. Isaac means, “he who laughs,” or “laughter.” And remember when God had spoken to Abraham and later to Sarah – or to Abraham in the hearing of Sarah later. Both laughed when God talked about that these two old folks are going to bear a son. And God says, “Now you name him laughter or he who laughs. That will be a good constant reminder to you.” And it was. He is laughter or he who laughs.

Verse 5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son was born to him. He was 86 years old when Ismael was born. So Ishmael is about 14 years of age at the birth of Isaac. That’s going to be significant as this chapter moves along. Sarah said in verse 6, “God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” So the laughter now is the laughter of rejoicing over the gracious provision of God. And Sarah is saying, “Everyone is going to laugh and rejoice when they hear what God has done for Sarah and for Abraham.” A 90-year-old woman bearing a child, and given the ability to nurse that child in verse 7. A time of great rejoicing.

You know, anytime the flesh acts, it seems to continue to come back to haunt us, so to speak. And Ishmael is in the picture. Ismael is born of a fleshly plan to help God out. How we need to constantly remind ourselves God doesn’t need any help. And Abraham and Sarah tried to help God out. The book of Galatians said that was a plan of the flesh.

Now Ishmael is a problem. And so we are told in verse 9. Verse 8 Isaac is weaned from Sarah. It would probably be two or three years of age in that culture when they weaned him. Now whether it’s on the day of weaning or not, we don’t know. But it might have been on that day of celebration, Sarah notices that Ishmael is mocking Isaac. Interestingly, that word mocking is from the same basic word as the name Isaac. He’s laughing at Isaac – making fun of Isaac, ridiculing Isaac. And that doesn’t sit well with Sarah. And she realizes it’s not going to work to have Isaac and Ishmael raised in the same home. Isaac now has replaced Ishmael. Here is the real son of promise – the heir to Abraham’s wealth. There’s going to be tension there. So Sarah says, “Ishmael has to go.” Verse 10, “Therefore she said to Abraham, ‘Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be heir with my son Isaac.’”

A sad time for Abraham. Abraham has strong feelings for Ishmael. Verse 11 says Abraham was greatly distressed. You can imagine he was. This was his son. It wasn’t Sarah’s son, but it was Abraham’s son. Now here he’s been raised to a teenager. And I’m sure he brought joy to Abraham’s life. And now his wife says, “Hagar and her son have to go.”

And interestingly, Galatians chapter 4. In Galatians chapter 4 – you can just jot it down – verses 21 to 31 recount the picture that Ishmael was a picture of the flesh and the law associated with the flesh. Isaac is the child of promise and pictures those of us who are heirs of the new Jerusalem and the promise of God. But this statement of Sarah in Galatians chapter 4 and verse 30, “the son of this maid shall not be heir with my son Isaac,” is really an inspired utterance according to Galatians 4:30. That is the plan of God being unfolded.

And in verse 12 God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid. Whatever Sarah tells you.” There’s times when husbands ought to listen to their wives. Now there’s times when husband ought not to listen to their wives. Abraham shouldn’t have listened to Sarah’s plan to have a child with Hagar. But that doesn’t mean he should never listen to Sarah. Here Sarah is the spokesman of God. That quote from Sarah is picked up in Galatians 4:30. “Do whatever Sarah tells you. Listen to her. For through Isaac your descendants shall be named.” God had chosen Isaac. He was the appointed heir. The promises would be realized through Isaac. So Ishmael had to go. That’s the plan of God. Ishmael has to go.

And in Romans chapter 9 and verse 7 this statement, “through Isaac your descendants shall be named,” at the end of verse 12 – Isaiah 9:7 picks that up – as a demonstration that God sovereignly chooses whom He wills. He elected in grace Isaac and not Ishmael. And it was based upon grace, not works. So that statement becomes important even in understanding God’s sovereign choice. Why did He choose Isaac? Because He chose to choose Isaac. That’s the thrust of Romans chapter 9.

As heart-rending as it is to Abraham, and God gives Abraham a promise, “I’m going to make a great nation of this man, Ishmael, because he is your son. And I’ve made a promise concerning him as your son. However, he has to leave.” As difficult as that would be, you have to appreciate verse 14. “So Abraham rose early in the morning.” And you ought to underline that. Rose early. It’s going to become key later on in something we’re going to see about Abraham as well in a later chapter. He rose early. Indicates prompt and immediate obedience on Abraham’s part. You know, we don’t find Abraham arguing with God. Hard as it is, the terrible turmoil that had to be existing in Abraham’s heart, God’s spoken, Abraham gets up early in the morning and does what God says. That’s why he’s such a great example of faith.

Now Ishmael was probably around 16 or 17 at this time. If he was 14 when Isaac was born, and we’ve seen Isaac weaned in verse 8 and he would be 2 or 3 there, that would mean already Ishmael is 16 or 17. And if these events occurred after the weaning, he could have been a little older – 18 or 19. So don’t think of Ishmael as a little baby being carried off now by Hagar. He is a teenager – 16, 17, 18 years of age.

Abraham gives provision to Hagar and Ishmael. And you know what amazes me. You have to go back I guess to understand something of the culture of the time. But you’d think that Abraham might have made greater provision for Hagar and Ishmael. “Here are 25 of my choice servants and animals and provisions to care of you.” Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael off, as far as we can tell, on their own. Hagar puts the water bottle and provisions on her shoulder. It seems to indicate that just she and Ishmael leave. And off they go into the wilderness. She’s been here before. You remember when she fled from Sarah. The water runs out, and she’s ready to die in verse 15. And verse 15 says the water in the skin was used up, and she left the boy under the bushes. I used to have a picture in my mind of her taking this little crying baby over and laying him under the bushes, then going off so she wouldn’t have to watch this crying baby die. But keep in mind, Ishmael is 17 years old, approximately, so she didn’t carry him anywhere. But they’re both weak and dying of thirst. So Ishmael curls up under a bush, and Hagar leaves him there. She can’t bear to watch her son die, and she off in the distance to wait their death. And the angel of the Lord intervenes and calls out. And in verse 17 God heard the lad crying. I think that’s important. He didn’t hear Hagar; he heard the lad. He heard Ishmael. Because Ishmael is one who is the recipient of certain great promises of God. Ishmael cannot die. God has promised to make great nations of Ishmael. Ishmael can’t die. Now here’s Ishmael crying. And the scriptural way of putting it for our benefit is God heard him. The angel of God called to Hagar, “What’s the matter with you Hagar?” Now obviously, He’s not asking for information. But it’s to draw the attention of Hagar to her situation and acknowledge it to God and seek His help. The end of verse 17, “Do not fear. God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.” Isn’t that interesting? Ishmael means ‘God hears’, and God has heard Ishmael’s cry and intervened. She tells him to take up the lad. “I will make a great nation of him.” Then He unveils Hagar’s eyes; she sees a well; they take water; they are nourished; and they settle in verse 21 in the wilderness of Paran. That’s the northeast portion of the Sinai Peninsula. Hagar and Ishmael settle down. She takes an Egyptian wife for him. Hagar being an Egyptian herself. And now this new nation is going to be established.

Chapter 21 verses 22 to 34 relate an incident in a battle over a well. And Abimelech the king recognizes the greatness of Abraham. And even though Abimelech is a mighty king with an army, he realizes that God is with Abraham. He’s experienced that you remember in chapter 20. So he is anxious to make an agreement with Abraham because he has seen if he doesn’t get along with Abraham he could be wiped out. So they are going to enter into a covenant. And on this occasion Abraham tells him that a well that he dug has been taken from him by Abimelech’s forces. They make an agreement; enter into a covenant relationship guaranteeing by oath that the well belongs to Abraham.

Verse 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba. There he called on the name of the Lord the Everlasting God. Jehovah Jireh as we usually call that name – the Everlasting God. That’s going to be key in sustaining Abraham. This is El Olam, I’m sorry, not Jehovah Jireh. He’s going to come up in the next chapter. El Olam, the everlasting God. A reminder to Abraham of something he’s going to need when you get into chapter 22. That God is the same, He is the eternal God, and He will care for him.

Abraham’s life goes from trial to trial it seems. There’s been great blessing in chapter 21 – the birth of Isaac. After 25 years, the son of promise is here. But that means Ishmael has to go – great heartache. Then conflict with those he’s living around. Now you come to chapter 22, and I think this brings us to the pinnacle of Abraham’s faith. And perhaps the greatest chapter in the Old Testament. You might think Isaiah 53 is. Certainly these two chapters together could stand as perhaps the two greatest chapters in the Old Testament. Here, the sacrifice of Isaac is the issue. And it’s going to be the challenge – the greatest challenge – to Abraham’s faith.

What you’re going to have in chapter 22, I’d title it just the sacrifice of Isaac. You’re going to have the preparation of Isaac for that sacrifice. The first 12 verses are involved with that. Then a provision of a substitute by God in verses 13 to 19. And then you’re going to have the generations of Nahor as the chapter closes because God’s going to prepare you for the wife of Isaac, Rebekah.

But first, preparing Isaac for sacrifice. And we’re told in verse 1, “Now it come about after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” Now evidently there’s been a number of years of silence. And it’s a good reminder to us. You know, you read the accounts of these servants of the Old Testament, and you think that their life went from one exciting event to the other. But there are major periods of silence in there where I take it they were just living out their lives as we do. And during that time, that daily walk with God and dependence upon Him in the humdrum normal activities prepare them for the great challenges that come. The great challenges don’t come every day. They come separated by years and years. But you’re only ready for them when you’ve been walking with God in the day-by-day events.

And here’s another great challenge. God calls to Abraham. And He’s going to test Abraham, we’re told in verse 1. Not test Abraham to do evil, because James chapter 1 tells us that God never tests or tempts anyone to do evil. He’s going to test Abraham with regard to his commitment to God above everything else. “Abraham, do you love Me more than you love Isaac?” And even the sacrifice of Isaac to God is not a temptation to sin. So we ought to keep that in mind here. Verse 2. And you ought to note here how God draws attention to Isaac and how special he is. “And he said, ‘Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.’” Note this. “Go take your son.” Draws attention. Your son. Then He elaborates. “Your only son.” Second statement. Ishmael’s been sent away. “This is your only son now. I want you to take him. Not just your son. Your only one.” Third. “Whom you love.” You might be interested to note, this is the first mention of love in the Bible. And it’s in the context of the love of an only son who is to be sacrificed, which is the great example of love as the New Testament develops. And incidentally in the New Testament, the first mention of love is the love of God for His Son. “This is My well-loved, my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” So preparation here in picture for the coming of Christ. “The son whom you love, Isaac. The one who laughs. The one who brings joy and rejoicing to your life. This is the one I’m talking about.” Almost like God is making it all the more difficult. “Take this special unique son of your love. Take him away to Moriah; and offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.”

This reaches down to touch Abraham at the most sensitive, most delicate part of his life. Does he love God more than he loves Isaac? He waited 25 years for Isaac. Wasn’t his faith stretched and tested enough? Now he finally has him. He’s just begun to grow to maturity. Now God says, “I want to take him back. Make him a burnt offering to Me.” You know, I gotta appreciate Abraham. You read verse 3, what does Abraham do? The exact same thing when God spoke to him about Ishmael. In chapter 21 and verse 14 after God had spoken about Ishmael, Abraham rose early. Now God speaks to him about Isaac. And there’s no argument. It’s not, “Well Isaac is different than Ishmael. I did it with Ishmael and it was hard, but Isaac’s different.” Nope. Abraham’s a man of faith. So verse 3 says, “So Abraham rose early in the morning.” Prompt, immediate, unquestioning obedience. Amazes me. There’s no argument recorded. There’s no debate recorded. God has spoken and Abraham gets up early in the morning. He doesn’t drag it out. “Maybe we ought to have a late breakfast. The weather doesn’t look too good. Maybe we ought to wait until tomorrow to go.” No. “Maybe I ought to give God some time to reconsider you know, does He really mean what He said?” Nope. Up early in the morning and off he goes. It will be a journey of about 50 miles.

They arrive there on the third day. And you can imagine Abraham’s thoughts as verse 4 says he saw the place in a distance. God has told him where to go. He lifts up his eyes and he sees it in a distance. You wonder what’s going through Abraham’s mind. “This is the spot. We’re here already.” Three days, but I imagine those days went by quickly. I can’t imagine that Abraham was anxious to get here, but there was no delay on his part either. Abraham said to the young men, “You stay here with the donkey. I and the lad will go yonder. We will worship and return to you.” Remarkable staggering faith of the man Abraham. He says that ‘Isaac and I are going on alone to worship God. And we will return to you.’ Now where in the world did he get the idea that Isaac was coming back? He’s going to go offer Isaac as a burnt offering to God. You know what, Abraham knew that the promises of God centered in Isaac. That God had promised that in Isaac the seed would be developed. The covenant promises would be realized. He knew that God had said, “You must sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering.” That didn’t mean that Abraham doubted that God would keep His word. Didn’t mean he questioned that God really wanted him to sacrifice Isaac. You know what Abraham’s conclusion was? “God must be going to raise Isaac from the dead. He wants me to kill Isaac as a sacrifice. And God is bound by His covenant to be fulfilled in Isaac. He must want me to sacrifice him and then He’ll raise him from the dead.”

You know how we know that? The book of Hebrews tells us. Just turn over to Hebrews quickly. We ought to read that. It’s such a dramatic statement of Abraham’s faith. Hebrews chapter 11, verse 17. Hebrews 11:17, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested offered up Isaac.” Now note this. “He who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son.” Only begotten referring to his unique son Abraham, who had received the promises that could only be fulfilled in Isaac. “It was he whom is was said, ‘In Isaac you descendants shall be called’” (verse 18). Was now offering up this unique son. “He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead,” verse 19. Now to me that is staggering faith. That Abraham had such a commitment to the promises of God. That he believe that, “Even if God wants me to sacrifice Isaac, that’s fine. God will keep His word and I’m going to receive Isaac back resurrected.” That’s staggering faith. We can read it by and say, “Oh yeah, God had another plan.” You put yourself in Abraham’s place with your child. What would be going through your mind? “Oh I’m sure God will raise him from the dead.” Do you have that much firm unshakable confidence in the word of God? That God is good to His word, and it doesn’t matter what comes into my life, God is going to keep His word. Abraham believed it.

Back in chapter 21. Isaac asked the question in verse 7, “Where’s the burnt offering. We’ve got all the provisions, but no offering.” In verse 8, Abraham makes a statement that even he doesn’t grasp the full significance of. “’God will provide for Himself the lamb for burnt offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.” Imagine what’s going through Abraham’s mind. What a beautiful answer. You know, you’d think he’s be speechless. “How am I going to tell Isaac that you’re the burnt offering?” I mean, how is he going to understand that the father who is supposed to love him is now going to sacrifice him? But what more important that Isaac would see in his father that he was a man who obeyed God without reservation. And that he loved God more than anything else. The answer is beautiful. “god will make provision for Himself, Isaac.” And Isaac accepts that.

They make preparation. Abraham binds him. You’re familiar with the story. Raises the knife up. Abraham believed he really had to go through with it. And at that point with the knife raised, the angel of the Lord cries out, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Yes, you called me.” “Don’t sacrifice Isaac.” “Oh, okay.” “Take him down untie him.” There in the thicket, there is a ram caught in verse 13. They take the ram and he becomes the sacrifice, and God has provided for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering. Picturing what God would do ultimately with His own Son. He would provide the lamb Himself. He doesn’t ask me to make provision for my sin. He doesn’t take from me for the provision of sin. He makes the provision Himself. Beautiful picture. When it comes time for God’s Son to die, though, there will be no one to intervene. His Son will have to die. The picture being unfolded here is very clear. Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide.’ And that’s the name Jehovah Jireh. God will provide. On Mount Moriah God provided the lamb. You know Mount Moriah becomes significant in Israel’s later history. This is the place where Solomon will build the temple. This is the place remember where David bought the threshing floor to do sacrifice to his God. And it would be in this area that Jesus Christ Himself will be crucified. We don’t know the exact site. But Mount Moriah is where the temple is built, where Jerusalem will reside and where Jesus Christ will die. It would not be beyond possibility that it’s pretty close to this exact location. 2 Chronicles 3:1. You can just jot it down. That that’s where Solomon’s temple was built on the mountain of Moriah. And also the place where David bought the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Then God goes on to reiterate His promise to Abraham, “Because you haven’t even withheld your only son from Me, I swear, I take an oath that I’ll greatly bless you, multiply your seed as the stars and as the sand, and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” Now here God takes an oath. The book of Hebrews picks this up in chapter 6 verses 13 to 18, and says that God by two immutable things guaranteed the covenant to Abraham. God’s word in and of itself is immutable. But then God took an oath upon Himself. Just to show how immutable and unchanging His promise to Abraham really is. And so he swears to Abraham that that covenant will be fulfilled.

Tremendous section. Tremendous demonstration of great obedience on Abraham’s part. That he would worship God. And those who would worship God must not hold anything back from God. You know, forces me to ask, “God is there anything more dear to me than you are?” That’s the issue. “Do I love anyone or anything more than I love you? Is there anything God if You said, ‘Lay it on the altar to Me. I want it today,’ that I would say, ‘God, I’d do about anything for You, but I couldn’t do that.’” The demonstration of Abraham is he’s a true worshipper of God. There’s unreserved devotion and commitment. And he will not withhold that which is most precious and dear to him. His only unique son, Isaac. The chapter closes with a genealogy. And the purpose of the genealogy there is to prepare the way for the wife of Isaac. And she’ll come up over in chapter 24. But the family of Rebekah is laid out here. And you’ll see in verse 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. And Rebekah is going to be the wife of Isaac.

You come to chapter 23, and chapter 23 is taken up with the death of Sarah. “Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” You know, Sarah is the only woman in all the Bible whose age at death is recorded. Now it may be that women were more sensitive about their age even then. But I think really her age is recorded because it’s emphasizing her tremendous importance. She has occupied a unique and special place in the plan of God in building a nation. Only Sarah could be the mother of that promised child, Isaac. Now she has passed.

You ought to note something. Some 20 or 25 years have elapsed between chapter 22 and 23. So you see life is going on and we have just gotten some of the highlights. Now you put 20 of 25 more years between chapters 22 and 23 and say, “I wonder what all was going on.” Isaac’s 37 years old now at the death of his mother. Remember he was born when Sarah was 90 and now Sarah dies at 127. He’s 37 years old. He’s a mature adult. I take it they were just growing and maturing in their walk with God.

Verse 2 also incidentally was the first mention of weeping in the Bible. Isn’t it interesting, all Abraham had to go through? We don’t find him weeping when Ishmael left, weeping when he had to offer Isaac. But here at the death of Sarah we find Abraham weeping. Not an indication of a lack of faith. But the real sorrow that comes at the separation that death has brought here.

Abraham purchases a field in Canaan in the realm of Hebron to be a burial place. And he has to purchase the field with the cave. And that will become the burial place for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as Sarah, Rebekah and Leah. In fact, Rachel is the only one who won’t be buried here out of these first three patriarchs and their wives. So the key burial place in Hebron for Abraham and his family. You know it’s interesting. God has promised Abraham the land of Canaan for himself and his descendants. Abraham is finally now going to own a piece of the land. And you know what it’s going to be? It’s going to be a tomb, and he had to buy it. You know what, Abraham’s going to die and that’s all he’s going to own of Canaan, even when he dies. A burial plot that he bought. He didn’t receive the promises. Hebrews chapter 11, verses 39 and 40 tells us that the patriarchs died without seeing the fulfillment of the promises of God, but they died in faith. Dies believing that they would really see the fulfillment of those promises.

Chapter 24 is the longest chapter in Genesis, and it is about Rebekah. I’d just call chapter 24 Rebekah, because what you have here is the unfolding of that beautiful account where a wife is secured for Isaac. Now what happens? Abraham’s old, and Isaac is getting older, and he still doesn’t have a wife. So Abraham determines to secure a wife for Isaac. And what is going to be presented about Isaac in this chapter I think gives some glimpse into the character of Isaac. Isaac is such a unique and special son. He was the son of promise. We see so much attention focused on him through those chapters from chapter 12 till he is born and then following his birth. But Isaac really comes out as a rather weak and passive person. Sandwiched between his great father Abraham and his greater son Jacob with whom the rest of the book of Genesis will be occupied. So it seems that Isaac is somewhat of a passive and weaker person. And then perhaps his position is a little bit diminished by the fact he had a rather clever and masterful wife. And Rebekah is going to be the smarter of the two, if we can say that. So, as important as Isaac is, he doesn’t get a great deal of press, if you will, in scripture. He’s important because he is that key link between Abraham and everyone else. But as far as the unfolding of the actual life of Isaac, there’s not a great deal there that makes you stand up and applaud Isaac. His father is greater and his son Jacob is greater as persons in their lives.

What Abraham does is take his trusted faithful servant. And this may have been Eleazor, that servant who was born in Abraham’s family referred to earlier that Abraham thought was going to be his heir. A trusted servant nonetheless, packs him up and tells him to go to his homeland to secure a wife from his relatives. Now Abraham really realizes that it’s important that Isaac marry within the framework of the people that God has chosen for Himself. Isaac cannot have a wife who is a Canaanite. Must have a wife from the family of Abraham because God has chosen the family of Abraham. So he sends him back to his home land. Abraham also tells the servant. The servant says, “What if a woman won’t come to me?” This is going to be a journey of 500 miles to go back to Abraham’s homeland. Now that’s a long trip when you got to go by camel. Five mile is a long trip by camel. Five hundred miles by camel. That’s going to take him a long time. Now here you’re going to have this servant arrive in town with a train of camels and he’s going to look for a beautiful virgin and say, “Come on back 500 miles with me, I’ve got someone who’d like to marry you.” The servant says, “You know, what if she won’t come with me? I mean that’s just a possibility, you know. Maybe you think I could take Isaac with me? At least she’d get to see what she’s going to get.” You know what Abraham says? “Under no circumstances should you ever take Isaac out of the land of Canaan.” Right down to the end, Abraham is firmly fixed in the promises of God. All he owns in the land of Canaan is a burial plot. But he says, “God has promised to me and to my descendants the land of Canaan and Isaac can’t leave the land of Canaan under any circumstances. So if the woman won’t come with you, you’re free from the promise, the oath.” But Abraham says he’s convinced God will provide the wife. So you see here the unshakable faith of Abraham right down to the end. He doesn’t want Isaac to leave Canaan because Isaac may go back to his homeland and never get back to Canaan. And God has promised Canaan to Isaac; he has to stay here.

You’re familiar with the story. The servant goes. He says, “God, indicate to me the right woman. The woman who’s willing to give me a drink and also feed my camels or water my camels.” And that was a big job. Going to go and pull all this water out. And camels know how to drink. And they’ve come from a 500-mile journey. Now you’re going to haul water for the camels? Rebekah says, “sure, here, take a drink, and while you take a drink, I’ll run and water your camels.” Then they go and here it’s from Abraham’s very household. Rebekah’s going to be Isaac’s second cousin. Now if you compare the genealogy back in chapter 20 verses 20 to 24. And the account. Rebekah is willing to come. Her brother and her father – father Bethuel and brother Laban – say that it’s up to Rebekah. Verse 57 of Genesis 24, “’We will call the girl and consult her wishes.’ Then they called Rebekah and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ And she said, ‘I will go.’” So they pack her up with her nurse and send her off with a blessing. Verse 60, “They blessed Rebekah and said to her, ‘May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.’” Rebekah with her entourage now leaves and they return to the land of Abraham. And down in verse 67, “Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. Abraham was 140. We know that Isaac was 40. Down in chapter 25, we’ll get there. But in verse 20, “Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah . . . to be his wife.” So he is a mature adult and Abraham is getting older.

Chapter 25. Climactic chapter. It’s a transition chapter. I’d title the chapter Esau and Jacob. Because those are the two key people that are going to come out of this chapter. But the chapter’s going to begin with the death of Abraham and it’s going to close with Jacob as the possessor of the birthright and thus the covenant promises. So we make a major transition. Abraham passes off the scene and the covenant blessings now will be established through Isaac to his son Jacob in chapter 25. And really the rest of the book of Genesis is going to be occupied with Jacob, and the family Jacob, Joseph his son and so on.

First 11 verses we have the close of Abraham’s life. And you find, remarkable, Abraham’s going to father six more sons. So evidently when God rejuvenated Abraham, gave him the power to father Isaac, He really put a charge into Abraham, and Abraham kept on going right to the end. He took a wife, evidently from his concubines. The wife is called a concubine. 1 Chronicles chapter 1 and verse 32 calls Keturah the wife of Abraham a concubine. But here we’re told that he takes her as a wife. And he fathers six sons through Keturah, sometime over a 37-year period. And a shorter period really, because evidently all these sons mature and are turned out of the home of Abraham before Abraham dies. Some believe that Abraham took Keturah as a concubine wife before Sarah had died. Indication you get from chapter 25 is he married Keturah after the death of Sarah. These six sons, their descendants are primarily various Arab tribes. So Abraham not only fathers Ishmael, who’s going to produce key Arab people, but he fathers the six sons of Keturah who are going to have as descendants various Arab tribes. They’re going to be a constant plague and problem for the children of Israel. They’ll come up in Israel’s later history in the Old Testament.

Abraham dies 175 years old in verse 7. Adam breathed his last in verse 8, ripe old age, old man satisfied with life gathered to his people. Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. And here we see a reunion of Isaac and Ishmael. The sons of Keturah aren’t said to come and be a part of this, but evidently Ishmael is an important enough son, has occupied an important enough place in Abraham’s life that he comes back and he and Isaac are involved together now in the burial place of Abraham.

The descendants of Ishmael are mentioned. Since Ishmael is mentioned now as being present at the death of Abraham, it’s a good time to be reminded that God has fulfilled His promises to Ishmael and he has produced 12 princes, and they are named for us. And then he dies in verse 17 at 137 years of age. God promised in chapter 17 and verse 20, “You’ll be the father of 12 princes.” And that promise has been realized. He dies at 137 years of age.

Now we have the birth of Esau and Jacob. And we find out there’s been some trouble in Isaac and Rebekah’s relationship. Again, you see how you’ve just been getting the highlights of what is going on in these saints’ lives. And I mention that because sometimes it seems like we live our lives on the humdrum, average, mundane level. And I think if we had lived with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, we would have seen that they lived their lives pretty much on that level as well. They had the normal routine, everyday life to live. But the crucial thing is in that everyday life to be building that relationship with God. To be honoring Him in their life and then when these major events came, they were prepared for that, and could stand as true servants of God.

Isaac and Rebekah are going to wait 20 years before they have a child. Rebekah is barren. And we see here almost a repeat. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years – we don’t know how long they were married – but 25 years after God gave the promises, when Abraham was 75, before they had their first child. Now Isaac and Rebekah are going to be married 20 years and they do not have any children. Verse 26, we’re told Isaac was 60 years old when the children are born. Well we know in verse 20 that he was 40 years old when he married Rebekah, so that’s how we know 20 years have elapsed. We’re told in verse 21 that Rebekah was barren. Now keep in mind, these 20 years. Ishmael is fathering children. He’s producing 12 princes. What’s going through Isaac’s mind? The promises that he has heard from his father, Abraham. That God has assured him of. “and here I am a barren wife. No children. Here’s Ishmael. The promises center in me, and Ishmael’s produced the 12 princes.” We read in verse 21 that Isaac prayed on behalf of his wife and God responded. Now if you just read that you’d say, “Well, Rebekah’s barren. Isaac prayed and they have a child.” But you keep in mind, he prayed for 20 years. Then God gave him the child. And I take it during that time there was nothing but an opportunity for Isaac’s faith to be built and strengthened.

Are you familiar with the account? God says to Rebekah as the two kids are already fighting in the womb. She goes to God to find out what’s happening. “I got a war going on and they haven’t even been born.” Verse 23: “And the Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb; and two peoples shall be separated from your body; and one people shall be stronger than the other; and the older shall serve the younger.’” Here, before either are born, and this becomes a key issue in the New Testament with the doctrine of election. Romans chapter 9, verses 6 to 13 use this statement of God as a demonstration of God’s unconditional election. Where Paul says in Romans 9 that the twins not having been born, neither having done good or evil, God said, “The older shall serve the younger.” That’s God’s sovereign, arbitrary, unconditional election. He chose Jacob over Esau, and it had nothing to do with what they would do, because God says in Romans 9, “It didn’t have anything to do with works they would do, good or evil.” But He chose them before birth, and before their works would become an issue. That Jacob would be the son that would be the one of blessing. Now this is the exact opposite of what would be expected, because the older was to be the inheritor of the birthright. But God says the older shall serve the younger and be the stronger people.

Well, time for birth comes; the first one came out, verse 25, red all over like a hairy garment. Not a great description, but that’s what he looked like. He was a rather hairy kid. So they named him hairy. They did. They named him Esau. Esau means hairy. He was covered with red hair. That’s a good name. Let’s call him Esau, because he was hairy all over when he was born. Afterword his brother came out. It’s almost cute, although it has great theological significance; he comes out holding on to his brother’s heel. Just following along, grabbing onto his heel. “Well, let’s see, here he’s born, and he’s holding onto the heel. What are we going to name him? Let’s name him the heel holder.” That’s what they did. They named him Jacob. You know what Jacob means? Heel holder. They had a hard time with names in those days, just like we do today. What are we going to call him? Well, let’s name after his father’s father’s father, and he’ll be the 13th. Well they didn’t quite do that all the time. They just named whatever it was. So you watched the birth. Hairy? Hairy. Heel holder? Heel holder. And so Jacob is a heel holder. It means then one who supplants. Becomes the idea a supplanter will take the place. He comes out holding his brother’s heel, and he will replace him. Becomes a key idea. If you’ll look over in chapter 27, when conflict is involved between Esau and Jacob as brothers in chapter 27 and verse 36. “Then [Esau] said, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me these two times?’” He who took hold of my heel and supplanted me now. “He’s rightly named,” Esau said.

So now you have two peoples. But God has promised the blessing to the younger. And the preparation for that transition occurs with verse 27 to verse 34 you have the sale of the birthright. And you find there’s a problem here. And you see something of the stronger character of Rebekah with the character of Isaac. Isaac loves Esau and Rebekah loves Isaac. And perhaps you have greater appreciation that Rebekah has the better insight here. She has heard the plan of God. She knows from before birth that Jacob is the chosen one. And Jacob is he mama’s boy. He’s the peaceable homebody, the amiable boy. He likes to be at home with mama. Esau, hairy old guy, likes to get out in the field, and go for the animals. And Isaac, he just loves the meat that Esau brings in, so he likes Esau. Isaac likes Esau, you get these all sorted out, I’ll just tell you the story. Isaac loves Esau because Esau brings him the kind of meat, and perhaps some insight into Isaac’s character here. It doesn’t have anything to do with spiritual reasons. Doesn’t have anything to with the promises of God centering in him. It’s simply like, “I like the material provisions he makes. He hunts good meat and I like good meat. Esau’s my favorite.” And this tension between husband and wife is going to have dramatic impact on this family.

Well, since Jacob likes to stay home, he learns to cook, and he makes a mean stew. Esau comes in from the field, and he’s just famished. In fact, “I’m going to die if I don’t get something to eat.” So, he says, “Give me some of that red stuff.” He’s hung up on red. He was born red and hairy, and he likes red. And here’s some red stew, lentil stew. “Give me some of that red stuff.” And so verse 30, they call him Edom, which means red. So the two names for this man – Esau and Edom. Hairy and red. Comes from being hairy at birth and from his attention on being red. Not only is he red in color, but he likes red things, red stew. Jacob says, “First sell me your birthright.” And here you see something of the character of Jacob. He’s a little bit of a deceitful character. He’s called the supplanter, the heel holder. Now the birthright was the status of the firstborn. It meant the headship of the family and the double portion. The right of blessing comes through the firstborn, whoever has the birthright. And the birthright could be removed under certain circumstances. For certain sinful activities, the birthright could be removed. It could be bartered or sold. So here Jacob says, “Sell me your birthright. I tell you what. Here’s a good bowl of my best soup. All you got to do is give me your birthright.” Now at least you see here, that Jacob has an appreciation for the importance of the birthright. That’s something worth having. Esau is a profane and godless man. In fact, that’s how the book of Hebrews titles him. In Hebrews chapter 12, verse 16, it calls him a profane and godless man who did not appreciate the privileges of the birthright. Because the birthright ways you are the one who is going to be the recipient of the blessings of God. They mean nothing to Esau. All he’s concerned about is his stomach. So he says, “What good’s a birthright when you’re hungry? I might die of hunger here. Sure, I’ll give you the birthright.” Jacob says, “It’s got to be binding. Let’s take an oath.” It’s hard to believe that Esau would take an oath and give up his birthright for a bowl of soup. But it says he swore to Jacob, verse 34, “he ate the soup, drank, rose up and went his way.” He has no regard for spiritual things. He’s a godless and profane person. Now he’s going to want it back at a later date, because it has certain physical blessings as well. But he has no appreciation for spiritual realities.

So Jacob does. He sees that it is important to be in the place of blessing. And I’m sure he’s been coached by his mother through this, as we see will happen in later times. So what has happened? Now Jacob has the birthright. So we have in this section gone from Abraham through Isaac – even though Isaac is not dead yet – but the birthright now is going to be resident with Jacob.

Isn’t it interesting, how God’s plan develops and unfolds? And even though God’s given a prophecy in verse 23 of chapter 25, that his blessing would center in Jacob. The sovereign election of God is unfolded in Romans chapter 9. That he chose Jacob over Esau does not absolve Esau of his responsibility in the decisions he makes. So Hebrews will call him a profane and godless man. God’s sovereign. All His purposes and plans being accomplished. We can look back and study these individuals and say, “What a privilege to walk with God.” We look back and see their shortcomings and failures and say, “They should have been faithful in those circumstances.” And these things are written for our admonition that we should learn God is faithful. I can trust Him. He’ll do what He’s promised. So that when I’m under pressure, when I’m in difficulty, I can take Him at His word, and even though I can’t see the end – and all these men will die without receiving the promises – they’ll die in faith. I believe God will be true to His word. I trust that will characterize our lives as well. Let’s pray together.