Genesis: a 12-session study

Session 7A: Passing the Promises

from Abraham to IsaacGenesis 23:1 – 26:33

SUMMARYGenesis Structure

Genesis 1: wide angle view of creation Creation is ordered: first formed and then filled. God works 6

days, then rests the 7th day. Rest is a gift from God. Genesis 2-4: close up view of Adam’s generation

Adam & Eve made in the image of God as rulers and priests. The Fall brings inherited sin. Cain kills Abel. Seth appointed.

Genesis 5-11: wide angle view of the nations Noah & The Flood. Shem, Ham, & Japheth. Tower of Babel.

Languages confused and people diffused across the world. Genesis 11-50: close up view of the nation of Israel

Terah. Abram/Abraham. Ishmael & Isaac. Esau & Jacob (Israel). Joseph.

REVIEW & PREVIEWGenesis 11-50: Patriarchs, Parents, & Progeny

Terah: Left for Canaan. Settled half-way. His son finishes the journey.

Abram/Abraham: Went to Canaan faithfully. Went to Egypt fearfully. Came back

to Canaan faithfully. God appears. Abram builds altars. Abram rescues Lot. Lot escapes Sodom. Abraham receives covenant name, sign, son, place, and presence. Treaty in Gerar. Near sacrifice of Isaac. Return to Beersheba.

Ishmael (slave) & Isaac (free): Ishmael born first, but Isaac received the covenant. Hagar cast

out, but son Ishmael still blessed. Esau & Jacob Joseph “The Patriarchs”:

Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob. This is the covenant line.

REVIEW: Abraham & AbimelechGenesis 20

Abraham & Sarah travel south into Negev/b to Gerar. Abimelech = “my father is king”, a common royal name. Abraham calls Sarah “my sister”. She is taken by the king. God appears to Abimelech in a dream and keeps him from Sarah. Abimelech is concerned about a “great sin” (adultery). Abraham Gerar was godless, but Abimelech made restitution. Abraham is called the first prophet, interceding for others. God had made Abimelech’s household infertile because of Sarah. Abraham prays and Abimelech, his wife, and servants are healed. God’s blessing through Abraham comes to the Philistines. This shows how Abraham is becoming a blessing to all nations. Abraham’s experience in Gerar parallels and contrasts with Egypt:

He goes to Egypt in famine. He goes to Gerar for an unknown reason. Abraham calls Sarah his “sister” in both Egypt and Gerar. In Egypt, Sarah is beautiful. In Gerar, beauty is not mentioned. In Egypt, plagues come, Abram sent away, and offers no prayer. In Gerar, infertility comes, king makes restitution, Abraham prays, God

heals.

REVIEW: Promises FulfilledGenesis 21

At the time the LORD foretold, Sarah gives birth to Isaac. Abraham circumcised Isaac, giving the covenant sign to the covenant

son. Abraham was 100 at Isaac’s birth, 75 at the promise, a 25 year wait. Isaac (2-3) was weaned. Abraham made a feast. Hagar laughed. Sarah had Hagar cast out so Ishmael won’t share the inheritance. Hagar and Ishmael wandered in Beersheba until out of water. Hagar puts Ishmael under a bush, walks away, and weeps. God hears Ishmael. The angel of God calls Hagar. Ishmael will be a great

nation. God opens Hagar’s eyes to see a well. God was with Ishmael. Abimelech acknowledges to Abraham: “God is with you in all that you do.” Abimelech makes a treaty with Abraham. Abraham confronts Abimelech about the well taken by his servants. Abraham gives sheep and oxen to make a covenant with Abimelech. Abraham set apart 7 ewe lambs as a witness that he dug the well, hence

the name Beersheba (“well of seven” or “well of the oath”). Abimelech and commander Phicol, returned to the Philistines’ land. Abraham plants a tree and calls upon the name of the LORD. Abraham remembers God and God remembered Abraham.

REVIEW: Abraham Tested, God ProvidedGenesis 22

God tested Abraham to take his only son Isaac, whom he loves, as an offering on a mountain in Moriah.

Abraham and Isaac go with only wood and fire. Isaac carries the wood. Abraham told 2 young men they will worship and come back. Isaac asked about the lamb. Abraham said God will provide the lamb. Abraham built an altar, placed the wood, and bound Isaac on top. Abraham took the knife to sacrifice his son. The Angel of the LORD calls out to Abraham and stops him. A ram caught by the horns nearby became the substitute sacrifice. Abraham called the place “The LORD will provide” (lit. “will see”). (JHWH

Jireh meant that God provided the sacrifice.) The Angel of the LORD speaks again and reaffirms the covenant.

Speaking as the voice of the LORD, could it be the pre-incarnate Jesus? Abraham is an example of God The Father, and Isaac an example of Jesus. Abraham returns to Beersheba, receiving news that his brother has had

many children. This genealogy, like others, signals a new section. After this there are several smaller narratives near the end of Abraham’s life.

THE BIG PICTUREGenesis 23:1 – 26:33

At the twilight of Abraham’s life, he passes down the torch of his faith to Isaac.

Sarah’s Death & BurialGenesis 23:1-20

Sarah died at the age of 127 at Kiriath-arba (Hebron). Abraham mourns for Sarah. Hittites acknowledge Abraham as a “prince of God among us.” At the city gate, Ephron offers the land.

The city gate was a public place where official business was conducted. Abraham insists on purchasing the land, and gives 400 shekels (160

ounces) of silver to purchases a cave from the Hittites as a burial ground. Today the cost of that much silver would be $3400-3500, but commentaries say it

was a very high price to pay at that time. Significant location of Sarah’s burial

Sarah buried in the promised land: Canaan. Promised affirmed in Genesis 12:1, 7; 13:15; 15:18; 17:8 This is the only land Abraham ever owned in Canaan. Symbolically, it served

as an “earnest” or “down payment” in faith on the eventual possession of the land.

All three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) would eventually be buried there. You do what you can do. Let God do the rest.

Abraham purchased only a small piece of Canaan. God gave the rest to his descendants, many years later, after they had grown in number.

Isaac & Rebekah: Abraham preparesGenesis 24:1-9 “The LORD blessed Abraham in all things.” Confirms the covenant relationship with Abraham Abraham desires a godly wife for his son Isaac. Abraham is at

least 127 years old (at the death of Sarah), so Isaac is at least 27. Abraham decides it’s time to get Isaac a wife.

Knowing the wickedness of the Canaanites, Abraham sends his oldest servant back to his old country to search for a wife for Isaac.

Abraham sends his servant, not Isaac, his son. Isaac will inherit the covenant promise of Canaan. If Isaac goes back to Haran, Isaac might be tempted to settle

down there like his grandfather did. The servant takes an oath by placing his hand under Abraham’s

thigh, probably both a sign of submission and a ceremony for taking an oath.

Abraham has faith that the servant will succeed, prophesying that the LORD “will send his angel before you”. (Jesus?)

If the woman isn’t willing to come back, the servant is released from the oath.

Isaac & Rebekah: The servant seeksGenesis 24:10-27

Abraham’s servant departs with 10 camels, choice gifts, and went to Nahor (near Haran).

It’s evening. The camels kneel. The local women come out to get water. The servant prays to the LORD for guidance. He requests a sign: the

woman who offers to water the camels will be the one chosen for Isaac. In verse 12, the request to “grant me success today” is literally, “make it

happen before me today.” The servant requests confirmation of the sign. Before the servant finished speaking the prayer, Rebekah came out.

She is a beautiful and eligible young woman. She offered water for the servant. She also watered the camels until they finished drinking.

The servant gives Rebekah 1 gold ring (for her nose) and 2 gold bracelets. Rebekah reveals her family line. Her father Bethuel is Abraham’s nephew.

Her grandfather Nahor is Abraham’s brother. Her grandmother Milcah was Nahor’s wife (i.e., not his concubine).

Rebekah shows hospitality (a family trait) by inviting the servant to meet and to stay with her family.

The servant worships the LORD for answering his prayer to find a woman from Abraham’s kindred for Abraham’s son Isaac.

V. 27: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master.”

Rebekah reveals. The servant retells.Genesis 24:28-48 Rebekah RAN and told her family what happened. The actions of Rebekah’s brother, Laban, indicate

that he has some responsibility in the family. Laban validates Rebekah’s story, observing the man, camels,

ring, and bracelets. Laban shows hospitality by inviting the servant in, giving

water to wash the feet of him and his men, and taking care of the camels.

Laban will be involved in the marriage arrangement. The servant retells the family everything that

happened: the wealth of Abraham the miraculous birth of Isaac the oath to take a wife from Abraham’s clan the sign that Rebekah fulfilled

Isaac & Rebekah: Alliance arrangedGenesis 24:49-61 The servant requests a confirmation of whether or not Laban will

approve. Laban and his father Bethuel reply, “The thing has come from the

LORD…let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

The servant gives Rebekah silver & gold jewelry plus clothes. The servant gives expensive ornaments to the brother and mother. In the morning, the mother and brother are reluctant to let Rebekah

go right away. The servant wanted to go right away. The mother and brother call Rebekah to decide. Rebekah decides to go, another confirmation of the oath.

Rebekah and her young women ride away on the camels with the servant of Abraham.

Rebekah submitted her will to the LORD’s will. Isaac sees the camels. Rebekah veils herself, part of the betrothal

period. Isaac receives Rebekah as his wife. He loved her. “So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”

Abraham’s Death & Other DescendantsGenesis 25:1-18 After Sarah’s death, Abraham takes another wife: Keturah.

Like Hagar, she’s a concubine. A genealogy of Keturah’s children is included. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. He gives gifts to the

children of the concubines, but sends them away from Isaac, the covenant heir.

Abraham lives to 175 and dies. “Gathered to his people”: death, reunion with family, afterlife Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the same cave as his wife Sarah. This is the first property in the promised land.

After Abraham’s death, God’s blessing passes to Isaac. Isaac settles in Beer-lahai-roi: “the well of the vision” where

The Angel of the LORD appeared to Hagar. (the presence of Jesus) A genealogy of Hagar’s son Ishmael is included. He settles in

Shur, between Isaac in the Negev and Egypt. These 2 genealogies signal another transition in Genesis.

ISAACISHMAEL

DISCUSSIONGenesis 23-25A

1. Why do you think Abraham was acknowledged by the Hittites as a "prince of God among us"?

2. What happened at the city gate between Ephron and Abraham?

3. What was significant about Sarah's burial place?4. Why do you suppose Abraham chooses this time to get a wife

for Isaac?5. Why does Abraham NOT want a wife from Canaan for Isaac?6. Why does Abraham's servant place his hand under Abraham's

thigh?7. How does Abraham display faith and confidence that the

mission will succeed?8. Why does Abraham's servant pray to God for guidance?9. How does Abraham's servant know his prayer is answered?10. What does Abraham's servant do when his prayer is

answered?

DISCUSSION (2)Genesis 23-25A

11. What does Rebekah do after she meets the servant?12. What does Laban do?13. How does Abraham's servant communicate that this

marriage was arranged by God?14. What is Rebekah's response to the proposed alliance?15. Are Abraham's children through Keturah and Hagar

part of the covenant?16. Where do Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham?17. Where do Isaac and Ishmael settle after Abraham's

death?18. How has this impacted world events today?19. How can we prepare to pass our faith down to the

next generation?