Finishing Well, Genesis 25

 

Chapter 25 marks the halfway point in the 50 chapters of Genesis; however, not necessarily in content.

From, in the beginning, to, father Abraham, the Bible is densely packed with data and drama. The foundation is laid, the trajectory set, for the rest of the Bible and humanity.

As a matter of fact, even though we’re only halfway through the first Book, we’re already, chronologically, over half way to the end of the Bible, when John writes the last jot in the last Book; Revelation.

Now, we’ll see the final years of Abraham slip by in just a few verses. Isn’t that how it goes? The older we get, the more time seems to slip by, quickly and quietly.

The quiet times, the golden years may not be noisy, explosive and exciting, but the later years are by no means meant to be unproductive years.

Genesis 25:1
 Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

The original text says something like this: Abraham took an additional woman (shshaw). The word used for wife is the same word for, woman, in Gen. 2:22, when God took a rib from Adam, and made, a woman.

There’s life after death, in this life, and the next.

Abraham was married to Sarah for at least hundred years. He was married when we met him at 75 years old, and he dies at 175.

In many ways, when Sarah died, he may have felt like he died too.

But, after getting his wife buried and his son married, he kept on living. Not just existing, but living, doing life.  

Not forgetting, not starting over, but adding to the already fulfilled life God had given.

Keturah, means perfume, or incense.

Like the perfume poured on Jesus, in preparation for His burial. Like the sweet aroma of incense rising from the altar of prayer to the throne of God. Like the fragrant offering of a life well lived, before God.

2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

6 kids. 7 grandkids. 3 great grands.

God promised Abraham that through the old barren womb of his wife Sarah, would come a promised son, through which all nations of the earth would be blessed, through the womb of a virgin. Isaac came. Jesus came.

Promise made. Promise kept.

God also promised that he’d make Abraham a father of many nations. This, these sons of Keturah, along with, Ishmael and his dozen, are a fulfillment of that promise.

So, today, throw a rock anywhere in the middle east and you’re likely to hit one of Abraham’s kids, through Sarah, Hagar, or Keturah. (15 million Jews; 436 million Arabs; 23 nations).

That’s just by blood. If you add by Love (Blood), there’s even more: 2.5 billion Christians. If you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed, and heir according to the promise. Galatians 3:29.

During this swift and sweet stage of life, while he was still living, Abraham got his house in order.

5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.

6 But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.

Ebenezer Scrooge learned his lesson in the Christmas Carol, and kept Christmas well; past, present and future.

Abraham learned this lesson as well, and didn’t forget the past, nor did he ignore the present or the future.

Past. He remembered God’s promise and gave all (inheritance) to God’s promised child, Isaac.

Present. Yet, he didn’t abandon his present responsibilities, and gave gifts to the sons of the concubines. Probably, very generously, according to his character, perhaps setting them up, for life.

Future. Additionally, in an effort to pursue peace, and prevent future fighting over assets, while he was still living, he sent them, and their gifts, away from Isaac.

It’s proper, and wise, to prepare for our ultimate demise, both earthly, and eternally.

Now, in case you’re thinking, that’s not fair, Isaac got more.

God loves all, equally. Like any good parent should. Yet, He has no problem differentiating.

Jesus says, who are my brother, sister, mother? Those that do the will of My Father. Matt. 12 Mark 3.

A lot of Abraham’s time and energy was spent dealing with things, people, places, God never call him to. (us too).

Concubines and their kids, were never articulated in God’s original Divine Design for Abe & Sarah’s life.

Imagine, if they had simply followed God’s original plan, only had Isaac.

Imagine, Israel peacefully inhabiting most of the middle east, all 300,000 square miles God deeded them, instead of the tiny sliver of 8,000 square miles they must fight to cling to.

Imagine Israel and American oil and grain, equitably, generously, peacefully, being provided to the planet according to God’s Judeo Christian values.

Imagine, no Hitler. No Holocaust. Because Israel would be the superpower God meant it to be.

Imagine if we simply followed God’s plan for our lives.

What a different world it would be.

One day, it will be. Someone will show up. One who was born a Jew, will go to Jerusalem, set up His kingdom, Israel will get what God has given; and for 1,000 years He will rule and reign, and finally then, there’ll be peace on earth, good will toward men.

But for now, we must deal with what we’ve got.

His and hers and ours and exes, and concubines, and concubines’ kids.

All have same value, but not all same role, function. (Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12. Church is one body, but many parts).

Not everybody wins a first-place blue ribbon.

Abraham was chosen by God to birth the nation that’d birth, Himself, the Messiah.

Isaac was in that line, and Jacob, and Judah, and on down the line to Joseph and Mary, to the Babe in a manger.

So that all have opportunity to be children of God.

So that all can be winners; even though all, don’t get first place blue ribbons.

Okay, back to our text, please note that, concubines, is plural. Referring to Hagar, and Keturah. 

However, some say Keturah was actually Hagar. But that doesn’t agree with Scripture here or in, 1 Chronicles 1:29-32, where the sons of Keturah are listed separately from Hagar and Sarah. 

We must remember to follow the Golden Rule of Biblical Interpretation:

When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; lest you fall into nonsense.

Abraham’s Death and Burial

7 This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

All the days, even of the best and greatest saints, are not remarkable days; some slide on silently; such were these last days of Abraham; and the first 75 years before we ever met him.

Abraham lived 35 years after the marriage of Isaac, yet, all that’s recorded is here, in just a few verses.

No more extraordinary visits from God and angels, no more mountain top trials, or travels, or battles.

Finishing well need not be noisy.

A gentle, quiet, preprayered life, turns extraordinary visits from God, into ordinary living with God; abiding in Him, breathing in breathing out, step by step, day by day, where trials and travels and battles, are won, before they ever come.

9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.

It appears, Isaac and Ishmael, not only buried dad, but they buried the hatchet. At least for the day.  

This gives us hope, and a challenge. Let’s not close the HIStory of our lives without doing all we can to bring peace amongst all those God has given us.

Let’s pray that the testimony of our lives will bring unity, not division, at our passing.

The challenging part is to pursue peace, without appeasement, without compromising God’s will or His Word.

That is best done, by walking ever so close to God, leading a humble, honorable life, bearing the peaceable fruit of righteousness on the outside, and an intense, fervent, prayer life on the inside.

That, is what softens the heart for the Good Seed of God to be planted.

11 And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.

With that we close the 7th scroll. The scroll we’ve been in for about 7 months.  

Scroll?

Genesis wasn’t originally written with chapter and verse, but on eleven separate scrolls. This scroll was the seventh, and one of the most powerful, foundational portions of Scripture.

In this scroll, Abraham is tested and chosen, to birth the nation that would lead to the Seed to bless all nations.

It ends with the death of the Abraham, but not the death of God’s plan.

No. God’s plan never dies with man. It actually sprang to Life, with the death of the Man, Christ Jesus.  

God closes this scroll by pointing to the future, to Isaac, the son of promise.

Let’s pray.

Lord, these days it seems the clock is spinning faster and faster. We pray you’ll help us to walk by Your clock, not run by ours. Help us honor You all the days of our lives, to get our house in order, and finish well.

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

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