Spurling Silver: The Obituary of a Princess, Genesis 23

Hebrews 11:17-19

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

In faith and obedience, Abraham and Isaac walked.

While they were walking, there was a ram, a male sheep walking, atop Mount Moriah (later called Calvary).

As Isaac carried up Mount Moriah the wood upon which he’d be offered; the ram drew near to a thicket.

While Abraham bound his son, and prepared him to offer; the ram got caught in the thicket… and took Isaac’s place on the altar.

While we’re walking it out, God is working it out.

Genesis 22:20-24
Now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, “Indeed Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.

Buz; ancestor of the famous animated movie star, Buzz Lightyear 😊.

While Abe, and family, were walking it out with God; God was working it out, for them.

About 400 miles north, for decades God had been working out the next step in their walk.

Here God gives us a glimpse of what He’s been doing, a preview of what’s coming.

He was raising Rebekah, Isaac’s future wife; the one who’ll carry the flame, from Sarah. The Seed that will lead to the Messiah.

However, as you know, our walk, through life, is filled with interruptions.

Life doesn’t always flow smooth and seamless. It’s filled with interruptions.

As we catch a glimpse of what God’s preparing, we quicken our step and pick up the pace, and then just like that—Sarah’s tombstone is plopped midstride, right in the middle of our path; we’re stopped dead in our tracks.

Death; the hardest, most painful, interruption we’ll face in this life.

All of Genesis 23, is basically, Sarah’s obituary; it even includes the cost of the funeral arrangements.

Genesis 23:1
Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.

Sarah is the name God gave her. Sarah means princess. Sarah is the only lady in the Bible where age and location of death is given.

She was 127; that makes Isaac, 37. One of the reasons some say Isaac was in his early 30s; same age as Jesus, when offered as a sacrifice, at the same place, on the same Mount, as Jesus.

She’s mentioned more times in Scripture than any other woman, even Mary, the mother of Jesus.

She’s the first, of only two women mentioned by name in, The Faith Hall of Fame, Hebrews 11:11.

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

The Lord, through Peter, remembers Sarah as an example for Godly women, 1 Peter 3:3-6.

Sarah is the woman, the barren woman, the old barren woman, that God chose to birth a nation, the nation of Israel.

Literally she is the grandmother of Israel (Jacob).

2 So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

Sarah dies; Abraham cries.

Hebron. Sarah died in (keer-yath' ar-bah') Hebron, the place where Abraham and Sarah, first sank a few roots in the Promise Land.

It’s about 20 miles south of Jerusalem.

It’s where God and a couple angels, met with Abraham, on their way to destroy Sodom.

The place Abraham interceded for Sodom. The place Abe left after Sodom went up in smoke.

Abraham mourns.

Abraham goes into mourning and he weeps.

This is the first mention of the word used for mourn, (saphad).

The men of the land call Abraham a mighty prince. God calls him the father of many nations, and that his descendants would possess the gates of their enemies, and through his Seed all nations of the earth would be blessed.

This mighty man, Godly Abraham, the man called a friend of God, was not too macho to weep for his wife Sarah, an old barren lady, who had just one child… but birthed a nation, the nation of Israel.

Jesus wept. We’re told in John 11:35. He wept over Jerusalem as He foresaw her death, the death of a city, a nation, the nation of Israel. By 70 AD the Romans would reduce Jerusalem to rubble, and not leave one stone upon another, exactly as Jesus predicted. Matthew 24:2.

But make no mistake, God did not do all this, raise Israel up from an old couple as good as dead, to let her die.

Israel did not die completely by Roman hands, no more than Jesus did on a Roman cross.

A remnant survived the Romans, just as they survived the Assyrians, Babylonians, Hitler’s Nazis, Iran’s repeated and ongoing terrorist proxies, and every other anti-Israelian enemy.

The nation most hated by man, and loved by God remains, and will remain the apple of God’s eye.

God is not done with Israel. The Church has not ever, nor will ever, take the place of Israel in God Divine Eternal Plan and Purpose.

Israel may have been quiet for a while, making room for the gentile, and the Church, to be grafted in and grow, but Tuesday, May 14^th, 2024, Israel will celebrate the day God caused Israel to bloom again as a nation, 76years ago.

Israel and the God of Israel, are still alive and well.

Do not be deceived, or ignorant, of the signs of the times, in the days in which we live. Currently, there’s a demonically driven, unfounded and ignorant rage against Israel, burning, blinding and brainwashing, on college campuses around the globe.

We pray for their eyes to be opened, for they know not what they are doing.

Israel will never again sit on the sidelines of HIStory. She’ll continue to move front and center.

A coalition of nations, led by Russia, will become jealous of her bounty, and as if drawn by a hook in the jaw, will come against her to plunder.

The jealous fury has already been kindled.

This is not conjecture, it will happen just as predicted in Ezekiel 38-39.

The sad news is, no nation, not even America will stand with Israel.

The Good news is, they don’t need another nation, because God is her Shield and Exceedingly Great Reward. Gen. 15:1.

3 Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,

Abraham wept, he mourned, he grieved. Which is good. There’s such a thing as good grief.

There’s a time to mourn, and time to weep, a time to grieve. We’re sad because we miss them, our hearts are broken, our lives are lonely, we’re torn asunder.

But as believers for believes, we do not grieve like those without hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

Then Abraham stood up from before his dead.

Just as there’s a time to mourn, and weep, there’s a time to stand up, a time to get up, re-joy, revive, live, laugh, love, rejoice, again.

Sure, it hurts. It won’t subside at once, the grief will come in waves, in spurts, but the flooding, suffocating, tide of sorrow will subside.

In Christ, we weep with Easter in our tears. Knowing this life is but a vapor. Having, the blessed assurance that this life is but a dream, and when we die—that is when we wake.

That’s where we’ll meet our loved ones and never part again, in that Place, our real Home, there’ll be no more goodbyes, or tears or sickness or sorrow, or death or dying.

Yes, it’ll be different, it’ll be more, more joy, more peace, more love, more above and beyond anything we could ever ask or think.

4 “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

Abraham knew he was just passing through.

The Promise Land God promised him, was 300,000 square miles, and yet, this piece of land and a well by Beersheba, is all he will take ownership of.

Today Israel only inhabits a little over 8,000 square miles, a little sliver of what’s theirs by God’s promise.

Hebrews 11:9-10
By faith he (Abraham) dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

5 And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6 “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”

Abraham was no stranger, he had a powerful reputation, both in might and wealth.

So, they respond courteously and respectfully, and it sounds so nice, and it is. On the surface.

Abraham is asking for a place to buy, take ownership of.

They are offering a place to share.

7 Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. 8 And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”

Abraham bowed, showing respect.

Then humbly asks for a certain piece of property. He came prepared. Did his homework. Knew what he wanted.

Then he offers to pay full price. He takes responsibility. Doesn’t ask for pity, play the victim, or ask for a handout.

10 Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you. Bury your dead!”

Now, this sounds really nice. Too nice. That’s because it is. Ephron has no intention of giving the land to Abraham.

This is the way business deals were done back in the day.

Imagine Abe is looking for a car to buy his wife, not land to bury his wife.

He walks onto Heth and Sons Used Cars.

Abe: Hi, I’m looking for a used car.

Ephron (super salesman): You’ve come to the right place Mighty Prince Sir. Pick a car, any car, the choicest of cars, any car you wish—take her for a spin. Don’t worry about the price, we don’t care about that, we’re just here to make you happy.

That’s how the bargaining begins. The puppy dog approach. Get them to touch it, hold it, handle it, drive it, really like it.

You see, even though this sounds like a friendly conversation, it’s actually a business transaction. Notice how they speak back and forth in the hearing of the people at the city gate.

If they know and trust the person to be in good standing and credit, they start out saying they’d give it. Like an auctioneer starts small, but has no intention of selling at that price. It’s simply a tactic to engage the buyer.

Then, of course the buyer will insist that he pay something.

Which is exactly what Abraham does.

12 Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land; 13 and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.”

Abraham, maintains his humble, respectful composure, and speaks in the hearing of the people as per protocol, telling Ephron that he will pay money for the field.

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”

Now, remember, Heth and Sons Used Cars. You never pay the price on the window. The asking price is ridiculously high.

Ephron throws out a number about ten times the going rate; fully prepared to negotiate down from there.

Then, the smooth-talking salesman slathers his price gouging with sweet words of honey saying something like: What’s a few measly shekels between friends, Mr. Mighty Prince, Sir, go ahead, bury your dead.

16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.

Now, Abraham totally sidesteps normal protocol, and doesn’t counter offer, but counts out the silver.

Ephron’s jaw hits the floor, and you could’ve heard a pin drop as 400 shekels of silver clink one by one from Abe’s hand to his.

Abraham, shows the integrity and dignity of a mighty prince indeed, and would not dare cheapen the memory of the Princess Sarah, by haggling over the price of her burial place.

17 So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

An official business transaction before all who went in at the city gate.

Practically speaking.

Abraham used wisdom and prepared for not only Sarah’s burial but his and his family in years to come.

The Bible not only reveals Godly wisdom, but practical wisdom as well.

Spiritually speaking.

Abraham prepared a place for his own, after they were gone.

Jesus prepared a place for His own, after we’re gone.

19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.

You can still visit this very place today. The Cave of the Patriarchs. It's no longer just a field and a cave but a big memorial structure.

By the end of Genesis, this burial place will be pretty crowded.

Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah.

All, ancestors, of Christ.

Genesis 49:29-31
Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah.