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Genesis 21:8-23:20; Genesis 11:32; Genesis 24:1-67<\/strong><\/span> In Genesis chapter 21 we read about Sarah joyfully giving birth to Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old!\u00a0 Isaac\u2019s name means \u201che laughs\u201d \u2013 which in part came from when Sarah laughed when God told Abraham she would have a son a year prior. We also read about Hagar and Ishmael being sent away.\u00a0 Verse 13 stands out when God is speaking to Abraham, as he was upset about having to send Ishmael away: \u201cBut I will make a nation of the descendants of Hagar\u2019s son because he also is your son.\u201d\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Ishmael does later become the ruler of a large tribe in Paran and the Desert of Sinai, south of Israel.\u00a0 Then, one of Ishmael\u2019s daughter\u2019s marries Esau, Ishmael\u2019s nephew.\u00a0 From here the lineage of Esau becomes Arabic peoples and eventually the Muslim religion comes from this lineage.\u00a0 It is said that Abraham is the father of the world\u2019s three major monotheistic faiths \u2013 Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths.\u00a0 Below is an oil on canvas painting by the Spanish artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo from 1732 titled \u201cThe Angel Succoring Hagar\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n In Genesis chapter 22 Abraham\u2019s faith and obedience is tested in what most see as the climax of our readings about Abraham in Genesis.\u00a0 Some interesting things to note about this chapter.\u00a0 It is said that much of this chapter foreshadows what happens with Jesus.\u00a0 A father is called to sacrifice his one and only son \u2013 a son he loves so very much.\u00a0 The son is taken to a mountain to be sacrificed.\u00a0 On the mountain a \u201clamb\u201d is sacrificed \u2013 a ram in place of Isaac\u2019s life \u2013 and Jesus as the \u201clamb\u201d in place of our lives.\u00a0 Hebrews 11:19 has an interesting point to make about these readings in Genesis 22 today: \u201cAbraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Below is Rembrandt\u2019s famous painting from 1635 of the angel, Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah titled \u201cThe Sacrifice of Isaac\u201d (this is a powerful painting \u2013 many commentators call Isaac a prefiguration \/ type of Christ, which I think this painting can help us visualize):<\/span><\/p>\n In verse 14 we read about the mountain where Isaac was taken and the altar was built \u2013 Mount Moriah.\u00a0 Mount Moriah was about 48 miles north of Beersheba, where Abraham and Isaac began their journey \u2013 so a 3 day journey at that time makes sense.\u00a0 Some scholars believe that Mount Moriah is the Temple Mount area of Jerusalem, where the first and second temples were located \u2013 and also where the Dome of the Rock mosque, built in 691 A.D., is now located.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n Bob Deffinbaugh from bible.org has yet another amazing article, this time on Genesis Chapter 22 \u2013 which goes into The Command, Abraham\u2019s Obedience, God\u2019s Provision, and God\u2019s Promise.\u00a0 Take 10 minutes if you can and check out this great article on this chapter titled \u201cFinal Exams\u201d<\/strong> <\/span>at this link here<\/span>.\u00a0 Below is a painting of \u201cAbraham Sacrificing Isaac\u201d by the famous French baroque classical painter Laurent de La Hire from the year 1650:<\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on Genesis chapter 20 today titled \u201cDon\u2019t Ever Say Never\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and commentary on chapter 21 titled \u201cWhat Happens When Christians Mess Up?\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Today in Genesis chapter 23 we read about the burial of Sarah.\u00a0 I think an amazing thing to note in this chapter is that Abraham is determined to bury Sarah in Canaan, based on God\u2019s promise (<\/span>Gen 15:9-21<\/span>) to Abraham that Canaan would be his and his descendant\u2019s homeland.\u00a0 Verse 4 stands out in this chapter and I think can speak for us today as well: \u201cHere I am, a stranger in a foreign land, with no place to bury my wife.\u201d <\/em>We will see this type of phrase throughout the Old Testament \u2013 the idea of being an alien and a stranger.\u00a0 In Abraham\u2019s case, he was literally living in a tent \u2013 a very temporary structure.\u00a0 But yet, Abraham was confident in God\u2019s promise of the Promised Land.\u00a0 And for us today \u2013 we are called to be \u201cin the world, but not of the world\u201d.\u00a0 In a sense, we are also aliens and strangers.\u00a0 The question we might need to ask ourselves \u2013 are we acting like we are aliens and strangers in this world?\u00a0 Are we awaiting our promised land with God in heaven?\u00a0 Or, are we maybe getting a bit too comfortable in this world?\u00a0 And maybe even loving the material things of this world \u2013 more than eternal things?\u00a0 And maybe are we forgetting sometimes about the amazing promised land God has in store for us?\u00a0 Below is a painting by American artist Tom Lovell from 1967 titled \u201cThe Burial of Sarah\u201d that I think corresponds nicely with verse 19: \u201cSo Abraham buried Sarah there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, which is at Hebron.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Genesis chapter 24 is a just a wonderful narrative story about Abraham sending his servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac!\u00a0 What I like a lot about this chapter was how God was honored by Abraham, and by the servant at the well, and by Laban and Bethuel at the end of today\u2019s readings.\u00a0 It was evident that everyone was making their plans and prayers based on God!\u00a0 And not based on their own ideas or will power.\u00a0 God was being consulted.\u00a0 The last half of verse 7 stood out to me: \u201cHe will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a young woman there to be my son\u2019s wife.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 What I noticed about this verse, is that we didn\u2019t read about Abraham praying to God that an angel would go ahead of the servant \u2013 nor did we read about God telling Abraham this would be the case.\u00a0 Perhaps one of these two things happened outside of the text.\u00a0 But, what struck me was that maybe Abraham had been walking with God for so long now, that he may have been in such close relationship with God that he may have just somehow knew this angel would go ahead \u2013 and he wouldn\u2019t of said it otherwise.\u00a0 \u00a0I just wonder if we are obedient to God and walk with God for a good portion of our lives, as Abraham did, if the will of God and God\u2019s works just become more and more evident in our lives?\u00a0 I\u2019m kind of just thinking out loud here\u2026\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 Hopefully this makes sense.\u00a0 I do believe that as we go forward in our spiritual walk, God will continue to share more and new insights with us.\u00a0 Which is great news!\u00a0 Our walk with God will not be boring!\u00a0 Even in the midst of trials and hardships, I believe if we are faithful and obedient and continually seek God\u2019s will in our lives, we will come to know Him more and more \u2013 and, like Abraham, come to know more and more of the Peace that surpasses all understanding.\u00a0 I love this image below of Abraham in his later years\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Verse 15 stands out in this chapter: \u201cAs he was still praying, a young woman named Rebekah arrived with a water jug on her shoulder. Her father was Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham\u2019s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.\u201d<\/em> As the servant was just finishing his prayer, God was answering it!\u00a0 Have you ever had this experience?\u00a0 I am not 100% sure that I have, but I think I have.\u00a0 \u00a0I think maybe sometimes God encourages us to pray and sometimes he immediately delivers on that prayer \u2013 just so it becomes clear that what happened was the work of God, and not our own work.\u00a0 Now, don\u2019t get me wrong \u2013 sometimes we pray for something specific, and God does not answer immediately.\u00a0 Or\u2026 perhaps that\u2019s the answer in and of itself \u2013 no answer.\u00a0 It\u2019s a mystery \u2013 but an adventurous mystery to be sure!\u00a0 What a great thing to experience though, as this servant did, when a prayer is immediately answered.\u00a0 Below is 19th century American stained-glass artist John La Farge\u2019s \u201cRebekah at the Well\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n I love the very opening verse 52 in Genesis chapter 24 today: \u201cAt this reply, Abraham\u2019s servant bowed to the ground and worshiped the LORD.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 This just made me think \u2013 when was the last time that I actually bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord?\u00a0 I have to confess it was a long time ago.\u00a0 This may sound strange, but one time I was listening to the David Crowder song \u201cDeliver Me\u201d and for some reason I literally fell to the ground, bowed, and worshiped God.\u00a0 It was an experience that\u2019s hard to forget.\u00a0 But why is it so hard for me to get back down on the ground and worship God once again?\u00a0 When was the last time you bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord?<\/span><\/p>\n Rebekah and Isaac meet and marry in today\u2019s readings!\u00a0 Below is Italian painter G.B. Castiglione\u2019s oil painting titled \u201cMeeting of Rebekah and Isaac\u201d circa 1640:<\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Genesis chapter 24 titled \u201cDealing with Death\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and commentary on chapter 25 titled \u201cHow to Find a Godly Wife\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong>\u00a0 Today\u2019s readings in Genesis reminded me of Phil Wickham\u2019s song, \u201cThis is Amazing Grace:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
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