Dispatching, Matching, and Hatching

Chapters 23, 24, 25

Sarah, Abraham’s wife dies at the ripe old age of 127 years (Dispatching) and he grieves for her and goes to buy a burial plot/cave for his wife. In the land of Hebron, among the Hittite peoples he makes a request among their leaders to buy a piece of land at their full asking price so he can bury Sarah. Notice Abraham’s humility in asking and the paying full price for this piece of land. He knows that God has given him the land, Genesis 13:14, but he admits to the people he is a sojourner and foreigner among the people. He also is by God’s own word his prophet and the Hittites call him a prince of God among us. These things are not used or exploited by Abraham, like when Jesus walked this earth it says of him in the book of Philippians 2:6, Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage, likewise Abraham did not use his position as an advantage. All God’s children should be emulating this as well.

Next Abraham sets a plan in motion to get his son Isaac a wife, but not from the people from the area, but his own people from the country he came from. Notice in sending his servant Abraham knows the Lord will send an angel to lead the way in this journey. When the servant arrives, back to Abrahams former country, he asks the Lord for a sign and God leads him to Rebekah and Rebekah to him (Matching). Upon meeting Laban, Rebekah’s dad, the servant of Abraham tells him the whole incredible story. Laban also sees God’s hand in all of this and agrees to give Rebekah to Isaac for his wife. I can well imagine some people reading this are upset that Laban after he received from Abraham’s servant many gifts and riches will say, he sold his daughter into marriage, but look what the text says in Chapter 24 verse 57 - They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” They blessed Rebekah and sent her on her way. When the servant had returned to Canaan verse 67 it says and the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So, Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

Chapter 26

- Abraham remarries and his wife Keturah gives him six more sons.

- Who was Keturah? There is some speculation, but no proof.

- Abraham dies at the ripe old age of 175

- Isaac and Ishmael bury their father along with Sarah.

- 12 princes were born from Ishmael and he lived 137 years.

- Isaac and Rebekah have twin boys Esau and Jacob. (Hatching)

Next – Pottage, a Pair of queens, and a Promise.