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Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 22:1-24, Hebrews 11:17, Leviticus 18:21, John 1:1-3, Romans 5:6-8, Genesis 23:1-25:34, Romans 4:1-12.
Memory Text: “Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things” (Genesis 24:1, NKJV).
Finally, as God had promised, Sarah bore Abraham a son, “in his old age” (Genesis 21:2), and he named the baby Isaac (see Genesis 21:1-5). But the story of Abraham is far from over, reaching a climactic moment with him taking his son to Mount Moriah to be sacrificed. Isaac, however, is replaced by a ram (Genesis 22:13), which signified God’s commitment to bless the nations through his “seed” (Genesis 22:17-18). That seed, of course, was Jesus (Acts 13:23). Hence, in this astonishing (and in some ways troubling) story more of the plan of salvation is revealed.
Whatever the deep spiritual lessons here, the family of Abraham, nevertheless, must have been shaken by it, and the future of Abraham is not clear. Sarah dies after the sacrifice at Moriah (Genesis chapter 23), and Isaac remains single.
Abraham then takes the initiative to make sure that the “right” future will follow him. He arranges the marriage of his son to Rebekah (Genesis chapter 24), who will give birth to two sons (Genesis 25:21-23), and Abraham himself gets married to Keturah, who will give him many children (Genesis 25:1-6). This week, we will follow Abraham to the end of his life (Genesis 25:7-11).
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 21.
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