Read Genesis 24:67-25:8. What is the meaning of these final events in the life of Abraham?

After Sarah died, Abraham married again. Like Isaac, he is comforted after the death of Sarah (Genesis 24:67). The memory of Sarah must still surely be vivid in the mind of the patriarch, as it is for his son.

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Yet, the identity of his new wife is unclear. The fact that the chronicler associates Keturah’s sons together with Hagar’s sons, without mentioning the name of Keturah, suggests, however, that Keturah could (as some have suggested) be Hagar. We just don’t know. It is also significant that Abraham behaves with Keturah’s sons the same way as he did with Hagar’s son: he sends them away to avoid any spiritual influence and make a clear distinction between his son with Sarah and the other sons.

He also gives “all that he had unto Isaac” (Genesis 25:5) while he “gave gifts to the sons of the concubines” (Genesis 25:6, NKJV). The classification of “concubines” may also imply that Keturah’s status, like Hagar, was that of a concubine. The potential identification of Keturah as Hagar may also explain the subtle allusion to the memory of Sarah as a prelude to his marriage with Keturah-Hagar.

What’s interesting is that in Genesis 25:1-4, Genesis 25:12-18, a list of the children that Abraham had with Keturah, as well as a list of Ishmael’s children, is given. The purpose of the genealogy after Abraham’s marriage with Keturah, who gave him six sons, versus his two other sons (Isaac and Ishmael), is perhaps to provide immediate evidence of God’s promise that Abraham would father many nations.

The second genealogy concerned the descendants of Ishmael, who also composed 12 tribes (compare with Genesis 17:20), just as what would happen with Jacob (Genesis 35:22-26). Though, of course, God’s covenant will be reserved to the seed of Isaac (Genesis 17:21), not Ishmael, a point that Scripture is very clear about.

The report of Abraham’s death sandwiched between the two genealogies (Genesis 25:7-11) also testifies to God’s blessing. It reveals the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, made many years earlier, that he would die “at a good old age” (Genesis 15:15, NKJV) and “full of years” (compare with Eccles. 6:3).

In the end, the Lord remained true to His promises of grace to his faithful servant Abraham, whose faith is depicted in Scripture as a great example, if not the best example, in the Old Testament of salvation by faith (see Romans 4:1-12).

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Genesis chapter 24 tells the story of the marriage of Isaac after Sarah’s death. The two stories are related.

Read Genesis 24:1-67. Why is Abraham so concerned that his son not marry a woman from the Canaanites?

Just as Abraham wanted to acquire the land in order to bury his wife, because of God’s promise to his descendants that they would have this land, he now insists that Isaac not settle outside of the Promised Land either (Genesis 24:7).

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

Also, Isaac’s move to bring his bride to Sarah’s tent, and the note that Rebekah comforted Isaac “after his mother’s death” (Genesis 24:67) point back to Sarah’s death, implying Isaac’s pain at the loss of his mother.

The story is full of prayers and fulfillment of prayers and rich with lessons about God’s providence and human freedom. It begins with Abraham’s words. Swearing by “the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth” (Genesis 24:3, NKJV), Abraham is first of all acknowledging of God as the Creator (Genesis 1:1, Genesis 14:19), with a direct bearing on the births of Abraham’s descendants, including the Messiah Himself.

The reference to “His angel” and to “the LORD God of heaven” (Genesis 24:7, NKJV) points back to the Angel of the LORD who came from heaven to rescue Isaac from being slaughtered (Genesis 22:11). The God who controls the universe, the Angel of the LORD who intervened to save Isaac, will lead in this question of marriage.

Abraham leaves open, however, the possibility that the woman will not respond to God’s call. As powerful as He is, God does not force humans to obey Him. Although God’s plan for Rebekah is to follow Eliezer, she retains her freedom of choice. That is, it was possible that this woman would not want to come, and if not, she would not be forced to.

Hence, we see here another example of the great mystery of how God has given us, as humans, free will, free choice, a freedom that He will not trample on. (If He did, it would not be free will.) And yet, somehow, despite the reality of human free will, and many of the terrible choices humans make with that free will, we can still trust that in the end God’s love and goodness, ultimately, will prevail.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Join the Hit the Mark Sabbath School Panel as they have a lively, interactive discussion of the week’s lesson, “The Promise.”

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