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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Key Thought: Abraham arranges the marriage of his son to Rebekah and Abraham marries Keturah. But the promise of an heir was Jesus, which Abraham didn’t understand at that time..
May 21, 2022

1. Have a volunteer read Genesis 22: 1-12.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What was the meaning of this test for Abraham and Isaac? What spiritual lessons come from this amazing event?
3. Personal Application: What does the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah say to you about your faith and how you manifest it? Share your thoughts..
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Why would God put Abraham through that experience? It seemed like God was asking Abraham to do something the pagan did – offer their children in the fire to Molech. How could Abraham differentiate between the two?’” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Genesis 23.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What function does the story of Sarah’s death and burial play in the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham?
3. Personal Application: What does this tell us about what kind of reputation Abraham had? Why is this important in understanding what he was used by the Lord to do? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What does Eliazer’s prayer have to do with Abraham getting a wife that was suitable for him? Was this God’s will and answer to his prayer or just circumstantial? In other words, was the prayer necessary, or was God going to give him the right one anyway?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Genesis Genesis 24.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. Why is Abraham so concerned that his son not marry a woman from the Canaanites?
3. Personal Application: Why is it so comforting to know that while not all things are God’s will, He is still in charge? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Why are you people so stuck on the idea of free will? Why can’t you accept the fact that God can do what He wishes regardless of what you want?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Genesis 24:67-25:8.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is the meaning of these final events in the life of Abraham?
3. Personal Application: Does God only use those of good character, or does He use those willing to trust and obey regardless of past character? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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The book of Genesis offers us so many and vast topics from which to choose a theme hymn. As we are starting at the very beginning, I would like to give praise to our Creator of heaven and earth in singing 
Hymn 320 – Lord of Creation and 
Hymn 2 – All Creatures of Our God and King. The stories that follow creation will lean back toward our amazing God and what He has done for each of us in creation.

Having read through the week’s lesson studies, more than once
Hymn 518 – Standing on the Promises is sung in my mind.

Mount Moriah again shows the 
Amazing Grace – Hymn 108 of our God-given to Abraham, and to us.

Our Biblical faith (Sunday) is “about our capacity to trust Him and to receive His grace while understanding just how undeserving we are”:
Hymn 510 – If You But Trust in God to Guide You,
Hymn 590 – Trust and Obey, and
Hymn 279 – Only Trust Him.

Sunday goes on to show that “the Lord Himself had provided a ram…which itself pointed to his only hope of salvation, Jesus”: 
Hymn 646 – To the Name That Brings Salvation.

Monday brings more to us about salvation showing that 
Jesus Paid It All – Hymn 184.

Just as Abraham and his family were bound for the Promised Land (Tuesday), so are we: 
Hymn 620 – On Jordan’s Stormy Banks. Abraham in his quest to find a  wife of Isaac, ultimately did this in need of the family staying in the Promised Land (Wednesday).

It is with a gusto that we may sing 
O Praise Ye the Lord – Hymn 20 for the grace of salvation (Friday) and the plan of redemption.

God’s abundant blessings this quarter as we study through the first book of the Bible which our gracious God has given. May we be faithful and all say “Come, Lord Jesus, come – very soon” so we are able to go to our new home in Heaven, as 
We Have This Hope – Hymn 214.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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In Genesis 22:23, we see the report of the birth of Rebekah, which anticipates the future marriage between Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24:1-67). Likewise, the report of the death and burial of Abraham’s wife, Sarah (Genesis 23:1-20), anticipates his future marriage with Keturah (Genesis 25:1-4).

Read Genesis 23:1-20. What function does the story of Sarah’s death and burial play in the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham?

Image © John Baker at Goodsalt.com

The mention of the death of Sarah after the story of the sacrifice of Isaac suggests that she might have been affected by this incident, which almost cost her son’s life. In some way, Sarah was also involved in the “test” with her husband, just as she was in his travels and his occasional lapses in faith (Genesis 12:11-13).

Though we don’t know how much Sarah knew about the incident after it occurred, we can infer that she probably learned of it eventually. Sarah was not the kind of woman who would keep quiet on matters that were of significance or were disturbing her (compare with Genesis 16:3-5; Genesis 18:15; Genesis 21:9-10). Her absence and her silence, and even the timing of her death following that dramatic event, says more about her relevance to the events than did her physical presence. The fact that Sarah’s old age is mentioned (Genesis 23:1), in echo to Abraham’s old age (Genesis 24:1), shows her importance to the story.

In fact, Sarah is the only woman in the Old Testament of whom the number of her years is mentioned, which could show her involvement in the story even after the fact. The focus on the purchase of Sarah’s burial place (which covers most of the chapter), rather than on her death, emphasizes the connection with the Promised Land.

Already the specification that she died “in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 23:2) underlines the rooting of Sarah’s death in God’s promise of the land. Sarah is the first dead of Abraham’s clan to have died and been buried in the Promised Land. Abraham’s concern about himself, “a foreigner and a visitor” (Genesis 23:4, NKJV), and his insistent argument with the sons of Heth, show that Abraham is interested not just in acquiring a burial place; he is primarily concerned with settling in the land permanently.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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