Audio Tapes # 50,    Nov 19, 2000       (Notes Updated Nov 18, 2000)

Don't miss the pictures of the zoo days. The Lord willing, Creation Creature Features soon.

Review: (Gen 1-22) See the previous sermon notes on the Web -

The Text (Blue Letter Bible): Genesis 23-25
(Strong's numbers, Hebrew-Greek lexicons, cross references, etc., can be accessed from the above link)

Brief Outline, Exposition, and Commentary - 

Some Significant Scriptures To Help You Interpret Gen 23-25
* Gen 18:19; Deut 6; Heb 11; 1 Pet 3

Background & Summary:  Family Relationships & Prophetic Preparation

Genesis 2:18, 22, 24
"And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone: 
I will make him a helper comparable to him'. ...woman.
....they shall become one flesh."
Psalm 68:4
". . . God brings the lonely into families . . . . " (households, churches) 

Genesis 23-25 ties together the loose ends of Abraham's final days, especially in his ranks, roles, and responsibilities as a patriarch (a husband and father).  Within each of these various events, further revelation of the life and character of the coming Messiah is seen through these foreshadowing types of His-story. 

Chapter 23 describes the death of his wife Sarah, and how Husband Abraham expressed his love and honor for her through her burial.  Chapter 24 records how Abraham fulfilled his responsibility to transfer the patriarchy to his son, Isaac, emphasizing his fatherly role to help Isaac find a bride.  Chapter 25 provides a detailed description of Patriarch Abraham's immediate descendants through his new wife, Keturah and his concubines.  It then describes his death and burial.  Ishmael's history is wrapped up and dispensed with in a few brief statements, so that the unfolding history of the heir to the promise, Isaac, the new patriarch can take center stage in the chapters to come.

-  Rebecca, Nahor's granddaughter is introduced for future reference.

Chapter 23 - Husband Abraham Honors His Wife in Love
*  Till Death Do Us Part:

-  Sarah dies at 127 yrs old.
-  Abraham weeps, mourns, and seeks to honor her in burial.

*  Patriarch & Prophet:

-  As patriarch of the family, he buys the best burial site available.
-  As prophet, his purchase plants legal roots in a plot of the promised land!
-  Israel is to be a family nation based on a specific spot of the earth, as a visible, physical testimony of God, so that the world may know, Psa 33:8; John 14:31; 17:23.
Israel was a geopolitical witness for God until Messiah would come to rule.
-  But the church is not a geopolitical nation hear on the earth.  It's a spiritual nation with ambassadors sent into the world, until Israel is saved (Rom 9-11).

Chapter 24 - Father Abraham Guides His Son Through Courtship

-  This is not recorded for us as a prescription for all courtship in all cultures.  Yet many principles acceptable to the Lord are made clear here.
-  The father takes the lead and guides according to right priorities:
     (see the article, "Family Foundations")

Matthew 7:24-27 [Jesus said] “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

How do most single men and women start out to find a spouse and build a family? 
How do many pastors attempt to build a church family (ekklesia)? 
Is their emphasis placed on physical things or spiritual things?
Do they begin by establishing a biblically spiritual foundation, 
or do they unwittingly build the world's way, which is upside down?

       or   

-  He trust the Lord to provide (Yahveh Yireh). 

* Prov 18: ²² "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord."
^{*  Prov 19:13-14} "A foolish son is the ruin of his father, and the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.  Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord."

-  Isaac was 40 yrs old, and had prepared his heart and home to receive a wife and lead as a husband and father.

* Psalm 128:^{3-4 "}Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house,  your children like olive plants all around your table.  Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord."

-  He seeks a godly woman:

* From the family of believers in the true God (1 Cor 7).
* With the attitude of submissive service (helpmate / assistant) (cheerleader, not his coach).
    (Willing to water the camels till full !!  As an ex-zookeeper let me tell you
      that's a lot)

-  Groom must show her father that he values her as much as Daddy does!
(Isaac sent lavish gifts, but us poor families can simple show the evidence of a commitment to care for her, protect her, and please her, Deut 24:5).
-  Her father must agree first.  (Marriage is a uniting of two extended families!)
-  The girl must agree as well, with an eager heart to submit for God's glory.

Chapter 25 - Patriarch Abraham Passes the Baton To The Next Generation

-  Abraham gives gifts to and sends away the son's of Keturah and his concubines.
This might not have been God's plan, but rather Abraham's effort again to produce God's goal through man's efforts.  He should not have had concubines (Gen 2; 1 Tim 3; Titus 1), and they always become a source of jealousy and strife.
-  Abraham dies at 175 yrs old.  "a good old age" (Exo 20; Eph 6:1-3 the promise of a long and blessed life if you honor your parents).
-  Ishmael's history is wrapped up, so that the focus of Scripture is on Isaac's seed.
-  Prophet Isaac has twins (Esau & Jacob), "two nations".  # 2 holding back # 1.
* God often revealed prophecy through the events of a prophets life, not only his preaching or writing.  (such as Hosea)
-  Esau (Hairy) Edom (Red):  Daddy's boy, a hunter.
-  Jacob (supplanter) was "a complete man" (v. 27).  Mamma's boy.
-  Jacob doesn't try to go head to head with his big hairy brother, but subtly manipulates him with appeals to his flesh.
-  Hairy sells his birthright like a foolish animal to get pleasure now, and stop his discomfort.  (see the article: "The Painful Pursuit of Pleasure").

Decision Making & Counting the Cost
(Remember Esau & the pot of stew! Gen 25)

	Man's Way (Flesh)	God's Way (Spirit)
Short-Term Promises	If you follow your feelings and not God's Word, then you'll escape pain, get pleasure, and change the circumstances around you. (Gen 3)	If you follow God's facts, deny yourself, and take up your cross for His glory, then you will be transformed.   (Luke 9:23-26; 1 Cor 10:13)
Long-Term Consequences	Guilt, separation from God, fear, confusion, depression, and addiction to idols since the world's goodies never satisfy.  They enslave (John 8; Rom 6).	Intimacy with God, blessing, forgiveness, peace, joy, self-control, freedom . . . . The fruit of God's Spirit (Gal 2:20; 4:19; 5:22-25).

Man's Way is Self-love
James 4:1-2

                      
Pulling from one another, things, and activities
to try and feel loved, esteemed, and satisfied.
A 50% - 50 % relationship:
"I'll do my part if you do yours.  But if you don't, then I won't"
(Isaiah 53:6; 2 Tim 3-4)

---

God's Way is Christ's-love
John 7:37-39; Romans 5:1-8; Mat 22:36-40

 
Submitting in faith to Jesus until you're Spirit-filled,
then giving the overflow to others.
A 100% relationship:
"I will love you, because of Christ who died for me"
(Rom 12:1-18; Rev 12:11; Eph 5:29)