Bible: Beginning to End - Genesis 18-28: Abraham's Faith is Tested & Abraham's Death and Descendants

Episode Date: July 4, 2020

*For copyright reasons, I had to combine these episodes into one episode. Genesis 18-22 (Read) Genesis 23-28 (Read) Important Links for the Podcast  Click Here for our YouTube Channel Discuss each episode on Reddit Contact Us Visit our Website          On Instagram @biblebeginningtoend     On Twitter: @biblebeginning1      Via email: [e-mail] Supporting the Show Financial contribution is never required, but if you'd like to support the show, here are a couple of ways: Be a listener and share the show with your friends! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to become a monthly supporter via Spotify.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠* ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to make a one-time contribution via Paypal⁠⁠.* *Note that the Bible Beginning to End podcast is not a registered 501(c)3 or charitable organization. Therefore, any monetary support provided is not tax deductible. 10% of any profits made from this podcast via ad revenues or listener support will be donated to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Asha's Refuge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a Christ-centered nonprofit that "exists to assist the most disadvantaged refugees/asylees in achieving a successful resettlement in the Memphis, TN area.". Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 1 0:58 - Ad Break 1:00 - Genesis 18 9:12 - Genesis 19 20:32 - Genesis 20 24:18 - Genesis 21 29:21 - Genesis 22 34:56 - Outro 1 35:55 - Intro 2 36:59 - Genesis 23 40:36 - Genesis 24 53:56 - Genesis 25 1:01:37 - Genesis 26 1:08:38 - Genesis 27 1:18:56 - Genesis 28 1:24:10 - Outro 2 Bible Verse Copyright Statement Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. To purchase an NLT, please visit https://amzn.to/3wUpUef

Hello and welcome back to Bible beginning to end. I'm glad you're back with us today. We're still in Genesis. We've just finished up chapter 17, where we saw God make a covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham. We are going to continue in Abraham's story as we see God's covenant come to life and God's promises be fulfilled. As always, I'll be reading from the new. Living Translation so you can follow along in your Bible or online.

I'll be asking some questions along the way so that you can meditate on the scriptures and just listen as the Holy Spirit leads. Remember where we were last time? God has promised a son to Abraham and Sarah. God has continually told Abraham that his descendants will be numerous, more than the stars. We've seen a long road to that promise being fulfilled, but today, as we start in Genesis 18,

we will see a son is promised to Sarah. So let's start in 18, verse 1. The Lord appeared again to Abraham, near the oak grove belonging to Mamary. One day, Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up and noticed three men standing near, When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.

Pause and ask yourself, why does he immediately run to welcome these men? What do you think it is about them that caused Abraham to have this reverence? Verse 3. My Lord, he said, If it pleases you, stop here for a while. rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. And since you've honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.

All right, they said. Do as you have said. So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, Hurry, get three large measures of your best flour, kneaded into dough and bake some bread. Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant who quickly prepared it. When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men.

As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees. Where is Sarah, your wife? the visitor asked. She's inside the tent, Abraham replied. Then one of them said, I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son. Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children.

So she laughed silently to herself and said, How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master, my husband, is also so old? Then the Lord said to Abraham, why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, can an old woman like me have a baby? Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son. Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, I didn't laugh, but the Lord said, no, you did laugh.

Reflect on how Abraham treated the Lord when he came to visit him. Did he recognize God's holiness? What did he prepare for the Lord? How did he show reverence to the Lord? and then you have Sarah. We've talked about how many times God has promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, and they've waited and waited and waited. They're very old.

Do you understand why they might have difficulty believing that at this old age, they'll still have a son? Do we see some parallels between Sarah here denying that she laughed at the Lord's promise and the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve are hiding from the Lord after they've eaten the fruit. Why do you think Sarah laughed? Why do you think it said Sarah was afraid? And once the Lord said, no, you did laugh, how do you think Sarah felt? Do you think she finally believed in the Lord?

The next section is called Abraham intercedes for Sodom. Verse 16. Then the men got up from their meal and looked out towards the Lord. Sodom, as they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way. Should I hide my plan from Abraham? The Lord asked. For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord

by doing what is right and just. then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised. So the Lord told Abraham, I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know. The other men turned and headed towards Sodom,

but the Lord remained with Abraham. Abraham approached him and said, will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? Suppose you find 50 righteous people living there in the city. Will you sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? Surely you wouldn't do such a thing destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same? Surely you wouldn't do that.

Should not the judge of all the earth do what is right? And the Lord replied, If I find 50 righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake. Pause and ask yourself, What attribute of God is this revealing? Is this showing God's justice? Verse 27.

Then Abraham spoke again, Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. Pause and ask yourself, why does Abraham use that phrase dust and ashes, even though I am but dust and ashes? What is he doing? How is he posturing himself before the Lord as he speaks? Verse 28, suppose there are only 45 righteous people rather than 50. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?

And the Lord said, I will not destroy it if I find 45 righteous people there. Then Abraham pressed his request further. Suppose there are only 40. And the Lord replied, I will not destroy it for the sake of the 40. Please don't be angry, my Lord. Abraham pleaded, let me speak. Suppose only 30 righteous people are found. And the Lord replied, I will not destroy it if I find 30.

Then Abraham said, since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue. Suppose there are only 20. And the Lord replied, then I will not destroy it for the sake of the 20. Finally, Abraham said, Lord, please don't be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there. And the Lord replied, Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten. When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham,

he went on his way and Abraham returned to his tent. Pause and think about this conversation between God and Abraham. What does it reveal? about prayer, for instance, and how we talk with the Lord. We know that God is all-powerful and all-knowing, and that His will is inevitably what will be done on earth. But God still allows us to pray and talk with him so that he may reveal things to us. So what might God be revealing to Abraham during this conversation?

And how might this be a picture of God's justice and understanding? Chapter 19, Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed. That evening, the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them, then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground. my lords, he said, come to my home to wash your feet and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.

So pause and compare how Lot responded to the angels with how Abraham responded to these same angels in the Lord previously. Did he show them hospitality to recognize who they were? The rest of verse two. Oh no, they replied. We'll just spend the night out here in the city square. But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate.

But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have sex with them. Pause and compare how Lot treated the angels. Versus how the rest of the citizens of Sodom treated them. How did Lot show them respect? And how did the citizens of Sodom show them disrespect?

Verse six. So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. Please, my brothers, he begged. Don't do such a wicked thing. Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you. and you can do with them as you wish, but please leave these men alone,

for they are my guests and are under my protection. I'm going to pause in this moment because this is a very strange turn of events here. Lott says, no, you may not come anywhere near my guests. But here, have my two daughters. Is that hypocritical? Does that show that Lot is also affected by sin? I actually do want to offer a little commentary, for this because it is such a strange moment.

And when I read it, I ask myself, you know, what kind of father would offer up his two daughters to a mob of seemingly sex-crazed men standing outside of his house? So what I'm going to do is I'm going to read the commentary from my Bible. This is the Tyndale New Living Translation Life Application Study Bible,

which I encourage you guys to do as you're reading is seek out commentary from other theologians on these scriptures that might be difficult to understand or reason out for yourself. So here's the commentary from my Bible on verse 8. They say, How could any father give his daughters to be ravished by a mob of perverts just to protect two strangers? Possibly, Lott was scheming to save both the girls and the visitors, hoping the girls' fiancés would rescue them or that the homosexual men would be disinterested. in the girls and simply go away.

Although it was the custom of the day to protect guests at any cost, this terrible suggestion reveals how deeply sin had been absorbed into Lot's life. He had become hardened to evil acts in an evil city. Whatever Lot's motives were, we see here an illustration of Sodom's

terrible wickedness, a wickedness so great that God had to destroy an entire city. So hopefully maybe that offers a little more understanding and context for that verse. Verse nine. Stand back, they shouted.

This fellow came to the town as an outsider and now he's acting like our judge. We'll treat you far worse than those other men. And they lunged toward Lott to break down the door. But the two angels reached out, pulled Lott into the house, and bolted the door. Then they blinded all the men young and old

who were at the door of the house. So they gave up trying to get inside. Meanwhile, the angels question Lott, Do you have any other relatives here in the city? They asked. Get them out of this place, your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else, for we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord,

and he has sent us to destroy it. Compare this section to the story of Noah and the Ark. In Noah's story, God was destroying the entire earth, but he found one righteous man among the living, and that was Noah, and he protected him and his family. How was he doing something similar here with Lot? Verse 14. So Lot rushed out to tell his daughter's fiancés quick.

Get out of the city. The Lord is about to destroy it, but the young man thought he was only joking. At dawn the next morning, the angels became insistent. Hurry, they said to Lot, take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out right now, or you will be swept away in the destruction of the city. When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand, in the hands of his wife and two daughters, and rushed them to safety outside the city,

for the Lord was merciful. When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, run for your lives, and don't look back, or stop anywhere in the valley, escape to the mountains or you will be swept away. Oh no, my lord, Lot begged. You have been so gracious to me and saved my life, and you have shown such great kindness. But I cannot go to the mountains.

Disaster will catch up to me there, and I would soon die. See, there is a small village nearby. Please, let me go there instead. Don't you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved. All right. The angel said, I will grant your request. I will not destroy the little village, but hurry, escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there. This explains why that village was

known as Zoar, which means little place. Lot reached the village, just as the sun was rising over the horizon. Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages on the plain, wiping out all the people in every bit of vegetation. But Lot's wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt. Pause and compare what Lot's wife does to Eve eating the fruit in the Garden of Eden. The angels of the Lord gave them one specific command.

Don't look back. How did she break that command? What did that show about Lot's wife? Was she also taken by the sin of Sodom? Did she have a desire and a craving for the land that she lived in? Verse 27 Abraham got up early that morning and hurried out to the place where he had stood in the Lord's presence. He looked out across the plain towards Sodom and Gomorrah and watched as columns of smoke rose from the city's

like smoke from a furnace. But God had listened to Abraham's request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the city on the plane. Lot and his daughters. Afterward, Lot left Zoar because he was afraid of the people there, and he went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters.

One day the older daughter said to her sister, There are no men left anywhere in the entire area so we can't get married like everyone else. And our father will soon be too old to have children. Come, let's get him drunk with wine, and then we will have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father. So let's pause here.

We've got another very strange story unfolding. What do Lot's daughter's actions reveal about who they are? They were rescued from Sodom, but are they still affected by the cold? culture they were living in in Sodom. God protected Lott's family, but his daughters were still infected with sin. So his daughters will seemingly do anything to get their own desires, even something wicked like this. Verse 33.

So that night they got him drunk with wine, and the older daughter went in and had intercourse with her father. He was unaware of her lying down or getting up again. The next morning the older daughter said to her younger sister, I had sex with our father last night. Let's get him drunk with wine again tonight, and you go in and have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father. So that night, they got him drunk with wine again,

and the younger daughter went in and had intercourse with him. As before, he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again. As a result, both of Lott's daughters became pregnant by their own father. When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites. When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Benamy. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites. I want to pause here and read a little section from my study Bible again

that tells us a little bit about what's going on here. because I know this section is hard to read and upsetting because of the content that's going on, but it says here, why doesn't the Bible openly condemn these sisters for what they did? In many cases, the Bible does not judge people for their actions. It simply reports the events. However, incest is clearly condemned in other parts of scripture. Perhaps the consequences of their actions, Moab and Amman, became enemies of Israel, was God's way of judging their sin.

Because it also says, the daughter's plan worked, and they became pregnant by their own father. From these two incest-born sons came two perennial enemies of Israel, the nations of Moab and Ammon. Their grotesque wickedness was due in part to their origin. So I just wanted to read those two commentaries to remind you that, although the story is included in the scriptures because it's a part of the history. God does not necessarily approve of how these daughters acted. Chapter 20. Abraham deceives Abimelech. Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur.

And then he moved on to Garar. While living there, as a foreigner, Abraham introduced his wife Sarah by saying, she is my sister. So King Abimelech of Garar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace. Pause and ask yourself, does this story sound familiar? Where have we heard Abraham introducing his wife as his sister? And when he did that, did it go well for him or not? Verse 3, but that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married. But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said,

Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Didn't Abraham tell me she is my sister? And she herself said, yes, he is my brother. I accepted incomplete innocence. My hands are clean. In the dream, God responded, yes, I know you are innocent. That's why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch.

her. Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don't return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die. Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told him what had happened, his men were terrified. Then Abimelech called for Abraham, what have you done to us? he demanded. What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin, no one should ever do what you have done. Whatever possess you to do such a thing?

Pause and ask yourself, are you kind of putting yourself in the king's shoes right now? Because we, as the reader, know, Abraham's done this before. So you might be asking yourself, what did possess him to do such a thing? Verse 11. Abraham replied, I thought, this is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her. And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father but different mothers. And I married her.

When God called me to leave my father's home and to travel from place to place, I told her, do me a favor wherever we go. Tell the people that I am your brother. So pause and ask yourself, Is Abraham putting his full faith in the Lord? It says wherever he goes, he asks Sarah to tell people that she is his sister. Is Abraham putting his faith in the Lord or in himself? And how does this affect his life?

Verse 14. Then Abimelech took some of his sheep and goats, cattle, and male and female servants, and he presented them to Abraham. He also returned his wife Sarah to him. Then Abimelech said, look over my land and choose any place where you would like to live. And he said to Sarah, look, I am giving your brother one thousand pieces of silver. In the presence of all these witnesses, this is to compensate you for any wrong I may have done to you. This will settle any claim against me, and your reputation is cleared.

Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children. For the Lord had caused all women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham's wife, Sarah. Chapter 21 The Birth of Isaac The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would, and Abraham named their son Isaac.

Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born. And Sarah declared, God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh at me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age. So let's pause here. We have to pause here because we have been waiting for many, many, many years.

to see God's covenant and promise fulfilled for Abraham to have a son. What does this story show us about patience? What does this story show us about waiting for God? We saw Abraham make many missteps along the way, but did God leave him, did God forsake him? The next section is Hagar and Ishmael are sent away. When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion, but Sarah saw Ishmael, the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar, making fun of her son Isaac.

So she turned to Abraham and demanded, get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won't have it. This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. but God told Abraham Do not be upset over the boy and your servant Do whatever Sarah tells you For Isaac is the son Through whom your descendants will be counted

But I will also make a nation Of the descendants of Hagar's son Because he is your son too So pause there and ask yourself What is this show about God? Remember who Hagar called God? She called him the one who sees me Verse 14

So Abraham got up Early the next morning, prepared food in a container of water and strapped them on Hagar's shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Bersheba. When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. I don't want to watch the boy die, she said, as she burst into tears. But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. Hagar, what's wrong? Do not be afraid. God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.

Then God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer and he settled in the wilderness of Puran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt. So how does this section, this story about Hagar and Ishmael, show us that God is the one who sees us? Does God forget any of us? The next section is Abraham's covenant with Abimelech. About this time, Abimelech came with Fickle,

his army commander to visit Abraham. God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do, Abimelech said. swear to me in God's name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you. So now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner. Abraham replied, yes, I swear to it. Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech's servant had taken by force from Abraham's servant. This is the first I've heard of it, Abimelech answered. I have no idea who is responsible. have never complained about this before. Abraham then gave some of his sheep, goats, and cattle to Abimelech, and they made a treaty. But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them

off by themselves. Abimelech asked, why have you set these seven apart from the others? Abraham replied, please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well. Then he named the place Beersheba, which means well of the oath, because that was where they had sworn the oath. After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with fickle, the commander of the army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines. Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshipped the Lord, the eternal God, and Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time. This next chapter is a very famous section where Abraham's faith is tested. As always with these familiar passages, I

ask you to look at them with fresh eyes. We're reading this in context of this full story. So as we go into the story of Abraham's faith being tested, let's remember it in the context of everything we've heard so far. Chapter 22. Sometime later, God tested Abraham's faith. Abraham, God called. Yes, he replied, here I am. Take your son, your only son, yes, Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Mariah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will show you. Okay, right off the bat, we're going to stop and pause because who has Abraham been waiting for this whole time? His son Isaac. And who is God asking him to sacrifice? How do you think Abraham feels? Verse three. The next morning Abraham got up early.

He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him along with his son Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. Pause and ask yourself, how quickly did Abraham respond to God's test? Did he wait or did he immediately do what the Lord had asked? Verse 4. On the third day of the journey Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. Stay here with the donkey, Abraham told the servants. The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back. So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife as the two of them walked together. Isaac turned to Abraham and said, Father? Yes, my son, Abraham replied. We have the fire and the wood,

the boy said. But where is the sheep for the burnt offering? God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son, Abraham answered, and they both walked on together. Pause and ask yourself what might be going through Abraham's mind. After all this time waiting for a son, trying to go around the Lord to get a son, and finally trusting in the Lord and the Lord providing what he promised, do you think that Abraham trusts that the Lord will protect Isaac? Remind yourself of the promise God has made to Abraham many times. Isaac is through whom your descendants will come.

But now God is asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? Let's see how this plays out. Verse 9. Also, as you're reading this section, I want you to be thinking forward if you know the story already of Jesus dying on the cross. That's coming in the New Testament. It's the pinnacle, the most important story for us today.

But I want you to compare Isaac's sacrifice with Jesus and his crucifixion. Verse 9. When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment, the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven. Abraham, Abraham. Yes, Abraham replied, here I am. Don't lay a hand on the boy. The angel said, Do not hurt him in any way. For now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me,

even your son, your only son. Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh Yaira, which means the Lord will provide. To this day, people still use that name as a proverb. On the mountain of the Lord, it will be provided. So I ask you to compare this story to the story of Christ's crucifixion. Isaac was Abraham's only son. Who was God's only son?

Verse 15. Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. This is what the Lord says, because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies and through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed, all because you have obeyed me. Then they returned to the servants and traveled back to Beershippa, where Abraham continued

to live. Soon after this, Abraham heard that Milka, his brother Nahor's wife, had born Nahor eight sons. The oldest was named Us. The next oldest was Buzz, followed by Camuel, the ancestor of the Armians. Cededad, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaf, and Bethuel. Bethuel became the father of Rebecca. In addition to these eight sons from Milka, Nehore had four other children from his concubine, Rayuma. Their names were Tabah, Gah, Gahom. Tom, Tahash, and Makkah. So we are going to stop there today with Abraham's faith being tested. I want you to ask yourself, how did God bless Abraham?

How does this section show God keeping his promises? Does this section show that God keeps his promises? Does this section show how important it is to remain faithful? to God. Does this section show that God cares for us? That God sees us.

That God knows us and that God keeps his promises. Thank you for listening. I hope you're enjoying hearing the Word and meditating on the Word. And I will talk to you next time as we finish up Abraham's story.

Hello and welcome back to Bible beginning to end. I'm glad you're here with me today. If we remember where we ended last time, we saw God's covenant and promise to Abraham being fulfilled. We saw God testing Abraham and Abraham remaining faithful to the Lord. As we continue today, we're going to pick up in Genesis chapter 20. we will go through reading the end of Abraham's story and see what happens to Isaac, his son, as he grows up and continue to see God's promises be fulfilled. As always, I'll be reading from the New Living Translation and I'll be asking questions along the way, but the most important thing is to listen and meditate on the Word and let the Holy Spirit lead you to answering questions and understand. the scriptures as one complete story.

So let's just jump into Genesis 23, the burial of Sarah. When Sarah was 127 years old, she died at Kiryath Arba, now called Hebron, in the land of Canaan. There Abraham mourned and wept for her. Then, leaving her body, he said to the Hittite elders,

Here I am a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial. The Hittites replied to Abraham, Listen, my lord, you are an honored prince among us. Choose the finest of our tombs and bury her there. No one here will refuse to help you in this way. Then Abraham bowed low before the Hittites and said, Since you are willing to help me in this way,

be so kind as to ask Ephron, son of Zohar, to let me buy his cave at Macpella down at the end of his field. I will pay full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family. Ephron was sitting there among the others, and he answered Abraham, as the others listened, speaking publicly before all the Hittite elders of the town. No, my lord, he said to Abraham.

Please listen to me. I will give you the field in the cave, Here in the presence of my people, I give it to you. Go and bury your dead. So pause and ask yourself why these people are being so generous with Abraham. And also ask yourself, how important is burial and respect for the dead in this society? Verse 12.

Abraham again bow low before the citizens of the land, and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. No, listen to him. me, I will buy it from you. Let me pay full price for the field so I can bury my dead there. So pause and ask yourself about this exchange. They want to give the land to Abraham, but why do you think Abraham is insisting that he pay full price for the land? Verse 14. Ephron answered Abraham, my Lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver. But what is that between friends? Go ahead and bear.

bury your dead. So Abraham agreed to Ephron's price and paid the amount he suggested, 400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elder witnessed the transaction, so Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Macpella near Mamary. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. Then Abraham buried his wife Sarah there in Canaan in the cave of Macpella near Mamary, also called Hebron. So the field in the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place. So before we transition into chapter 24, let's take a moment

to remember Sarah, how important her life was to Abraham and to the Lord. What promises were fulfilled through Sarah in relation to Abraham. Just remember her journey and her story as it relates to our Christian history. Chapter 24. A wife for Isaac. Abraham was now a very old man and the Lord had blessed him in every way. One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women.

Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son, Isaac. The servant asked, But what if I can't find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from? No, Abraham responded, be careful never to take my son there.

For the Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine, but under no circumstances are you to take my son there. Pause and think about Abraham's words and the directions that he's giving to his servant. Why do you think that he is taking his son's marriage so seriously and being so specific about every instruction on where and how Isaac should find a wife?

Remember God's promise and God's covenant that he made with Abraham? What did that include? What did that entail? Who did that include? Verse 9. So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham's instructions. Then he loaded ten of Abraham's camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram Naharame.

There he went to the town where Abraham's brother Nahor had settled. He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water. Oh, Lord, God of my master Abraham, he prayed, please give me success today and show unfailing love to my master Abraham. See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. This is my request. I will ask one of them. Please give me a drink from your jug.

If she says, yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels too. Let her be the one you have selected as Isaac's wife. This is how I will know you have shown unfailing love to my master. So pause and ask yourself, in choosing Isaac's wife and finding a wife for Isaac, are Abraham and his servant doing the work themselves? Or are they appealing to the Lord and making sure every decision they make is guided by the Lord and in line with his will? Verse 15, before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebecca, coming out with her water jug on her shoulder.

She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor, and his wife, Milka. Rebecca was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. Running over to her, the servant said, Please give me a drink of water from your jug. Yes, my lord, she answered. have a drink, and she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. When she had given him a drink, she said, I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have had

enough to drink. So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels. The servant watched her in silence, wondering whether or not the Lord had given him success in his mission. Then at last, when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrist. Whose daughter are you? he asked. And please tell me, would your father have any room to put us up for the night? I am the daughter of Bethuel, she replied. My grandparents are Nahor and Milka. Yes, we have plenty of straw and feed for the camels, and we have room for guests. The man bowed low and worshipped the Lord. Praise the Lord the God of my master, Abraham, he said.

The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me to my master's relatives. So pause and ask yourself, did the Lord fulfill his promise? And what was the servant's reaction immediately after he realized that the promise was fulfilled? Verse 28. The young woman ran home to tell her family everything that had happened. Now Rebecca had a brother named Le Bonn, who ran out to meet the man at the spring. He had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrist, and had heard Rebecca tell what the man had said.

So he rushed out to the spring, where the man was still standing beside his camels. LeBon said to him, Come and stay with us. who are blessed by the Lord. Why are you standing here outside the town when I have a room all ready for you and a place prepared for the camels? So the man went home with Laban

and Laban unloaded the camels, gave him straw for their bedding, fed them, and provided water for the man and the camel drivers to wash their feet. Then food was served, but Abraham's servant said, I don't want to eat until I have told you

why I have come. I want you to pause and reflect on hospitality. Hospitality is something that we see a lot in the Old Testament and in the Bible in general. How are Rebecca and her family showing hospitality to Abraham's servant? What does that look like? And how is that a virtuous thing that we see in the scriptures? The rest of verse 33.

All right, LeBahn said, tell us. I am Abraham's servant, he explained, and the Lord has greatly blessed my master. He has become a wealthy man. The Lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and camels and donkeys. When Sarah, my master's wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master's son, and my master has given him everything he owns. And my master made me take an oath.

do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my father's house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son. But I said to my master, what if I can't find a young woman who is willing to go back with me? He responded, The Lord in whose presence I have lived will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife from my son from among my relatives from my father's family. then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you,

you will be free from my oath. So pause and ask yourself, is the servant doing exactly what Abraham asked? Is he fulfilling his promise to Abraham? Is he relaying in truthfulness everything that Abraham has told him? How is he showing his faithfulness? Verse 42. So today when I came to the spring,

I prayed this prayer. Oh, Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission. See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, please give me a little drink of water from your jug.

If she says, yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels too. Let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master's son. Before I had finished praying in my heart, I saw Rebecca. come out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, so I said to her, please give me a drink.

She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, yes, have a drink and I will water your camels too. So I drank, and then she watered the camels. Then I asked, whose daughter are you? She replied, I am the daughter of Bethuel, and my grandparents are Nahor and Milka. So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. Then I bowed low and worshipped the Lord, I praised the Lord the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master's niece to be his son's wife. So tell me, will you or won't you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I'll know what to do next. Pause and reflect on how openly and unashamedly, Abraham's servant is talking about God's

goodness here. The servant has prayed and God has answered his prayer and provided in the exact way that God needed to provide. And Abraham's servant is giving credit where credit is due. And ask yourself, is it often difficult for you to be as open and excited and unashamed about how God has shown goodness in your life? I'll be honest and say, sometimes it's difficult for me to proclaim and to be open about how God has shown goodness in my life, but then I always ask myself, why is that difficult for me? It is the truth. It is how I experience God, and I see his goodness and his provision every day. So I see this servant's tenacity, and it's an inspiring thing.

It's something that's a beautiful character trait we see played out in the Bible. that I think is worth emulating. So think about times in your life when you've been quick to give God the credit and the glory, and then also think about times in your life when it's been difficult to put God first. Verse 50. Then Laban and Bethuel replied, The Lord has obviously brought you here. So there is nothing we can say.

Here is Rebecca. Take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed. When Abraham's servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshipped the Lord. Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and presented them to Rebecca. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. Then they ate their meal and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight. But early the next morning, Abraham's servant said,

Send me back to my master. But we want Rebecca to stay with us at least ten days, her brother and mother said. Then she can go. But he said, don't delay me. The Lord has made my mission successful. Now send me back so I can return to my master. Well, they said, we'll call Rebecca and ask her what she thinks. So they called Rebecca.

Are you willing to go with this man? They asked her. And she replied, yes, I will go. So they said goodbye to Rebecca and sent her away with Abraham's servant and his men. The woman who had been Rebecca's childhood nurse went along with her. they gave her this blessing as she parted. Our sister, may you become the mother of many millions. May your descendants be strong and conquer the cities of their enemies.

Then Rebecca and her servant girls mounted the camels and followed the man. So Abraham's servant took Rebecca and went on his way. Meanwhile, Isaac, whose home was in the Negev, had returned from Birlai-Hai Roy. One evening, as he was walking and meditating in the fields, he looked up and saw the camels coming. When Rebecca looked up and saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camel. Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us? She asked the servant. And he replied, It is my master.

So Rebecca covered her face with her veil. Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done. And Isaac brought Rebecca into his mother, Sarah's tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother. So we've just seen Abraham's son, Isaac, married. And now we will transition into Abraham's final days. Remember that God promised Abraham's line would continue through Isaac. So let's dive into Genesis 25, the death of Abraham.

Abraham married another wife whose name was Ketara. She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbek, and Shua. Jokshan was the father of Shiba and Dedden. Dedden's descendants were the Asherites, Letishites, and Leimites. Midian's sons were Ephah, Efer, Hanuk, Abida, and Elda. These were all descendants of Abraham through Ketara. Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac, but before he died he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines

and sent them off to a land in the east away from Isaac. Abraham lived for 175 years and he died at a ripe old age having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Makpala near Mamory in the field of Ephron, son of Zohar, the Hittite. This was the field Abraham had purchased from the Hittites and where he had buried his wife, Sarah.

After Abraham's death, God blessed his son, Isaac, who settled near Birlahi Roy in the Ngev. So let's pause and just remember Abraham's story. Especially listening to that last verse we just read, God blessed his son. Isaac. How is that showing God's promises and God's covenant being kept and being fulfilled? The next section is Ishmael's descendants. Verse 12. This is the account of the family of Ishmael, the son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian servant. Here is a list by their names and clans of Ishmael's descendants. The oldest was Nebaoeth, followed by Qadar, Adbele, Mibson,

Mishma, Duma, Masa, Haddad, Tima, Jeter, Naftish, and Kadima. These 12 sons of Ishmael became the founders of the 12 tribes, named after them, listed according to the places they settled and camped. Ishmael lived for 137 years, then he breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. Ishmael's descendants occupied the region from Havela to Shur, which is east of Egypt, in the direction of Asher. There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives.

The birth of Esau and Jacob. This is the account of the family of Isaac, the son of Abraham. When Isaac was 40 years old, he married Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel, the Armenian, from Padinaram, and the sister of Laban the Arminian. Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife

because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac's prayer and Rebecca became pregnant with twins, but the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. Why is this happening to me? She asked, and the Lord told her, The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals.

One nation will be stronger than the other, and your older son will serve your younger son. And when the time came to give birth, Rebecca discovered that she did indeed have twins. The first was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau. Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau's heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when the twins were born.

So pause and reflect on this section about Esau and Jacob, because they are going to to be very important characters in the coming chapters. What is different about their birth? Think about the normal way things were done during this time. Who received the inheritance and the blessing? It was usually the firstborn son. But who does the Lord say will serve the other when he talks about Rebecca's twins?

He said, your older son will serve your younger son. And then when they are born, what is symbolic about Jacob grasping Esau's heel? Like I said, just think about what's different between these two sons. What does the Lord say will happen and what do you predict will happen? The next section is Esau sells his birthright. As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home.

But Rebecca loved Jacob. One day, when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. Esau said to Jacob, I'm starving. Give me some of that red stew. This is how Esau got his name, Edom, which means red. All right, Jacob replied, but trade me your rights as the firstborn son. Look, I'm dying of starvation, said Esau.

What good is my birthright to me now? But Jacob said, first you must swear that your birthright is mine. So Esau swore an oath thereby selling all his rights as the first born to his brother Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn. So pause and reflect on this section about Jacob and Esau. I want you to remember and think about what was said about each brother.

What actions did they take? And what did those actions reveal about their character? Who was the more conniving, deceitful, maybe intellectually inclined brother? And who was the more skillful, outdoorsman, physically strong, hunting, inclined brother? Did Esau understand how important his rights as the firstborn were? did he take them seriously or did he let his physical comfort and his circumstances affect how he treated his family and his firstborn rights? And then how did Jacob act?

Did he respect his brother? Or was he deceitful? Again, what do these things reveal about their character? And how do you think this is going to affect their story moving forward? Remember what the Lord said about these two brothers. He said in verse 23 that the two sons will become warring nations, rival nations. So is this the beginning of that playing out? Chapter 26, Isaac deceives Abimelech.

I want to read a quick commentary here from my Bible, which says, This Abimelech is probably not the man in chapter 20 for these events. could have been 90 years apart. Possibly Abimelech was a dynastic name or title. A later king was also called Abimelech. So just to clarify, this might or might not be the same Abimelech that Abraham encounters in an earlier chapter, just in case that's a little confusing.

So chapter 26 verse 1. A severe famine now struck the land as it happened before in Abraham's time. So Isaac moved to Garar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants

just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. and through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions. So Isaac stayed in Garar. Pause and think about God's promise in this section.

It is the same promise that he gave Abraham. Now he's passing that on to Isaac. So we will be able to watch and see this promise fulfilled and continue. to be fulfilled. And then look at Isaac's immediate reaction to the Lord's command. He stayed in Garar. So how is Isaac showing his faithfulness to God? Verse 7. When the men who live there asked Isaac about his wife Rebecca, he said, she is my sister. He was afraid to say she is my wife. He thought, they will kill me to get her because she is so beautiful. But sometime later, Bimolek, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebecca.

Pause here because this story might sound very familiar. Where have we seen a man pretending that his wife is his sister? Who has done this before and how did it turn out for them? As we read this section about Isaac doing the same thing, compare and contrast it with the stories of Abraham calling Sarah his sister instead of his wife. Verse 9. Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, She is obviously your wife. Why did you say she is my sister? Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me, Isaac replied. How could you do this to us, Abimelech exclaimed?

One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin. Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation. Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be born. put to death. Pause and ask yourself, what does this section show about deceit? When we deceive others, do we just affect ourselves or do we affect those around us as well? The next section is conflict over water rights.

Verse 12. When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted for the Lord blessed him. He became a very rich man and his wealth continued. He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac's wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham. Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country.

Go somewhere else, he said, for you have become too powerful for us. So Isaac moved away to the Garar Valley where he set up their tents and settled down. He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham's death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given to them. Isaac's servants also dug in the Garar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water. But then the shepherds from Garar came and claimed the spring. This is our water, they said, and they argued over it with Isaac's herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Essek, which means argument.

Isaac's men then dug another well, but again there was a disperse. dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitna, which means hostility. Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth, which means open space, for he said, at last the Lord has created enough space for us to prosper in this land. From there, Isaac moved to Beersheba, where the Lord appeared to him on the night of his arrival. I am the God of your father, Abraham, he said, do not be afraid. For I am with you and will bless you. I will multiply your descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my servant. Then Isaac built an altar there

and worshipped the Lord. He set up his camp at that place, and his servants dug another well. So pause and ask yourself, how did Isaac react to God's blessing, to God's reminder, of his promise. How did he show reverence to the Lord? This next section is Isaac's covenant with Abimelech. Verse 26. One day, King Abimelech came from Garar with his advisor,

Ahazah, and also Fickle, his army commander. Why have you come here? Isaac asked. You obviously hate me since you kicked me off your land. They replied, We can plainly see that the Lord is with you. So we want to enter into a sworn treaty with you. Let's make a covenant. Swear that you will not harm us just as we have never touched you.

We have always treated you well, and we sent you away from us in peace. And now look how the Lord has blessed you. So Isaac prepared a covenant feast to celebrate the treaty, and they ate and drank together. Early the next morning, they each took a solemn oath not to interfere with each other. Then Isaac sent them home again, and they left him in peace. That very day, Isaac's servants came and told him about a new way. well they had dug. We found water, they exclaimed. So Isaac named the well Shiba, which means oath. And to this day, the town that grew up there is called Beersheba, which means well of oath.

At the age of 40, Esau married two Hittite wives, Judith, the daughter of Beery, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon. But Esau's wives made life miserable for Isaac and Rebecca. This next chapter, Genesis 27, is entitled Jacob Steels Esau's Blessing. Remember we talked about how Jacob and Esau were destined to be in conflict with each other. And I said that Jacob's deceit in stealing Esau's birthright would come back into play. And this is where it's going to come back into play. So chapter 27, verse 1. One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for,

for Esau his older son and said, my son. Yes, father, Esau replied. I am an old man now, Isaac said, and I don't know when I may die. Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare my favorite dish and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you my firstborn son before I die. But Rebecca overheard what Isaac had said to his son, Esau. So when Esau left to hunt for the wild game, she said to her son Jacob, listen, I overheard your father say to Esau, bring me some wild game and prepare me a delicious meal. Then I will bless you in the Lord's presence before I die. Now my son, listen to me, do exactly as I tell you, go out to the flock and bring me two fine young goats. I'll use them to prepare your father's favorite dish, then take the food to your father's so he can eat it and bless you before he dies.

But look, Jacob replied to Rebecca, my brother Esau is a hairy man and my skin is smooth. What if my father touches me? He'll see that I'm trying to trick him and then he'll curse me instead of blessing me. But his mother replied, then let the curse fall on me, my son. Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for me. So Jacob went out and got the goats for his mother. Rebecca took them and prepared a delicious meal just the way Isaac liked it.

Then she took Esau's favorite clothes, were there in the house and gave them to her younger son Jacob. She covered his arms and the smooth part of his neck with the skin of the young goats. Then she gave Jacob the delicious meal, including freshly baked bread. Okay, so pause and reflect on this scheme that Rebecca and Jacob have devised. Earlier when we heard about Jacob and Esau's birth, it said that Isaac favored Esau, and Rebecca favored Jacob. How has that favoritism played out?

Rebecca favored Jacob, and what is she willing to do to her own husband to get Jacob this blessing? And does Jacob take any issue with his mother's request or desire to deceive Isaac? Or does he just go along with whatever she says to get this blessing? What does that show about Jacob's character?

What does that show about Rebecca's character? And also remind yourself of the conversation Rebecca had with God. What did God say to her? He said, your older son will serve the younger son. So God had already promised to Rebecca that Jacob would be the one to inherit and lead. Is she trusting the Lord right here? Or is she taking matters into her own hands? Verse 18.

So Jacob took the food to his father. My father, he said. Yes, my son, Isaac answered. Who are you? Esau or Jacob? Jacob replied, it's Esau, your firstborn son. I've done as you told me. Here is the wild game.

Now sit up and eat it so you can give me your blessing. Isaac asked, How did you find it so quickly, my son? The Lord your God put it in my path, Jacob replied. Reflect on these lies, Jacob is telling Isaac. Who is he bringing into his deceit? His mother is involved, he's involved, and now he's even using God's name to fulfill this deceitful plan.

Verse 21. Then Isaac said to Jacob, come closer so I can touch you and make sure that you really are Esau. So Jacob went closer to his father, and Isaac touched him. The voice is Jacobs. But the hands are Esau's, Isaac said. But he did not recognize Jacob

because Jacob's hands felt hairy just like Esau's. So Isaac prepared to bless Jacob. But are you really my son Esau? he asked. Yes, I am, Jacob replied. Then Isaac said, Now my son, bring me the wild game. Let me eat it.

And then I will give you my blessing. So Jacob took the food to his father and Isaac ate it. He also drank the wine that Jacob's served him. Then Isaac said to Jacob, please come a little closer and kiss me, my son. So Jacob went over and kissed him. And when Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he was finally convinced, and he blessed his son. He said, ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of the outdoors, which the Lord has blessed. From the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth, may God always give you abundant harvests of grain and bountiful new wine. May many nations become

your servants, and may they bow down to you. May you be the master over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. All who curse you will be cursed, and all who bless you will be blessed. As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and almost before Jacob had left his father, Esau returned from his hunt. Esau prepared a delicious meal and brought it to his father, then he said, sit up, my father, and eat my wild game so you can give me your blessing. But Isaac asked him, who are you? Esau replied, it's your son, your firstborn son, Esau. Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably and said, then who just served me while game? I have already eaten it, and I blessed him just before you came, and yes, that blessing must stand.

So pause and ask yourself, how important are Isaac's words to him? Why do you think he can't take back the blessing, even though it was made in deceit? Verse 34. When Esau heard his father's words, he let out a loud and bitter cry, Oh, my father, what about me? Bless me too, he begged. But Isaac said, your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing. Esau exclaimed, no wonder his name is Jacob. For now he has cheated me twice. First he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my blessing. Oh, haven't you saved even one blessing for me? Isaac said to Esau, I have have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants, I have

guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine. What is left for me to give you, my son? Esau pleaded, but do you have only one blessing? Oh, my father bless me too. Then Issaul broke down and wept. Finally, his father, Isaac said to him, you will live away from the richness of the earth, and away from the dew of the heavens above. You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck. So pause and reflect on Jacob's trickery and deceit. Did Jacob get what he wanted? And even if he did, what were the costs of his deceit? Who did he affect? How did his actions, and Rebecca's actions, hurt Esau?

and Isaac. The next section is Jacob flees to Poden Arum. From that time on, Esau hated Jacob, because their father had given Jacob the blessing. And Esau began to scheme, I will soon be mourning my father's death, then I will kill my brother Jacob. But Rebecca heard about Esau's plan, so she sent for Jacob and told him, listen, Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you. So listen carefully, my son.

Get ready and flee to my brother Laban and Haran. Stay there with him until your brother cools off. When he calms down and forgets what you have done to him, I will send for you to come back. Why should I lose both of you in one day? Then Rebecca said to Isaac, I'm sick and tired of these local Hittite women. I would rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.

Again, here we see some of the repercussions of what Jacob and Rebecca did. Now, of course, do you think that Esau is blameless in this because remember the story where he gave away his first born birthright to Jacob in the first place? Then, years later, you have Rebecca and Jacob deceiving Isaac to steal Esau's blessing. And what happened because of that? Jacob received the blessing, but Esau became so angry and full of hatred toward Jacob, so much so that Jacob had to flee their home. Rebecca does not get to see her son anymore. Two brothers hate each other. What does this show us about what happens when we deceive and try to get things our own way? Because if we remember what the Lord promised Rebecca,

he said that your older son will serve your younger son. But did Rebecca trust in the Lord? compare this to Sarah and Abraham when the Lord kept promising a son to Abraham and Sarah. But what did Sarah do? She tried to take things into her own hands and said, No, Abraham, go have a child with Hagar, my servant. And what were the repercussions of that? What did these stories and these moments of deceit teach us about trusting in the Lord? chapter 28 verse 1 so isaac called for jacob blessed him and said you must not marry any of these canaanite women instead go at once to padinarum to the house of your grandfather bethuel and marry one of your uncle laban's daughters may god almighty bless you and give you many children and may your descendants multiply and become many nations may god pass on to you and your descendants the blessings he promised to abraham may you

own this land where you are now living as a foreigner, for God gave this land to Abraham. Here we see Isaac confirming and continuing to bless Jacob despite the deceitful way Jacob received the blessing in the first place. So what does that show us about Isaac's character? Verse 5. So Isaac sent Jacob away and went to Padanarum to stay with his uncle Laban, his mother's brother, the son of Bethuel, the Armin. Esau knew that his father, Isaac, had blessed Jacob and sent him to Padenarum to find a wife, and that he had warned Jacob, you must not marry a Canaanite woman. He also knew that Jacob had obeyed his parents and gone to Padenarum.

It was now very clear to Esau that his father did not like the local Canaanite women, so Esau visited his uncle Ishmael's family and married one of Ishmael's daughters, in addition to the wives he already had. His new wife's name was Mahalath. She was the sister of Nebaeath and the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son. Pause and ask yourself what Esau's actions and responses show about his character. Who is he still trying to please? Who is he still trying to find favor with?

The next section is Jacob's Dream at Bethel. Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Horam. Ron. At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven, and he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father Isaac.

The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth. They will spread out in all directions to the west and the east, to the north and the south, and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What's more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I've finished giving you. you everything I have promised you. So pause and reflect on this blessing that God is giving to Jacob. How is God confirming this covenant that he made with Abraham and passing it along to Abraham's descendants? Do you trust and believe that God will fulfill this promise he is made?

Reflect on the way that he's already been fulfilling this promise. Verse 16. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn't even aware of it. But he was also afraid and said, what an awesome place this is. It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven. The next morning, Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar.

Then he poured olive oil over it. He named the place Bethel, which means House of God, although it was previously called Luz. Then Jacob made this vow, if God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father's home, then the Lord will certainly be my God,

and this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me. So pause and reflect on how, how Jacob responds to God's promises. Does he trust in the Lord? Does he believe in the Lord? Does he listen to the Lord?

It might seem at the end of this section that Jacob is bargaining with God. If God will do these things, if God will give me this, if God will keep me safe, then he will be my God. Or it could seem like Jacob is, offering promises to the Lord based on the promises that God made to Jacob. You can reflect and pray about that passage and allow God to reveal to you what is going on here.

But I think what is important to realize is that Jacob is a flawed person. We have seen throughout this section, deceit, and trickery from Jacob. he is not immune to sin, just like Abraham wasn't, just like Sarah wasn't, just like Rebecca wasn't, just like every person we've met so far has not been immune to sin. But despite their sin, even despite our sin, what have we consistently seen from God? Does God keep his promises? Does God use his people despite God. their mistakes.

What does that prove and show about who God is? We've heard a lot in this section today. We've seen Abraham's descendants continue to grow and continue to be raised up as leaders in the land that God has promised them. And we will continue Jacob's story and see how even despite Jacob trying to take matters into his own hands, we will see how God,

keeps his promises and we will see how Jacob's story plays out next time. So thank you for listening and I will talk to you in the next one.