Every Woman's Bible Genesis sampler - Flipbook - Page 44
GENESIS 23
34
Perspective
Where are the role models?
SCRIPTURE CONNECTION: GENESIS 22:1-19
If we open the Bible in search of role models, we
soon run into trouble. Most Bible stories teach us
about God’s righteous character, but the humans
in the stories are full of flaws. Their exploits are
usually not a good example.
The Bible describes, rather than prescribes,
their behavior. However, we take courage from
the fact that God shows mercy to people who
are flawed, just like us.
Passages like Genesis 22 are even more difficult. How can I trust a God who tells a father
to kill his own son? What does this tell me about
God’s character?
Keep in mind that Abraham’s situation is
unique. And, as we see by the story’s end, God
never intended to put Isaac to death. He certainly does not ask us to sacrifice our children. In
fact, there are numerous passages in the Bible
that show God abhorring such practices. His
instruction to Abraham was purely a test of trust.
Would Abraham cling to the boy or entrust him
to God?
VIEWPOINTS
HIS: How did this experience change Abraham’s
view of God?
MINE: “Like Abraham, I am always in danger
of clinging to what God has provided instead of
clinging to God. Will I trust him when it looks like I
may lose something dear to me?”
YOURS: Is there something that easily becomes
more important to you than God? Does this passage help reorient your trust?
8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering,
my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked
on together.
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. 10And Abraham
picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11At
that moment the angel of the Lord called to him
from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”
12 “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.”
13 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.
14Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (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.”
15 Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. 16 “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 17 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.
18 And through your descendants all the nations of
the earth will be blessed—all because you have
obeyed me.”
19 Then they returned to the servants and traveled back to Beersheba, where Abraham continued
to live.
20 Soon after this, Abraham heard that Milcah, his
brother Nahor’s wife, had borne Nahor eight sons.
21 The oldest was named Uz, the next oldest was Buz,
followed by Kemuel (the ancestor of the Arameans),
22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 (Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) In addition
to these eight sons from Milcah, 24 Nahor had four
other children from his concubine Reumah. Their
names were Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
The Burial of Sarah
CARMEN JOY IMES, PhD, is an author, speaker,
blogger, YouTuber, and serves as associate
professor of Old Testament at Biola University
in California.
When Sarah was 127 years old, 2 she died
at Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron) in the
land of Canaan. There Abraham mourned and wept
for her.
23
22:17 Hebrew seed; also in 22:17b, 18.
22:24 In some ancient cultures, concubines helped landowners increase their offspring and build larger households.
As a member of the household, a concubine was assured continuous provision for her needs and the needs of her children,
but her social status was not equal to a full wife. She was not
available to marry another man or to be sold into another
family’s service (see Exodus 21:7-11). The Old Testament does
not explicitly condemn polygamy, but Genesis repeatedly
demonstrates its perils.
