Gtcotr/ws032614
Abraham
and Sarah were chosen by God to become His covenant partners. God promised them
a son to which the covenant would pass and whose offspring would inherit all
the land of Canaan. Abraham and Sarah journeyed from the Ur of the Chaldees
northward up the Euphrates Valley to what is now northeastern Syria with their
father, Terah, their brother Nahor and the children of another brother who had
passed away named Haran. The children’s names were Lot and Milcah.
The
family of Terah settled in a place they called Haran after Abraham’s late
brother. Towns and villages were often built up around one prospering family
where servants and tradesmen gathered out of proximity and necessity. The town of
Haran is also referred to as the town of Nahor; the remaining brother of
Abraham’s who was evidently a prosperous man as well. Nahor married Milcah, his
niece, and begot Bethuel, the father of Rebekah.
When
Abraham was 75 years old the Lord spoke to him a second time and told him to
take Sarah and leave his family in Syria and go to the land of Canaan. Abraham
trusted God and departed also taking his nephew Lot along with them. God
promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations and through
his seed would all of the world be blessed.
It
was after many trials and through difficult journeys that God brought Abraham
and Sarah to the place where they experienced the fulfillment of this promise.
When Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old, after having been
married and following God for over 50 years
that God brought about a miracle in that Sarah conceived and brought
forth Isaac, the son of God’s promise.
The
account of the journeys of Abraham and Sarah are perhaps the greatest stories
in the Bible. They reveal and confirm the workings of God in the lives of His
covenant partners who follow Him by faith. The New Testament paints a picture
of someone trusting God by using Abraham as the backdrop of faith.
Romans 4
18 (Abraham), who, contrary
to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations,
according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."
19 And not being weak in
faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a
hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
20 He did not waver at the
promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to
God,
21 and being fully convinced
that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Needless
to say that Abraham and Sarah lived a wonderful adventure of faith. They lived
their daily lives trusting God and although they made many mistakes and had
continual temptations to quit believing … they continued and ultimately
received the promise of God. Can you imagine Abraham being 100 years old and
having a son or Sarah having her first and only child at age 90? Oh how they
loved Isaac … he was the answer to their lifelong prayers. Most likely Abraham
and Sarah were married over 100 years … think of that! But, as time went on,
Sarah’s earthly life came to an end.
Genesis 23: 1 Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven
years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
Abraham
was 137 years old and Isaac was 37 … what would they do? Sarah was buried in
Hebron where they lived while Isaac cared for the flocks and family assets
farther to the south in the Negev desert near a well belonging to his father
called Beersheba. Three years later when Abraham is feeling old and finished he
calls for his trusted servant, Eliezer, the Syrian. From reading the account we
realize that Abraham is expecting to die soon.
Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old, well
advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 So Abraham said to the
oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please, put
your hand under my thigh,
3 "and I will make you
swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will
not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I
dwell;
Continuing
to read the account we find this to be the request of a dying man – his final
parting wishes as it were – Abraham’s last will and testimony. Clearly Abraham
does not expect to live much longer, certainly not long enough for this mission
to be carried out. This is further confirmed by the response from his servant
when he asked his master, “What shall I do if …”, and Abraham’s response.
Abraham
gave future instructions and a clear contingency plan in the event things did
not work out as hoped and he was not around to give further direction upon the
servant’s return. Abraham was clearly setting his house in order … no doubt he
felt he was finished. After all he had run his race, completed his duty,
received his promise and was 140 years old now. Surely this was the end. Most
likely his missed his wife and his life and was lonely and perhaps a bit
depressed. He probably felt like his greatest day was behind him. He had two
sons, one by Sarah and one by her bond servant. Isaac was 40 and the covenant
son of promise and Ishmael was 52 and a strong man who carried his father’s
determination. Twelve princes would be born to him. The account continues:
Genesis 24: 10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s
camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose
and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
Some
Jewish writers and Christian Scholars as well believe the parenthetical phrase,
“for all his master’s goods were in his hand” is an indication that Eliezer
carried papers detailing the assets of Abraham which were to be conveyed to his
son, Isaac, upon Abraham’s death. In effect, this passage seems to indicate
that Abraham also sent along a signed copy of his last will and testament which
no doubt included a dowry to be given to the family of the prospective new
bride for his son Isaac.
I
for one do not believe Abraham expected to still be alive when his servant
returned from Syria, however, he was. The journey to Nahor and back took the
better part of 6 weeks. When Eliezer returned with Rebekah, Isaac had just come
from the south and the last verse of Genesis 24 says:
Genesis 24:67 Then Isaac
brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became
his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Mission
accomplished, Isaac is married, he is comforted after the death of his mother
and as Isaac’s story continues to unfold later in chapter 25 we see Isaac and
Rebekah moving about 30 miles to the south to live near Beersheba.
So
… what happens to Abraham after he has completed his last quest? What happens
to father Abraham’s life after he has released his son into God’s hands? Well
it seems like the old man finds some new strength and new vision he didn’t
realize was there before. In fact, after Abraham releases Isaac to the will of
God in the last verse of Genesis chapter 24 … the very next verse in the Bible
tells what happened next:
Genesis 25
1 Abraham again took a wife,
and her name was Keturah.
2 And she bore him Zimran,
Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 Jokshan begot Sheba and
Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
4 And the sons of Midian were
Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of
Keturah.
Abraham
wasn’t finished yet!!! In about 500 years his great great great grandson Moses
was going to be running for his life, wandering around in the desert of Midian
and was going to need a special woman to be his wife … Moses was going to find
one of his very distant cousins, Zipporah, a great great great granddaughter of
Abraham, who was the daughter of the priest of Midian. She is the woman who
circumcised Moses before God and saved his life.
You
see, when Abraham released his Isaac into the hand of God and over to the will
of God for his life, Abraham was released to his new day as well. Our greatest
release comes when we release others to God.
The
principle of release works in many areas of life. Parents are challenged to
release their children into God’s hands and over to God’s will and when they
do, they are also released to pursue a new day in their lives. Pastors are
challenged to release other ministers and ministries into God’s hands and over
to God’s will and when they do, they are also released to embrace and pursue a
new day in their life and ministry.
Each
of us is challenged from time to time to forgive others where they have wronged
or hurt us. When we forgive, Jesus said we are forgiven. And, when we refuse to
release others of their trespasses or debts, that refusal to release serves to
keep us bound to the old hurts and pains ourselves.
There
is a power of release. Not that the old was always bad or that it needs to be
forgotten but rather the fact that God is the God of a new day, every day. God
has a greater plan for our lives than we may see from the limited perspective
of the past. When all we know or expect is all we have ever known or expected
perhaps we are limiting God to being only as smart or as powerful as we see
ourselves.
God
is so much more powerful and planned out than are we. He has an eternal
perspective and He knows the end from the beginning. In
order to fully get hold of a new thing sometimes we have to fully let go of the
old thing. God is not dead and neither is anyone who has ever served and
followed Him. Life, love, laughter and longings will continue to be a vital
part of our experience forever and throughout eternity.
Don’t
allow your self-assessed limits to limit you! Embrace and experience the power
of release …
What
or who do you need to release today?
