11.
The
Final Chapters – chapter 24-25
Read 24:1-4. According to
25:20 Abraham would have been 140 years old.
Why did he feel
responsible for finding Isaac a wife? (way of the
culture.)
What responsibility do
parents today have in this matter? (It depends on family / train children to
seek blessing of parents in the matter.)
The oath . . . (was
apparently related to the powers of reproduction and would involve descendants
in the Messianic line.)
Abraham would have considered
a Canaanite woman unacceptable because . . .
1. (her faith would not have raised children right
2. (her religion was filthy – would have led Isaac
astray)
3. (God said he would wipe Canaanites out.)
From this we might assume
that Abraham’s extended family . . . (had the true faith – not just Abraham
alone.)
Read 5-9. Why did
Abraham refuse to return to
The trip back to
Read 10-14. The bride
price:
1. provided evidence of GOOD FAITH
2. established the SOCIAL STANDING of the groom
3. sealed the covenant between the two FAMILIES
4. reimbursed the father for the loss of a WORKER
5. served as a prepaid ALIMONY in case of desertion /
divorce
Genesis 31:15
Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used
up what was paid for us.
The trip may have taken a
MONTH.
Wasn’t the servant acting
presumptuously in dictating to God how he was to point out the woman of his
choice? (at
this point he had nothing else to go on. .
wasn’t demanding of it – could return without
consequence from Abraham.)
The word for “kindness” is chesed, meaning also “mercy.” What does this reflect in the servant? (had the same faith
as Abraham.)
His request could only be
fulfilled by a woman who was . . . (hard working and willing to serve – giving
/ didn’t ask for the best looking one.)
Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth
far more than rubies. 15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food
for her family and portions for her servant girls. 17 She sets about her work
vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
Read 15-21. What else
did Rebekah have going for her? (good looking / son
of Nahor.)
One camel can drink 20
gallons . . . (at least an hour’s work.) (vs. 18 – lowered
from her head to hands.)
Read 24:22-27. Vs. 22 was
not the bride price, which was to be paid to her faith. It was rather . . . (in thanks for what she
just did.) (1500 dollars worth)
Whereas she had met the servants requirements, he also wanted to find out whether Rebekah met . . . (Abraham’s requirements.)
Note again the faith of
the servant in vs. 26. (Humble recognition to the
LORD.)
Read 24:28-33. Why does
it say she ran to her “mother’s” household and not her fathers? (various explanations are offered –
1. family was a matriarchy – but laban
is spokesman
2. bethuel was dead – but he speaks in vs. 50
3. natural for girl to share news like this with her mom
first – but Laban figures prominently in proceedings
4. milcah is actually the grandmother / Nahor’s
widow – she continued to live there after her husband’s death – although Behtuel lived there still thought of as her home.)
Evaluate Laban’s
behavior in 29-31 in light of later knowledge of him. (looking for money.)
How does the servant show
the seriousness with which he carried out his assignment? (doesn’t eat until he discusses the business first.)
Read 34-49. What reflects
faith in vs. 35? (gives
credit to LORD for success.)
In order to support his
request for Rebekah as Isaac’s wife he appeals
to . . .
Vs. 35
- (faith in LORD)
Vs. 36 – (the inheritance that Isaac received)
Vs. 37-41 - (the desire of Abraham – based on faith.)
Vs. 42-47 - (the way everything happened exactly as he
asked)
Vs. 48 - (the LORD brought it about.)
Note how in vs. 49 he doesn’t
directly ask for Rebekah . . . (lets the facts speak
for themselves.)
Read 50-51. The fact that
Laban is mentioned first, ahead of his father, has
been explained by pointing to the possibility that Bethuel
may have had more than one wife. In a
family where there were half brothers and half sisters, the full brother
assumed a certain responsibility for a younger sister.
Why do they grant his
request? (from the LORD –
covenant name - faith – seem to have familiarity. Shows WHY Abraham wanted
wife from them.)
Read 52-58. What two
kinds of gifts did the servant give?
1. (thank you gifts – at well
2. (weddings gifts – at house
Why did the servant not
want to wait? (harder to leave.)
What does this show us
about Rebekah? (she is a willing
participant – decisive – to go – but not to be Isaac’s wife at this point.)
Read 59-62. Her nurse was
Deborah, who had cared for her since infancy.
(35:8)
These were descendants of
Noah who were aware of the blessings God promised to Shem and Abraham –
Genesis
Genesis 12:1-3 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your
people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will
make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever
curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis
They prayed for a double
blessing –
1. (she become mother of a large nation – part of Abram’s
promise – a believing family
2. (for victory over their enemies – 2 essential elements
of contact God had with Abraham
Read 63-67. What is
the significance of Beer Lahai Roi? (where God appeared
to Hagar in chapter 16)
Vs. 66 shows that Isaac also
. . . (would have responded in faith.)
Note the role of Sarah and
then Rebekah in Isaac’s life. (comforter – companion.) (no mention of
Abraham – perhaps to note the next patriarch.)
Read 25:1-6. Abraham lived another 38 years after Sarah
died. (1 Chronicles
Code of Hammurabi: Whether the children of a
freed slave receive an inheritance or not is determined by whether the father
designates them “my children” or not.
Code of Lipit-ishtar: The children
of a freed slave do not receive an inheritance.
The significance of Abraham’s dismissing the
concubines’ sons . . .
1. (No misunderstanding later on as to rights – assured
Isaac was bearer of covenant)
2. (gave them freedom.)
They settled in the EAST –
land of the Arabs.
Read 7-11. Abraham lived 30 years less than Terah.
What aspect of faith is
there in final phrase of vs. 8? (gathered to his
people.)
Luther: If there is another
people apart from those among whom we live, there must be a resurrection from
the dead.
What might be surprising
about vs. 9? (they both have part
in burial – no alienation.)
Ishmael had special honor
above Keturah’s sons.
(Genesis 17:20)
So ends our Bible study of Abraham’s life and death. What special things or lessons did you learn from his life?