Til Death Do Us Part
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Genesis 23
A good name is better than good oil, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. Ecclesiastes 7:1
As we come to this chapter 23 – we with Abraham as he at the of Sarah.
Now Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Genesis 23:1-2
About years have passed since the end of Genesis 22.
- Sarah was at death.
- Isaac was .
- Abraham was .
Abraham had moved his family back to .
Sarah had been a good to Abraham and a good mother to Isaac.
By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Hebrews 11:11
Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; but it should be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way the holy women of former times, who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. 1 Peter 3:3-6
Imagine the that went through Abraham’s mind!
Abraham mourns!
- Often we think we need to be .
- If we show we think we aren’t good .
- Maybe what we think is weakness is really and .
- God made us with the ability to – it’s part of being .
Jesus wept. John 11:35
- Grieving is a !
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
- Love knows the of loss.
and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4
- Abraham was a man of , but he mourned for Sarah.
- For a believer – we :
We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
Abraham, even in death, shows us a life of .
- Abraham had lived as a in the land of Canaan.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Hebrews 11:13 NKJV
- Abraham didn’t even own a when Sarah died.
- Truth: God had given him the whole but…
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 1 Peter 2:11 NASB
- You and I live in that are !
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. Philippians 3:20-21
- Notice what the people of Canaan called Abraham – “ ”.
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.” Genesis 23:5-6
- In fact, they offered him the use of their own .
- Even in this time of we see Abraham’s .
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 Machpelah, down at the end of his field. I will pay the full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family.” Genesis 23:7-9
- The people Abraham lived among recognized there was something and about him.
- They didn’t worship or accept Abraham’s , but they were to what they .
- Even with all the years Abraham had lived in Canaan, he had not given in to their pressure to .