FINISHING WELL (GENESIS 24:1-25:9)
A month between February and March 2013 was not a good month for two of my seminary professors or me. Bible study guru Howard Hendricks, the author of “Iron Sharpens Iron” and “Living by the Book” who inspired more people in Bible study than anyone I know, passed away on February 20, 2013, after a distinguished 60 years career teaching at Dallas Theological Seminary. He made such an impact that they have a building named after him. He taught students the importance of repetition, comparison, contrast and other structural markers and always bid us to be imaginative, creative, unique, original and fun.
The next professor cuts deeper. In March 2012, Roy Zuck, the senior editor of the seminary’s theological journal who had written 15 books and edited over a hundred others, kindly offered his editing services to former students and I was quick to grab it. The cost was about half of what I pay for editing my doctoral dissertation. All in all, he edited four books in English for me – Parables of Life, Genesis, Amazing Couples, and Moses. I submitted another but did not hear from him for a while. Less than a month after Hendricks’ death, the 81-year-old Zuck followed his colleague. I cried, but it was a wakening experience for me. The Lord impressed my heart to follow them into literature ministry. A coworker printed my motto “Rise and Shine, In memory of Howard Hendricks” for it to be posted on my office door.
Abraham traveled a long way from his native Ur to Canaan. Along the road his father died. The Promised Land was not a bed of roses by any means. Abraham betrayed his wife in Egypt when a famine struck, separated from Lot as their fortunes grew, took a concubine at his wife’s insistence but later had Isaac with the aged Sarah and witnessed the departure of Ishmael, his other son.
However, whenever Abraham stumbled, slipped or stalled, faith rescued him, pulled him out of trouble and put him back on his feet. A man of faith is not perfect in faith but persistent in faith. Abraham’s triumph over his shortcomings, mistakes, weaknesses, blunders and faults was nothing short of a miracle. He eventually overcame his inadequacies, suspicions and fears and transformed himself into a giant in faith.
How does a person of faith finish well in his relationship to God, in his journey through life and in being neighborly to others? What are his responsibilities and challenges as he or she ages? What motivates and sustains his faith through ups and downs and through thick and thin?
A Man of Faith is a Promise-Keeper
24:1 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 2 He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?” 6 “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said. 7 “The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’--he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. 8 If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” (Gen 24:1-8)
Hans was a little shepherd boy who lived in Germany. One day, when he was keeping his master’s sheep, a hunter rode up to him out of the forest. “How far is it to the nearest village, my boy?” asked the hunter, “It is six miles, sir,” replied Hans. “But the road is only a sheep track. You might easily miss your way.”
“My boy,” said the hunter, leaning down from his horse, ‘if you will take me there I will pay you well.” Hans shook his head. “I cannot leave the sheep, sir,” he said. “They would stray in the forest and the wolves might eat them.”
“But if one or two sheep are lost or eaten,” said the hunter, “I will pay you well for them. I will give you more than you can earn in a year.” “No, sir,” said Hans. “The sheep belong to my master. If they are lost, I should be to blame.”
“If you cannot take me to the village,” the hunter went on, “will you get me a guide? I will take care of your sheep while you are gone.” Again Hans shook his head. “I cannot do that,” he said. “The sheep do not know your voice and I do not know if you would take good care of them.
“Can’t you trust me?” asked the hunter. “No sir,” said Hans. “You have tried to make me break my promise to my master; how do I know that you will keep your promise to me?” The hunter laughed. “You are right,” he said. “I wish I could trust my servants as your master can trust you.”
Just then several men rode out of the forest and seeing the hunter they spurred their horses towards him. “Sire!” they shouted joyfully. “We thought you were lost!” Then Hans learned to his great surprise that the hunter was a prince of the kingdom. He was afraid that the great man would punish him. But the prince only smiled and spoke in praise of him and then they all rode away.
Some days later a servant came from the prince and took Hans to the palace. “Hans,” said the prince, “I want you to leave your sheep and to come and serve me. I know that you are a boy whom I can trust.” Hans was very happy over his good fortune but he replied, “If my master can find another boy to take my place, then I will come and serve you.” So Hans went back and looked after the sheep until his master found another boy. After that he served the prince for many years. (William J Bennett, Moral Compass, 260-61)
What are Abraham’s famous last words in the Bible that have not been covered enough in commentaries? After warning his servant once in verse 6 not to take his forty-years old son (Gen 25:20) back to Mesopotamia, Abraham reiterated the point to his servant and ended the conversation with him this way: “Only do not take my son back there” (vv 6, 8) - thus concluded the account of Abraham’s life and legacy. The passionate warning in verse two comes with an imperative “put” in verse 2 and in verse 6 another imperative “make sure” or “keep” in Hebrew – the first time “keep” is used as an imperative. Other KJV translations include keep (Gen 2:15), take heed (Gen 31:24, observe (Gen 37:11), mark (1 Sam 1:12), watch (1 Sam 19:11).
Abraham is the first person God directly entrusted to “keep” something (Gen 17:9, 10). This verb most famously occurs 73 times in Deuteronomy. The reason Abraham made his servant swear an oath was clear: God’s promise of land was meant not just for the patriarch alone, but for Abraham and his offspring (Gen 12:7, 13:15, 17:8). Abraham claimed the land promise for the next of kin and subsequent generations. The urgent request was uncharacteristic of the patriarch; not only did the boss ask a favor from his servant, but he also initiated an oath (vv 3, 7), putting his servant’s hand under his thigh for a solemn swear-in.
Already Abraham had buried his wife Sarah in Canaan instead of Ur, their native city; returning to Ur was not an option. Abraham’s break with culture, tradition and precedent in burying Sarah in Canaan was an unmistakable message. Buying a cave and nothing else in his life was meant to send the same message to future generations that Canaan was home now. Abraham would not allow Isaac to return under any circumstances, if he could help it. While he was still living, Abraham would do all that was in his power to find and bring a wife from his old country and his own relatives for his son Isaac.
Abraham determined that Isaac’s future wife must not be a Canaanite woman (v 3). Canaan, the Canaanite forefather, was cursed to be a slave to his brothers (Gen 9:25-27). Abraham’s orders to stay in Canaan defined, characterized and shaped the Israelites’ mindset toward Israel. Following Abraham’s lead, grandson Jacob’s last words to his children were to be buried with his fathers in Canaan (Gen 49:29-32).
A Man of Faith is a Pilgrim on Earth
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah. 5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east. (Gen 25:1-6)
An American tourist visited the renowned Polish rabbi Hofetz Chaim. The tourist was astonished to see that the rabbi’s home was only a simple room filled with books, a table and a cot.
The tourist asked, “Rabbi, where is your furniture?” Rabbi Chaim replied, “Where is yours?” The puzzled American asked, “Mine? But I’m only a visitor here. I’m only passing through.” The rabbi replied, “So am I, so am I.” (Ralph Spencer)
An early pilgrim said, “By the grace of God I am a Christian man, by my actions a great sinner, and by calling a homeless wanderer of the humblest birth who roams from place to place. My worldly goods are a knapsack with some dried bread in it on my back and in my breastpocket a Bible. And that is all.” (Jean Fleming, Between Walden and the whirlwind, Nav 85)
My favorite statement from Abraham is from his first words at the death of his wife: “I am an alien and a stranger among you” (Gen 23:4). Man is but an alien (Ps 39:12) and a stranger on earth (Ps 119:19) whose days are like a fleeting shadow (Ps 144:4, 1 Chron 29:15). As the gospel song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.” Psalms 39:6 says, “Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.” People are like grass (Isa 40:7) and grasshoppers (Isa 40:22) - here today and gone tomorrow. The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength. (Ps 90:10)
The world is not enough for the pilgrim. True citizenship, eternal rest, and wondrous joy are awaiting in heaven (Phil 3:20), where our lowly bodies will be transformed into glorious bodies.
Even though Abraham had an abundance of servants, gold and livestock (Gen 12:16, 13:2, 20:16), bought and owned the barest minimum. He never possessed material goods long enough for them to gain sentimental value on him. Abraham was the first “stranger” on earth (Gen 23:4 KJV, “sojourner”). Previously God promised the land of Canaan to him for an everlasting possession – the word “possession” made its debut in Abraham’s account (Gen 17:8), but all he had transacted in his life was a cave for his family grave. He could have bought more but he saw no need to, even though he had the reason and the time to pass on land and property to the next generation. He had eight sons from three women, and he could have at least left a house for each one, but Abraham was a man who was in the world but not of the world.
Very early in his life, after Abraham was already very wealthy (Gen 13:2), he gave a tenth of everything he possessed to Melchizedek, the priest of God Most High (Gen 14:18-20). The patriarch was never motivated by money and not a lover of money. He gave the pick of the land to his nephew lot (Gen 13:9). Family and relatives meant much more to him. Even when he was offered the goods he recovered from the kings that invaded Sodom, he refused to accept anything from the king of Sodom for reward so that the king could never boast of making Abraham rich (Gen 14:22-24). Abraham’s motive for the daring rescue was to save Lot and not to make money.
Abraham gave away much of what he had on his own terms. He gave to whoever he wanted to - to Isaac and his other sons; he gave whatever he wanted to - his other sons received gifts, and Isaac, everything else; and he gave whenever he wanted to - while he was living (Gen 25:5-6). He did not want his sons, their wives and children to quarrel, wrangle and fight over the money, property, livestock and servants.
A Man of Faith is a Peacemaker at Heart
Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite (Gen 25:9)
A rabbi and a priest get into a car accident and it’s a bad one. Both cars are totally demolished but amazingly neither of the clerics is hurt. After they crawl out of their cars, the rabbi sees the priest’s collar and says, “So you’re a priest. I’m a rabbi. Just look at our cars. There’s nothing left, but we are unhurt. This must be a sign from God. God must have meant that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace the rest of our days.” The priest replies, “I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God.”
The rabbi continues, “And look at this. Here’s another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of Mogen David wine didn’t break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune.” Then he hands the bottle to the priest. The priest agrees, takes a few big swigs, and hands the bottle back to the rabbi. The rabbi takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap on, and hands it back to the priest.
The priest asks, “Aren’t you having any?” The rabbi replies, “No...I think I’ll wait for the police.”
A man of faith who walks in faith with God is neighborly, cordial and kind to others. Abraham was never unpleasant to others, confrontational or bitter with others. He cared for his sons, his relatives and his neighbors. The wise Abraham prevented his sons from continuing the war their respective mother started. The most beautiful picture in his death was the sight of Ishmael and Isaac jointly burying their father (Gen 25:9). They were both his sons. Abraham valued peace with others in life and brought peace to others in death.
Abraham provided for his other sons from a later marriage to Keturah and made sure that history did not repeat itself. Although Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac, while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east (Gen 25:5-6).
Abraham’s peacemaking efforts in the family were not an aberration. He protected his herdsmen from turf wars, averted a quarrel with his nephew Lot, and even rescued Lot when he was captured (Gen 14:11-12). When he realized that the angels who visited him had turned away and were heading toward and bent on destroying Sodom, where Lot was residing, Abraham literally stood in the path of God (Gen 18:22), boldly asking God ten different questions, making up six mock numbers in six rapid-fire exchanges with Him. For the sake of Lot, Abraham asked God to the limit, even risking annoying Him (Gen 21:30, 32), but he came out with an understanding, an appreciation, and a gratitude for God’s justice, mercy and love. (Gen 21:31-34)
Finally, he made peace with his neighbors. His relationship with Abimelech, the Philistine, was admirable, but his relationship with Pharaoh was not. Unlike his brisk journey into foreign Egypt that ended on a sour note, he had a good rapport and made a good-faith treaty with neighbor Abimelech, enabling him to stay in the land of the Philistines for a long time. After airing their grievances upon meeting, Abimelech invited Abraham to live in the land, and Abraham, in turn, prayed for Abimelech to be healed (Gen 20:15-18). The words “pray” (Gen 20:7, 17) and “heal” (Gen 20:17) made its first entry in the Bible. When a misunderstanding almost erupted again, Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a treaty (Gen 21:25-34). He was the assisting, accepting and affirming type, never the type to annoy, accuse or anger others.
Conclusion: Do you strive to finish well? Have you give up on running the race, grabbing the torch, and completing the track? By God’s grace, we can triumph over adversities, fears and opposition in the journey of faith. No one is born to run. From crawling on our knees, we progress to standing on our feet, then walking naturally with poise.
Are you stepping out in faith and abiding by God’s promises to be God’s instrument of peace, righteousness and blessing? Do you make effort to get along with neighbors and enemies? Are you seeking God’s will, doing God’s work and
following God’s way?
Victor Yap
Bible.ryl.hk (Grammar Bible)
www.preachchrist.com (Sermons)
