Genesis 23:1-24:51
The account of Sarah’s death and burial in Genesis 23 should capture our attention.
Warren Wiersbe said, “Sarah is the only woman named in the Bible whose age is given and burial described. It was the death of a princess, a woman of faith (see Hebrews 11:11–13).”
In 1 Peter 3:1-6 Sarah is lifted up to the ladies as an exemplary wife.
Understandably Abraham was hurting deeply at the passing of his lifelong companion, we read in:
Genesis 23:2b (NKJV) “…and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.”
I’m sure most of you have noticed by now that this present planet is not actually the land of the living, it’s more like the land of the dying. And although we who are believers will see our loved ones in Christ again, we still mourn deeply. Christians still cry, and even Jesus wept (John 11:35), but we don’t sorrow as those without hope.
Abraham purchased a place to bury his beloved wife, and even though the entire land had been promised to him – this grave would be the only land he would own on this side of time. Again, some insightful words from Warren Wiersbe, “He paid a high price for what became one of the most famous tombs in Bible history, and eventually six people were buried there (Genesis 49:31–32). Abraham owned only one thing on earth: a grave. Genesis ends with a full tomb, but the gospel story ends with an empty tomb! And because Jesus Christ lives, we who trust in Him never need fear death.”
In Genesis 24 we have a beautiful story of Abraham doing all that he can to make sure that his son marries a good and Godly woman. The providence of God in putting two people together as husband and wife is never mundane, but this story is especially special. The servant sets a fleece before the Lord, and God answered him before even before he finished speaking/praying (Genesis 24:15). Rebekah simply did a good deed for a stranger, but you never know when God is measuring you for something great – this good deed on her part would lead to Rebekah’s place in the family tree of the Messiah.
This story is also a beautiful picture of God the Father gathering a bride for His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Did you notice that the servant’s name is not mentioned? The reason for that is because the servant who gathers a bride for the son, is a picture of the Holy Spirit, who is gathering a bride (the church) for Christ. The Holy Spirit never draws attention to Himself. We’ll see next time how Rebekah is shown the treasures of a life far away, she hears the words of the servant, and is then asked to make a personal decision on whether or not she will commit to this relationship. It pictures the proposal we’ve been given from Jesus, God’s Son, as presented to us by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 8:1-17
In this section, Jesus heals a leper with a touch, a Centurion’s servant from a distance, and Peter’s mother-in-law’s fever. With each healing we are reminded that there is no one like Jesus – who demonstrates His deity and majesty, and even does so personally.
In those days NO ONE would dare to touch a leper.
Pastor Chuck Smith, “No one touched lepers. If a leper came within 150 feet of anyone, he was required to cry out, ‘Unclean!’ (so that other stayed away) But Jesus reached out to touch this man with compassion, love, and concern. Jesus was always interested in those who needed Him most.”
When you have a moment, check out this song by Terry Clark (an oldie but goodie – one of my all-time favorite songs).
Don’t you just love the way nothing is too big for the Lord? Even leprosy! At the same time, nothing is too small for the Lord (like a fever)? Over the years we’ve prayed for everything, from lost kids, to lost keys, temporary parking places, to permanent homes, we’ve prayed over those with cancer, and yes, fevers, and we’ve seen the Lord answer in the affirmative many of those prayers. I’ll never forget one time Shelly and I were praying for healing for our friend Gloria who had a fever, and God instantly took it away. He is able.
Matthew quotes from Isaiah 53:4 applying it to the healings of Jesus, teaching us that this was included in the redemption of Christ. Now, does that mean that every illness is guaranteed to be taken away on this side of time? No. It’s all according to God’s will (1 John 5:14). God’s people don’t always experience healing (1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20; 2 Corinthians 12:8-10) but it’s okay and even Biblical to ask (James 5:14). When our faith intersects with God’s will, we see wonders (Matthew 8:13).
Psalm 9:13-20
We find the word “nations,” multiple times in this chapter (Psalm 9:5, 15, 17, 19, 20). How comforting it was to David (and should be to us) that even if nations opposed him – it wouldn’t matter – if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
There were some who hated David, they wanted him dead, but God sustained him…just as God has sustained Israel.
Please pray for the United States of America! What a heavy verse this is:
Psalm 9:17 (NKJV) “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”
As we go through personal and even national battles, let’s learn from David to fight…by praying. “Have mercy on me, O LORD! Arise O LORD, Do not let man prevail…” (Psalm 9:13, 19).
Proverbs 3:1-6
I. We should be Bound to the Bible (Proverbs 3:1-4)
Proverbs 3:1–4 (NKJV) “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; 2 For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, 4 And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.”
The Lord speaks to us, as His children, whom He’s taught His truth, and He commands us not to forget the wisdom of His Word, the law of the Lord. I tend to be a forgetful person. Where did I put keys, where’d I place my phone, once again I don’t remember what I did with my glasses?” I tell my wife, “I never said that. I didn’t do that.” I forget many things.
But if there’s one thing I pray I’d never forget, it’s the law of the Lord, the wisdom of His Word. I think it could slip away, if I fall away, if I lose that heart to read it every day, there might come a day, when I used to know His Word so well, I used to swing that sword, but now I don’t swing it, I wing it, I don’t know it. That can happen.
But of course, we know that forgetting is not merely failing to remember intellectually, it really means to fail to do obediently; (James 1:25 – “forgetful hearer”)
When Solomon says, “Don’t forget the law, He’s saying don’t forget to live the law.”
We can’t just carry the Bible in our hands, or contemplate it in our heads, we must keep it, obey it, hide it, write it on our hearts (v. 3)
The truth is we are to write this truth on that tablet.
Our hearts are important, aren’t they?
Our physical hearts are amazing, how they beat 100,000 times every day; they pump 5 to 6 quarts of blood every minute, 2,000 gallons a day. Our hearts are so important, that when they stop beating, we die.
Well, just as the physical heart is vital, the Spiritual heart more so!
It’s the real you, deep, deep down inside; the question is, “Are our hearts right, do we write His word there?”
Some of us need heart surgery; God is able to give us a clean heart, enlarge our heart, give us a heart after His own heart, if we let Him – and one of the strongest ways He does that is by taking the scalpel of the Scriptures to our hearts.
The “heart” is core when it comes to wisdom, mentioned 83 times in the book of Proverbs…so Solomon says don’t just bind the Bible around your necks, tattoo it on your hearts.
Manny – don’t forget my law! Why not? The general principle is that those who are spiritually wise live longer…lives (read v. 2)
Those who are not wise, often live lives that are cut short. Not an absolute precept, but a general principle.
Someone asks, “Why would anyone want to live longer?” The answer is, “To do more for the Lord and His people.” (Philippians 1:21-25) (better for you – fruit for God)
This is good reason, not to forget God’s law, to live longer, to serve longer, but not just quantity of life, but quality of life, when we’re men and women bound to the Bible, God will not only grant more days to our life, but more life to our days.
He’ll be glorified, we’ll be satisfied, there in v. 2 we see that peace will be added to us…that’s a whole sermon by itself.
If we do not forget God’s law, and let not mercy and truth forsake us:
4 And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.
General principal is we’ll live longer lives, good lives, with a good name and reputation with people – and more importantly – with God.
1 Samuel 2:26, “And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men.”
Luke 2:52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
I. We should be Bound to the Bible (1-4)
II. We can be Guided by God (5-6)
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 are two of the most beautiful passages in all the Bible, teaching us the promise of God’s personal guidance…and my, how we need that don’t we?
Life is not only amazing – it’ also a maze at times. I know the guys would never admit it, but sometimes you feel lost at sea. What companion, what career, you’re at a crossroad and you don’t know which way to go.
Well, it begins with trust in the Lord…this is how God guides us.
Trust means belief in the ability, the reliability; trust in a person means you believe they’re true enough, they love enough, they’re strong enough, meaning that they’re able to follow through. Truly we can trust the Lord.
But not just trust in the Lord, trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart.
I don’t know if you have trust issues. If you’ve been hurt or betrayed by someone close it can be challenging to trust people.
But most of us probably trust at least some people to a certain extent. Because we’re human, we wonder, “Will they follow through?” “Do they really care?” “Do they got my back?”
It’s very rare to have someone in your life that you can trust with ALL of your heart; but you can trust God that way!
He made you, knows everything about you, and still loves you perfectly; He still has only good plans for your future, even though He knows all about your past.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
To lean not on our own understanding doesn’t mean we check our brains in at the door, that we don’t pull from experience, counsel, or common sense, it just means that that’s not ALL that we do.
We also pray…in all our ways we acknowledge Him.
To acknowledge the Lord is more than just nodding in His direction. The Hebrew word “Yada” means to know intimately. It’s the same word used in Genesis 4:1, where the Bible says that “…Adam Eve knew his wife and she conceived…”
If I have a heart to know God, and know His will, He will show up and show the way…and He shall direct our paths.
NLT, “…He will show you which path to take.”
Nehemiah 9:12, “Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the road Which they should travel.”
Sometimes I trip out, how did I end up with such a beautiful bride, how did I become a family man? How is it that I’m a pastor, in what I consider to be a very special city, El Monte, how did I become part of this congregation?
By God’s grace, He has directed my paths…
This was Kay Smith’s life verse. I have a hunch it’s a favorite for many of us. If you ever need that special direction from God (like every day) please know it’s rooted in a deep and personal relationship with God – just draw near to hear.
If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.