Genesis 23:1-20

August 21, 2013 Were seeing a changed man in Abraham. He was afraid of death, but in the last chapter he showed faith that God can raise the dead back to life and that He keeps His promises. Now theres another trial in his life when Sarah passes away: And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. Here we see the curse of Adam taking its toll again. The serpent lied to Eve when he said, You will surely not die. Even these people who are chosen by God from all the people of the earth still have to face their own mortality. But its interesting to me that Sarahs death (at least as far as the chapters go) immediately follows the life of Isaac. Abraham figuratively received Isaac back from the dead (Heb. 11:19), but then he literally loses Sarah. What may be more interesting about chapter 23 is that only 2 verses describe her death and burial, but 18 describe how Abraham purchased her burial plot. At first, it may seem like Moses got it backwards. Shouldnt we read more about how she died and what it meant for Abraham? But the point you have two remember when reading this chapter is that Moses intention isnt to be dramatic or to pull our heartstringsthe whole Bible is a book about how God has chosen His people, made them a promise, and then how He has fulfilled His promise. The story we read in chapter 23 isnt primarily about how Sarah dies but how Abraham receives landPromised Land. Up to now hes been living in a tent on the plains owned by a man named Mamre. Not long ago he was able to secure the rights to use a certain well at Beersheba, but he still didnt own the land. What were going to see today is how this stranger and sojourner acquires the first little spot of land that will one day be called Israel.
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And Abraham stood up from before his dead,

That is that he stopped his time of mourning, and spake unto the sons of Heth, Now, youll remember Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. His son, Ham, mocked and Canaan was cursed because of it (Gen. 9:20-25). Well, Canaan had children of his own, and one of them was a boy named Heth (Gen. 10:15). The

men dealing with Abraham in chapter 23 are Heths children, and theyre Canaanites who are under the curse. Abrahams line comes from Noah too, but hes from Noahs other son, Shem (Gen. 11:10, 26). So that makes Abraham and the sons of Heth distant cousins. So he spoke to them, saying, 4I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: A lot of people have been born since Noah; Abraham is so distant from his cousins that they dont know each other. Hes a stranger and only a temporary resident. But thats about to change: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. In other words, Ive got no place to bury my dead since Im just a stranger here.
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And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, 6Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us:

Hes done some mighty things while living here. He captured his nephew back from the Elamite king, hes made a bargain with the king of Gerar, and everybody knows God is with him. So theyre willing to give him whatever he needs. in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. The leaders of the city met at the gates (see verse 10) to conduct official business. So this conversation isnt just a little deal between Abraham and another man; this is a legal contract made in front of the leaders of the city at the gates (or, as we might understand it, in a court of law). And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. 8And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, Now, Ephron is actually in the crowd, but Abrahams following protocol. Theres one main speaker for the group, so Abraham asks him to ask Ephron, That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. 10And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience
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of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead. Since Ephrons in the crowd he answers back, but instead of selling it he offers the cave and the land its on for free. Maybe its something to do with tax laws, maybe hes just being polite, or maybe Abraham wants a more secure stake. Whatever it is Abraham wants to pay:
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And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. 13And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

So Ephron names a price:

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And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, 15My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

In other words, This is what its worth, but thats nothing between us. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. They didnt have stamped money, so he weighed enough silver to make out 400 shekels in front of all the people.
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And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure 18Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

So the deal was sealed: it was made sure. Abraham didnt get just the cave, but he got the field and all the rights that go with iteven the trees.
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And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. 20And

the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth. Heres the main point of the story: Abrahams decision to bury Sarah here was as much a demonstration of faith as the one on top of the mountain. He would be buried next to her, and in time their children would be buried with them (Gen. 50:13, 24-25). They would not be returning to the land beyond the river because this is the land God has promised them. This purchase of land was a fulfillment of the first part of the promise That brings me to the first closing thought: #1- Gods work may seem slow, but it is sure. Abraham waited years and years for the promise, but he actually never even saw it completed. But he wasnt looking for a city built by men; he was looking for the city whose maker and builder is God (Heb. 11:10). Likewise, were here on this earth as strangers and temporary residents. Earth isnt the fulfillment of the promise, but we can rest sure knowing that the deed to the real Promised Land is safely in the hands of our Lord. We dont want to get impatientwe just want to wait for Him to call us home in His time, and in the meantime we want to be found faithful. We dont want to get too caught up in the things of this world. Were strangers and aliens here, but our citizenship in the city which God has promised is sure. #2- Every saint suffers tragedy and sometimes regular hardship. Some people say that the more faith you have, the less bad things will happen. But that seems to be just the opposite of what happened to Abraham. Even after he quit fearing death to the point that he was willing to sacrifice Isaac, he lost his wife to death. Faith doesnt solve our problems or make our lives easier. In fact, faith often creates problems and makes our lives harder. Were promised that anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (II Tim. 3:12). But what faith does do is look beyond what can be seen. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). Faith knows that God loves us and has appointed us to obtain salvation. Faith knows that well be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:28-29). And so, we dont doubt in trials; rather were made more certain of Gods providence and His provision. We look to what will be rather than what already is. These bad things that happen to us now only serve to make us more ready to leave this place and go to the place Hes prepared for us where theres no more curse. My prayer for us is that well wait through all our hardships with our eyes fixed on Him and that we wont grow tired as we do so. newgracebaptistchurch.wordpress.com