Graves into Gardens pt. 2
Notes
Transcript
What is it… that makes up a grave?
If this question sounds familiar, it is because we opened Sunday Morning’s message with this same thought.
I would bet we rarely think of the grave… and for good reason. Graves are typically associated with heartache. We don;t like to talk about them, we don’t like to think about them.
For the living, it is a place where our deceased friends, loved ones, and community members are laid in their place of final rest.
For the dead, it is where the lifeless body goes… and never returns.
Perhaps the most common time a grave comes to mind occurs in two seasons.
One - when we begin to prepare for our own final days.
Two - when we remember those who have gone on before and we decorate or dress up the grave with things we know that person enjoyed.
So why all this talk of graves again on this Wednesday night? Because… our study this evening takes us into a story that involves a grave… but as we will see in a moment, God will take that grave and turn it into a garden.
God… has a way of bringing life from dead situations. In fact, I believe God is the only ONE who can raise dead things back to life!
Now I have seen people find “silver linings” in bad or barren situations but that is NOT what I am talking about. I am talking about how God can bring breakthrough in the most unlikely of situations.
Genesis 23 presents us with some intricate details… surrounding the death of Sarah - Abraham’s wife.
1 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. 2 She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.
Look at this text… we are told how old Sarah was, we are told where it was that she died, we are told that Abraham went to mourn for his wife that had passed on.
This is the extent of the detail given regarding Sarah herself. But the whole chapter is about her death. So what could the author talk about for the next 17 verse regarding the situation surrounding her death?
The focus shifts to her grave. In our day, this might seem odd.
When it comes to the loss of a loved one, the focus isn’t on the grave. The focus is on everything BEFORE the grave.
I’ve heard little conversation about the location of the burial, compliments on the look of the casket, and even details given regarding the marker or gravestone… but typically not much is mentioned.
But the rest of chapter 23 is about Sarah’s grave - specifically how Abraham acquired her place of burial.
Why would these details matter? Why would this conversation be included? Why did we need to know the events that lead up to this declaration in Genesis 23:20?
20 So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.
I believe it is for this reason: The Bible indicates that this grave, this field, is the ONLY portion of land that Abraham ever owned or possessed in Canaan - in the land spoken of in the promises of the covenant with God.
The ONLY piece of the promised land Abraham owned or possessed… was the land his wife was buried on!?! That doesn’t seem very… promising.
And yet… it displays how true faith and trust in God is patient and looks BEYOND this life for its reward.
AND… there is something else I want us to see as well - something else regarding Abraham’s patience and trust in the Lord.
Abraham WORKED through the RIGHT Channels.
Abraham WORKED through the RIGHT Channels.
Throughout Genesis 23, you see a bit of a theme come out.
Abraham is working to find and acquire a burial place for his wife. The problem is revealed in his own words in verse 4,
4 “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”
Abraham felt out of place. Yes… he was dwelling in the promised land but God had not yet delivered it to him.
What follows next is Abraham’s negotiation with the people to purchase the land.
Many are willing to donate, and Abraham asks for one piece of land in particular. He wants to buy it.
Through all of the talks we can see the influence of the laws of the Hittites in the process, we can see Abraham’s persistence in wanting to buy it instead of receiving it for free.
All of what takes place happens… before the people. It happens in front of witnesses.
The purchase price is settled - 400 shekels. In my research, this would be more than 100 pounds of silver. In today’s market, that would come out to roughly $27-28,000 dollars.
Abraham doesn’t argue, he paid the price and the deed is transferred. Abraham now owns a piece of the promised land.
There are three things that stand out to me in this:
One: Many witnessed this negotiation.
Why do you suppose the Bible mentions this truth - what point can we take away from this?
This was a legitimate transfer of ownership. Many people witnessed the transaction. Abraham did not seize someone’s property, he did not act out of sorts. He offered and closed on a piece of property in front of many who could confirm that he did.
Two - Abraham insisted on paying for the land.
What would be the concern regarding land that was gifted to him? Gifts can be taken back.
Abraham did not want the “giver” to have a change of heart down the road. He wanted a legal transaction to occur that made him owner.
Three - Abraham paid a huge price for the land.
The price for the land was HUGE. Abraham did not try to negotiate, He did not try to work the price down. He was committed to paying the FULL ASKING PRICE.
My point: The time had not yet come for God’s promise to Abraham to be fulfilled. Abraham was not trying to manufacture or rush God’s timing and he was acting within the Hittite laws of that day.
HOWEVER, there are some interesting takeaways that foreshadow the days of when God would deliver on His promise.
One - many would be witnesses to the account. When Joshua led God’s people, the region was very aware of what was taking place.
8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
Two - Joshua and the people of God were committed in doing their part in order to receive what the Lord had promised. They were willing to do what the Lord had commanded them to do.
God had given them the land… but they would need to remain “strong and courageous” in order to receive. They had to enter the land and WALK BY FAITH. They had to be willing to “pay” by faith - to trust the Lord with each and every step.
3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
Three - the price was steep (if you will). The road ahead would not be easy…
Joshua and the people did not lay down 400 shekels for the promised land… but they had to walk out from their comfort, and from conventional battle strategies… in order to walk in the promise of God.
Joshua, like Abraham worked through the right channel in order for the promise of God to become reality.
Abraham wasn’t trying to take advantage of the situation, he wasn’t looking for a freebie, he wasn’t trying to manufacture a move of God. Abraham simply wanted a place to lay his wife to rest.
His actions PROVED he wasn’t trying to force God’s promise into existence… HE REMAINED FAITHFUL even in the wake of realizing his wife would never see the promise fulfilled.
The only piece of the promise land Abraham owned was a grave...
Seems a bit dismal… Would God only give Abraham a place of death? NO… in that day it was a grave, but God’s promise remained. Tomorrow it would be a garden… a place of new life and new beginnings.
Graves into Gardens
Graves into Gardens
God’s promises are yes and amen. God’s promises are something that will take place according to HIS timing and plan.
Our faith must remain especially when it seems like His promise is so far out of reach.
Death is one of the heardest things to face in life and… it has a way of knocking people off course.
Grief is hard. REALLY hard - but we serve a God who comforts those who mourn. Jesus Himself knew grief in His ministry.
No matter what the situation might be, we must remain faithful to the call and promise of God.
So how about a modern story of how incredible God’s promises truly are? We have talked about this before but I feel it is very timely for us to review again.
Missionary Victor Plymire.
Missionary to China in the early 1900’s
Married to Grave Harkness and had a son.
When there son, John, was 5, both he and his mother came down with smallpox. Both would die from the infection.
Victor purchased a small part of land from a local farmer and Grace and John were buried together near Tangar, China.
Victor remained faithful to the mission.
He traveled 2,000 miles to Tibet and handed out 74,000 gospels and 40,000 tracts.
He returned to China and remarried. They continued as missionaries until they had to leave in 1949. The churches were closed due to the communist revolution. Many of their converts suffered imprisonment and were forced to worship in secret.
Graves into gardens...
In the 1980’s and 90’s change began to come to China. Some churches were allowed to reopen. But they had to show legal written proof that the church had previously owned the property.
One of Plymire’s associates asked for the land they once owned back, but they had no legal deed to show.
Victor’s son was contacted in hopes he would have something. Although he didn’t find a church deed, he found the record of the grave. The land Victor purchased for the grave… was deeded to the church.
The officials accepted the deed and the church property was returned to the church. 67 years after Victor buried his wife and son, God used their gravesite to restore a church to His people.
Victor was not operating out of any promise God had given him… he was simply obedient to the call.
That being said, Jesus DID make a promise regarding His church in Matthew 16:18
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
The gates of hell WILL NOT PREVAIL against the Lord’s church!
The Chinese government used it’s power and authority to try to silence the church in Victor’s day, but God would use a small grave and turn it into a garden of faith for generations to come!
TRUST In the Promises of God
TRUST In the Promises of God
It might seem odd that God would include a legal transaction between Abraham and Ephron in Genesis 23… regarding the grave for his wife.
And yet I see something different. Although Abraham only owned a grave in the promised land, God’s promise REMAINED regarding the garden that was coming.
Abraham never saw it done… yet He was faithful. He knew that God’s promise was bigger… than him. Abraham trusted in God’s bigger picture.
We only see but a small piece of time… but God sees it all. We only know a small portion of reality… but God ordains it all.
What happens today can have an enormous impact on what takes place tomorrow. Our faithfulness today makes a difference in the lives and generations to come!
The key is to walk faithfully in the Lord.
If we want what God has for us tomorrow, then we must be faithful in where God has us today. And yes… it may not be easy. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Abraham in that moment. But his hope was not lost… his faith stayed true. God’s promise was still coming.
Maybe you need reminded of that tonight… God’s promise is still coming.
Maybe in the moment… all you have is a small piece. All Abraham had… was a grave. But God can take that thing and turn it into a garden. God can take what we see as barren and dead and raise it to new life!
Never underestimate what God is doing in any given moment! Look beyond self and circumstance and TRUST IN HIM!