Genesis 21:22-34 "A Covenant with a Philistine king"

Good evening, Calvary Chapel Lake City!

Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 21. Genesis 21:22-34 this evening.

Upon entering Genesis 21… after waiting 25 years… the promise of a son being born to Abraham and Sarah was fulfilled.

His name was Isaac… and truly he was a miracle baby… as Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old… well past the age of childbearing… according to Gen 18:11 and common sense.

So… happy times for them… but when Isaac was about 2-3 years old… it would seem Ishmael was becoming a little bitter and jealous.…

For Sarah saw the son of Hagar and Abraham… Ishmael scoffing… which was an outward action of an inward heart attitude.

Ishmael was now about 16-17 years old… and was the child of a fleshly decision.

And ultimately… Sarah told Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ismael… which displeased him, but God told him to heed Sarah’s voice… and that God would make a great nation of Ishmael.

And while that feels harsh… this served as a typology for law and grace.

In Galatians 4:21-31… Paul used the events of Genesis chapters 16-21 as an allegory or type… to explain the difference between law and grace.

To explain the difference between human effort and divine promise, and the difference between bondage and freedom.

Thus Gen 21… becomes a rich picture of of the gospel itself: God's promises are inherited by faith, not by human works.

And we have to walk by faith as well… even when we don’t understand what God is doing.

After the birth of Isaac… his camp seemed peaceful for 2-3 years… but with the casting out of Ishmael… I imagine it would feel like his heart being ripped out of his chest.

But God told him don’t be displeased with the decision… trust that I’ll care for Ishmael.

So… even when we don’t understand what God is doing… but He is sovereign and divine… His character is loving and good… and we need to decide if we can trust Him and walk with Him.

Abraham did.

Well… tonight we conclude chapter 21 where Abraham makes “A Covenant with a Philistine king”… our message title this evening

This king being Abimelech the king of Gerar.

Let’s Pray and then take a look at our passage!

In reverence for God’s word, if you are able, please stand as I read our passage.

Genesis 21:22–34 but just vv22-24 to begin… “And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.” 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

Praise God for His word. Please be seated.

In V22… it reads “And it came to pass...”

Some time had passed… how long we cannot say for sure, but this account occurs after Isaac was weaned in V8… which typically occurred at age 2-3.

So… we may be around 3-5 years later from the last time Abraham encountered Abimelech in Gen 20 to this account.

If you recall… Abimelech in Gen 20 was the king of Gerar… let’s pull up our map…

Gerar was a city in the region of Philistia. In vv 32-33 we read the phrase “the land of the Philistines”… today this is the hot spot… called the “Gaza Strip.”

We will also read about Beersheba today… which was at the southern reaches of the promised land.… and functioned both as a wilderness region and the name of a city.

The cities of Gerar and Beersheba are displayed with the red stars on the map… and this will be our geography for this study.

Southern Israel… east of the Dead Sea.

Now Abimelech which means “my father is king” may have been a title or a name… and this is likely the same Abimelech that Abraham deceived in Genesis 20 to think Sarah was his sister, and not his wife.

Which caused several issues for Abimelech… God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Indeed you are a dead man…” (since Sarah was married)… and all the women of his household were temporarily barren.

All of which were reversed, but Abimelech was in the hot seat for a minute… largely in part because of Abraham’s fleshly decision to lie.

So Abimelech is kind of like that person you had conflict with… even worse if you realize you were in the wrong… and now you see them in town.

This is like a scene of Abraham and Abimelech running into each other at the grocery store. There’s some awkward history.

And that’s what makes this scene even more interesting because Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army… have this to say to Abraham…

“You dog… do you remember that time you brought fear to the kingdom and almost got Abimelech killed?”

Oh no wait… it doesn’t say that… they say in V22 “God is with you in all that you do.”

It’s a blessing when unbelievers notice this in God’s faithful… Let this be said of you and I.

NLT renders this verse, “God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do.”

Now this is interesting… and a bit confusing because in their last encounter Abraham made some really bad mistakes.

Abraham’s character didn’t seem to represent God too well.

While God called him a prophet in Gen 20… Abimelech questioned why he did what he did and said in Genesis 20:9 “You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.”

Which just had to make Abraham small… God told Abimelech that Abraham was a prophet in Gen 20:7… but he didn’t act like that to the unbeliever king Abimelech.

And look… the same can happen to us… where we act the fool and then get humbled by an unbeliever…

Who calls us out saying, “You call yourself a Christian and you’re acting like this?”

There are moments when we all mess up… where we don’t act above reproach… where we give a little too much slack to the flesh.

And yet… despite that… God still extends to us grace… the opportunity for forgiveness… and restoration.

And we see that here with Abraham. God did not forsake him… he didn’t say, “Sorry bub… you lied about your wife to both Pharoah and to Abimelech… you should have learned the first time.”

God did not revoke his covenants.

God majorly blessed him by giving him an heir… Isaac… at the beginning of this chapter.

And now… about four years later… Abimelech sees the evidence of God’s provision and blessing on Abraham’s life.

Formerly, Abimelech said, “You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.”

And now he is saying, “God is with you in all that you do.”

I think this serves as a good reminder that there is hope for people. That a person can majorly mess up… and misrepresent God…

And then sometime later you may run into that person, and they are in a much better place.

They humbled themselves and repented of their sin… and now they are living before the Lord and right with people.

And Abimelech now sees it in Abraham’s life. And time reveals the truth of one’s heart.

Are they really the villain that I thought? Or is there hope yet for them?

Well… there was hope for Abraham. Abimelech recognized the hand of God in his life.

BUT, Abimelech seems to also remember the issue of lying in the past… for he says in…

V23 Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity [or descendants]; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”

Abimelech proposes that he and Abraham enter into a covenant… he says “swear by me”… ‘swear’ Heb shaba means “exchanged oaths” or “made a covenant.”

And the first part of the covenant was honesty. “Do not deal falsely with me.”

Abimelech of all people had the right to ask for honesty considering Abraham formerly lied… and Abraham accepts this.

In V24, Abraham said, “I will swear.” (same Heb word shaba)

He does not get defensive and say, “How dare you insinuate such things? Are you questioning my character?”

And there is a temptation to get defensive and to defend oneself.

Especially when you know you’re right! And we’re so often right… at least… in our own eyes.

Be careful with that.

Wise was David, who was massively wrong at times, to write in Psalm 139:23–24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

That’s a humble heart posture to have before God… Search me… reveal in me wickedness… lead me in righteousness.

When Paul recounted the Last Supper and institution of Communion… he wrote this in 1 Corinthians 11:28 “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

How important is it for us to examine and judge ourselves?

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.”

We all have room to grow… so put aside pride… and embrace the refiners fire who purges the dross of sin from our lives.

And so, Abraham was humble here… and not prideful. This shows growth in his life.

He was wrong in the past… no need to defend himself now… God has been his defender… and the proof is in his life.

The second part of the covenant in V23 is a pact of peace to him and his generations forward…

Abimelech has been kind to allow Abraham to dwell in his land… and desires to peacefully coexist.

This pacts suggests nonaggression, freedom to worship, freedom live and prosper.

I’m sure Abimelech wouldn’t mind falling under the umbrella of blessings Abraham had experienced.

And Abraham agrees to this covenant.

But, while they were being honest, Abraham too had a gripe to lay out on the table.

V25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized.

Abraham rebuked… meaning he gave a sharp reprimand or criticism to Abimelech regarding a well his people dug, but Abimelech’s servants seized… which gives the idea of a sudden and forcible action.

Proverbs 27:5–6 reads, “Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

An honest friend will rebuke you because they trust the relationship is strong enough to endure, and the correction is motivated in love and will be for your benefit…

If a friend rebukes you, they think you need a course correction, and they love you enough to be honest… versus a person who professes love but conceals it… meaning they don’t show it.

Jesus taught in Matthew 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

This is the biblical way. Communicating truth in love in order to restore relationships and not harbor bitterness is the biblical way.

And disputes happen… even among some of the Biblical best.

One of the greatest missionary teams to go out in the New Testament was Paul and Barnabas… called by the Holy Spirit and first sent in Acts 13.

They travelled through Cyprus and Asia Minor… preaching the Gospel and performing miracles… and Jews and Gentiles alike believed in Jesus Christ… though not without threats and violence.

They also defended a Gospel free of the law at the Jerusalem Council… and a calling to the Gentiles was recognized in them.

But two disagreements led to their separation.

In Gal 2:11-13, Paul rebuked Peter who withdrew from Gentile fellowship when Jews came. And Barnabas also followed suit in what Paul characterized as hypocrisy.

It seems that Barnabas went against his convictions, being swept away by emotions.

And then in Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement over John called Mark and whether to include him on the Second Mission journey, since he abandoned them on the first.

From this they separated… where Paul took Silas… and Barnabas took Mark… and now God had two missions teams.

But what about reconciliation?

Well… there’s no direct evidence that Paul and Barnabas did reconcile, BUT in 1 Corinthians 9:6 Paul wrote, “Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?”

So, Paul here acknowledges the apostolic right of Barnabas, and without animosity.

Which Paul was not hesitant to express… some of Paul’s final word were in 2 Timothy 4:14–15 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.”

But, no such warning was given regarding Barnabas.

As far as Paul and John Mark… they did reconcile…

For in Philemon 24 Mark is recognized as one of Paul’s “fellow laborers.”

So Mark again became and active member of Paul’s mission team.

In Colossians 4:10 Paul wrote, “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),”

Paul regarded Mark in positive light and gave a letter of recommendation for him

And in 2 Timothy 4:11 “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.”

So, late in Paul’s ministry, Mark was explicitly recognized by Paul as valuable for service.

So… Paul and Mark were able to set aside differences and work together. And Paul and Barnabas at least seemingly came to a place of peaceful acknowledgment of one another.

Disagreements between believers date back to the founding of the early church… even with the greatest of missionaries.

And while conflict in the church is hard and not enjoyable… it’s also not abnormal… since the church is made up of people.

We could do a whole semester course on church history, disagreements and divisions…

Ananias and Sapphira lying in Acts 5.

Conflict between Jewish and Gentile widows and favoritism in Acts 6.

Conflicts about dietary regulations and preferences in Rom 14.

Factions in the church of Corinth. “I am of Paul. I am of Apollos or Cephas or Christ” in 1 Cor 1.

Disputes over resurrection- 1 Cor 15.

Many conflicts about false teachings in the New Testament through the 5th century leading to permanent divisions and forming Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, and other Oriental Orthodox traditions

There was the Great Schism of 1054 A.D. leading to Eastern Orthodox and Wester Catholic Catholic churches.

Then conflicts in the 11th to 15th centuries over church authority, preaching, and property.

The Protestant Reformation in 1517… Martin Luther… the Ninety-Five Theses… disputing over indulgences, justification, Scripture, and papal authority.

Then conflicts over the Lord’s Supper…

Anabaptists disagreed about baptism, church-state relations, pacifism, the nature of the church…

Reformed and Luther disagreements about predestination, eucharist and other doctrines.

The English Reformation…

Arminianism vs Calvinism

Methodist controversies… Great Awakening Conflicts…

Fundamentalism vs. theological liberalism…

Pentecostal controversies…

Women’s ordination… biblical inerrancy… Abortion… creation vs evolution…

Traditionalists vs progressive Christianity…

And so forth and so on… THIS is just the short list.

The good thing about all this division and disagreement is that Satan thinks through conflict and division he will defeat us…

But it’s like trying to hit a moving target… the Church divides… a new movement is born… and a remnant of faithful believers has been thread throughout all of church history.

And it only takes a little light to dispel a lot of darkness.

And here me in this… all this division and conflict was not all good… but God remains Sovereign… and the church remains alive.

And within each one of us… we must decide if we will fall victim to our fleshly tendencies… or rise above to walk in the Spirit.

Don’t be discouraged or think it odd if you find yourself in tension with another believer…

But do follow the biblical model to go to your brother or sister and communicate.

“Tell him his fault between you and him alone…”

As Jesus instructed.

And for Abraham and Abimelech… now that they have entered into a covenant of peace… the door is open to lay all cards are on the table and share their disagreements… to work through their differences.

This was an important step for Abraham if they were to truly move forward in peace.

So Abraham rebuke Abimelech over the matter of a stolen well.

And perhaps you’re wondering… “Why all this fuss over a well?”

Well… imagine living in a dessert climate where water was scarce and being a shepherd of a large flock… and having many people under your care like Abraham.

So a well was a life and death matter.

They lived in a time where running water did not exist…

Hot showers at the turn of a knob are a luxury still to this day that much of the world does not know.

And so Abraham and his people dug a well. This was a labor-intensive process. It required both technical knowledge and physical effort that was dangerous.

Wells could reach depths of 144 feet. The one here in Gen 21 is called “Abraham’s well” and the actual well is thought still to be in existence… now as a museum in Beersheba, Israel.

It’s about 43-50’ deep and water can still be seen at the bottom.

To dig a well… an underground aquifer had to be located.

Then a timber frame was constructed above it’s location.

Men were suspended in harnesses and excavated downward through sand, earth and solid rock… removing debris with a bucket and rope.

And then they laid an interior lining using rock, brick and plaster to maintain the structural integrity and water quality.

How many of you would like to be the guy dangling in the dark below?

Risk of cave ins… risk of rapid water flooding as they reached the final feet… risk of someone dropping a rock or tool from above by accident…

With no safety helmets.

So… once a well was established… it was your property. It was not a public drinking fountain… and people would fight over them.

In the wilderness wanderings, Moses asked to pass through the land of king Sihon of the Amorites… saying in Numbers 21:22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into fields or vineyards; we will not drink water from wells.”

Israel promised not to eat their food or drink their water, and king Sihon responded with force… attacking Israel… and lost. And they then took possession of his land.

Should have just let them pass through.

In the movie Lawrence of Arabia, Sherif Ali shoots and kills a friend of Lawrence’s… from another tribe banned from drinking from his well.

Ali says, “He was nothing, the well is everything.”

Just a movie… but those harsh tribal customs over water in the dessert were real.

So… Abraham in V25 makes his grievance known regarding the well… and in V26… Abimelech plays the politician…

V26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.”

This is the first I’ve heard of this. I don’t know who’s responsible and you never complained to me about this before.

He’s just claiming total ignorance…

Regardless… it would seem he does the honorable thing to now give the well back to Abraham.

And as a sign of agreement and forgiveness… Abraham gives a gift to Abimelech.

vv27-31 “So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?” 30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.

And this symbolized the settling of a dispute. The gift stood as a testimony that a resolution had been reached.

This was like a signed contract.

And this feels odd… in my mind there is tension as to why the victim (Abraham)… would compensate Abimelech and not the reverse.

But… we are looking at an entirely different time and culture who functioned different especially when enacting covenants.

Abraham was NOT claiming to be a victim… he was claiming ownership over the well.

Thus the seven lambs… functioned like a contractual guarantee.

This was not an economic payment from Abraham… seven lambs held a modest value.

This was a sign… Abraham called them his “witness” or ‘testimony’ in V30.

And “seven lambs” was not just some arbitrary number… in Hebrew as the number seven served as the verb “to swear.”

So this was a number that gave power to the oath.

And if Abimelech accepted the lambs… he accepted the conditions to leave the well alone… and surrender all rights of the well to Abraham.

And Abimelech agrees… as seen in V27 and in V31 where they called this place Beersheba meaning “Well of the Oath” or “Well of the Seven” as they swore by seven lambs.

Now not seen in the enacting of this covenant, was the sharing of a meal. Perhaps it happened, just not on paper.

The meal typically sealed the agreement.

We see this clearly in a covenant Isaac and Abimelech enacted in Gen 26:26-31.

Where Abimelech offered a treaty with Isaac to overcome ill feelings… then the ritual followed a predictable sequence.

Isaac made a feast for them… they ate and drank, then early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other.

In enacting the covenant with Abraham… God in Gen 15… took animals… cut the animals in two…

And normally both parties of a covenant walked through the divided carcasses… probably symbolizing the fate of those who might violate the covenant.

Essentially, “May God do this to the covenant breaker.”

In dividing the animal, they ‘cut the covenant.’

But in Gen 15, only God passed through… making the promises of the covenant unilateral and unconditional… meaning it was based upon God’s faithfulness alone.

Some conditional elements were later introduced in Gen 17… which pertained to blessing and requirements to receive and maintain the covenant’s benefits… not that they could nullify God’s core promises.

And again… traditionally after a covenant was cut… do you know what they did?

They cooked the animals. They had a meal… because nothing says, “I forgive you” like steaks on the grill.

And in Arab Cultures, one such meal is known as Sulha… or a Reconciliation Meal.

It’s a covenantal meal rooted in an ancient understanding that sharing food at the same table embodies peaceful and harmonious relationships.

The meal is a ritual… it’s a formal expression of resolved conflict, rejecting vengeance… expressing forgiveness, and acceptance in confirming new covenants… and seeking restoration.

And after this meal to old matter was dead. Neither party would revisit old grievances.

I personally love this idea and wish it were part of our culture.

An interesting crossover to this in the New Testament… happened after Peter warmed himself at the “fire of coals” in the High Priest’s courtyard… on the night Jesus was betrayed.

Just before Peter denied Jesus three times in John 18.

Interesting, there are only two charcoal fires that appear in the New Testament: Peter's denial (John 18) & Peter's restoration (John 21).

After Jesus rose again… the disciples were back in Galilee and Peter returned to fishing, but caught nothing.

And Jesus performed another miracle of a miraculous catch.

Then the disciples saw a “fire of coals” which would have taken Peter back to his place of failure.

But they also saw that Jesus made a meal of fish and bread.

And what Jesus does here is He recontextualizes Peter’s failure with a moment of grace as they partake in a Reconciliation Meal.

And it’s also noteworthy that right after the meal, Jesus recommissions Peter… not once, not twice, but three times… once for each of his denials.

“Feed My lambs”… “Tend My sheep”… “Feed My sheep.”

And throughout biblical history… God has restored covenant fellowship through sacrifice… and friendship meals.

The Passover fellowship meal celebrates God’s redemption… and is a metaphor for forgiveness.

Communion emphasizes the prerequisite of reconciliation prior to participation.

Calvin warned congregants not to approach Communion if harboring hatred or bitterness against anyone.

We emphasize reconciliation with God. Essentially ‘let the cup pass if you don’t have faith in Christ… or better yet… believe and then partake.’

Then you enter the new covenant… and partake in the communion meal.

So, Communion embodies reconciliation and friendship with God.

And Jesus promised His followers they would “eat and drink at My table in My kingdom,” (Luke 22:28–30)… which is the ultimate reconciliation…

… permanent restoration of broken fellowship between God and His Redeemed… all because Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb…

And because we have faith in Him… our Redeemer… the One whom by we are forgiven… who brings us back into covenantal relationship with God.

Meals… covenants… and reconciliation are a beautiful thread woven through biblical and cultural history… and they stretch into eternity.

Wrapping up… vv32-34…

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.”

Beersheba is a the place where this covenant was enacted.

Beersheba will be mentioned 34x in the OT.

It will function as a geographical expression marking the Southern border of the land…

“From Dan to Beersheba” or “Beersheba to Dan” appears 8x in the OT… similar to how we say from the “East Coast to the West Coast” or “From Sea to Shining Sea.”

Beersheba’s first major event was the covenant enactment here in Gen 21.

At times… Abraham, Issac, and Jacob all dwelt in Beersheba… making this a Patriarchal center.

Isaac has a divine encounter here in Gen 26.

Jacob has a vision in Beersheba in Gen 46.

Samuel’s sons served as Judges in Beersheba in 1 Sam 8.

Elijah fled to Beersheba to escape wicked Queen Jezebel in 1 Kin 19.

Sadly, Beersheba would also become a center for idolatry… despite it’s noble history.

Amos 5:5 and 8:14 condemns Beersheba for her corrupted worship…

And King Josiah tore down high places in Beersheba in 2 Kin 23:8.

So… a very good beginning, but a perhaps a reminder for us all to end our courses well.

So… now with the covenant enacted… Abimelech and his commander returned “to the land of the Philistines.”

It’s a bit of a historical puzzle why this is called the “land of the Philistines” being that the Philistines did not enter the land of Canaan until around 1200 B.C. after their defeat by the Egyptians.

Some use this to say the Bible has errors, but that’s an argument from silence.

Critics used to say that was no historic record for Pontius Pilate, and then the Pilate Stone was found in Caesarea Maritima… with an inscription signifying Pilate was the Prefect of Governor of Judea.

And then was found the Pilate ring.

So… it could be that Philistines or earlier people of the same ethnic group did live in the Promised Land at this time, and we just haven’t found archeological evidence… yet.

In V33 Abraham planted a Tamarisk tree…

Now… here’s what interesting… and confusing. Some sources say that Tamarisk Trees (or Salt Cedars) grow rapidly… where in 5-10 years they are a substantial, mature-looking tree… and become full size in 10-20 years… reaching up to sixty feet tall… and would provide great shade.

If that’s true… Abraham planting a tree may have signified his intent to return to Beersheba… and indeed in Gen 22:19 Abraham did dwell in Beersheba.

So this could perhaps be a lesson about planning for the future, but in our own lifetime.

Now… other sources say Tamarisk Trees are very slow growing… not maturing until even 80 years later.

A Bedouin elder once explained the practice of planting these trees by saying, “We plant tamarisks for our grandchildren”…

Pointing to a theme of generational faithfulness. The planter will not enjoy the benefit shade, but their grandchildren would.

And this therefore becomes an act of faith for Abraham. While he would not benefit from the shade… He trusted God’s promises would extend beyond his years… and to His descendants… who would enjoy the shade in the land they would inherit.

There is a modern example of a woman who metaphorically planted Tamarisk as well.

This woman, true story, was a devout Christian… a woman of faith, prayer and the word. Her name… Martha Lucinda Robinson.

She lived from 1849 to 1931. She lived on a farm in North Carolina and taught her children and grandchildren truths about God… often reading scripture to them at night.

Her primary ministry was to her family… and you probably would never know her name… if it were not for her grandson… William Franklin Graham.

Most of us know Billy Graham’s amazing ministry that led to stadiums full of people hearing the Gospel and millions coming to believe in Christ.

And some of us even know of his visits right here in Winona Lake.

And a great influence is attributed to the faithful planting of a Tamarisk Tree by his Grandmother… Martha Lucinda Robinson Coffey.

She was a living example of Paul’s recognition of the faith in Timothy’s mom and Grandmom.

2 Timothy 1:5 recounts, “… when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

In my family, I would say the same thing about my Grandmom Laura Transparenti who faithfully read the word and emphasized the importance of attending church.

Many of us can look back and recognize people in our lives from generations past who planted Tamarisk Trees.

They might not have seen the impact of the seed they planted, yet in faith they planted anyhow.

And I would ask you to meditate upon what Tamarisk Trees are you planting today?

What seeds are you sewing into the next generation?

You don’t even have to have children. You can volunteer to serve in children’s ministry. You faithful serving may impact the kids of this ministry.

So think about it… what are you planting spiritually now that will outlive you?

Proverbs 13:22 declares, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children...”

(worship team please come)

After Abraham planted the Tamarisk Tree he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.

Everlasting God only appears in the Bible 3x… this is the first mention. The other two are Isa 40:28… Rom 16:26.

In Hebrew this is “Yehovah, El-Olam,” meaning “Yehovah is the eternal God.”

And so while Abraham mad a covenant with an earthly king, He recognizes it is God who made the eternal covenant with him… that included a promise of land for his seed forever, as seen at the end of Gen 15.

After this meeting with Abimelech… the planting of the Tamarisk tree… and worship to God…

… Abraham would return to the land of the Philistines many days but only as a sojourner… just as we are in this world today… for heaven is our home.

Let’s wrap up there… next time… Abraham’s faith is tested as he is called to sacrifice Isaac. Read ahead.

Let’s pray!

If you need prayer for anything, we are here to pray with you before you go.

“The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’”

God bless you as you close out the week ahead!