Abraham & Isaac: Land, Love, & Legacy PT 1

LEGACY = Has been defined as… “A gift, something transmitted by or recieved from an ancestor or predecessor, or someone given special status because of a familial relationship.”

THE GIFT = we will be considering is the blessing from God to Abraham to Isaac and the descendants to come. This gift and blessing will include the promise of the LAND!

THE SPECIAL STATUS = is that Isaac is the son of Abraham, the son of promise, as God put it and is the heir to the blessing which God established with Abraham. Isaac remember was chosen over Abraham’s closest servant, and over Ishmael, along with other sons we will see in our passages that we are looking at.

Abraham up to this point has:

Trusted God with his past willing to leave it behind to follow God

Trusted God with his future willing to lay Isaac before God fully having faith in His Sovereign plan

NOW… we see Abraham preparing to pass on his legacy to Isaac!

Proverbs 19:21 states:

Proverbs 19:21 NASB95

Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.

Abraham has learned this truth and is trusting God in this process of preparing Isaac and the legacy to come after him.

This week and next will span almost 3 chapters… they will serve as an epilogue to Abraham's life and lessons as we transition into a brief coverage of Isaac’s life and span into the lives of his two sons. These two weeks will feel more “teachy” than “preachy” as we delve into these passages… but there is a great deal for us to learn and apply!

Joseph: Recently my son Joseph turned 16. In our home this signifies a transition from boyhood to manhood. I emphasized the significance and importance of how he carries the family name… a legacy of sorts. As his birthday I pondered questions like:

How should I adequately challenge him?

What are the things that should be instructed and passed on?

What things are truly important for him to hear and know?

Abraham is looking ahead. The writer of Genesis is turning our attention from Abraham to Isaac now.

What will be important for Isaac to know?

What is vital for him to grasp to carry on this legacy… this blessing?

What instruction needs to be given and demonstrated for this young man?

These next 3 chapters deal with these questions as we look at the LAND, LOVE, & LEGACY

Genesis 22:20-24 take us back to Abraham’s home town, his relatives and family that he left behind to follow the Lord. Someone has given him a family update and we learn the following information…

Genesis 22:20–24 NASB95

Now it came about after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.” Bethuel became the father of Rebekah; these eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.

We close our three chapters of EPILOGUE with Genesis 25:19-26 bringing this narrative to the Segway for how God will work with the legacy coming from Isaac...

Genesis 25:19–26 NASB95

Now these are the records of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham became the father of Isaac; and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why then am I this way?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.” When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

Overview Of The Epilogue

In 22:20-24 our attention is brought to Abraham’s family from his home country.

We are introduced to Rebekah

There is still connection and awareness from his home country and family

In 23:1-20 Sarah dies at the age of 127.

We have recorded for us the legal assembly, and purchasing of the first peace of land that will be Abraham’s and his descendants.

Abraham is respected and even considered a Prince yet he has no land.

Abraham wants just the cave, but they insisted he pay for the field as well

Abraham pays full price and are deeded to him Genesis 23:17-20

Genesis 23:17–20 NASB95

So Ephron’s field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were within all the confines of its border, were deeded over to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field at Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave that is in it, were deeded over to Abraham for a burial site by the sons of Heth.

This is significant for several reasons

Abraham is demonstrating he has truly left his past… burial of dead was done in your native land

Abraham is demonstrating to Isaac, we are staying here… our family is rooted here now, not in the past

His family and their land is mentioned but Abraham is making it clear this is where they stay

Canaan was now their native land

Abraham was demonstrating in a powerful way to Isaac, I am expecting God to continue to work His promise beyond your mother’s death and my death!!!

In 24:1- 9 Abraham has his servant find Isaac a wife.

We see the importance of trusting God in His promises.

She MUST NOT BE from the Canaanite women (ungodly), but from his previous home country (Godly)

Isaac must not go back there… Genesis 24:6; 8 (protection for his son, his descendants, his legacy)

Genesis 24:6 NASB95

Then Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there!

Genesis 24:8 NASB95

“But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there.”

In 24:10-32 we see how the Lord worked in bringing the servant to Rebekah

In 24:33-48 we see the servant recap all that Abraham commanded, and how God revealed His will to the servant before her whole family.

We see great wisdom in this servant, no wonder Abraham trusted him so. We also see one who fully trust the Lord and is quick to worship Him when he sees the Lord work!

In 24:49-67 we see a beautiful unfolding love story, commitment, & choices to love.

In 25:1-6 we see Abraham take Keturah as his wife. He has 6 sons with her.

Each son is given a gift and sent away to the east, yet none partake in the inheritance or blessing other than Isaac!

There is a protection of the promise / blessing / legacy

In Genesis 25:7-11 we briefly record the death and burial at age 175 years of this Great man Abraham… the Father of the Faithful.

Genesis 25:7–11 NASB95

These are all the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people. Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre, the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth; there Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife. It came about after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac lived by Beer-lahai-roi.

Not a great deal of fanfare

Isaac, his legacy is living in the land with a wife

Abraham is laid to rest in the promised land

In 25:12-18 we see another aspect of the legacy of Abraham in Ishmael.

The ongoing consequences of Abraham’s sin will linger… yet his faith is what God reminds us of, what God did through this man’s life is what is celebrated!

Ishmael's sons and descendants are recorded here and his legacy is sadly summarized at the end of Genesis 25:18 …

Genesis 25:18 NASB95

They settled from Havilah to Shur which is east of Egypt as one goes toward Assyria; he settled in defiance of all his relatives.

In 25:19-26 we see Isaac in the land,

we see a genuine love both for his wife and his God

We see a glimpse of the legacy that will continue on through Isaac…

Closing Thoughts

Regardless of your past, your legacy, what was given to you in this life… we are given a choice in the direction we go!

You can set a new narrative, a new direction for your life, your family, your legacy

What are you / WE demonstrating to the next generation… our youth!?

God’s promises to those in the faith are not exhausted in this life.

Believers today have a hope beyond this life.

What is the legacy that we will pass on?