ABRAHAM - Father of a Nation (Ge 20-24)
THE OL' WIFE SWITCHEROO (part II) - Genesis 20 shares the story of Abraham pulling the ol'... "She's my sister." trick on Abimelek, king of Gerar. Abimelech takes Sarah, but in a dream, God tells him, "YOU ARE AS GOOD AS DEAD because Sarah is married."
The next day, Abraham explains to Abimelech, "Technically, Sarah is my sister, the daughter of my father but not my mother.
Sounds less like a passage from the Holy Bible and more like a Reality TV show, 'The Real Housewives of the Region of the Negev between Kadesh and Shur.' Q. Why do Kings and Pharaohs in Genesis desire 80+-year-old women? Not judging, just asking for a friend.
This story concludes with Sarah returning to Abraham with 1,000 shekels of silver for his trouble.
The next day, Abraham explains to Abimelech, "Technically, Sarah is my sister, the daughter of my father but not my mother.
Sounds less like a passage from the Holy Bible and more like a Reality TV show, 'The Real Housewives of the Region of the Negev between Kadesh and Shur.' Q. Why do Kings and Pharaohs in Genesis desire 80+-year-old women? Not judging, just asking for a friend.
This story concludes with Sarah returning to Abraham with 1,000 shekels of silver for his trouble.
In Genesis 21 we learn Sarah becomes pregnant in her old age. This was before gender reveal parties, so Abraham and Sarah had to wait the traditional 9 months before they exclaimed, "It's a boy, and we shall call him Isaac."
In celebration, they passed out blue cupcakes and drank blue kool-aid cuz of course boys are BLUE and girls are PINK. So onward and forward we go.
Now remember when maidservant Hagar in Genesis 16 was given to Abraham 'by Sarah', and they had a son. This fact now complicated life where tensions and jealousy rose between Hagar and her son Ishmael with Sarah and baby Isaac. WHO KNEW? So Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael packing.
I obviously do not understand this whole dynamic or know how to justify this.. except I do know that Hagar and Ishmael were not how God would bless Abraham. Instead, Abraham would become the father of a nation through the birth of Isaac.
This story is harsh, but in these verses, we learn God heard the cries of Hagar .. the angel of God called to Hagar from Heaven : "Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying ..Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Ge 21:17
In celebration, they passed out blue cupcakes and drank blue kool-aid cuz of course boys are BLUE and girls are PINK. So onward and forward we go.
Now remember when maidservant Hagar in Genesis 16 was given to Abraham 'by Sarah', and they had a son. This fact now complicated life where tensions and jealousy rose between Hagar and her son Ishmael with Sarah and baby Isaac. WHO KNEW? So Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael packing.
I obviously do not understand this whole dynamic or know how to justify this.. except I do know that Hagar and Ishmael were not how God would bless Abraham. Instead, Abraham would become the father of a nation through the birth of Isaac.
This story is harsh, but in these verses, we learn God heard the cries of Hagar .. the angel of God called to Hagar from Heaven : "Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying ..Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Ge 21:17
Next, in Genesis 22, there is a plot twist when God tests Abraham by instructing him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, whom he loved dearly.
Abraham was faithful in this test, and of course, God stopped Abe from sacrificing Isaac by providing a lamb to be sacrificed.
Notes to ponder...
Note 1: I confess I may have 'figuratively' threatened to kill my boys when they were acting out as teenagers.
Note 2: Isaac being saved was excellent news for the literal future of Israel.
Note 3: It's not a good day to be a lamb stuck by dumb luck in a thicket.
Shortly after, God reminds Abraham again that his descendants will be more numerous than the stars. Ge 22:17
In reading Genesis 22:21, we are introduced to my favorite names in the Bible. Uz and Buz (not LIghtyear) but instead the sons of Nahor. Not much is said about these two fine young men, leaving this cartoonist with time to imagine they were chick magnets and had a cousin named. Fuzz. Maybe, maybe not. |
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You Gotta Find that Boy a Woman...
At this point in the Genesis account, Abraham is well over 100 years old, and his wife Sarah passed away Genesis 23. So Abraham feels an urgency to find his son Isaac a wife before his days are over. How will Abraham be the father of a nation with more descendants than the stars in the skies if his son never even goes on a date?
"Isaac, my son, you must go outside and stop playing video games all day. Go find yourself a nice Jewish girl, settle down, then go forth and MULTIPLY!" maybe, maybe not.
Suppose the story in Genesis 24 was today. In that case, Isaac might have found the future Mrs. Isaac by
Maybe, maybe not.
So, since, as described above, dating life in Genesis 24 was a tad primitive, Abe decides to help his son out. Oh great, that is just the news any young man wants to hear... Dad is finding me a woman of my very own.
To make this process even stranger... Abraham insisted his chief servant 'promise' to find this woman.
At this point in the Genesis account, Abraham is well over 100 years old, and his wife Sarah passed away Genesis 23. So Abraham feels an urgency to find his son Isaac a wife before his days are over. How will Abraham be the father of a nation with more descendants than the stars in the skies if his son never even goes on a date?
"Isaac, my son, you must go outside and stop playing video games all day. Go find yourself a nice Jewish girl, settle down, then go forth and MULTIPLY!" maybe, maybe not.
Suppose the story in Genesis 24 was today. In that case, Isaac might have found the future Mrs. Isaac by
- Checking the church bulletin board,
- Attending a church potluck where the dishes are HOT, just like the ladies, or
- 3. using online dating. Of course, at the time of Genesis, the choices of internet providers were limited, and their speeds were slow and unreliable.
Maybe, maybe not.
So, since, as described above, dating life in Genesis 24 was a tad primitive, Abe decides to help his son out. Oh great, that is just the news any young man wants to hear... Dad is finding me a woman of my very own.
To make this process even stranger... Abraham insisted his chief servant 'promise' to find this woman.
How is this promise secured, you may ask?
No, instead, Abraham says,.“Hey, fella, put your hand under my leg and swear.”
<insert dramatic pause here> I beg your pardon? Come again? Is this an advanced version of the old 'pull my finger' joke?
maybe, maybe not
But Abraham’s servant does swear to Abraham to follow his instructions and finds the lovely Rebecca. Was it truly love at first sight? Er aaa.. meet?.. er aaaa… first selection.
She agrees to return with Abe's servant and leave her family to marry Isaac. And they all lived happily ever after. Well, at least through Genesis 24.
After the deal is done. Abraham gets busy himself. He marries again, and his new bride has 6 more kids. Finally, at 175, Abe breathes his last, though they say he never did look a day past 155.
The lesson I see again in these Genesis stories is that God is faithful even when we make bad decisions like Abraham. Life will never be about being the perfect Christian. Perfect Christians are like the Loch Ness monster.. folklore at best.
- Does his servant sign official documents binding him to find Isaac a Mrs. Isaac as witnessed by a notary public?
- Maybe the ol' pinky swear with your other hand on a stack of Bibles. Or..
- the dreaded 'cross my heart and hope to die to stick a needle in my eye' pledge.
No, instead, Abraham says,.“Hey, fella, put your hand under my leg and swear.”
<insert dramatic pause here> I beg your pardon? Come again? Is this an advanced version of the old 'pull my finger' joke?
maybe, maybe not
But Abraham’s servant does swear to Abraham to follow his instructions and finds the lovely Rebecca. Was it truly love at first sight? Er aaa.. meet?.. er aaaa… first selection.
She agrees to return with Abe's servant and leave her family to marry Isaac. And they all lived happily ever after. Well, at least through Genesis 24.
After the deal is done. Abraham gets busy himself. He marries again, and his new bride has 6 more kids. Finally, at 175, Abe breathes his last, though they say he never did look a day past 155.
The lesson I see again in these Genesis stories is that God is faithful even when we make bad decisions like Abraham. Life will never be about being the perfect Christian. Perfect Christians are like the Loch Ness monster.. folklore at best.
