The book of Genesis is the book of beginnings.

We're in the middle of the story of a man named Abraham, a man of faith.

God kept the promise He had made to her back in chapter 18.

Isaac means "he laughs."

Not only was Sarah's body rejuvenated to bear children, but now she is also able to nurse this little baby, at ninety years old!

It was customary in those days that a child was nursed until the age of two or three.

We've studied in Galatians (especially chapter 4) how this whole episode with Sarah and Hagar becomes a picture of how we are to live for God.

Paul says that Hagar is a picture of living to please God through the flesh, and especially through trying to keep the commandments on our own.

Sarah is a picture of trying to please God through what He does, by Him keeping His promises.

And we too, are to learn to cast out that fleshly way of thinking from us, to only try to please God in His way, by trusting in His love and grace.

Abraham was fond of his son Ishmael.

For some reason, when Sarah first proposed the idea of Abraham having children with Hagar, Abraham didn't drag his feet at all.

But now he's dragging his feet, and guys, I know we don't want to hear this, but sometimes we need to learn to listen to our wives!

God reminds Abraham that Isaac is the son of promise, the chosen one.

Keep in mind, Ishmael isn't a little child, but is about 16 or 17 at the time.

The NE part of the Sinai peninsula.

Somewhere between the promised land and Egypt.

From here, Abraham has a little run in with Abimelech again, but this time over water rights.

Their servants have been quarreling over one well in particular, the well at Beersheba.

They settle the dispute with Abraham giving Abimelech seven ewe lambs, and Abraham gaining undisputed rights over the well at Beersheba.

Beer-sheba = "well of the seven" or "well of the oath."

Better ... "test".

God is going to test Abraham to see what his faith if made of.

It's interesting that God calls Isaac the "only" son.

In reality, there was another.

The area near modern Jerusalem, actually the place where the temple would be built.

Human sacrifice was practiced by the pagan peoples that lived around Abraham.

But before you get to wondering if human sacrifice is okay with God, keep in mind that God doesn't allow Abraham to go through with it.

God is just testing Abraham, to see whom he loves more, Isaac, or God.

Now that's an interesting phrase!

As we're going to see, this is a tremendous picture of another Father who will offer up His only begotten Son, who on the third day would rise from the dead.

It has been suggested that Abraham has considered his son to be dead for three days, ever since God told him to sacrifice him.

Either Abraham is flat out lying to his men, which doesn't quite seem to be his style, or else Abraham is fully trusting that his son will come back alive, even if God has to raise him from the dead!

Kind of sounds like Jesus carrying His cross.

Isaac is beginning to wonder what's going on.

I have to admit that I think the King James does it best here.

Don't be thinking that Isaac is some little three year old here.

Keep in mind that he's carried the wood up the hill for Abraham.

It has been suggested that Isaac could be in his early teens.

And Abraham would be well over a hundred years old by now.

Isaac could have easily overpowered Abraham, and told him, "No way!"

Yet Isaac willingly submits to his father.

Just as Jesus willingly gave Himself on the cross for us, submitting Himself to the Father's plan.

We've mentioned before that we believe this is a specific individual in the Old Testament, none other than Jesus Himself, before His earthly birth. (see Ex.3)

This was what God was looking for all along.

Sometimes God asks us to lay aside something that has become too great in our affections.

Heb., Yahweh yireh, meaning "the LORD will see to it" or "the LORD will provide."

After Abraham's display of obedience, the angel of the LORD appears to Abraham, and reassures him that He still has an agreement with Abraham, and will totally bless him.

Abraham gets some news from the home country, that his brother Nahor has had kids and grandkids, in particular, a young girl named Rebekah.

Abraham's princess, Sarah, is dead at Hebron, at age 127.

Abraham as of yet doesn't actually own any land in Palestine, so he goes to the "sons of Heth" (also known as the Hittites) to buy a piece of property from them, at what is today Hebron.

They begin the usual haggling over price, but instead of trying to talk them into a good deal, Abraham just outright pays the top price of 400 shekels, for a cave to bury his beloved wife in.

This is kind of like Abraham's deed over the land, showing that he owns this property in Hebron.

This will become known as the tomb of the patriarchs.

Not only Sarah, but Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were buried there (see 25:9; 49:31; 50:13).

The site of the cave has been identified with two caves, one above the other, beneath the great mosque in the center of modern Hebron.

Some have seen in this chapter a beautiful allegorical story of the Father (God) getting a bride (the church) for His only Son (Jesus) by sending his servant (the Holy Spirit) to a far country to find a bride.

This is believed to be the servant named Eliezer (Gen 15:2)

This was one way that oaths or promises were made in those days.

It's kind of a delicate thing.

The idea seems to be that if you put your hand under my thigh and swear to do something for me, that if you don't, my descendants, those who came from my thigh, would rise up against you.

It's interesting that even as early as Abraham's day, he realized the dangers of marrying an unbeliever.

We've already heard about Rebekah ...

Eliezer wants to know if he fails, if he should bring Isaac back to the homeland to look for a wife for himself.

Abraham does not want Isaac leaving the promised land.

He's now arrived at the area near Haran, in northern Mesopotamia.

Notice that Eliezer is praying for God's help!

You may think that the servant is just asking for a sign.

But I think there's more here.

God often works that way, just waiting for us to pray.

Not only was she nice, but she was good looking too! What a deal!

TEN CAMELS.

And camels who have just come on a journey of 400 miles, loaded with all kinds of gifts, could probably drink a LOT of water!

She's got all the right answers! She's from his master's family!

It doesn't seem to matter that he's got a girl standing there watching him.

He gets on his face and worships.

Here's another gem from the King James.

Laban = "white"

We're going to get to know Laban much better later on.

Laban is one of the original con-artists.

You can bet that he's going to be looking for a way to make a fast buck or two out of this whole deal.

Look what catches Laban's attention!

Eliezer just retells the whole story up to this point.

Eliezer feels he's on a roll, and doesn't want to dare stop and get sidetracked from what the Lord is doing.

In other words,

Note what Isaac is doing when he found his Bride.

Yes, it's a true love story.

Here's some interesting information!

We find that Abraham remarries after Sarah's death, to Keturah, and has six more sons.

Abraham dies at 175 years old.

Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham with Sarah, at Machpelah (Hebron).

Here we have the lineage of Ishmael, who lived to be 137 years old.

Rebekah is able to have children because of Isaac's prayers.

Not exactly the kind of thing a pregnant lady wants to hear!

The first kid comes out all hairy, so they call him "Harry" (Esau = hairy).

He is also known as "Red" (Edom = red).

Jacob means "heel catcher," "trickster," or "supplanter"

This is bad news, when parents begin to favor certain children.

This is going to cause mucho problemos!

The "birthright" carried several ideas with it: