The Unbearable ‘Ask’…

Genesis 22 –Genesis 25

Land Look like…

Gerar –King Abimelech

Beersheba – Abraham’s

“home”- capital city of Negev

Hebron – Sarah’s “home”- now

Alkahalil in Palestine; David

was King of Judah 7 yrs there

Beer Laihairoi – Isaac’s home

Mt Moriah –Place of the

sacrifice –north of Jerusalem

(called Salem at that time)

Cave of Machpelah –burial

cave in the Hebron area

Genesis 22 The “ASK” and Response…

V1 & 2 God tested Abraham – “Take your son, your one and only

son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice

him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you…”

‘Burnt offering’ = an offering for atonement for sin

V3 Abraham immediately obeyed – ‘the next morning’ he packed

and took 2 servants and Isaac

V4 Traveled 3 days (55 miles) from Beersheba to Mt. Moriah. When

Abraham saw the place where God was leading, he said to his told

his servants

V5 “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy (approx. 12 yrs)

go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Walking out his faith in God:

V6 –10 Isaac carried the wood and Abraham carried the fire and knife

v7 Isaac asked, “Father, the fire and wood are here, but where is the

lamb for the burnt offering”

V8 Abraham’s response, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the

burnt offering.”

V9 –10 When they reached the place God had told him, he built an

altar, arranged the wood, bound Isaac, laid Isaac on top of the wood.

Then reached out his hand and took the knife to slay Isaac…

BUT God…

V11 God called out to

Abraham –Abraham

answered “Here I am

Lord”

V12 God said, “Do not

lay a hand on the boy,

do not do anything to

him. Now I know that

you fear God, because

you have not withheld

your son, your one and

only son.”

Jehovah Jireh –God provides

V13 & 14 Abraham looked up and

saw a ram stuck in the thickets

and called the place “The Lord

will provide” – ‘Jehovah Jireh’

V15 –18 God repeated His

covenant with Abraham:

1. Children more than the stars

2. Anyone against you –I will be

against

3. All nations on the earth will be

blessed through you

V19 Abraham, Isaac, and servants returned home to Beersheba

V20-24 Tells us the family line of Abraham’s brother Nahor. One of

Nahor’s sons is Bethuel –Bethuel is Rebekah’s father – Rebekah is

Isaac’s future wife…

Gen 23:

Sarah dies at 127 years old while living in Hebron

Hebron is approximately 30 miles north of

Beersheba –Abraham is living in Beersheba and at

this time Isaac is living in Beer Laihairoi. Laihairoi –

El Roi is the place where God spoke to Hagar – a place she called “El

Roi” – “God sees and is seen (shows Himself) by me…”

An unforeseen cost of obedience…Sarah moved to Hebron, Isaac

moved to Beer Laihairoi (Gen 25:11)…

Gen 23: 2- 20 Abraham negotiates with the King of the Hittites

to purchase the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron - this becomes the

family burial ground where Sarah & Abraham, Isaac & Rebekah,

Jacob & Leah are buried. This cave is considered the 2nd holiest

place to the Israelites today.

Genesis 24 is the story of Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage

arrangement. In verse 62, Isaac comes to Hebron to mourn

Sarah’s death – from Beer Laihairoi –approximately 80 miles

away. V62 tells of Isaac standing in the fields meditating on the

Lord when he sees the convoy of Abraham’s servant bringing

Rebekah to him…he takes her to his mother’s tent, marries her

and was comforted from his mother’s death.

Gen 25: After the mourning period is done –Abraham mourning the death

of Sarah –he marries again (Keturah) and has 6 more sons; one named

Midian –the Midianites – Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law –a priest of the

Most High God… hmmmm…

Questions to ponder:

1) Did God require too much of Abraham, Sarah, and Issac?

Sarah is one of only 3 women mentioned in Heb 11 (the

faith Hall of Fame)

2) God knew their human weaknesses, yet He called them to

intimate relationships with Him

3) God knows YOU … and is still calling us to His side…