by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
Iran has just directly attacked Israel with some 300 drones and missiles. The Israel-Hamas War has been going on for more than 6 months now, since the Hamas attack last October 7, 2023. This marks the gravest escalation in the Middle East. Let us stand with Israel!
Let us also not forget the 133 kidnapped hostages composed of men, the elderly, 19 women, children and a baby, as well as 31 bodies of dead hostages still held captive by Hamas and/or Islamic Jihad in Gaza. We should continue to pray for the immediate release of all hostages and for a just end to this war. Let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).
We saw in Genesis 17:7-8 the first instance when the LORD promised an eternal covenant with a perpetual land grant, a possession to Abraham and his progeny. Now in the same chapter in Genesis, the LORD specifies that the covenant and the promise is directed toward Isaac and not to Ishmael, the son of Abraham from Hagar, the Egyptian maid of Sarah. We find this in Genesis 17:19 (read right to left, top down):
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲבָל֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֗ יֹלֶ֤דֶת לְךָ֙ בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֶת־שְׁמֹ֖ו יִצְחָ֑ק וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֥י אִתֹּ֛ו לִבְרִ֥ית עֹולָ֖ם לְזַרְעֹ֥ו אַחֲרָֽיו׃
The Berean Standard Bible translates the verse this way:
19 But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
The context of God’s reply is found in Genesis 17:15 onward. Sarai had just been renamed Sarah and by God with the promise of blessing and a son; Sarah was to be (mother) of nations and kings of peoples will come from her. Abraham was disheartened, for he already had a son, Ishmael from Hagar, Sarah’s maid. So Abraham sighed and laughed and thought how can a man, about 100 years old have a child from a wife who is 90 years old. In the Hebrew, יִצְחָ֑ק (“Yitschaq;” Greek Ἰσαάκ) sounds like the imperfect form “yitschaq” from the verb צְחַק (“tsachaq”) meaning to laugh. Hence “he laughs” (see also Genesis 18:12, 13, 15; 21:6 “will laugh”). The Hebrew text clearly shows word play on the nouns and verbs related to laughter regarding Isaac’s name.
Now Abraham, perhaps thinking that Ishmael was good enough to be the son promised, finally appealed to God to recognize and bless Ishmael. But God certainly had other plans as the reply to Abraham in verse 19 showed. Nevertheless, in the very next verse, Genesis 17:20, God assures Abraham that Ishmael will also be blessed and will be the father of 12 princes and become a great nation as well. But God specifies to Abraham in verse 19 that the permanent covenant with the eternal possession of the land was for Isaac, the son to be miraculously born of Sarah and Abraham in the following year and his descendants after him. Thus, in the context of the ancient culture of that time, the line of succession was now established. Canaan, the land granted to Abraham as an everlasting, eternal and permanent possession, would now be passed on to Isaac and the generations after him, as his inheritance, since he was the natural heir. Furthermore, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament says Hagar would normally be treated like other women concubines “who did not possess a dowry, and thus their children did not have primary rights to inheritance.” Viewed from another angle, the same commentary also says that when Abraham sent Hagar away and she was given her freedom, then by ancient law it meant that any inheritance rights of Ishmael was forfeited.
While not overtly referring to the covenant with Abraham and the associated land grant, a few Genesis narratives in different chapters in some way point to Abraham’s stake in Canaan and that of his descendants.
One of these narratives is about the making of a covenant between Abraham and Abimelech at Beersheba found in Genesis 21:22-34. The NIV Study Bible says Beersheba could stand for “well of seven” or “well of the oath” relating to the 7 ewe lambs Abraham gave to Abimelech as a witness that Abraham had dug the water well that had been seized by Abimelech’s servants. By virtue of that treaty, that water well then became a property of Abraham. It would not be the last property in the land promised to him and his progeny by God, the patriarch Abraham would acquire via commercial or formal treaty/covenantal means.
Genesis 22:15-19 contains the narrative about Abraham’s testing and Isaac’s binding which contributes to the overall picture of his inheritance. Abraham and his descendants, including Isaac will be blessed because of his faith, obedience and fealty to the LORD. Verse 17 states that Abraham’s offspring including Isaac, would possess the gates of their enemies. This may prophetically point to the future conquest of Canaan. Verse 19 then states that Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. Note that this is the place Abraham had an earlier covenant/treaty with Abimelech.
Another relevant set of narratives can be found in Genesis 23:1-20 (Death and Burial of Sarah) and 25:8-10 (Death and Burial of Abraham). These scriptures tell the story of the commercial purchase of the Cave of Machpelah near Mamre at Hebron (Qiryath Arba) and its importance. Even though Abraham knew he was elected by God and promised the entire land of Canaan, he was, according to The Jewish Study Bible – Tanakh Translation, “but a resident alien without hereditary rights or a secure place in the social and legal order.” Hence, to be able to get a suitable burial place for Sarah (and himself and his sons, later on) Abraham had to do a legally binding commercial purchase transaction from the owner of the property, as approved by the elders of the place. Added to this was Abraham’s desire to ensure that the property remains his in perpetuity. Hence, Abraham paid the 400 shekels, which is considered exorbitant. However, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament posits that Abraham did not haggle but paid the full price “because a discounted price could be later connected to family debt problems that would allow the heirs of Ephron to reclaim the land.” It was a very smart move on Abraham’s part. Thus, today that Cave of Machpelah in Hebron is considered by Judaism, Islam and Christianity as archaeologically authentic and a holy site as well.
We will continue next time.
God bless us all.