05 KHAYYAY-SARAH (Sarah's life) Gen 23:1-25:18, Mat 11&12

[Bruce Bertram]

Sarah reaches the end of her life, and Abraham buys a burial place. Later, Abraham sends out his servant to obtain a wife for his son Isaac. We also find out that Abraham took other wives and had other children, too, which are recorded for us along with the notice of his own death. Descendants of Ishmael are also delineated.

In Matthew, John the Immerser asks if Jesus is The One, or should he look for someone else. Jesus replies that John can see for himself what is happening by looking at what Jesus is doing (his works), then goes on to praise John and John's 'works' to His own disciples (ulitmately comparing John to Elijah). Other highlights include the chastising of the towns of Bethsaida and Chorazin for refusing to repent in view of the miracles done in them; the beginnings of a plot to kill Jesus; the teaching on having to give an account of our words; the only sign that will be given is the sign of Jonah; and who is really a mother or brother to Jesus.

The story of the servant searching for a bride for Isaac has been used by many commentators as an allegory for God the Father's search for a bride for His Son the Messiah Yeshua. Brad Scott sees that the ten camels represent the ten commandments which are a summary of Torah, so that the people who are included in the Messiah's 'bride' are people who are responsive to Torah. Perhaps a reasonable insight, but not necessarily what is truly meant by the account in Genesis. We have to be careful to first accept the biblical information at its face value, then maybe later look for 'hidden meanings.' It's a nice story, and one which has other, plainer meanings. One such meaning is that Abraham did not want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman, probably because of the idolatry inherent in that tribe (or those tribes).

Another fascinating note is that Abraham was descended from Shem, while the Canaanites were descended from Ham. If you refer back to Genesis 9:22, Ham was the one who saw his father Noah naked, and went to tell his brothers, while his brothers took a cloak and walked backwards to avoid seeing Noah's nakedness as they were covering him. Obviously, there was something wrong with Ham (and his family), and Noah confirms this by cursing Canaan in 9:25. Why does Noah curse Canaan instead of Ham? We don't know, except that there was probably more going on than the simple account in Genesis 9 covers. Anyway, the Canaanites were always known to be pretty bad in the idolatry and sexual sin departments, and Abraham did not want his son to marry into that family.

This is not to say that family problems are simply genetic, but it does show that families are strongly influenced by the head of the family. Just some of the many plain lessons that can be learned from our Father's Word without having to resort to allegorical interpretations such as the one mentioned above.

Shalom

[Bruce Bertram]

Khayyay-Sarah; Genesis 23:1 - 25:18; 1 Kings 1:1-31; Matthew 11 and 12
Mat. 8:19-22; 27:3-10; Luke 9:57-62; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

Our section this week is called ‘Sarah’s life’ but it really just covers a little of the last part, specifically how Abraham bought a burial site for her. The buying of a place to be buried implies permanency, meaning that Abraham was banking on God’s promises to him of inheriting the land where the tomb was situated, so it would be ‘in the family’ for a long, long time. Abraham was also very aware of the resurrection to come, since he had reasoned so when told by God to offer up the son of the promise.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. (Hebrews 11:17-19 NASB95)

So Abraham, like Joseph does later, made plans for living in the land, dying in the land, and living again. This was because his faith was in the God of the living, and the God who keeps His promises. He wasn’t making plans for death; he was making plans for life.

Jesus speaks also of making plans for life after death in Matthew 11, when He is chewing out the cities whose people did not repent even though He performed many miracles in them (verses 20-24). He says, for instance, that there will be a ‘day of judgment’ (11:22, 24; 12:36, 41, 42; also speaking of the ‘age to come’ in 12:32) in which people long dead (the people of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, men of Nineveh and the queen of the South) will be alive to further chastise the people of Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin and others such as the Pharisees. Obviously, then, there will be a resurrection of everyone, some to life, and others to condemnation. He pleads with the people of those cities, and presumably anyone else who will listen, to repent and make ready for the day of judgment, where every word spoken will be examined.

“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37 NASB95)

The reason Jesus includes the subject of our words being judged as part of our ‘life planning’ is that some saw His healings and were wondering if He was the promised Son of David (12:23, also known as the seed of the woman or ‘the promise’), which is a good thing because He is the Son of David. But the religious leaders were saying instead that Jesus was operating by the power of the Deceiver (12:24). This is an extremely serious accusation, and one that would have a deep effect on the people hearing it because it came from recognized authorities, who were supposed to know about these things. Jesus says it’s not so bad that they mislabel Him, or have a poor understanding of how spiritual things work, but in mislabeling the power of God (the Holy Spirit) they were calling God a deceiver.

“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:30-32 NASB95)

I think it’s clear from the text that calling God’s work evil is not a ‘mistake’ by the leaders. It was an ‘on purpose’ born of pride. In their haughtiness they assumed they knew everything, and would not stop to consider that maybe their interpretations of Scripture were wrong. Insisting on calling God’s work evil would add to their sin because the common people would be confused and led in the wrong direction by those leaders. Instead of leading towards God and life, by mislabeling they were leading people to death. The Pharisees were not helping people make good plans for life after death at all.

As children of faith descended from Abraham are we making good plans for life? Do we really trust God so much that we would buy a tomb knowing that one day He would call us out of it to live forever with Him? Are we governing our words in such a way that we refuse to condemn things we might not understand very well, so we aren’t judged by our confident lack of understanding in the last day? Do we really want to suffer the condemnation of the Queen of the South or the men of Nineveh on top of having nothing to show for our efforts here and now? Are we helping others make good plans for life by watching our words and pointing to Messiah Jesus? Or are we leading people astray by endless controversies and genealogies (including controversies over ‘two house’ genealogies) and strife and disputes about the Law (including calendars and rabbinical rulings)?

This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. (Titus 3:8-9 NASB95)

But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. (James 3:8-12 NASB95)

Jesus says that “out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (12:34). So what is in our heart? May the Holy Spirit make us good trees bearing good fruit, acceptable to God and showing our love and trust of all of His Words.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 NASB95)

Shalom

[Bruce Bertram]

Genesis 23:1 - 25:18; 1 Kings 1:1-31; Matthew 11 and 12; Mat. 8:19-22; 27:3-10; Luke 9:57-62; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:1–8, ESV)

Here we have a parable, or sort of a parable, that many have used to dismiss the Law. The logic is that Jesus is “Lord of the Sabbath” and therefore can, and did, make any changes to it He wants. This is “proved” by Jesus speaking of David eating the Bread of the Presence when he wasn’t supposed to, and priests who profane the Sabbath but are guiltless. These two incidents are used to show that the Law was circumvented all the time, so therefore it is not important to follow it.

The set up for this round of teaching from Jesus is an accusation from the religious leaders that the disciples were doing what was unlawful on the Sabbath. They were criticizing the harvesting of grain. However, they were not using Torah to lodge their objections. They were using what is called oral law, which means rulings from rabbis. Grabbing some grain while walking through a field was not prohibited in the Law. In fact, it was specifically allowed.

“If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag. If you go into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain. (Deuteronomy 23:24–25, ESV)

The Torah is full of such merciful and just instructions. Taking care of the poor and the elderly is such a part of the Law in fact that in a number of Scriptures a summary of the Law is to take care of the poor or the orphan and the widow.

And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. (Zechariah 7:8–11, ESV)

Herein is the real problem. The religious leaders were not concerned with the poor. They had made a decree that gathering something to eat was okay, but not on the Sabbath. So the actual issue between them and Jesus is, who are you going to listen to? They were trying to argue the supremacy of the rabbi’s rulings over the Torah. Jesus used two examples to show just how wrong they were. The key is in the last quote by Jesus from the Law – “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” This is probably from Hosea.

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6, ESV)

If someone is going to make a ruling, this is the guiding light, and the Law is the epitome of steadfast love. God’s Law is full of love and care for people. He wants equal treatment, and He wants those who find themselves in tough circumstances to have a remedy. If God needed to make a ruling on gathering for a meal on the Sabbath, He would’ve ruled with an eye toward helping people, not hindering them. If we are guided by the same Spirit, we would make the same ruling. Anyone with a lick of sense, who wanted to follow God and rule as He would rule, would’ve come to the same conclusion. The religious leaders weren’t motivated by the same Spirit, so of course came to a more onerous and heavy rule. Their intent was to increase their authority, not help the poor and the unfortunate.

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. (Isaiah 10:1–4, ESV)

“Iniquitous decrees” sounds a lot like those given by many religious leaders both in history and in modern times. Any ruling that departs from His Word is an iniquitous decree. Paul in Ephesians mentions that the “law of commandments expressed in ordinances” (ESV) was abolished. Would this refer to God’s Law, or to “iniquitous decrees?” I’m guessing the later. God’s Word cannot be broken. So says Jesus in John 10:35. But man’s word can be, especially when it goes opposite of what God intended.

Again, Paul tells us in Colossians that what we should avoid is “plausible arguments” (2:4) and “philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition” (2:8) according to “the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (2:8 and 2:20). The “record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands” (2:14) was cancelled, but the Word of God could never be cancelled. What is cancelled is our debt, not the Law.

What is “greater than the Temple” is Jesus the Messiah, Son of the Most High God. His ruling comes direct from the Word of God also called The Law, upholds it, and establishes it. He corrected the iniquitous decrees of men made according to the elemental spirits of the world in plausible arguments. If anyone claims to be a religious leader, they would acknowledge the Law, and the Spirit who fills it. If the leaders of that time were really speaking for God, they would’ve recognized that a Person was there who was greater than the Temple. All the rulings they made in His name would pale in comparison to His teachings. But they didn’t. Not only did they refuse to acknowledge the Son, at the first opportunity they tortured Him to death.

He has told us what is good, and it is His Laws. Through it He has given us truth and established justice. He who is greater than any Temple or tabernacle requires us to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God in His commands, statutes, ordinances, and rulings. Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of things to come, but the substance belongs to the one who is greater than the Temple. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

“With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:6–8, ESV)

Shalom
Bruce