"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
Today's Blog Title: "Sarah's Death and Burial"
Todays' Scripture Reading: Genesis 23:1-20
Today's Key Verse: Genesis 23:2: "So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her."
As Chapter 23 opens we are told that Sarah at 127 years old dies. Sarah living to be 127 would have allowed her to see Isaac reach adulthood. Since Sarah was 99 when she gave birth to Isaac, Issac would have probably been about 28 years old.
Since the land where Abraham lived in belong to the Canaanites and did not belong to him, he had to negotiate for water and herding rights. We read in verse 3 that Abraham now goes to the Hittities to buy a burial spot for his beloved wife Sarah.
Abraham told the Hittites that he "was a foreigner and a visitor" (he was a resident alien), to establish a bargaining position. In verses 7-11, we see that Abraham stood and bowed. This would seem to be the tradition of that time. Abraham did not want to bury Sarah in a borrowed tomb, plus he wanted to have some land that belonged to his family long after his death.
Abraham then meets with Ephron, to tell him that he would like to purchase some property, the cave of Machpelah. Ephron responded to Abraham's request, by generously offering to give him what he wanted and also the nearby field as well.
We now see the step by step description of the bargaining process. Ephron then tells Abraham, that the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver but tells Abraham that he can basically have it for free when he said, "What is that between you and me?" But Abraham wants to purchase the property so that there would be no questions later.
Abraham then pays Ephron in silver, the price that he asked for the land. This was done in the legal, and formal manner of that time. This record is interesting, and also noteworthy to read for this reason: The only land Abraham ever possessed, was a burial spot for Sarah his wife. At the close of the Chapter we now see that Abraham buries Sarah, and we will see later in Chapter 25 that years later, Abraham would be buried next to Sarah in the same cave.
Closing Question and Comment: "Do you ask God for guidance, and expect Him to supervise the circumstances of your life? Perhaps the attempt of Ephrom's offer, to give the land to Abraham free, was made to get him to identify with the people of the land rather then being a "foreigner and a visitor". But with Abraham's purchase of the land, it now meant that Sarah, and well as himself would be buried on Jewish soil, and be identified forever, with the promises that God had made to him and his descendants.
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care, and bids me at my Fathers throne
Make all my wants and wishes known, in seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief, and oft escape the tempters snare
By that sweet return, sweet hour of prayer
Have a God Filled and Spirit Led Day. Go in Peace and Serve the Lord and Love God More Today
Yours in Christ,
Cindi
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