Tomorrow’s Reading: Gen. 27, 28 Matt. 18:21-35
Abraham dies, Isaac moves to Gerar - almost on the coast of the Mediterranean, west of Dead sea/Beershebia. Isaac is blessed with riches which is a threat to people of Gerar.
Long post in OT - but understanding the history provides a foundation to the rest of the bible. Exodus is huge and referenced many, many times in both old and new testament. So, we'll spend a lot of cycles there too.
In Matthew, we're still in Capernaum (NW tip of Sea of Galilee) where Jesus is speaking to his disciples about the kingdom in heaven.
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Setting: Sarah dies is yesterdays reading – today, Abraham dies. After Sarah’s death, Abraham takes another wife at age 140, and has additional kids – but he ‘sent them away to the land east’ to be away form his son Isaac. The only name that I recognized from this wife Keturah was Midian, btw. Abraham dies at a ‘good old age – v8’ of 175.
We get the linage of Ishmael (son of Abraham for his ‘affair’, sorta, with concubine Hagar. Ishmael’s descendants settled in the area of Havilah to Shur. Question: Shur is in the area Next to Egypt where Moses first flees – I was unable to find anything on where Havilah is. This was mentioned early in Genesis and garden of Eden, Land of Nod, where the Pishon river circled entire land of Havilah. Hmmm.. where is Land of Nod (driving me nuts). NOTE: the relevance to sons of Abraham/Sarah and sons of Abraham/Hagar (become the 12 tribal rules) are huge in ‘setting up’ how things are to come in reading the bible.
Sons of Isaac/Rebekah; Esau and Jacob
Isaac wife Rebekah has two children – in vv22-23, before they were born the Lord says .. …the older will serve the younger’. Very important here - signifies a) Gods people were not elevate from any worldly doings but of His sovereign intervention. Romans 9:10-12
God does ‘….whatever he pleases. I struggled for years with why Esau (older) got such a raw deal and why Jacob (younger) didn’t received ‘Gods wrath’ - Jacob/Rebekah deceived Isaac/Esau for birthrights (vv29-34) …older will server the younger. Wow.
Setting change: Isaac goes to Gerar (West 20+ miles of Beersheba on last map) because of famine. Same thing with Abraham, Isaac lies about his relationship with Rebekah because she was hot like Sarah (can we say ‘hot’ in bible-study context.. heeh). Isaac became a very wealthy/powerful and was a threat to the people/king (Abimelech) – so he moved. Lots of ‘well talk’ – Beersheba was named after one of these wells.
Comparison: Isaac marries from Abraham’s home town because he, Abraham, didn’t want Isaac to marry a Hittite. Now, Esau marries two women that were Hittite. Not going good for Esau.
Matthew
Setting; still in Capernaum with crowds still hanging around Jesus; I envision the disciples and Jesus just hanging out and they ask .. who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus demonstrates a gentle side again here in v3 – I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Humble yourself – Jesus warns of those that cause others to sin ‘woe to them’. Verses 7-9 speak directly to sin – ‘cut it out’. Remove those things in our lives that lend itself to sin.
The parable of the lost sheep, to me, speaks to those that don’t know Christ – God grieves over each that are lost and rejoices when one is found.
I also struggle a little about ‘how much is enough’ – in v15-20, speaks to a criteria to ‘reach our brothers/sisters’. At some point, v17, Jesus says .. treat them as you would a pagan. This goes back to throwing seeds on the path and …if they don’t understand the evil one takes away what you’ve sown.
correction; 2nd paragraph; Shur is the area next to Egypt where Moses first leads Iserael (His people) out of Egypt.
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