These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life:--
The last years of Abraham
I. ON THEIR NATURAL SIDE. Active to the last.
II. ON THEIR SPIRITUAL SIDE. He provided for the purity and peace of the chosen family, by sending away the sons of his concubines. He did this
(1) to prevent confusion of race,
(2) to avoid disturbance and quarrels. (T. H. Leale.)
Life and character of Abraham
I. THE FIRST PERIOD.
I. ABRAHAM COMES BEFORE US AS AN EMIGRANT.
II. ABRAHAM COMES BEFORE US AS A STRANGER.
III. ABRAHAM COMES BEFORE US IN AN ASPECT OF BRIGHT MORAL BEAUTY (Genesis 13:5-18).
IV. A MORE OPEN AND SIGNAL EVIDENCE OF THE DIVINE
COUNTENANCE AWAITS THE PATRIARCH (chap. 14.).
V. CONSIDER ABRAHAM IN HIS PRIVATE COMMUNION WITH GOD.
II. THE SECOND PERIOD. Abraham has shown how unreservedly he can give credit to God for the fulfilment of His mere word, however incredible it might seem to the eye of sense. Will he also and equally give credit to God for the fulfilment of it in His own way?
I. IN THIS NEW TRIAL, THE PATRIARCH’S FAITH APPEARS AT FIRST TO FAIL.
II. THE MANNER OF THE PATRIARCH’S REVIVAL IS EMINENTLY
GRACIOUS (chap. 17.).
III. THE CULMINATING POINT OF ABRAHAM’S EXALTATION IN CONNECTION WITH HIS CONDUCT TOWARDS LOT (chaps. 18., 19.).
IV. THE NEXT SCENE PRESENTS TO US THE PATRIARCH GRIEVOUSLY HUMBLED (chap. 20.).
V. THE ACTUAL FULFILMENT OF THE PROMISE DOES NOT
COMPLETELY ABOLISH ALL STRIFE BETWEEN THE FLESH AND THE
SPIRIT.
VI. THE SCENE ON MOUNT MORIAH FORMS THE CLIMAX OF
ABRAHAM’S WALK OF FAITH.
VII. THE CLOSING INCIDENTS IN ABRAHAM’S EVENTFUL LIFE. (T. H.Leale.)
Lessons
1. Piety as well a nature teacheth men to dispose of their estates which God hath given them unto their seed.
2. Abraham may not, will not alter the portion of the child of promise which God ordained. The best portion is for the children of promise. They have all (Genesis 25:5).
3. Some portion below, the children of the flesh do carry away as theirs.
4. It is wisdom for good fathers to settle their families, while they are alive and stirring.
5. Some difference between the portion of the children of the flesh and of the promise God makes here below.
6. Transplantation into places not inhabited, to people, is a design allowed by God (Genesis 25:6). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Educated by illusion
Let us hastily recapitulate his history, so chequered by vicissitudes. He began his wanderings at Chanan; then seeking a new country, he entered Canaan, feeding his flocks there as long as pasture lasted, and then passed on. After that we find him still a wanderer, driven by famine to Egypt; then returning home, parting with Lot, losing his best friend, commanded to give up the dearest object of his heart, and at the close of life startled almost to find that he had not a foot of earth in which to make for his wife a grave. Thus throughout his life he was a pilgrim. In all we see God’s blessed principle of illusion by which He draws us on towards Himself. The object of our hope seems just before us, but we go on without attaining it; all appears failure, yet all this time we are advancing surely on our journey and find our hopes realized not here but in the kingdom beyond. Abraham learnt thus the infinite nature of duty, and this is what a Christian must always feel. He must never think that he can do all he ought to do. It is possible for the child to do each day all that is required of him; but the more we receive of the spirit of Christ, the larger, the more infinitely impossible of fulfilment will our circle of duties become. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)