GENESIS LESSON 36


     We will begin this lesson in Genesis 25:1 "Then again Abraham
took a wife, and her name [was] Keturah."

     "Keturah" means incense. I cannot believe that a man over 100
years old would even want to marry.

     Genesis 25:2 "And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan,
and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah."

     Can you believe that Abraham, after the age of 100 had six
children?:

     "Zimran" means antelope.
     Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. They started the
Sabaeans and Dedanites (Arabs)
     "Midian." means strife. the Midianites were, probably, his
descendents.
     "Ishbak" means strife. he was the father of some of the northern
Arab tribes.

     Genesis 25:3 "And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of
Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim."

     "Letushim" means oppressed.
     "Leummim" means nations or peoples.
It seemed all three of these sons of Dedan probably were the fathers of
Arab nations.

     Genesis 25:4 "And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and
Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these [were] the children of
Keturah."

     "Ephah" means gloom.
     "Epher" means gazelle.
     "Hanoch" means initiated.
     "Abidah" means father of knowledge.
     "Eldaah" means God of knowledge.

     You can easily see from this, these were races of people that God
had established through Abraham. Here again, these were children of the
flesh, and not of promise. These were the fathers of various Abrab
countries.

     Genesis 25:5  "And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac."
     Genesis 25:6 "But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham
had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while
he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country."

     You can easily see preferential treatment to the son of promise.
Even in the spirit, it seems preferential, because the only thing that
can get anyone into heaven is through faith in Jesus the Christ. These
sons of the flesh, the same as sons of the flesh today, would be sent
away. Abraham did give them gifts to get them started, but his real
blessing was to Isaac. It is interesting, that he sent them to the
eastern countries. Much of the fallen condition of the churches today
is because eastern countries' influence has infiltrated the church.
The flesh and the spirit cannot live together in peace. These half-
brothers of Isaac were sent away so no feuding would occur when
Abraham died. Isaac was not to associate with fleshly people.

     Genesis 25:7 "And these [are] the days of the years of Abraham's
life which he lived, an hundred three score and fifteen years."
     Genesis 25:8 "Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good
old age, an old man, and full [of years]; and was gathered to his
people."
     Genesis 25:9 "And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the
cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the
Hittite, which [is] before Mamre;"

     Abraham lived to the ripe old age of 175. Because of his great
faith and strength, God extended his life. Most people lived to be 120
years old then. It is interesting, to me, that Isaac and Ishmael buried
their father. You remember in a previous lesson, that it said Ishmael
would dwell around Isaac. The other half-brothers had been sent away.
They buried Abraham in the same cave with Sarah. The cave which
Abraham had bought for a burial place, as we read in verse ten.

     Genesis 25:10 "The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of
Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife."
     Genesis 25:11  "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham,
that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-
roi."

     This was the same well discussed in a previous lesson. "Lahairoi"
means the well of Him that liveth and seeth me, or the well of the
vision of life.

     You see, Isaac would be blessed, because of Abraham, and because of
his own life, too. This made it a double blessing. Isaac was the
second of the great Partriarchs. (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.)

     Genesis 25:12  "Now these [are] the generations of Ishmael,
Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto
Abraham:"
     Genesis 25:13 "And these [are] the names of the sons of Ishmael,
by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of
Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,"
     Genesis 25:14 "And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,"
     Genesis 25:15 "Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:"
     Genesis 25:16 "These [are] the sons of Ishmael, and these [are]
their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes
according to their nations."

     You can easily see by this, Ishmael and his descendents were
blessed here on this earth in the flesh. The twelve sons were twelve
princes, and even had castles. They were wealthy and had much prestige
among their nations. In contrast, Isaac's blessing was spiritual.

     These sons had Egyptian ancestry and were Arabs.
     "Egypt" means of the world.
     "Kedar" means to be dark, or to be able, mighty.
     "Abdeel" means servant of God.
     "Mibsam" means balsom,or sweet odor.
     "Mishma" means hearing.
     "Dumah" means silence.
     "Massa" means burden.
     "Hadar" means chamber.
     Some sons are not traceable; they seem to just drop from Bible
history.

     Genesis 25:17 "And these [are] the years of the life of Ishmael,
an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and
died; and was gathered unto his people."

     It seems we must give up the ghost. Ishmael lived to be 137.

     Genesis 25:18 "And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that [is]
before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: [and] he died in the
presence of all his brethren."

     As we said before, these were Arabs living in all the Arab
countries surrounding Israel.

     Genesis 25:19  "And these [are] the generations of Isaac,
Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:"
     Genesis 25:20 "And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah
to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister
to Laban the Syrian."
Genesis 25:21 "And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she
[was] barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife
conceived."

     Here we understand that Isaac was forty years old before he
married. He wanted children the same as his parents wanted him. With
Hebrews, it is very important to have a family to carry on the family
heritage. We see, here, what prayer can do. God answers prayers. God
changed her not being able to have children, and she was with child.

     Genesis 25:22 "And the children struggled together within her;
and she said, If [it be] so, why [am] I thus? And she went to inquire
of the LORD."

     Here again, we see a problem that seems too hard to understand.
It had to be bad for her to realize there was a conflict in her womb.

     Genesis 25:23 "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in
thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;
and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and
the elder shall serve the younger."
     Genesis 25:24  "And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled,
behold, [there were] twins in her womb."
     Genesis 25:25 "And the first came out red, all over like an hairy
garment; and they called his name Esau."
     Genesis 25:26 "And after that came his brother out, and his hand
took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac
[was] threescore years old when she bare them."

     This is very interesting. Even before their birth, these two sons
were warring in Rebekah's womb. These two boys truly would be
opposite, one a wild man - a hunter, and the other a quiet man who
stayed home and helped his mother. The Lord told her of the future,
when He said the older shall serve the younger. These twin boys were
opposites. They did not even look alike. One was hairy, even from
birth. "Esau" means hairy. "Jacob" means trickster. Both names well
suited the boys. Isaac was 60 years old when these boys were born.

     Genesis 25:27 "And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter,
a man of the field; and Jacob [was] a plain man, dwelling in tents."
     Genesis 25:28 "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of [his]
venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob."

     This was a very unhealthy situation. Parents should never pick a
favorite and love that child more than the other. This causes
jealousy, and bad things can spring from that. You can understand the
daddy appreciating the outdoor young man. Men like their boys to be
tough, able to withstand problems, not sissies. Esau killed fresh game,
and brought it to Isaac, also.

     Genesis 25:29  "And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the
field, and he [was] faint:"
     Genesis 25:30 "And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with
that same red [pottage]; for I [am] faint: therefore was his name
called Edom."

     Jacob had a garden. Esau had been out hunting, he was tired, and
very hungry. He begged food of his brother, Jacob. This had to be
something like beef stew. At any rate, it had the red color. "Edom"
means red. Esau was to become the father of the Edomites.

     Genesis 25:31 "And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright."
     Genesis 25:32 "And Esau said, Behold, I [am] at the point to die:
and what profit shall this birthright do to me?"
     Genesis 25:33 "And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware
unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob."
     Genesis 25:34 "Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of
lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way:
thus Esau despised [his] birthright."

     This transaction would come back to haunt Esau. This was a place
where things of this earth cost him his eternity. He was so hungry
that he actually gave his inheritance for a bowl of soup. God would
frown on this, because Esau did not respect his inheritance at all.

                             Questions 36


1.  After Sarah, what was Abraham's wife's name?
2.  How many children did she have by him?
3.  What does her name mean?
4.  "Zimram" means what?
5.  Who was Jokshan the father of?
6.  "Midian" means what?
7.  "Ishbak" means what?
8.  They were, probably, what tribes?
9.  Who were the sons of Dedan?
10. What does "Ephah" mean?
11. What does "Epher" mean?
12. All of these children and grandchildren were of what?
13. Who received all of Abraham's wealth?
14. What did Abraham give his other children?
15. What happened to the sons of the flesh?
16. What two things cannot live together in peace?
17. How long did Abraham live?
18. Who buried him?
19. Where was he buried?
20. Where did Isaac dwell after Abraham died?
21. Why was Isaac doubly blessed?
22. Name three great Bible Patriarchs?
23. How many sons did Ishmael have?
24. What were they called?
25. What was the difference in Ishmael's blessing and Isaac's?
26. What is Egypt symbolic of?
27. How long did Ishmael live?
28. How old was Isaac, when he married Rebekah?
29. How old was he, when Jacob and Esau were born?
30. What did Rebekah do, when she did not understand the struggle going
    on in her womb?
31. What did God say was wrong?
32. What physical difference was there about the first son?
33. What does "Esau" mean?
34. What does "Jacob" mean?
35. Which son was Isaac's favorite? Why?
36. What bargain did Jacob make with Esau, that Esau lived to regret?
37. What angered God about this transaction?


                                 Notes