Well, I guess something for God's glory must be coming out of this blog.
Satan fought me all day yesterday. I couldn't get the site up on my computer, so it looks like we'll be blogging through the Bible until January 1st of 1011.
But that's okay. Whatever it takes. Praise the Lord, I will not let Satan win.
The Bible reading for today is in Genesis 23-26.

Chapter 23, is totally dedicated to the death and burial of Abraham's wife; Sarah, who lived one hundred and twenty-seven years and died in the land of Canaan. The Bible says that Abraham mourned for her and ask for a place to bury Sarah; because he was so well known among the people of the land, that when he asked them for a place to bury his wife, they said "Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place; that you may bury your dead." Isn't God faithful, He told Abraham that he would be blessed. Sarah was buried in Canaan, the land that God originally promised to Abraham and his descendants. Just another example of us not being able to out give God when we are serving him.

Chapter 24 begins a new generation in the life of Abraham. The Bible says that he is well advanced in age. Abraham was worried about the blood line continuing as God would have it. So he called his "house manager" for lack of a better term; Eliezer, (who incidentally was also the heir to Abraham's property in the event that he never had a son). Abraham sent Eliezer back to his home land to get a wife for Isaac. He did not want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman. I thought it was very interesting to see the way they (swore an oath) to each other. The servant had to put his hand under Abraham's thigh and swore to do as he wished. It sounds very personal doesn't it? I think we would get slapped today if we tried to put our hand under someones thigh!!!
Anyway, the servant did so, and took provisions and left to go find a wife for Abraham's son Isaac among his ancestors.

On a side note of interest: Nelson's notes say that in the ancient city of Nuzi tablets were discovered that reveal childless couples regularly selected a servant as a replacement son. It was the duty of this servant to care for his adopted parents when they grew old and to perform the burial rites when they died.
In the event that they never had a son the adopted son "servant" became the heir to the property of his parents. If the couple had a natural son after the establishment of the contract with the adopted son. However, the adopted son was was still treated well and not forsaken. This is exactly the relationship between Abraham, Isaac and Eliezar, the servant.

Continuing in chapter 24, we see that the servant obeyed Abraham's wishes.
He went back to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. He knelt by a well, where he knew the young women of the city would come to draw water. He began to pray on behalf of Abraham unto the Lord. How wonderful it must have been for Abraham to have been able to trust Eliezer to perform such an important task.
Eliezer asked God for a very specific sign. He said that the Lord should have one of the women offer water not only to him, but also, to his camels. She would be the chosen one for him to take back for Isaac to marry. Before he even got the entire prayer out of his mouth, along came Rebekah. She was a beautiful virgin, she sounds like the kind of young woman any mother would be proud to call her daughter-in-law. And I don't think it was a coincidence that she was in the proper lineage!!! God was definitely working his magnificent will. She did exactly as Eliezer had prayed. She gave him drink and then offered to draw water for his camels. Eliezer simply invited himself to her house to stay for the night after confirming her blood line. There is a beautiful passage straight from the lips of a servant not only of Abraham, but also, of God.

(24:26-28) "Then the man (Eliezer) bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. And he said, "Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren."
This should be our response; every time the Lord shows Himself to us. How often do we actually take the time to praise and worship the Lord for the way He constantly leads us? I know in my life, not nearly often enough...may the Lord help us to be a grateful generation. The remainder of the chapter is a beautiful picture of a bride and bridegroom coming together through the obedience of a servant of God. This chapter reads like a love story. Isn't God's word awesome?
So Rebekah goes back with Eliezer to Abraham's land and becomes Isaac's wife.

In chapter 25; Sometime during the 38 years between the death of Sarah (Gen.23:1) and his own, Abraham married Keturah (Gen.25:1) one of his concubines. God continued to bless him with children, just as He had promised. Abraham lived one hundred and seventy-five years, died and was buried near Sarah. And the Bible says after the death of Abraham "God blessed his son Isaac." And the covenant between Abraham and God continues.

The rest of the chapter deals with the genealogies of Ishmael and Isaac.
beginning with verse 19 of chapter 25, we see the genealogy of Isaac beginning with the first pregnancy of Rebekah, which is twins. The Bible says "But the children struggled together within her; and she asked the Lord basically "What's up?" and the Lord said, "Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other; and the older shall serve the younger." This is significant in the history of the two nations that the Lord is speaking of.

We know these two boys as Jacob and Esau. Esau was a "skillful hunter" and Jacob was a "mild man" dwelling in tents. Sounds like some of today's husband's with there "man caves" doesn't it. Anyway, the rest of the story is that these two boys were always in trouble. Esau was favored by his father and Esau was favored by his mother. Any time there is this kind of division in a family it can't turn out well. And it didn't. Basically Jacob tricked Esau into selling his birthright to him for a bowl of stew!!! How crazy was that, and "what was he thinking?"

In chapter 26, There is a famine in the land; and God reminds Isaac of the covenant He made with his father. Isaac obeyed the Lord and was blessed and prospered. The passages in this chapter sound like an instant replay of what happened to in chapter 20 between Abraham and Abimelech. We continue to see the workings of the Abrahamic covenant and the blessings of God down through the line of Abraham and Isaac, just as God promised.

I will leave you with this one note: Trouble is brewing!!
(Gen.26:34-35) "When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. In law troubles, the worst kind!!! Sounds like Esau continues to make mistakes, I also notice that it never mentions him praying or building an altar to God. We will see in the next chapter what happens. The reading for tomorrow is from Genesis 27-29.
Have a great day in the Lord.