Genesis 25:1–18
Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.
These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.
Abraham's Final Years and Death
The chapter opens with Abraham taking another wife named Keturah and having six more sons through her. At first glance, this might seem like a strange detail to include right after the beautiful story of finding Rebekah for Isaac. But there's something important happening here that we need to understand.
Abraham gives gifts to all these sons, but then verse 6 tells us something surprising: "But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country." Abraham makes sure that Isaac's position as the heir of God's covenant promises remains clear and undisputed. These other sons receive material blessings, but Isaac alone receives the covenant inheritance.
This shows us God's sovereign choice in election. It wasn't that Isaac was more deserving than his half-brothers. God had chosen Isaac to carry forward the line through which the Messiah would eventually come. Abraham recognizes this divine choice and arranges his affairs accordingly.
When Abraham dies at 175 years old, the text tells us he "breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people." What a beautiful description of a life well-lived. Abraham didn't just live a long life. He lived a full life. He saw God's promises begin to unfold. He witnessed Isaac's birth and marriage. He experienced God's faithfulness through decades of walking by faith.
This teaches us that a life lived in faith with God is a life that can end with satisfaction and peace. We might not see every promise fulfilled in our lifetime, just as Abraham didn't see his descendants become as numerous as the stars. But we can trust that God will continue his good work through the generations that come after us. Our faithfulness today lays a foundation for blessings that may not be fully realized until long after we're gone.
Isaac's Inheritance and God's Continued Blessing
Verse 11 gives us a simple but profound statement: "After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son." The covenant promises don't die with Abraham. God immediately transfers his blessing to the next generation. Isaac now stands as the recipient of everything God had promised to his father.
The text also tells us that Isaac settled by Beer-lahai-roi, which means "the well of the Living One who sees me." This is the same place where Hagar encountered God when she was fleeing from Sarah. It's significant that Isaac chooses to live at a place associated with God seeing and providing for those who are in desperate situations.
This continuity of blessing shows us that God's promises span generations. When we trust in Christ, we become part of this same covenant family. The blessings God promised to Abraham ultimately flow to us through faith in Jesus. We are heirs according to the promise, children of Abraham by faith.
But notice that Isaac had to step into his inheritance. He couldn't coast on his father's faith. Each generation must personally embrace God's promises and walk in faithfulness. Isaac had grown up hearing about God's covenant with his father, but now he had to live it out himself.
This speaks directly to those of us who grew up in Christian homes. We might have wonderful parents who modeled faith for us, but their faith cannot substitute for our own personal relationship with God. Each of us must individually trust in Christ and walk in obedience to his word. The blessings of covenant family provide a foundation, but they require personal faith to be truly experienced.
Ishmael's Legacy and God's Faithfulness to His Word
The final section of our passage traces Ishmael's descendants. This might seem like a genealogical footnote, but it demonstrates something important about God's character. Back in chapter 17, God had promised Abraham that Ishmael would become the father of twelve princes and a great nation. Here we see that promise being fulfilled exactly as God said it would be.
The text carefully lists Ishmael's twelve sons, who became leaders of their respective tribes, and tells us that Ishmael lived 137 years. Even though Ishmael was not the child of promise through whom the covenant would continue, God still kept his word about blessing him and making him fruitful.
Ishmael "settled over against all his kinsmen," which suggests some ongoing tension with Isaac's family line. This reminds us that not all of God's blessings lead to the same spiritual outcomes. Ishmael received material prosperity and numerous descendants, but he remained outside the covenant line that would lead to Christ.
The fact that God blessed both Isaac and Ishmael, though in different ways, also shows us his common grace. God sends rain on the just and the unjust. He provides good gifts even to those who don't acknowledge him as Lord. But there remains a crucial difference between common grace and covenant blessing, between material prosperity and spiritual inheritance.
As Christians, we can be thankful that we have received a spiritual inheritance through Jesus.
Let’s Pray,
Father, we thank you for your faithfulness that spans generations. Help us to walk in the faith of Abraham and Isaac, trusting your promises even when we cannot see their complete fulfillment. Thank you that through Christ, we have become heirs of these same covenant blessings. Give us grace to live faithfully so that future generations might also experience your goodness. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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