A Good Old Age

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

A GOOD OLD AGE

Gen 25:1-11

25:1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah. 5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east. 7 Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

NIV

Interestingly, Abraham took another wife who bore him six sons, who gave him seven grandsons, and three great-grandsons, all of whom became different people groups; the story is still about Abraham. Abraham had eight sons, including Ishmael and Isaac, but he left everything he had to his promised son Isaac, the one son whom Sarah bore according to the word of the LORD. Abraham also gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, who were different from the sons of his wives, Sarah and Keturah. However, our story is about Abraham, who lived to a good old age of one hundred and seventy-five years, an old man full of years. This is a blessing from the LORD, who blessed Abraham, for his believing the LORD and being obedient, to live to be a man full of years. The Hebrew word sabea’ means satisfied, or full, as in satisfied years. In some sense, that could mean Abraham lived out his life satisfied, blessed by the LORD. In another sense, it could mean the years of his life were full, or finished as determined by the LORD, as in all our days are numbered, or determined by the Lord. Living to a good old age is simply a blessing from the LORD. But the point is that all our days should be good if we are in relationship with the LORD. Even if we experience some troubles, whatever kind they might be, our days are good because we belong to the Lord, the master of the universe, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. We live in the palm of his hand, as Jesus promised that no one can snatch us from the palm of the Father's hand. Then can we say that all the days of our lives are good and that, whatever the number, we will have lived to a good old age?