Day 5 of Week 4 The Patriarchs

September 29, 2008
Day five of Week 4
The Patriarchs
 
Ishmael and Isaac
 
Today's Treasure: Genesis 25: 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."
 
Today, Beth's focus turns to Ishmael and how he must have felt coming t o bury his father after the many years of separation from his family passed.
Reread Genesis 25: 1 – 11. Note was happened in verse 9.
Who buried Abraham?
Isaac and Ishmael
 
What occasion was Isaac and Ishmael's last recorded encounter? (Genesis 21: 8 – 10)
"The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, 'Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.' "
 
Do you wonder how Ishmael came to be at his father's funeral? Did Abraham ask for Ishmael to be brought before him before he died? Don't you wonder if Abraham wanted to tell Ishmael that he was sorry for sending him away? There are so many details that I would love to know about what took place between the lines of scripture.  
 
Do you recall the agony of the boy's departure? Take a look back at Genesis 21: 11 and fill in the blanks.
"The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son."
 
Take a few moments to consider the fact that Ishmael was Abraham's only son for a long time. I am sure he felt he would be the heir to all his father had for many years….until Isaac came along. Then he was sent away like a disposable servant in Abraham's house. Can you imagine how that must have destroyed this young man? Boys always look up to their fathers, and this boy had to live with the fact that he was cast aside. God did bless Ishmael, but I am sure he always felt a sense of loss over his father.
 
Surely you've known someone blessed by God who still focuses on the way he or she has been wronged. Without naming names, describe how this focus appears to affect his or her life.
Well, I know that focusing on the negative in your life creates a negative life all together. If you only think of all the wrong in your life, it is very difficult to overcome it.
 
How is Joshua identified in Joshua 1: 1?
Joshua, son of Nun
 
How about Isaiah in Isaiah201: 1?
Isaiah, son of Amos
 
I can't resist asking you to look up Mark 15: 39. How was the man who died identified in this verse?
"And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, 'Surely this man was the Son of God!' "
 
Let's get the feel of the ancient way of assigning identity.
Personalize these blanks and imagine being known, introduced and described exactly this way:
I am _________________, son/daughter of ______________________________.
 
Does this identity "feel" any different than simply being called by your first a nd last name? If so, how?
Yes, it does feel different. It feels much more like you "belong" to someone and you are part of a family. It also adds responsibility to your name because your heritage is known and you feel as though you have something to look up to.
 
Beth points out that Ishmael could not win in this situation. When his father was named, he was reminded of his absence. However, when his father was not named, he was reminded of his own anonymity. Ishmael could neither have his father or escape his father. Think of all the emotions he dealt with over the years of his absence. I am sure these emotions became larger than life with time, and they became much more difficult to deal with.
Have you ever had this experience? If you feel comfortable, explain.
I won't go into detail on my experiences….this one is for you to feel through!!!
 
Imagine a best case scenario and a worst case scenario in the meeting between Ishmael and Isaac.
Best Case: Isaac opened his arms to his to his half-brother and expressed a longing to be a part of his brother's life. Ishmael felt the same, and they were both willing to move forward.
Worst Case: Ishmael came to fulfill his duty as a son and left, only hating Isaac more.
 
List the sons of Ishmael from Genesis: 25: 12 – 18
Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah.
Think about the=2 0next scripture: "These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps."