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That's connectwithskip.com. Now let's get into today's teaching with Pastor Skip Heitzig. In this chapter, he has a few tricks up his sleeve. In fact, if you thought that was old, how about 175 years old when he finally kicks the proverbial bucket and is buried in the cave of MacPella next to his wife, Sarah.
That's what's in front of us. Abraham in his sunset years, the golden years. Now somebody once said that the great thing about being Abraham's age is that he didn't have much peer pressure.
Well, that would stand to reason because he wouldn't have many peers now, would he, who are that old? And by the way, just for those who may be new to this study, you hear those kind of numbers and you think, I don't know if I can believe in a book that has people living that long. And we explained that from a scientific perspective several weeks back when we talked about the conditions on the earth prior to the great flood, the antediluvian age limits then, and then after the flood, how that constitutional change over the earth, the vapor canopy that would be burned off that ages rapidly deteriorated, but we're still close enough to the original creation that even with the bombardment of ultraviolet light, people live to be 175 years of age. It's a lot less than 969 years like Methuselah. So they're starting to taper down and they will taper down to the average age that is given to us in the book of Psalms, which is 70 years.
Peradventure, the Lord would give you 10 more, said the Psalmist. Great, but we see the age declining. But we will see Abraham in this chapter is 175 years of age when he dies. It's funny how people will talk about their future age and how old age scares people. I hear people talk about that. The really amazing thing is to discover you're already there when you really didn't know it. I'll never forget standing in line, I was buying something and the lady did say, now I can give you a senior's discount.
I wanted a choker. I heard about two women who knew each other at church. They were elderly women, quite elderly, older than any of you. And one was talking to the other and she said, you know, the hard thing about getting to be our age is that you lose your memory. And she continued on and she said, I know that I've known you all my life, but for the life of me, I can't remember your name.
What is it? And the other lady thought for a few moments and she said, do I have to tell you right away? Both were struggling to remember. I've always liked this list that if you're wondering if you're old or not, it says, you know you're getting old when all the names in your contacts book end in MD. You know, you're getting old when you get winded playing chess. You know, you're getting old when you sink your teeth into a stake and they stay there.
Yeah. You know, you're getting old when you try to straighten the wrinkles in your socks and you discover you're not wearing any socks. I'm not wearing any socks. You know, you're getting old when your pacemaker accidentally opens the garage door.
You know, you're getting old when you bend over to tie your shoes and you wonder what else you could do while you're down here. OK, back to the story. We never got to see Abraham in his early years. We don't know much about his upbringing.
There's a snippet here and there in the Bible that describes what his home life was like, what the belief system was like, but not much. By the time we meet Abraham, he's already married in chapter 11 and God calls him out of where he's at to a new place. But we do have the advantage of seeing him in his latter years. And I believe that's important because how you start is not nearly as important as how you finish the race. You want to finish well, however you started it, whatever, and whatever you've been through, whatever. But now, wherever you're at, finish it well. And I believe that through all of the foibles and mistakes and, yeah, Abraham made a bunch, he finished quite well. Now it says in verse 1, Abraham again took a wife.
Let me just back up a little bit and say something that was on my heart and I sort of let it go but I think I want to share it. We're going to see Abraham die and actually it's a good thing because when you're 175 years old it's like, OK, you're done. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person. Sometimes we feel that it is, it is not. The worst thing that can happen certainly is death and then eternally separated from God. That is the worst thing that can happen. But death in itself can be a blessing because it's a release.
You see, there comes a time when this body is incapable of expressing adequately who I am. It's temporary. The Bible calls it a tent, a tent.
Paul calls it that in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. It's a tent. Now tents are cool but they're temporary. If you go camping, the first night is great.
You love it. You look at each other and you go, we should do this all the time. This is fun because you have the fire going and you cook the meal outside. You're under the stars, wow. But if you are in that tent, say, five, six, seven, eight days later, it's not quite as fun.
You start smelling rather ripe yourself. The sleeping bag and that little mattress you have underneath isn't nearly as nice as your soft bed at home. So here you are in a campground, in a tent, it's temporary.
It's fun but you long for permanence and comfort. And so even the Bible says, Paul puts it this way, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1, For we know that when our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building with God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Now that's permanent. Jesus called it my Father's house. Here you live in a tent, one day you're going home to your Father's house, something permanent. And we all realize that as we get older, no matter how much we try to keep ourselves in good shape, and we all should, we exercise, we eat appropriately for the most part. But as time goes on, we recognize the limited nature and the temporary nature of the tent.
The flaps get flappier, the poles wiggle loose, the edges are frayed. You notice it when you look in the mirror. And so I'm glad when Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 5, he said, In this we earnestly groan. That's something else that comes with age. Listen to yourself when you get up in the morning.
Mmmmmm. That's okay, it's biblical. We groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our home, our habitation, as Paul said, that is from God. Okay, now Abraham again took a wife. The old geezer lives 38 more years after his first wife, Sarah, dies.
Wow. 38 more years. It says Abraham again took a wife and her name was Keturah. Well, if he lived to be 175, I suppose the midlife crisis years for him would be around 95. Now I don't know if he had one, but they say most people do have some kind of reevaluation at least once in their lives around midlife.
And it manifests in a number of different ways. I don't know if Abraham like wore gold chains and got a convertible camel or chariot and decided he was going to act and look younger. But at any rate, he's got a little wind left and he gets married a second time and her name is Keturah. It means scented one or perfumed one. Perfumed one.
No, I have been in Bedouin tents. And the idea of something smelling good inside of that tent would be welcome. So we hope that it fit her name and that she had nice perfume. That's what her name meant.
Keturah meant scented one or perfumed one. Now you might be thinking, well, now wait a minute. What would interest her in a guy that's 140 years of age? I mean, how interested could anybody be in a 140-year-old man? Well, we're not told what the circumstances were, but do keep in mind he was very wealthy. He had 318 trained, paid servants, many flocks, many herds. That means whatever children were born would have a nice inheritance, as we shall see.
And so she would be taken care of as well as her other children. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we return to Skip's teaching, if you've ever wondered what the Bible has to say about some of our culture's big issues, we have a great resource for you. When you give a gift of $50 or more this month to support the ministry of Connect with Skip Heitzig, we'll send you God Speaks, Biblical Answers for Today's Issues. This special resource bundle contains six of Pastor Skip's booklets that address topics like suicide, why the truth matters, heaven and hell, and the church's response to racism. You'll gain valuable insight into what God's Word says about the big questions in our culture and get equipped to stand for the timeless truth of Scripture.
Go to connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888 and request your copy when you give $50 or more. Now, let's get back to Skip for more of today's teaching. We have a hint in the Bible. In 1 Chronicles chapter 1, don't need to turn there, but if you're taking notes, 1 Chronicles chapter 1 gives again the historical genealogy of Abraham and calls Keturah Abraham's concubine, which was very common in those days to have not only a wife but concubines.
It was prevalent in those cultures. So for her now to become his wife meant that she moves from concubine status to legal status, married status. The status changed. It's a permanent status now, which includes the rights for inheritance. And we should also say that it was more than just a legal contract.
I'm sure that Abraham loved Keturah, and I'm sure that Keturah had a love for Abraham. You see, as one ages, his or her capacity to love or need to be love does not diminish at all. Now, we're living in a culture that is dealing more and more with age. They say that we are living longer. As an example, at the turn of the century last century, at the turn of the century being 1900, there was only 4% of the American population age 65 and older.
Today, 12% is age 65 and older, so three times the amount in 100 years. Just over 12,000 people over the age of 100 years old. I know one of them.
I've met a few, but the one that I know is a beautiful man by the name of George Beverly Shay. He has been the singer for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusades for years. He's 10 years older than Billy Graham, but he looks amazingly spry and young. Back in 1976, his first wife died. He was 68 years old at the time. He married again in 1985 to a beautiful gal by the name of Carlene. I've known them both. Today, George Beverly Shay is 101 years old and going on 102. Now, I don't know that perhaps his second marriage had anything to do with that.
It gave him a whole new lease on life, a whole new boost, but Abraham did the same thing. Married again, her name was Keturah. It says, she bore him. Now, we have a little genealogical record. Watch these names. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shua. Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan, and the sons of Dedan were Asherim, Letushim, and Le'umim. And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Ephir, Hanach, Abidah, Eldah, and these were the children of Keturah. So, he has six more sons, that's a total of eight sons altogether, seven grandsons, and three great-grandsons. That's not even to mention the gals in the family.
They're keeping the genealogical records, which were male-dominant, the son of keeping that down, but he had several children. Now, one of them noticed his name, Midian. So, just a heads-up on Midian. You're going to see that name come up because Midian will go to a place and it will become an area known as Midian, the area of Arabia, the desert. Later on, Moses will flee to Midian. And he'll flee there because he kills an Egyptian and he's running for his life and living out in the desert for about 40 years. Out there, he marries a Midianite woman.
So, we're seeing how some of those records come together. He's married, lots of kids, lots of grandkids, he's a very prolific man. I was reading this and I couldn't help but think of the text in Ephesians 3 that says, now unto him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think. So, just go back in your mind and think about Abram when he was Abram and he couldn't have a child with his first wife, it was impossible. He was 75 and then 90. And he finally has his first child at age 100 with Sarah, that is.
He had Ishmael first, but with Sarah, age 100. And now, all of these other children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think. Now, I need to show you why this is important and probably included in the text.
Why are all these names given? Because a promise was made and go back to chapter 17. Go back to chapter 17 of Genesis and look at verse 4. As for me, behold, my covenant is with you and you shall be a father of what?
Many nations, not one, many. No longer shall your name be called Abram, remember he has no children at this point, but your name shall be called Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful and I will make many nations of you and kings shall come from you. So, I tell you what, what a great lesson about the fact that no matter what age you find yourself at, don't ever think that it's over. Well, I'm in my sunset years, I can't really contribute much.
Please banish that thought. Do you know that both in and out of Scripture, some of people's greatest accomplishments were in the latter years of their life? Moses was 80 years old when he's finally called to get started in the ministry. Caleb was 85 years old. You're going to read a great story in the book of Joshua. I can't remember what chapter, chapter 14 I'm guessing. Where Caleb is 85 years old, they cross over the Jordan River, they're in the land, God promised them. And Caleb comes up to Joshua and he says, Now, I want you to know something, I'm 85 years old today, it's my birthday today. I am as strong today as the day Moses sent me with you to spy out the land. Therefore, give me this mountain. I'm ready for more action.
I'm ready to fight if need be. I'm 85, but his greatest accomplishments were in his latter years. You can even look outside of Scripture. Michelangelo, 89 years of age, when he painted his most famous work, you can see it in the Sistine Chapel. If you ever visit Rome, it occupies an entire wall of the Sistine Chapel.
It's called the Last Judgment. Magnificent painting. He was 89 years old, and he was about 90 years old when he was still on his back, touching up things on the very ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. John Wesley, you've heard of him, the great preacher. He was 88 years old, he was still preaching, going strong. That is after having traveled some 250,000 miles by horseback, after preaching 4,000 sermons, after writing prolifically, he's 88 and he's still preaching strong. I don't know why he comes to mind, but J.C. Penney was 95 years of age.
He was still keeping office hours, wearing his suit and tie, going into work. And then as I mentioned, George Beverly Shay, I heard him a couple years ago. He was 98 at the time, maybe 99, and he stood up and he sang pretty great for his age. So some of people's greatest accomplishments can come in the latter years of their lives.
There's an old English saying that says, the older the fiddle, the sweeter the tune. I like that. Verse 5 of chapter 25, I know we're moving rather slowly, but again, what do we care? It'll be here next week, the Lord tarries, and we're here. And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.
Now watch this. Here's Abraham, he's wealthy. It's now time to get his house in order to make a will and to dole out the property to his progeny. Isaac is first because he's the son of promise. And so the will is very simple. Here's Abraham's will. Isaac gets it all. That's the will.
However, it says, but Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, and while he was still living, he sent them eastward away from Isaac his son to the country of the east. I read somewhere that you could divide up the lifespan of a man into seven decades, since that's now like the average age. It's the seven decades of a man, and they all rhyme. Spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills, and the last one, wills. Abraham is at that last stage. It's time to make a will. And though he has already sent Ishmael and Hagar out with some kind of provision, though the Lord said, let them go, I'll take care of them and make a great nation out of him, and though he gives some to his concubines and the children who were born to him with Keturah, the inheritance, because the genealogy, and I'm going to explain something very important called the law of promogeniture in just a minute.
Put that out of your mind. You'll get it in a minute. Isaac, the son of the promise, gets the bulk of it. So he gives all that he has to Isaac. Now did you notice that it says, while he was still living, he sent them eastward? In other words, Abraham is taking the responsibility, he's older now, but he wants to make sure that his family is provided for, and while he is clear and cognizant and cogent, he can make those decisions now. Because if he doesn't make those decisions, it's going to get very complicated when he is unable to make them and people would argue back and forth. Wherever there's a will, there's an argument. And Abraham knew that, so he gets his house in order. Very important. I think that's a scriptural principle.
I believe in that. We're glad you joined us today. Before you go, remember that when you give $50 or more to help reach more people with the gospel through Connect with Skip Heitzig, we'll send you God Speaks, Biblical Answers for Today's Issues, which contains six of Pastor Skip's booklets to help you understand what the Bible says about big issues like racism, the importance of truth, suicide, and heaven and hell. To request your copy of God Speaks, Biblical Answers for Today's Issues, call 800-922-1888.
That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate. For more from Skip, be sure to check out the many resources available at connectwithskip.com slash store.
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