A Complicated Family

The Sons of Abraham

(Genesis 25:1-18, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, February 15, 2015)

[25:1] Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. [2] She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. [3] Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. [4] The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. [5] Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. [6] 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.As we come to the end of the Abraham story started in Genesis 12, we are given further details regarding the end of Abraham's life. As far as we can tell from the Bible, Abraham had at least eight sons, Isaac by Sarah, Ishmael by Hagar, and six or more by a wife named Keturah and unnamed concubines, about whom we know very little, except for the Midianites. Almost anything that anyone might try to conclude about the descendants of Abraham by Keturah and his concubines would be largely conjecture. What the Lord does reveal to us in the Scriptures is very succinct: 1) “Abraham gave all he had to Isaac,” and 2) Abraham sent away other sons with gifts to some undisclosed eastern location. These other sons were not the child of the promise.

[7] These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. [8] Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. [9] 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, [10] the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. [11] After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.Abraham lived to a “good old age.” When the day came for him to die, he was “gathered to his people.” His body was buried in the same cave where he had buried Sarah. After Abraham's death, “God blessed Isaac his son.”

[12] These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. [13] 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, [14] Mishma, Dumah, Massa, [15] Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. [16] These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. [17] (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) [18] They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.Meanwhile Ishmael would have twelve sons. The overwhelming fact of history regarding the descendants of Ishmael is that we can no longer identify them with any certainty. Ishmael himself would live a long life. He would live to the east of Egypt. We are told that Ishmael “settled over against all his kinsmen.” Since the dawn of sin... many messed-up family lines.

Put the Word to Work: The purposes of the Lord would not be accomplished by mere physical descent, but by His powerful grace. Sons of Abraham by faith in Christ shall be blessed.

Memory Verse from the Songs of Ascents—Psalm 127:4-5 – Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Gospel Reading—Matthew 18:15-20 – If your brother sins against you