Genesis 25 · The Lantern

Abraham and Keturah

Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

However, beyond this which we are taught from the law of God, if we also are in touch with some of these instructions that appear to be on the outside in the world—for example, as the knowledge of literature or the theory of grammar, as geometry or mathematics or even the discipline of dialectic—and we bring over to our purposes all these things which have been sought from with…

(Chapter 25, Verse 1) And Abraham added and took another wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

As for those who prefer to read no symbolic meanings into such facts, they still have no ground of complaint against Abraham.

And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

And Jokshan fathered Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.

But to the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country.

The Death of Abraham

And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, a hundred sixty and fifteen years.

Then Abraham breathed his last, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;

The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

And it happened after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.

The Descendants of Ishmael

Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham:

And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,

Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:

These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty-seven years: and he breathed his last and died; and was gathered to his people.

And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brothers.

Jacob and Esau

And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac:

And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD answered his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

First of all consider why it is that many holy women in the Scriptures are related to have been barren, as Sarah herself, and now Rebekah. But also Rachel, Israel's beloved, was barren. Hanna also, the mother of Samuel, is recorded to have been barren. But also in the Gospels Elizabeth is related to have been barren.

These things are told for our benefit so that we may give evidence of much goodwill and not pry into God's plans. Yet we need to explain the reason why these women were barren. What, then, is the reason? So that when you see the Virgin giving birth to our common Lord you may not be incredulous.

Thus Isaac, the son of the promise, who as a figure of our Redeemer became obedient to his father even unto death, was born of parents who were old. He had a mother who had long been barren.

And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.

The very vitals of Rebekah are stirred, though the child is a long way from birth and there is no breath of air. Behold, the twin offspring struggles in the womb of their mother, though there yet is no sign of the two nations.

"God blessed Isaac," and Isaac prayed for Rebekah, who was barren. After twenty years God heard him, and she conceived. Her sons struggled together within her womb. She went to inquire of the Lord, and it was told her, "Two nations are in your womb," that is, the Edomite and Hebrew nations. To whom did she go to inquire?

Almost everyone accepts the fact that blessed Isaac represented a type of the Lord our Savior. Therefore Isaac prefigured Christ and blessed Rebekah the church, because although like the church she remained sterile for a long time, she conceived through the prayer of blessed Isaac and the Lord's gift.

And the LORD said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from your bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, look, there were twins in her womb.

And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

This Esau proceeded from his mother's womb "hairy all over like a skin," but Jacob was smooth and simple. Thus Jacob received his name from wrestling or supplanting, but Esau—as those who interpret Hebrew names say—received his name either from redness or from earth, that is, "red" or "earthly," or, as it seemed to others, his name appears to mean "something made."Certainly, as…

(Verse 25) And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was threescore years old when Rebekah bare them.

Two twins were born at so short an interval of time that the second had a hold on the foot of the first. Yet they were so unlike in their lives, character, conduct and the love their parents bore them that this unlikeness made them enemies one of the other.

And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

And the boys grew: and Esau was a skilled hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

And Jacob boiled pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray you, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

And Jacob said, Sell me this day your birthright.

This vice of gluttony delivered Adam up to death; by the pleasure of the appetite consummate evil was brought into the world. Through it Noah was mocked, Canaan was cursed, Esau was deprived of his birthright and married into a Canaanite family. Lot became his own son-in-law and father-in-law, by marrying his own daughter.

Reason would then curtail the attractions of gluttony and the other excessive desires and would check the passions and emotions of the body. Therefore temperance comes before correction and is the mistress of learning.

I have already put it to your holinesses yesterday that the reason why the elder son is called Esau is that no one becomes spiritual without first having been "of the flesh" or materialistic. But if they persist in "the mind of the flesh," they will always be Esau. If, however, they become spiritual, they will then be the younger son.

And Esau said, Look, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swore to him: and he sold his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.