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Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 140

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Psalm 116:15

Text: Genesis 23:1-20

THE DEATH OF SARAH

Sarah lived on for more than two decades after giving birth to her son, Isaac. But in due time, she too had to go the way of the earth.

“Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years;
these were the years of the life of Sarah. So Sarah
died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan,
and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.”

GENESIS 23:1-2

1. A Very Full Life

God had blessed Sarah’s life indeed. The following things may be noted concerning the blessings of God in her life.

a) Special protection

Sarah was abducted twice, once by the Pharaoh and on another occasion by Abimelech of Gerar. God protected her from coming to any harm.

b) A very comfortable life

Through God’s blessings Sarah enjoyed a life marked by comfort. Abraham was wealthy. Sarah had a personal maid in Hagar. The family even had a private army (Cf.Genesis 14:14)

c) The Fulfillment of God’s Promise

Sarah saw the promise of God fulfilled in her life. The Lord kept His promise and enabled Sarah to have her own son, Isaac! Even more, she lived long enough to see Issac grow up before her eyes!

2. Dying in the Land of Promise

Sarah had followed Abraham in his many journeys! She had come to the end of her days on earth. What better place to die in, and be interred in than the beloved Promised Land? It was normal and right for Abraham to mourn her death!


ANCIENT BURIAL CUSTOMS

We catch a significant glimpse of the burial customs in the days of Abraham. Lots of lessons may be learned through a careful study of the Biblical text.

“Then Abraham stood up from before his dead,
and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
‘I am a foreigner and a visitor among you.
give me property for a burial place among you,
that I may bury my dead out of my sight.'”

GENESIS 23:3-4

What humility Abraham displayed. Despite the fact that God had given him the land of Canaan, he displayed such graciousness and wisdom as he spoke to people.