The Book of Genesis

Chapter Twenty Three

The Death and Burial of Sarah

Lesson Verse:     

 

I.         Lesson Introduction

 

II.       Lesson

 

A.      The Death of Sarah (23:1,2)

 

1.        Abraham mourned and wept for his wife’s death (Cf 1Thes 4:13-17)

2.        127 years old - The only woman ever named and aged in the Bible

3.        She had been following God along side of her husband for 52 years!

4.        One of the greatest women of the Bible

5.        In Hebrews 11, we are told to look to be like Sarah instead of like Mary

 

B.      The Purchase of Machpelah (23:3-16)

 

1.        The sons of Heth – Canaanites (Gen 10:15)

2.        Abraham has always been a stranger and a sojourner – pilgrim, traveller

3.        He stated out in Ur as wealthy and a very important person

4.        Ever since he set out in obedience to God, he has not owned any land

5.        Now he wants to purchase a piece of land to bury his dead. He knows that God already owned the land, and had given it to him, he still had to purchase it

6.        Properness of burying the dead

 

a.       Needs to be practical

b.       Needs to be identifiable

c.       Needs to be Christian – not pagan, or by cremation, etc

d.       Needs to be temporary

 

7.        The Canaanites offer a place among THEIR dead (23:6)

8.        Abraham has his eye on a field, and a large cave – sepulchre

 

a.       Near Mamre, Hebron, and Kirjath-arba

b.       Ab has been here before (Gen 13:18)

 

9.        Ephron the Hittite

10.     Four hundred shekels of silver – not much money for property. The land was not worth that much to anybody but Abraham

 

C.      Securing the Possession (23:17-20)

 

1.        The land and even the trees were surveyed and accounted for

2.        Everything was legal, and documented in transferring the title to Abraham

3.        Sarah’s body was placed in the cave

4.        Abraham just was waiting for HIS body to be placed there as well

 

D.      Sarah is Buried (23:19)

 

III.                 Conclusion