Passing On What God Has Given

Passing On What God Has Given

Genesis 25:1–18

Abraham’s Death and His Descendants

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.

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.

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.

(ESV)

Abraham has been the main actor in this story for some time now. But now his act finishes and another begins, because this is not a story about Abraham but about God and his work among his people. So even though our father Abraham dies, the work that God began through him continues on now in Isaac.

Abraham understands that he must pass on these promises to Isaac, that is why he gives his other sons gifts and then send them away. He is making sure to protect the inheritance and that it is passed on securely.

So you see all us believers have been given an inheritance from the Lord, many blessings from him found in the good news of the gospel, yet we have a job to make sure that inheritance is passed down the next generation. It is not ours to hoard, but rather ours to share with the next generation. It is a responsibility we must all bear because if it is not passed down, then it dies with us. But the work of God must go on, and we must strive to make sure it does.

But also another lesson Abraham teaches us, we are not irreplaceable, we have a certain amount of time on this earth, and then we will die, and the work of God will continue. None of us are to believe we are the glue holding things together, and that if we died or moved on, those things would fall apart. It is Christ who provides for and sustains all things, not us.

You will die, the sun will keep moving, the earth will spinning, and one day we will all be forgotten. That is how it ought to be, because our reason for living, for working, for doing all that we do, is not that we might be remembered, but that God might be. That people would see him and not us.

Great quote from Nikolaus Von Zinzendorf, “my goal; to preach the gospel, die and be forgotten.” All things will go on without you, people do not need you, the only thing they truly need is God, so point them to him, and prepare yourself to one day, die and be replaced

Reflection:
Abraham’s death reminds us that God’s story never depends on one person. We are temporary; His purposes are eternal. Abraham protected the inheritance so it would continue through Isaac, and we too are called to pass on the gospel to those who come after us. Our lives are not meant to be monuments but signposts—pointing beyond ourselves to the God who sustains all things. Where might God be calling you to invest in the next generation, to pass on what He has entrusted to you?

Prayer:
Father, thank You that Your work continues long after our part is finished. Teach me to hold loosely to my own importance and to faithfully pass on the inheritance You have given. Help me live in a way that points others to You, not to myself. Give me wisdom to invest in those who will come after me, and humility to remember that You alone sustain all things. Amen.