AGAIN ABRAHAM TOOK A WIFE
Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. 7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. 8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. 9 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;
That word “again” in verse one causes us to recall that Abraham had two previous wives before this taking of Katura. First we read in Genesis 11:29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah,…
But Abraham’s second wife was not “taken” by himself, but by Sarah, his first wife for him! Genesis 16:3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
And now this third wife is taken after Hagar was cast out with her son Ishmael, and Sarah had died. And we must keep in mind that in the Old Testament the issue was about natural procreation. Whereas in the New Testament, after Messiah had been born naturally, the issue is now about the spiritual birth, or being born again! John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
And one other extremely important fact which we must keep in mind is that Abraham’s issue of faith was not just concerning the birth of Isaac! For God’s promise to Abraham was that he was to be of effect to all the nations of the earth! Genesis 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
He was to have a “star seed,” which was to come from his own body, and as the physical stars, these would sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus! Genesis 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
The most glorious of the star seed would be announced by “his star.” Matthew 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. And this sovereign Lord shall be identified as the one with the stars in the right hand of his power! Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
For the Lord Jesus Christ is the bright and morning star – the sun – the center of our universe! Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
The remainder of the star seed are those who are the redeemed of the earth, who are involved with the very righteousness of God! Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
But what of the sand seed? As the star seed are those who are spiritually and heavenly minded, so the sand seed are but earthly minded, no matter what involvement some may have with religion! Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 1 Corinthians 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Therefore we have in the physical births produced with Hagar and Keturah those who were not in the lineage of Messiah! For the man Christ Jesus was born of the lineage of Abraham through Isaac! Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
And notice that we said, “physical births.” For no one people or nation is totally inclusive, nor exclusive, of the spiritual birthing of grace! Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; Take note that it does not say, “every kindred,” but “out of every kindred!”
For neither does the physical nation of Israel contain all those who shall be redeemed in Christ! Romans 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. For the true, spiritual Israel is only identified as those who live according to the characteristics of the Holy Spirit! They are the true Israel of God! Galatians 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Therefore, the words “all Israel shall be saved,” is not referring to all the physical citizens of natural Israel, but to all those of spiritual birth throughout the world! Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For verse five of that chapter states that there is in national Israel only a remnant according to the election of grace. And verse seven actually states that it is not national Israel, but those elected within that nation that shall be saved. Romans 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. And finally, it clearly states that, not all, but only “some” of national Israel shall be saved. Romans 11:14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
Now living with Keturah we see the same Abraham, but without any issue from the Lord for his great faith! For he is not commented on in the New Testament passages regarding his relationship with Keturah, but only with Hagar and Sarah. For with them he had to cast out Hagar’s son, and offer up Sarah’s! These things have all been settled! For the Apostle Paul in writing about Abraham’s wives only deals with the first two, and with their sons! Galatians 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Take careful notice of the “now” in the response of the Lord to Abraham concerning the offering up of his son, Isaac. For once this is accomplished, immediately thereafter the Lord God brings up the sand seed! Genesis 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
For here in this same chapter, which comes after Sarah has passed from the scene (Genesis 23:1,2), and Isaac having been offered, now leaves his father and mother to cleave to his wife (Genesis 24:67), Abraham is said both to take this third wife and to die. (Genesis 25:8).
And with both of the first two wives he only fathers one child each. But with Keturah he has six sons! And with the first two circumcision as the sign of the covenant is exacted. But none of the sons with Keturah are said to be circumcised. Therefore we can rightly conclude that they were not of the covenant of grace, but only involved with Abraham in his responsibilities now to have affect upon all the nations of the earth in the sand seed!
Then we come to see in our chapter, (Genesis 25), that after the sons of Keturah are mentioned, they are sent away from Isaac, to protect the covenant seed. Genesis 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
They become the sand seed of the wise men of the east, whose lineage comes by a star to see the most glorious of the star seed! See Matthew 2:2 listed above. 2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
And as we notice the listing of the sons of Abraham by Katura, we see that some of the names become notorious in their warfare against Israel! For the list gives the son, Midian and in the next verse his sons. Now consider that the nation that was derived from this grain of the sand seed mightily afflicted Israel! Numbers 25:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them: 18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor,…
Judges 6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
The Midianites were some of the tares among the wheat! They both “grow together!” Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. They were born naturally of the same father Abraham as was Isaac. But their natural birth only brought them into the numbers of the sand seed, the earthly minded, and not as Isaac, of supernatural birth.
But antichrists and the reprobate always come out from the presence of God’s light. For one cannot apostatize from that which they never professed! 1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
The Lord God lost his tares in the flood of Noah. Therefore he lost the opportunity to glorify his power of wrath and longsuffering. Death reigns and sin abounds to the glory of God’s grace! Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: But now he recovers their population in Abraham. Romans 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Pastor Gene Breed
February 19, 2016
