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It’s a dysfunctional family right from the start. In coming chapters Jacobs’ family will experience one self-created problem after another. Yet God has grace even for a family like this. “Lord, give our families the grace and wisdom to avoid the pitfalls of this family; but may You also supply the soothing balm of Your merciful Word to all our family flaws and shortcomings”

Heaven is opened wide to sinners through faith in Christ Jesus our Savior. Knowing Christ by faith, also means we have the Lord’s promise that He will be with us and will bless us throughout our earthly pilgrimage, even during our loneliest of times.

The family’s dysfunction boils over when Rebekah and Jacob deceive Isaac. They seem to be successful. But it all blows up in their faces when Esau has murder on his mind, forcing Jacob to run for his life. Yet God’s grace is still at work as we shall see in the next chapter.

Rebekah prays about the struggle going on within her womb. The LORD tells her that she is carrying two nations, and that the older son will serve the younger. We soon see that this is a family with problems. But God loves families with problems as much as any family.

This chapter records the death of Abraham. As with the rest of God’s people his time on earth was not always easy. Yet the LORD was always with Him, blessing Him in so many ways. Can’t you and I say the same? Just think, all this and Heaven, too!

It’s time for Isaac to take a bride, but not any woman will do. Abraham sends his servant on a long journey to seek a bride who shares Isaac’s faith in the true and living God. The servant tackles this great responsibility with humble prayer, and God blesses his efforts with success.

If Abraham is the father of believers, then Sarah is the mother of believers. Sarah is the only woman in all of the Bible whose age at her death is recorded. Note the tender care Abraham takes to secure his beloved wife a place of burial. We thank God for the faithful saints who have gone before us.

We get a glimpse of the agony of mind God the Father must have felt when He gave His only Son over to death on a mountain many centuries after the incident recorded in today’s chapter. God’s Son is something like the ram, in that He died a substitute death for us sinners.

A year earlier Sarah had laughed in disbelief when told she would have a son in her old age. Now her laughter turns to joy as the LORD makes good on His promise with the birth of Isaac. God’s plan to bring the world a Savior takes another step forward.

History repeats itself when Abraham, just to save his own skin, lies about Sarah. The LORD steps in and saves Sarah’s honor, but once again we see that the people of the Bible needed God’s grace and forgiveness just as much as we do.

In the previous chapter Abraham pleaded with the LORD to spare the wicked cities, but not even ten righteous persons were found in the cities. In mercy the LORD sends two angels to rescue Lot and his family. The LORD knows how to rescue those who trust in Jesus as their Savior.

Three mysterious men visit Abraham and Sarah. As we read on we discover that two are angels, and one is the LORD. Even though Sarah laughs, the LORD assures the aged couple that in one year Sarah will give birth to the long-awaited son. God always keeps His promises.