In Death He Gained Possession

Genesis 25:7–11 (ESV) 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.

Abraham started this journey all the way back in Genesis 12, which according to the account of his age, spans an interval of 100 years. He has finished his race here in Genesis 25 and his death is significant for some interesting reasons.

After 100 years of trusting the Lord, the only "land" that belonged to Abraham was the grave he purchased from Ephron, the Hittite. That's all. He never would see the battle of Jericho, or witness the division of land under Joshua according to the word of the Lord. He would not see the 12 tribes nor the Red Sea deliverance. Abraham died in faith and was buried in the small plot of soil. The promises of God look almost empty here. After all, he only has a grave!

But the Bible's stories all point to the Main story. Centuries later, Jesus would die with nothing but a borrowed grave. Yet in dying he saved and took possession of His inheritance - the nations!

Revelation 5:9 (NIV) And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

In dying Abraham takes possession of the first fruits of the land still occupied by the Jews (his physical descendants) to this day. When Jesus died, He took possession of His Spiritual descendants that are scattered across the world from that cross to this day. 

Did you see what else happened at Abraham's death? Ishmael and Isaac were brought together. The long feud was put aside for this moment. At Jesus' death, Herod and Pilate, though enemies, became fast friends. On the cross, the sentence was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek as the nations were brought together to bear witness. 


Luke 23:12 (ESV) And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

John 19:20 (ESV) Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.

The death of Jesus doesn't simply bring nations together, it reconciles enemies. For better or for worse, Jesus seems to bind people together. 

Isaac of course would separate from Ishmael after this moment. He would move to Beer-lahai-roi, where the angel saved pregnant Hagar. The name means, “the well of the Living One who sees me.” So too all who have been reconciled to God by the death of Jesus live with Living Waters flowing from within our innermost being from the Living One who never leaves us nor forsakes us.

The Bible is about Jesus.