Sermons from the Book of Genesis
I’LL MEET YOU IN THE MORNING
Genesis 23
It was an early Sunday morning, August 30-31, 1997, when the world learned Princess Diana had been killed in a tragic car accident in Paris. The world mourned her death and an outpouring of grief was seen from all over the world. In Genesis 23 we see the death of another “Princess.” We see the death of Sarah. The name Sarah name means "princess." As we look at her death we see her husband grieving. Like any husband or wife that has lost their life-long companion, the heart of Abraham was broken.
When you look at Sarah’s death, we see that she did not die tragically, but triumphantly. We read in verse 2, "And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her." She died at Hebron in the land of Canaan. Hebron means “fellowship” and Canaan was the land of blessing. She died in fellowship with God and in His will. We all have an appointment with death. When death knocks on our door we want to be found in fellowship with God.
When death takes a loved one, we have the blessed promise that if they knew the Lord, we will see them again. What a comfort to those who have to say goodbye to someone they love. It is a great promise that gives strength to go until the day we see our loved ones again. Let's look at the death of Sarah and this great promise that gave Abraham comfort.
First, think with me of:
1. THE HOME ABRAHAM ENJOYED
We read in verse 1, "And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah." The Bible tells us that Sarah was 127 years old when she died. In those days girls married very young (16-17), thus it is possible that they had been married around 110 years. For over 100 years they had been husband and wife. For over 100 years they had lived together, learned together, laughed together, and loved together. Their lengthy marriage is a testimony of:
A. A Strong Marriage
It has been said that 38% of all first marriages fail, 79% of those divorced will remarry and 44% of those second marriages will fail. I read about one woman that was married four times. First she married a millionaire, then an actor, then a minister, and finally an undertaker. A friend asked her why she had married these four types of men. She replied, "One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.”
Although every couple that gets married makes the promises they will live together "until death do us part," but in our day and time it is till "debt or disappointment or difficulty do us part.” In the case of Abraham and Sarah it was till “death do us part.” They had their up’s and down’s, but it is obvious they had a strong marriage.
Town and Country Magazine once made a study of the presidents of the 100 top corporations in America. They discovered that these successful corporate presidents had a divorce rate of only 5%. The study concluded that a strong marriage is a great contributor to a man’s success.
Not only does the length of their marriage testify of a strong marriage, but also of"
B. They Had a Special Marriage
Their marriage is special in that God used their marriage as an example for our marriages. God used them as an example in 1Pet.3:6-7. We read, "Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." Sarah was a model wife and Abraham a model husband.
What made their marriage special? Their marriage was special because it was a holy marriage. Their marriage was special also because it was a happy marriage.
Martin Luther said, “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” I read about a man that went home with a friend and noticed that as soon as he walked in the door he kissed his wife and told her how beautiful she was. After dinner, he kissed her again and told what a good meal it was. It so impressed the fellow that he decided to do the same with his wife. When he walked in the door, he threw his arms around his wife and kissed her passionately and told her how pretty she was. She burst into tears. “What’s wrong?” “Oh, it’s been a terrible day. First, Johnny sprained his ankle, then washing machine broke and flooded the basement, then dog drug out the neighbor’s trash and they are upset, and now you come in drunk.”
What a wonderful example of marriage we have in Abraham and Sarah. But as we see in our text, there came that day that every husband dreads. Abraham's princess died. In her death we see:
2. THE HURT HE EXPERIENCED
In verse 2 we read, "And Sarah died." After years of being together, Abraham had to say good-bye to his darling wife. They had been together for over 100 years. Now she was gone and he was alone. You can imagine how he felt. All who have lost a loved one can relate to his grief and sorrow.
Abraham's grief was:
A. Without Restraint
Verse 2 says that he “mourned” and “wept.” This is the only time we read in the Bible that Abraham wept. Verse 2 also says that Abraham “came to mourn for Sarah.” The ideal is that he came in to where she had died and when he saw her his grief was unrestrained. The verbs “mourn” and “weep” are strong in imagery.
In the word "weep" we the display of his grief. The word means “to lament with grievous sorrow.” When Abraham looked upon the lifeless body of his princess he burst into tears.
In the word "mourn" we see the depths of his grief. The word means “to beat the breast.” He is overcome with emotion and grief. I can hear his groans of pain as he beat his breast overcome with emotion and grief.
I often said to families at funerals that each tear they shed and the pain they feel is but an expression of the love they have for their loved one. The greater one loves another, the deeper the pain and sorrow felt when they die. It is obvious that Abraham deeply loved Sarah.
We not only see that his grief was without restraint, but also:
B. Without Reproof
The Holy Spirit’s recording of his grief is a sharing of a private moment in Abraham’s life. Yet he is not reproved for his obvious expressions of grief. It is like the Holy Spirit is saying that grieving is a normal, natural, and even needful expression when we have to say goodbye to our loved one.
For some fellows they have the idea that it is not manly if they cry. There are even some Christians who feel it reveals that are not strong spiritually if they weep. In Genesis 23 we see one of the greatest men in the Bible weeping when his wife died. We see him overcome with grief and sorrow. No, it is not wrong to grieve. It is normal!
I think of what Paul said to the believers at Thessalonica in I Thess.4:13 "that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."Paul did not speak of an absence of sorrow but a difference in sorrow. A Christian has this rainbow in their tears. They know they will see their loved-one again, but there is sorrow none-the-less.
In Abraham's grief, he had the wonderful promise that he would see Sarah again. Notice:
3. THE HOPE HE EXPRESSED
In the midst of his tears there was a rainbow. Taking the edge off his pain was a glorious promise. He was not saying good-bye, but until. He knew that one day he would see his beloved wife again. Notice the story. First there was:
A. The Funeral He Arranged
We read in verses 3-4, "And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." The rest of the chapter gives the details of how he purchased a small piece of property with a cave which he used as a tomb. It became the family burial ground.
I can see him as he called his servants in: “Would you put this dress on her. She always looked pretty in it. Make sure her hair is just right, you know how picky she was about her hair." Abraham prepared his beloved wife's body for burial and we read in verse 19, "And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan." With love and great care he buried his wife of over 100 years.
Notice also:
B. The Future He Anticipated
Notice carefully something he said to the sons of Heth in Vs.4; “I am a stranger and a sojourner.” He was acknowledging the fact that this world was not his home. When he buried his wife, he buried her with thoughts of how this world was not all there was, but there was a better day coming. Abraham knew and found comfort in the great promise that one day they would live together in their heavenly home.
Many times at a funeral I have used that beloved passage from I Thess. 4:16-17, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." What a glorious promise! The Christian is assured that there is coming a day we will be with our loved again, and the next time, we will never be parted again. It is no wonder Paul said in verse 18, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
In Genesis 25:8 we read of the death of Abraham: "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." I think it is significant that the Holy Spirit said that Abraham "was gathered to his people." There was a glorious reunion.
Vance Havner’s wife died at 2:15 am Sunday morning and he preached that Sunday morning. He said in his sermon just hours after his wife’s death: “It is sort of overwhelming if you try to figure that out, when you have lost your standby, humanly speaking. But then, I haven’t lost her because I know where she is. You haven’t lost anything when you know where it is...So don’t you ever say, when your dear one goes, ‘I’ve lost her,’ or, ‘I’ve lost him.’ If you are in the Lord and he or she was in the Lord, you know where they are. We’re only apart until He comes.
If you have had to say goodbye in this life to someone you loved deeply, don't ever forget we are living in the great ‘Until.’”
(Genesis 23) I’ll Meet You in the Morning1