A Thread of Redemption

Image
Parashat Chayei Sarah (The Life of Sarah)
Beresheet (Genesis) 23:1–25:8
Haftarah: I Kings 1:1–31

In both the Parasha and Haftarah portions this week, we find an interesting connection between Abraham and David, which I believe, reveals the consistency of God’s plan, and the fact that His plan will not be thwarted. His plan is bigger than what you and I may see and understand, and as we learned last week, He may reveal parts of His plan clearly, while other parts may take time before we can see and understand them.

In Genesis 24:1a, it is written, “Now Abraham was old, advanced in age...” and in 1 Kings 1:1, it is written, “Now King David was old, advanced in age…” It is interesting that the Bible says that both men that there were “old, and advanced in age…”, which is a phrase that I believe should grab our attention.

The rest of the story in Genesis 24 tells one of the most beautiful stories about how God purposed Rebecca to be Isaac’s wife (I recommend that you read the entire chapter of Genesis 24!). I find it interesting that Abraham was the one who cared about the continuation of the line through which the Seed of Promise would one day come to be. Abraham knew that God’s promise would ultimately be fulfilled through someone of his family, i.e. from the same group of people that he came from and not a handmaid. This specific line was to continue through Isaac, not Ishmael, regardless of the fact that Ishmael was Abraham’s first born. In terms of the culture, Ishmael was the one who was supposed to inherit Abraham’s place, but God’s plan always takes precedence over anything else.

In the Haftarah portion of 1 Kings, we read of Adonijah the son of Haggith, and King David’s fourth son, who exalted himself saying the he would be the king. Yet, we read that:

Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
1 Kings 1:8

The LORD’s anointing was not on Adonijah to become king; it was on Solomon. Nathan came to BatSheva (Bathsheba), the mother of Solomon, and told her about Adonijah's secret plot, and exhorted her to go to King David and tell him that he promised her that Solomon would be king. Nathan also told her that after she goes, he would come and confirm her words. Here is David’s response to her after she did as Nathan had instructed her to do:

Then King David responded and said, “Summon Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. Then the king vowed and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, certainly as I vowed to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon certainly shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’; I will indeed do so this day.” Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and prostrated herself before the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever.”
1 Kings 1:28–31

Both Abraham and David were wholly committed to God’s lineage through which His Seed of Promise — the Messiah — would come! In Matthew 1:1–6 we read:

The record of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers. Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered Ram. Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon. Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse. Jesse fathered David the king. David fathered Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.   

My dear brothers and sisters, God’s Word is full of hidden treasures that all point to His incredible plan of redemption through His Son. It never ceases to amaze me how, when we read the entire Word of God, we will always find the same, consistent message. I am thankful that He made me a partner in His secret and mystery that is the Messiah!

Shabbat Shalom,
Moran


Did you know? — Lone Soldier

Share this Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *