Bereshith (Genesis) 23 — “Why Sarah” or “The Life of Sarah”

Lesson date: 01/13/5855AA

Verse 1 – We have talked a lot about Sarah up to this point but here are some things about Sarah you must consider: 1) Sarah is the only woman whose age is given in Scripture; 2) Sarah is the only woman whose death is given in Scripture; 3) Sarah is the only woman for whom the nation of Yisra’el is named.

Did you know that? Yisra’el is named after Sarah. H3478 – יִשְׂרָאֵל – yiśrâ’êl – yis-raw-ale’ – From H8280 and H410; he will rule as God;

H8280 – שָׂרָה – śârâh – saw-raw’ – A primitive root; to prevail: – have power (as a prince). Actually Sarah is the feminine form of this word and means “Princess”. Remember, I told you Sarah had a covenant with YHVH, well here it is manifested to us and lives on in each of us who have now been grafted into the spiritual kingdom of Yisra’el. We are princes and princesses in Yisra’el because of Sarah. It is no wonder that we are given more detail in the life of Sarah than we see in any other woman of Scripture, including Miriam, the mother of Yeshua. You have to search outside of the canon of Scripture to find that Miriam accompanied Yohannan to Patmos and followed him to Ephesus upon his release and died there and was buried not far for the temple of Hercules. It says in Yasher that Hasatan appeared as an old man and told Sarah that Abraham was taking Yitshaq to Moriah to kill him and that this caused her to die and that when Yitshaq returned for Moriah he grieved so much that Abraham had to send Eli’ezar to select a wife for Yitshaq.

Verse 2 – Remember Qiryath Arba was named for 4 giants that lived there, after the time of Abraham. Qiryath Arba means the City of Four because son number four was the greatest fighter among the sons of Anak. It was later named Hebron (H2275) and also became the inheritance of Caleb: Jos 14:13 Yehoshua then blessed him, and gave Ḥeḇron to Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh as an inheritance.

Jos 14:14 So Hebron became the inheritance of Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh the Qenizzite to this day, because he followed יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl completely.

Jos 14:15 Now the name of Ḥebron was formerly Qiryath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anaqim). And the land had rest from fighting.

And Abraham mourned and wept for Sarah. Imagine, Abraham 10 years older than Sarah, had known her her entire life. She was his half-sister and would have been raised in the same household as Abraham. Now his sister, friend, mate and companion was dead. How painful this must have been.

Verses 3-4 – It does not say how long Sarah had been dead before Abraham rose up but when he did he went to the sons of Heth and listen to what he said, “I am a foreigner and a sojourner among you”. This is how we should express our existence in the world today, we are but foreigners and sojourners in this world. We live in it but are not of it: Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.

We are sojourners, just passing through this world, not of it. We are supposed to have a different mindset, a different heart than the people of this world. A few years ago there was a bumper sticker than read “He who dies with the most toys wins.” I say he who dies with the most toys just dies. There was a man who had many toys during his life and when he died this is what was said to him: Luk 16:24 “And crying out he said, ‘Father Aḇraham, have compassion on me, and send Elʽazar to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering in this flame.’

Luk 16:25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your life you received your good, and likewise Elʽazar the evil, but now he is comforted and you are suffering.

Those that have money, wealth untold, power, fame are receiving their reward now, here on Earth, but our reward comes later, in the next kingdom when we are no longer sojourners but citizens and heirs. When I was about 9 years old I fell in love with an old song:

I’m just a poor wayfaring stranger
A traveler through this world of woe
But there’s no sickness, toil nor danger
In that fair land to which I go
I’m going there to see my father
I’m going there no more to roam
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home

You can find it on Youtube by a whole host of artists including Johnny Cash, Burl Ives and others but better than any other song it tells what my emotional attachment to this world is: a wayfaring stranger.

Stranger: H8453 – תֹּשָׁב תּוֹשָׁב – tôshâb tôshâb – to-shawb’, to-shawb’ – (The second form used in Kings Num_17:1); from H3427; a dweller (but not outlandish, H5237); especially (as distinguished from a native citizen (active participle of H3427) and a temporary inmate, H1616, or mere lodger, H3885) resident alien: – foreigner-inhabitant, sojourner, stranger.

I am just a temporary inmate, physically trapped in this world by virtue of the fact of my temporal existence waiting for the day that I am called home.

Toshab comes for the root word Yashab (H3427) which means to sit, dwell, sit still and is the word where we get Yeshiva = school. It means to sit still at the foot of a teacher. We are in school while we are in this world, sitting at our Master’s feet learning His Way rather than man’s ways.

Verses 5-20 – I will do my best to try and explain what is happening in these verses as best I can. The only Scripture that I can think of off the top of my bald head that gives us insight into what is going on is found here: Gen 14:21 And the sovereign of Seḏom said to Aḇram, “Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.”

Gen 14:22 But Abram said to the sovereign of Sedom, “I have lifted my hand to יהוה, the Most High Ěl, the Possessor of the heavens and earth,

Gen 14:23 not to take a thread or a sandal strap or whatever is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Aḇram rich,’

Abraham would not allow the sons of Heth to “gift” the land to him so that he would be indebted to them. Remember, if you are indebted to someone you are that persons servant. Abraham was declaring he was no man’s servant but first and foremost a servant of Elohim and it was recognized by the sons of Heth: Gen 23:6 “Hear us, my master: You are a prince of Elohim among us.

Verse 7 says that Abraham rose and bowed down to them. He was not showing himself to be a subject of the sons of Heth but showing respect for their position within the community. He came to them to have them intercede for him with Ephron, son of Tsohar. Ephron was probably an elder who sat at the gate of the community and although not a brother was regarded as one by the sons of Heth: H2845 – חֵת – chêth – khayth – From H2865; terror; Cheth, an aboriginal Canaanite: – Heth.

The sons of Terror. So, by bowing to the sons of Terror he was recognizing the law of the land for purchasing property and that is all: 1Pe 2:13 Be subject to every institution of man because of the Master, whether to the sovereign as supreme,

1Pe 2:14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of doers of evil, and a praise for those who do good.

1Pe 2:15 Because such is the desire of Elohim, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men,

1Pe 2:16 as free, yet not using your freedom as a cloak for evil, but as servants of Elohim.

Now compare Abraham’s actions to that of his descendant David: 2Sa 24:23 “All these, O sovereign, Arawnah has given to the sovereign.” And Arawnah said to the sovereign, “יהוה your Elohim accept you!”

2Sa 24:24 And the sovereign said to Arawnah, “No, let me buy it from you for a price, for certain. I am not offering burnt offerings to יהוה my Elohim without cost.” So Dawid bought the threshing-floor and the cattle for fifty sheqels of silver.

Now, stop and think about this: during this period of time in Canaan a man might make 8 shekels of silver a year. David paid 50 shekels of silver for the threshing floor of Arawnah (50 = Yobel = release) but Ephron declares that the land is worth 400 (= 8 x 50). Yes, the price of the land was hugely inflated hoping that Abraham would accept the offer of “free” land but he did not. He weighed out the full 400 shekels and thereby gained the “release” of the land 8 times over. Where do we see 8 in Scripture and why?

What is so significant about a cave? It represents a burial place in the Hebrew culture. It was also a gathering place for worshippers of pagan gods. So, this piece of land was being redeemed from its pagan past and being put to use as a burial place of the righteous. Sound familiar? Were we not redeemed for a pagan past?

1Co 10:20 No, but what the gentiles offer they offer to demons and not to Elohim, and I do not wish you to become sharers with demons.

1Co 10:21 You are not able to drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons, you are not able to partake of the table of the Master and of the table of demons.

8 x 50 = 8 times the price of release. 8 = a new beginning. The land was being given a new beginning having been released for it past.

Now, let’s try to put this together: a man made 8 shekels a year so Abraham payed 50 years (Yobel) wages for the land, redeeming it from its pagan past, to the sons of Terror: Psa 23:5 You spread before me a table in the face of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Yeshua payed the full price, death, to redeem us for our pagan past and from the curse of Torah (death) to a new beginning. We see in the life, death, and burial of Sarah a type and shadow of the redeeming work of Messiah in our lives.

Ahavah,

Lesson date: 06/20/5858AA

“The Life of Sarah”

Say what? You didn’t know that Sarah’s name is found in the name of Yisra’el – H3478 – יִשְׂרָאֵל – yiśrâ’êl – yis-raw-ale’ – From H8280 and H410; he will rule as God;

H8280 – שָׂרָה – śârâh – saw-raw’ – A primitive root; to prevail: – have power (as a prince). Actually Sarah is the feminine form of this word and means “Princess”. It is the root word “sar” which means, chieftain, captain, ruler, prince. It is also the word from which the Russians gets their word Czar((also spelled Tsar)), Romans get their word Caesar and Germans get their word Kaiser.

Remember, I told you Sarah had a covenant with YHVH, well here it is manifested to us and lives on in each of us who have now been grafted into the spiritual kingdom of Yisra’el. We are princes and princesses in Yisra’el because of Sarah. It is no wonder that we are given more detail in the life of Sarah than we see in any other woman of Scripture, including Miriam, the mother of Yeshua. You have to search outside of the canon of Scripture to find that Miriam accompanied Yohannan to Patmos and followed him to Ephesus upon his release and died there and was buried not far from the temple of Hercules. It says in Yasher that Hasatan appeared as an old man and told Sarah that Abraham was taking Yitshaq to Moriah to kill him and that this caused her to die and that when Yitshaq returned for Moriah he grieved so much that Abraham had to send Eli’ezar to select a wife for Yitshaq.

Jos 14:14 So Hebron became the inheritance of Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh the Qenizzite to this day, because he followed יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl completely.

Jos 14:15 Now the name of Ḥebron was formerly Qiryath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anaqim). And the land had rest from fighting.

Verses 3-4 – It does not say how long Sarah had been dead before Abraham rose up but when he did he went to the sons of Heth(Terror) and they listen to what he said, “I am a foreigner and a sojourner among you”. This is how we should express our existence in the world today, we are but foreigners and sojouners in this world. We live in it but are not of it: Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.