We're going to consider two very simple, straightforward
things in our text today. The first is the death
of the patriarch, Abraham. We see this clearly
taking place. We see it in verses 1 through 11.
It's elaborated on in various ways. And then
we also are going to see and consider the transcendent
faithfulness of God in this. So we'll see that
Abraham lived faithfully, that he was a man of
faith, and really, this is what Abraham is known
for in the Bible, being an exemplar of faith,
a pilgrim with faith in this world, living faithfully,
with justifying faith in the promise or the gospel,
and having the righteousness of Christ imputed
or... reckoned to him. And we'll also see later
that it's not just that he had this faith, but
it's that this faith grew. And it was strengthened
progressively throughout his life. And that his
confidence and his assurance and his boldness
in the promise that God had given to him grows
over time as he nears and draws closer To death
over the years. But above this and above even
the faithfulness of the great patriarch. We see
over and over time and time again in the book
of Genesis and throughout the word of God. That
the scriptures primary purpose is not to reveal
so much what man is like or who man is. But the
scripture reveals to us who God himself is. And
his character. And the faithfulness of God himself.
The sovereignty and the divine character of God
himself. So over and above the faith of the patriarch.
We'll see this transcendent faithfulness of God
in the text. To the patriarch. But also to all
of God's covenant people. Throughout the ages.
Because of the gospel. Of Jesus Christ. Because
of the work. That the Lord Jesus Christ. Has
done. In his life. His death. And his resurrection.
So first. The death of the patriarch. Consider
the reality. That Abraham. The man of faith.
Died. Just stop there for a moment. And consider
that. If anyone throughout the scriptures was
going to be exempt from death, from the clutches
of the grave, we might think that it would be
the patriarch Abraham. We might think that it
would be this one that had fellowship and communion
with God for so long. This one that God called
out and used. This one that... that God brought
forth the Messiah from. One might think that
he would be exempt from the clutches of death.
But he's not. He dies. He goes to the grave.
He has to face that reality at the end of his
life. When it comes down to it, the patriarch
is what? He's a man. He dies. His life comes
to an end. He stops breathing. His heart stops
beating at some point in time. It's true. For
all those with faith, with the exception of a
few throughout history that God has spared for
various redemptive reasons. The best of men.
are men. And they go to the grave. Just like
every single person in this room will die. Just
like the patriarch died. I will meet my end one
day. Where will it be? I don't know. What will
I be doing? I don't know. Who will I be with?
I don't know. What will the circumstances and
the situation be? I don't know, brothers and
sisters, but I do know. I am going to die. I
know that reality. I know that's a fact. Being
a born -again Christian and having faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ and the work that He has accomplished
does not exempt us. From the difficulties. And
the trials. And the circumstances. That all men
face. That all men deal with. Being a believer.
Being given the gift of faith. Does not exempt
us. From the reality. Of death. But. The gift
of faith. Does enable believers. To. face that
reality in a way that honors the living God.
It enables the believer to come face to face
with that terrible reality that is meant to be
judgment against sin and to do so without fear
and without dread because that faith enables
them to look past that reality. to further and
more transcendent realities which are promised
in the gospel. So it doesn't exempt us from these
realities, but it enables the believer to face
these realities different than the unbelieving
world around us. And this is the case with Abraham.
Now Abraham knew he was going to die. Just like
he knew his wife Sarah, who died previously,
would one day die. And so we see in this text
that Abraham actually prepares to meet this reality.
We see this in several ways. We see it in the
fact that he gave gifts to his other sons. We
see this in the text. It says this, What Abraham
was doing in this is he was securing, to the
best of his ability, the goodwill of his sons
who will, who were potentially rival heirs for
Isaac and all that God had promised. He's blessing
them in the best ways that he can. Most likely
when it says the sons of his concubines, it's
referring to Keturah, who's mentioned in verse
1, but it's most likely referring to Ishmael's
mother as well, Hagar. I don't believe it's referring
to a harem of concubines, but it's referring
to these individuals who we've already encountered
throughout the narrative of Abraham's life. So
he gives gifts to his sons, his other sons. He
doesn't give them the inheritance. He reserves
this for Isaac. And then we see, That he gave
everything that he had to the son of promise,
Isaac. Because he believed that Isaac was the
sole heir of the blessing and the promise that
God had given to him. And then we see also that
he sent the other sons away from Isaac. What's
he doing there? He's protecting the promise.
He's protecting the blessing and the heir, Isaac
himself. And then lastly, we also see that he's
buried at Machpelah, which is facing Mamre, the
same place that Sarah is buried. He purchased
a burial plot that his wife used, that he would
use on many of his later... lineage would use
as well. He prepared and he readied himself for
death. He knew that it was coming. He knew that
it was approaching and that it would come. It
wasn't something that surprised him. He didn't
come to the end of his life and, oh, I'm going
to die. He knew it was coming. He knew it was
approaching, and he knew that he was approaching
that reality as well. He prepared and he readied
himself for it. Now, what was he like when death
came upon him? What was his condition in his
heart and his mind? What was his spiritual condition
and his spiritual state at the time of his death?
Well, the text tells us in verses 7 through 8.
It says in verse 8, Abraham breathed his last
and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied
with life. That word ripe means full. It carries
the idea that Abraham was full of blessing and
blessedness, happiness. In his heart, in his
mind, he was content with his life and the life
that he had lived up until that point as he faced
death. He was full, quantitatively and qualitatively,
of divine blessing and divine favor, and he was
conscious of that reality in his life. He knew.
That his life was the object of divine favor
and divine care. He understood this and he believed
this. Not just early in his life when he was
zealous. But he believed this later in his life
as he was nearing death. As his life was closing
and coming to an end. But it also says that he
was satisfied with... life. He wasn't seeking
to prolong his days. He wasn't discontent with
the fact that he was dying. He was satisfied
with the life that he had lived up to that point.
And he was satisfied with the reality that he
was passing from this world into the next. He
was content. He was full of peace. And he was
happy in the Lord, I believe. Listen to this
quote from John Calvin. He says, The chief part
of a good old age consists in this, a good conscience
and in a serene and tranquil mind. So, here's
Abraham who's 175 years old. Physically, he's
not at the strongest he's ever been. He's an
old man. He's frail. He's weak. He's brittle.
He knows that he's about to pass. Yet, inside
of himself, he's content and peaceful. He's joyful.
He knows that God has been faithful to him all
of these years. He knows that God has protected
him and watched over him, that God has preserved
him, that God has blessed him, that God has fellowshiped
with him, that God has communed with him, that
God has guided him, and God has directed him,
and he knows that that will not cease at the
grave. He knows, and he's confident, and he's
assured in his heart, his mind, and his soul,
and his affections, brothers and sisters. At
this time in his life. That God is watching over
him. Guiding him and directing him. And that
he is justified in the sight of a living God.
Because he has believed the promise that God
has given to him. That God would bless him in
future generations. He has believed what God
has said to him. begs the question, how in the
world is any person or how in the world is Abraham
able to be like this at the end of his life?
How is he able to look into the jaws of death
and look at the grave and do so confidently and
boldly with peace and contentment and tranquility
in his heart and his mind? How can any sane person
Do that. Well, what is Abraham known for, brothers
and sisters? Faith. Believing God. Everything
we see in this text points to the reality that
at the end of Abraham's life, his whole world
is oriented around the promise and what God has
said to him. Everything. Why is Machpelah facing
Mamre? Because God was faithful at Mamre. And
he knew that God would give him the land at Mamre.
Why did he send off his other sons? Because he's
protecting the promise. Why did he give everything
he had to Isaac? Because God had promised Isaac
would be the sole heir. He's believing the gospel,
brothers and sisters. And he's been transformed
and transformed and transformed over the years.
by that gospel, through his justifying faith.
As he has believed the gospel, he has been progressively
transformed over time in such a way that when
he comes to death, his affections are settled.
That when he comes to death, he's not tossed
off kilter to the left and tossed off kilter
to the right, but he's steady. Because he's resting
in the steadfast faithfulness of the living God
who has proved his faithfulness time and time
again in his life. He's believing what God has
said to him. This is why we read in the book
of Romans that Abraham actually grows stronger
in faith. as he progressively ages. Listen to
this in Romans chapter 4. In hope against hope,
he believed. Speaking of Abraham. So that he
might become a father of many nations. According
to that which had been spoken to him, so shall
your descendants be. The promise, the gospel,
which God has given to him. Without becoming
weak in faith, He contemplated his own body,
now as good as dead since he was about a hundred
years old, in the deadness of Sarah's womb. But
listen to this. Yet, with respect to the promise
of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew
strong in faith, giving glory to God and being
fully assured. That what God had promised, he
was able to perform. He grew strong in faith
as he drew closer to death. Even though our physical
situation digresses. Brothers and sisters, the
inner man. That is wholly and completely strengthened
and oriented. And built on and blessed by and
through faith. Can grow strong over time. Can
progressively increase in strength. And be formed
more and more into the image and the likeness
of Jesus Christ. This is why 2 Corinthians chapter
4 talks about. being inwardly renewed day by
day. The Spirit of God changes us and transforms
us. This was the reality for Abraham. He finished
well by faith. And, brothers and sisters, he
went to the grave and he died in faith. Why is
faith so important for the life and the death
of the believer? Because if we want to come to
the end of our lives, and we want to have a good
conscience, we want to have confidence and boldness,
we want to be free of fear, and we want to die
well and honor God in our death. then brothers
and sisters, we have to believe in a righteousness
that is not our own. We have to believe in a
righteousness that is alien and foreign to ourselves.
A righteousness that is perfect and complete.
The righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because
only in His righteousness can we find perfect
standing in the sight of God where we are free
of condemnation. But if we have that faith, that
Abraham had justifying, saving faith, at the
end of our life, we can look at death and say,
you have no place in me. You have no claim on
me. I know my future. I know my fate. I know
where I'm going. I know what Christ has done.
I know what justification means. I know who I
am in Christ. We can come to the end of our life
wielding the same kind of faith that Abraham
came to the grave with. And we can die well with
boldness and confidence. It's only by trusting
in a perfect righteousness, the righteousness
of Christ, that any sinner can confidently look
at death and say, I do not fear. We are sinners,
brothers and sisters. And why does death exist?
Because of sin and God's judgment against sin
in the world. But listen. Because of the work
of Christ and the righteousness of the Lord Jesus.
The curse only brings us to the grave. It ushers
us into the very presence of God though. So we
can look at it boldly. And we can face it in
Christ and His righteousness. Faith is the only
way of being sanctified. And growing in this
life. where we're transformed and changed as
Abraham was transformed and changed, that we
might have settled heart affections when we come
to our death. Yes, justification is by faith,
brothers and sisters, but we mustn't ever forget
that sanctification is by faith as well. It's
not just that we have to believe the gospel.
To be saved. To be brought into right standing
with God. To be declared as though we're not
a sinner. To be declared righteous in His standing.
But brothers and sisters, we have to continue
to believe and exercise our faith that God would
sanctify us and transform us progressively in
this life so that when we come to the end of
our life, our inner man is stronger than he used
to be. That's by faith. Faith is vital for living
well, but we can't forget that faith is vital
for dying well also. It's only faith that is
able to look beyond the grave. And to see realities
which God has promised in the gospel. The carnal
man, the man outside of Christ, doesn't look
that far. He sees his life. He sees what's going
on, what he has, what he doesn't have, his situation.
And he's very, very limited in his sight. And
when he comes to his death, He sees the grave.
Most likely with a tormented conscience or so
satiated by the things of this world that he's
deceived himself into thinking he's done no wrong
or that there is no maker. But the Christian
can come to the grave and see beyond the grave.
And see beyond death knowing what is to come
because of the gospel and the promises that God
has made in Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters,
we can look with the eye of faith and see the
power of the living God. And see the resurrection
power of God to raise us on the last day. With
the eye of faith, we can look at the grave, we
can look at our lives, and we can see that He
changes and He transforms through faith. We can
look beyond the grave and see that even saints,
that saints go and be with their Father into
a sweeter, greater fellowship to such a degree
that Paul can say in 2 Corinthians 5 to go and
be at home with the Lord. Philippians chapter
1, you can say, to live is Christ and to die
is gain. That's all by faith. We can't look at
death, think about death with the carnal eye
or according to the flesh. It will bring us to
despair and hopelessness. But if we look at the
grave with the eye of faith, brothers and sisters,
there is great hope. There is great encouragement,
there is great strength, and there is great confidence
that can be free of fear because of the gifts
that God has given to us as a result of the gospel
of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, Abraham
was the man of faith. Yet he died. But he did
believe at the end of his life. This brings us
to the second thing we have to consider this
morning. The transcendent faithfulness of God.
When we think about faith and the faithfulness
of God, have you ever considered the reality
that our faith and what we believe as Christians
would be absolutely and completely vain? useless,
and pointless, and to no end, to no avail, if
God himself were not faithful to his promises.
Our faith would be meaningless if we're not built
on the foundation of God's own faithfulness to
his promises. We see this in the text. Yes, Abraham
was the man of faith. But his faith would have
been worthless and vain if God himself were not
true to his word. If God himself were not faithful
to the promises that he has made to the man of
faith. The reason we can believe is because of
the faithfulness of God himself. Consider that
God was faithful to Abraham throughout his life.
Just think about the whole of Abraham's life
and the Abraham narrative in the book of Genesis.
Think about how faithful God was to him. He calls
him out of this pagan world and this pagan society
and this pagan lifestyle, brothers and sisters.
He comes to Abraham and calls him out. Abraham
doesn't go looking for the Lord. And then he
gives him this promise graciously. He didn't
have to give him this promise. He watches over
Abraham throughout the years. He guides him.
He meets with him. He fellowships with him. He
blesses him. Think about the abundant blessings
in the life of Abraham. His progeny and descendants.
Think about his wealth and his influence in that
world. And we can read in the Psalms how God
protected him and guided him as a prophet and
as the patriarch and as his people. God was faithful
to him throughout his life. But we also have
to consider that God was faithful to Abraham
up to his death. All the way up to his death.
Now remember the description that it gives us
of how Abraham died? That is... A direct fulfillment
of a promise that God makes to Abraham in Genesis
chapter 15, verse 15. Listen to this. As for
you, this is the Lord speaking to Abraham. As
for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace
and you will be buried at a good old age. God
promised Abraham that he would die well. God
promised Abraham that he would die at a ripe
old age. And he brought it about. He accomplished
it. He was faithful to the patriarch up to his
death. But we also see, brothers and sisters,
that his faithfulness did not cease when Abraham
died. We read in the book of Matthew, and we'll
go ahead and turn there briefly. In Matthew 22,
31 through 32, we read this. This is the Sadducees
coming and approaching Jesus and talking to Him
about the resurrection. And they didn't believe
in the resurrection. And here's some of the things
that Jesus says. But regarding the resurrection
of the dead, have you not read what was spoken
to you by God? I am the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And listen
to what the Lord says. He is not the God of the
dead, but of the living. God, following the Exodus,
when he says, I am, in the present tense, not
I was, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
After Abraham's death, when Moses is speaking
to God in the burning bush, God says, I am the
God of Abraham. Meaning, I am now the God of
the patriarch. Even though he may physically
be dead, he may physically be in the ground,
he is still in fellowship and communion with
me. He is still the God of Abraham. There's a
reason, brothers and sisters, that paradise or
heaven is called... Abraham's bosom because he
is in fellowship with the living God now in a
different form, in a different sphere, in a different
way than he was physically in this world when
he walked as the patriarch by faith. God's faithfulness
to Abraham continued in death. It didn't stop
when he died. We even see that God was faithful
to his word that he gave to Abraham after he
died. When we consider Genesis 25 and we think
about the lineage of Ishmael and the kings and
the nations and the leaders and the things that
would come as a result of Ishmael's in Ishmael's
offspring and his children. And it specifically
says that there was 12 tribes that came from
Ishmael. Now, Ishmael outlived Abraham by many
years. Abraham dies, and then Ishmael continues,
and then he dies many later years after Ishmael,
after Abraham does. This is important. Because
it's not just listing the lineage and the offspring
of Ishmael for no reason. Why is the author doing
this? Because God had made a promise to Abraham
regarding Ishmael and his offspring in Genesis
chapter 17. He said in Genesis 17 verses 18 through
20, And Abraham said to God, Oh, that Ishmael
might live before you. But God said, No, but
Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son, and you
shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish
my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant
for his descendants after him. As for Ishmael,
I have heard you. Behold, I will bless him and
will make him fruitful and will multiply him
exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve
princes. And I will make him a great nation.
Now Abraham died. But God keeps his word to Ishmael
following Abraham's death. God is good to his
word even after the patriarch has exited the
scene. And then we see in verse 11 that God blesses
Isaac. As he told Abraham he would. God is faithful
to the promise throughout the generations. The
faithfulness of our God, His mighty faithfulness,
brothers and sisters, transcends circumstances,
situations, problems, and even people. It transcends
the grave, brothers and sisters. What can hold
back the faithfulness of God to His covenant
people? What can stay the hand of our sovereign
God who has said, I will be faithful to my people?
What can keep Him? What can hinder Him? from
bringing about His purposes and His plans in
this world for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Can
we, as sinners, hold back the faithfulness of
God in our own lives? Can our sin and our frailty,
can our weakness, can our lack of faith hinder
the faithfulness of God in our lives? Can we
constrain the mighty, powerful, sovereign, faithful
hand of the living God? No, brothers and sisters.
He will accomplish His purposes. His faithfulness
transcends all of these things. Many times in
my own life, I find myself overestimating my
ability to keep God from doing something. And
underestimate God's ability to bring about his
purposes in my life or in that situation. Do
you know why that is, brothers and sisters? That's
because of the remnant of sin that dwells within
me. That's because of the remnant of sin that
dwells within you. That we underestimate the
faithfulness and the power. And the divinity
of God himself. And we make him like a man. And
we overestimate. Our significance. And our importance.
And our ability. Or our inability. Can we. Hold
back. The transcendent. Faithful hand. Of the
sovereign God. No. Can our enemies. Hold back
the faithfulness of God. Can the world, the flesh,
or the devil? Can Satan thwart God's gospel purposes
in your life? Can Satan thwart God's gospel purposes
in this world for the church? No, brothers and
sisters. Our enemies cannot hold back the faithful
hand of God. Can death hold back the faithfulness
of God in the life of His covenant people? Can
our weakness and frailty in our old age keep
the hand of God from accomplishing His divine
purposes in our lives? No, brothers and sisters.
None can hold back. None can keep the faithfulness
of God from being brought about. God is faithful.
And it transcends every situation, every circumstance,
every enemy, every hardship, every child, and
even death, brothers and sisters. Why? Because
of the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The work that He has accomplished in the Gospel.
The glorious Gospel of God. Christ was faithful.
And God is faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And that means, brothers and sisters, that God
is faithful to all those in Christ. All His covenant
people. And He will be so perfectly for all time,
even beyond the grave.