The Rightful Heir - Genesis 25:1–18

Do you know what it’s like to be an outsider? How it feels to not be included, to not belong? It’s not a good feeling. It’s definitely something young people face, as you come through school. Everyone needs a group. Everyone wants to fit in. 

For many of us, the school days are long gone, but I’m sure you can remember how it felt. Even as adults, we encounter those feelings sometimes. Of course, we have more control over our lives as adults. But still, we need a place: a sound and healthy place where we know that we belong.

The Scriptures teach us that we do not naturally belong to the family of God. We are naturally outsiders. In Ephesians 2 in the NT, the apostle Paul says this to the church: “Remember that you were…strangers to the covenants of promise.” They were foreigners. They had no share in God’s promises. 

Yet, then he adds, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” You were outsiders; now you are insiders. 

And the apostle John says something that clarifies further how outsiders are brought into God’s family. John says this about Jesus. “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own [to the nation of Israel], and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

You see, sinners are outsiders who can only come to God by the power of God. And God exercised that power in full through the person and the work of Jesus Christ.
Jesus deserves all the glory for bringing sinners to God, for giving us the right to become God’s children. Of course, all people are created by God, but sin pits us against God. Something must be done with our sin. You must be born again. 

Even these covenant children - who by way of their believing parents are included in the covenant community - these children must be born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Boys and girls, you must repent and place faith in Jesus and His righteousness so that you may be saved from sin and death. When we repent and trust in Jesus, we become God’s children, and Paul writes, “if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” 

But what does it mean to be an heir with Christ? Genesis 25 speaks to that question. If you had an inheritance coming your way, wouldn’t you like to know what it consists of? Of course you would. Believers have an inheritance from God by way of Jesus.

Jesus is the Rightful heir; we become heirs through him. Galatians 3 says, “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Those who know Jesus share in the inheritance that is rightfully His and His alone. 

And as the Rightful Heir, Jesus received three things. You can see them listed on p.6 in the WG. The Rightful Heir of the covenant receives: the totality of possessions, the mantle of blessing, and the legacy of peace.

Abraham’s son Isaac was the sole and rightful heir of the covenant. And as the heir of the covenant of grace which would ultimately be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, Isaac’s life points to or foreshadows Jesus.

Now, Abraham lived almost 40 more years after his wife Sarah died. We learn here that he married again, and though he was up in years, he had more sons by his new wife. Six in total. And they had children, therefore multiplying the descendants of Abraham. 

But notice verse 5 again: “Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.” The point is clear. Though Abraham had other descendants, the covenant promises of Genesis 12 and 15 and 17 were to continue only through Isaac. And notice verse [6] But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.” 

It was common practice in the ANE for men to take more than one wife or to have children with female servants. This goes against God’s intention for procreation, which was established in the Garden of Eden between one man and one woman. The law of Moses affirms monogamy; Jesus reaffirmed it during his earthly ministry, as did the apostles. But as is the case in every age, the lives of God’s people may, sadly, look like the unbelieving world. It’s not good, it’s not what’s best, but it happens. 

And to that end, we should all pause to consider how our lives may resemble those apart from God in ways that are not good. God is patient with His people. He shows us what Scripture calls His “forbearance.” By His grace, God tolerates a great deal, and of course Jesus took the full guilt of His people upon Himself on the cross.

Notice that Abraham gives gifts to these additional sons, and he sends them away, which means he gave them their freedom. Remember, they were born to servants. Abraham sets them free; Isaac would have no authority over any of them. But as the rightful heir, Isaac receives the totality of Abraham’s estate.

If you've been out west, maybe you stopped into a fast food restaurant called In-N-Out Burger. The first restaurant was opened in Los Angeles in 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder. Their company has now expanded across seven states, and last year, the company did just over 1 billion dollars in revenue overall. Yes, billion, with a “B.”

But interestingly, In-N-Out Burger remains a privately-owned company, and even more interestingly, today it has only one owner. Her name is Lynsi Synder-Ellingson. When she turned 30, Lynsi received 50% of the ownership, and on her 35th birthday, she received the remaining 50%. The reason is astounding yet very simple: she received the whole company because she was named the sole and rightful heir.

Hebrews 1 in the NT says that God the Father appointed Jesus Christ as “the heir of all things.” That means that at the end of time as we know it, when sin is finally destroyed and God renews the heavens and the earth, Jesus will take His rightful place as Ruler of all, a place that he possesses even now, and those who are born again will be there with Him. 

We will enjoy the whole created order with sin removed forever. Sin will be removed in totality. Death will be removed in totality. Pain, suffering, tears, conflict, abuse: gone forever. 

What remains will be made new and it will all belong to Jesus. And those who belong to Jesus will belong there with Jesus. 

Do you belong to Jesus?

It’s a valid question. Over and over in the NT, we read that believers “belong to Jesus Christ.” You see, His people are part of His inheritance, part of His possession. If you are in Christ, your marriage belongs to Jesus. Your home and family belongs to Him. Everything you have is His because you are His. And if you are not His, only judgment awaits. But today can be the day of salvation for you.

Now in this next section, Moses says that Abraham passed away at age 175. 175! Verse [8] Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years.” I would say so! Many people lived very long lives at that time. Sin has obviously taken its toll on human life over the ages. We don’t live so long anymore. 

And Abraham was “gathered to his people.” Abraham was buried in Canaan. He was not taken back to Mesopotamia, where he was from. What this seems to allude to is the Hebrew view of the afterlife, of immortality, that this life is not the end. The souls of people live on. Abraham died and went to that place.

Verse 9 tells us that Ishmael came back for the burial. And they laid Abraham’s body in the tomb he bought for Sarah’s burial, in the field he received as part of the deal, foreshadowing his descendants’ receiving of the promised land. But notice that even in verse 9, Isaac’s name is listed first. Isaac is the heir.

And you see verse [11] After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. Ishmael was blessed also. God said he would be blessed with descendants. But it is only Isaac who carries the mantle of the covenant blessing.

In Genesis 12, God told Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. [3] I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

But now, Abraham is gone. The blessing passes to Isaac. That blessing meant success, it meant authority, it meant that God would be with him and the plan of redemption would continue through him. Isaac now possessed God-ordained authority and God-given help. Isaac would most certainly see God’s plans for him fulfilled. 

When we look at the earthly life of Jesus Christ, described by multiple gospel writers, each giving a different perspective on the life and ministry of Jesus, one fascinating thing we see is that God was with Him and that He would most certainly succeed in God’s plans for Him. In fact, even death could not derail God’s plans. 

Death was in the plans. Through His death, Jesus blessed people of every nation on the earth. Earlier in worship, we read these words: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” —so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles.”Jesus was blessed, but He became like one cursed, so that we could be blessed.

If you are in Christ, do you trust that God can and most certainly will fulfill His plans for your life? His plans may not look just like your plans. That is typically the case. It has been so in my life. We will endure suffering; we will endure the loss of many things. Such was the life of our Lord Jesus. 

Who would have looked up to the cross on that day,and seen that bloody man, beaten and mocked, and said, “That man is blessed by God.” Fools and liars don’t know the truth. One day every tongue will confess that He was blessed. Those who are saved will rejoice in that blessing. Just because you endure many trials, that does not mean you are not blessed in Christ and with Christ.

Now in the last section, the focus goes to Ishmael. Ishmael was the first son of Abraham.

God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, but in their impatience, in a lapse of faith, they decided that Abraham should try to have a son with his servant, Hagar. It only caused problems, and Hagar and Ismael were sent away after the birth of Isaac.

Before Ishmael’s birth, the angel of the LORD told Hagar that his life  would be characterized by “his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him.” And then the angel said these words: “and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”He would live in strife and conflict and then hand those things down to his descendants.

Verses 12-18 here name his descendants and their settling places, but then notice the end of verse 18: "He settled over against all his kinsmen.” This reiterates what the angel said. Ishmael’s people were people of conflict. That was Ishmael’s legacy, and like it or not, Abraham was part of that. He had walked by sight and failed to trust God at times. And yet, by grace, Abraham was part of another legacy, which he passed on to Isaac. It was a legacy of faith; it was a legacy of peace.

In Isaiah 9, the prophet spoke of Jesus with wonderful words that we usually hear at Christmas. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.” 

The Rightful Heir of the covenant receives the legacy of peace. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

When we take our concerns and needs to God in prayer with honesty and faith, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Do you turn to Jesus for the peace you need? When we look to Jesus and apply the logic 

of His gospel to every decision and aspect of life, His peace fills the heart and the mind. Our natural legacy is fighting and conflict, walking by sight. Jesus includes His people in the legacy of peace, walking by faith.

As we go to the Lord’s table this morning, we must turn our eyes and surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, the Rightful Heir. In and through Him, we receive the covenant possessions, the covenant blessing, and the covenant peace that is rightfully His.

Do you look to Christ in this way? Do you recognize Him, not yourself, as the Rightful Heir and yourself as an outsider to the covenant, to the promises, and to the inheritance?

We are naturally outsiders, not heirs. But Jesus became an outsider so we could be included.

Jesus was like one who should be cast out so that we could be brought in to belong. And when you know that you belong, it changes everything. When you know God is with you, and that God is for and not against you, you can pray and you walk by faith and you can look for God’s work in your life. 

When you look honestly at yourself, you know you should be excluded. But when you look at your Jesus, you know He is able to make you an heir with Him.

Let’s bow together in prayer.