An Old Man and Full of Years

Purpose: To encourage us to live a life of faith and obedience so that we may die like Abraham.

First, from verses 1-6, we have Abraham’s inheritance. Then, from verses 7-11, we have Abraham’s death, and finally, from verses 12-18, we have Abraham’s other son.

"Who are your people? And where will you go?

The wicked prophet Balaam said, “Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!” (Numbers 23:10)

Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous; full of years and in peace. The big problem, however, was that he was not willing to live the life of the righteous. And so in the end, his wish did not come true for he perished with the wicked under the judgment of God.

May the record of the death of Abraham encourage us to live the life of Abraham – a life of true faith and obedience, so that when it comes for us to die, we may die like Abraham and all the other saints of old."