Welcome to The Sofa Series. Our ultimate goal in the series is to not just understand more of the Bible, but through the series, get to know who God really is. Here on the sofa, you’ll pull up your comfiest chair, tuck your feet under your Snuggie, and dig into God’s Word. Here, we’re informal yet unafraid to dig into the hard-to-understand things in God’s Word. Here, all are welcome, regardless of how much you already know (or don’t!) about the Bible. Are you ready?

The Reading Plan: Week 1 

We study: The Death of Sarah, the Marriage of Isaac, the Death of Abraham and Ishmael, Isaac, Isaac’s sons, divine covenant, Jacob’s deception, Jacob’s journey into Haran, Jacob’s marriage and return to Canaan.

Day 1: Genesis 23-24
Day 2: Genesis 25-26
Day 3: Genesis 27-28
Day 4: Genesis 29-30
Day 5: Genesis 31-33

Day 1 Reading

Sarah’s death
Oh, Genesis 23. I can read this chapter and have it literally bring tears to my eyes. It’s not a significant passage, not the crucifixion of Jesus, or the birth of our savior. What it is… is pure love.

Imagine Abraham, who has been wandering the earth for pretty much his entire adult life. He’s a tent-dweller, moving from this place to that as God directs. As he journeys, his beautiful bride passes.

Now Abraham is well-loved in the area. As he attempts to buy a tomb for his beloved, the Hittites will not hear of it. In verse 5, the Hittites say to him,

Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

Here is a man they love, honor, and respect. They would love nothing more than to giveAbraham what he needs to bury his family. But Abraham would have no part of it. Relentlessly, he persists until they allow him to buy a tomb.

So how is this love, you ask? Sure seems a little pig-headed and arrogant. They tried to give him this gift to honor him, but he refused. And honestly, it was the same tomb she would have been buried in if they’d have given it to him.

But remember, Abraham has never really had a place to call home. And that means Sarah never did either. Of all the 100 years they’d been together, went where God asked, and traveled with their belongings and workers, they never had a place of permanence. Now that Sarah would finally have her permanent resting place, there’s no way Abraham would have this given to him. He paid full price for a home for his bride, not because he had to but because she was worth it.

Download the Genesis reading plan here.

Genesis Chapters 1-4

http://karensippswrites.com/the-sofa-series-genesis-chapters-5-6/