In all of the scriptural writings, no story touches me
to my core like the story of Abraham.
The most endearing part of Abraham’s story is that of
his death. The biblical account is not so descriptive but the Jewish tradition
found in forgotten texts is something that makes me weep every time I read it. Here is the recap: Abraham was 175 years old.
It was the Feast of Weeks celebration and both Isaac and Ishmael had come to
Hebron with their families to celebrate the Feast with their father.
During the feast, Abraham called Jacob, ‘the chosen
patriarch heir with the authority to establish Zion over all the earth’ and
invoked the blessings of heaven upon him and his seed forever. And this is the
tender part of Abraham’s death. Young Jacob was tired and he and Abraham laid
down together on one bed and ‘Jacob slept in the bosom of Abraham, who kissed
him seven times and his heart rejoiced over him and he pronounced another
blessing upon his head. He then ‘blessed the God of gods, and he covered his
face…. and slept the sleep of eternity, and was gathered to his fathers’. (Jubilees
22:26-30, Apocrypha and
Pseudepigrapha, 2:47; as quoted in
The Blessings of Abraham by E. Douglas Clerk, p 232, 233).
Jubilees goes on to say
that Jacob slept in Abraham’s arms and did not know that his grandfather was
dead until he awoke in the middle of the night and alerted his mother and
father. Upon finding him dead, Isaac ‘fell upon his face and wept and kissed
him’. His weeping was heard in all the house which brought Ishmael to his
father and ‘he and all of Abraham’s house wept bitterly’ (ibid).
Can you think of a more
noble death? It touches me to tears that Abraham died with Jacob in his arms
because Jacob would be the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham that through
him the blessings of the priesthood would be given to all the nations of the
earth. Abraham waited 38 years for the promise of Isaac and he didn’t live to
see his posterity as numerous as the dust of the earth, as promised (Genesis
13:16), but he trusted that through his grandson Jacob this promise would be
fulfilled. It’s an incredibly touching story.
I have a grand-daughter
that I adore. I consider her to be one of God’s angels that graces this earth.
She is 11 years old. She spreads love wherever she goes and she is always on
the look out to help whoever needs help. She is my Jacob. She will bless the
lives of many as she grows. I cannot think of a more noble death for myself
than dying in the arms of my grand-daughter. We are linked together by the
family and priesthood ties that will endure into eternity.
The priesthood blessings of the Abrahamic covenant
bridges us across time and space and unites us as God’s family. This was made
possible by someone greater than even Abraham…..He who has laid the foundations
of this earth and declared I
am Jehovah, the Messiah, the King of Zion, the Rock of Heaven…” (Moses 7:53).
ODE TO FATHER ABRAHAM
When in heaven we meet knit together
Under the covenant of your name,
Will you consider us your children
Will we in your heart forever remain?
Will you gather us in your arms
And kiss us each as your long-awaited son?
Will your heart then rest
When because of the Rock of our salvation
At last we are one?
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: Jesus Loves Me by Chris Brazelton)
