K is for Keturah.
Scripture Reference:
Genesis 25:1-6; 1 Chronicles 1:32, 33Meaning of Name:
IncenseFamily Connections:
Abraham's concubine whom he took as wife (after Sarah died). The mother of Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.Interesting Facts about Keturah:
- As a concubine, Keturah did not have the rights of a wife; nor were her children considered rightful heirs of Abraham, although gifts were given by Abraham to his six sons.
- Keturah was the mother to six of Abraham's sons from which the six Arabian tribes of Southern and Eastern Palestine originated.
- Keturah had a part in helping to fulfill the promise that Abraham would become the "father of many nations".
- Keturah surrounded Abraham in his declining years with care and love.
- She remained faithful to Abraham.
- Keturah honored her role as a wife to Abraham.
What We Can Learn from Keturah:
- We all have a part to fulfill in God's plan.
- Remain faithful to our husband.
- Show care for our husband.
- Show love to our husband.
There were some differing opinions/theories that I wanted to include in my points of interest that I discovered, but I decided to leave them out. As you can see, I'm conflicted about whether or not to mention them since I'm even telling you this. It is worthy to note simply because of a very important lesson we can learn should the theory be valid. I'm no Bible scholar certainly, but here's a theory I found while studying that I can't leave out because of the life lesson I see in it that would benefit us all.
When Abraham sent away his six sons it is possible that some were still young enough to need the care of their mother, so Keturah would have been sent away with them. She had a choice to make in how she would respond in her time of crisis upon learning that she had to leave everything that she knew and loved. Keturah could have rejected the faith of the one true God that had been a part of her life as Abraham's wife. But from what we can see in the life of Jethro, a priest of Median (of the descendants of Midian, Keturah's son) and future father-in-law of Moses, she did not reject her faith, but carried it with her and her six sons to the land they had been sent away to by Abraham. She took the truth of God with her and continued to raise her sons in the faith. To sustain and pass on this faith, she must have had a deep, personal relationship with Yahweh.
How do we respond to the crisis of our lives? Do we grasp on to the faith of our personal relationship with God as Keturah seems to have done or do we forsake it in feelings of resentment for what has happened to us?
Again, I'm no Bible scholar, but the lesson is certainly worth thinking about, isn't it.
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Walking in His Grace,
Laurie
Those are some really interesting thoughts that I never considered before. I learned a lot from reading this post. Thanks for sharing! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Erica! I learned a lot too in my study of Keturah. There is so much we can learn from the study of God's Word. I am amazed by what I have learned in this series. Things I've never seen before are being brought to light! Blessings to you! :)
DeleteDid Abraham really send away his concubine Keturah along with her six sons, or they were old enough to go alone while she stayed (along behind with some other concubines) to care for her husband. The bible doesn't clearly say. In my opinion, she stayed back to care for the patriarch while her sons left with the gifts their father gave them, to go establish themselves in the land of the east.
Delete"Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines(plural)and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east."(Gen.25:5-6, NIV).