创世记二十三章，记载撒拉的死和埋葬。亚伯拉罕一生必定作了许多大事，为甚么圣经没有记载那些事，却用了二十节之多描述他如何费时、费力、费财、甚至一再下拜，来取得一块坟地。但圣经不浪费任何字。圣经每个字既都是神的呼出，创世记二十三章就必定非常有意义。每位基督徒都宝贵创世记一章，因为那是神创造的记载。然而，我们很少人宝贵坟地。但创世记二十三章是以坟地为中心，并且详细记载购买坟地的事。这块坟地的说法非常有意义，因为圣经告诉我们，不仅撒拉葬在那里，并且亚伯拉罕、以撒、利百加、雅各和利亚也葬在那里。非常有意义的是，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的名字，乃是复活之神神圣名称的组成成分（太二二32）。
创世记二十三章是一扇窗户，透过这扇窗户我们能看到新耶路撒冷。在这章里看不到新耶路撒冷，但透过这章却能看到。创世记二十一章记载以撒的出生。接着，同章告诉我们，亚伯拉罕赎回一口井，栽上一棵垂丝柳树，并呼求耶和华以利俄拉姆的名。我们也已经看过，二十二章记载献以撒的事。然后，二十三章记载撒拉的死和埋葬。这三章至少包括了三十七年。在这三十七年中，亚伯拉罕必定遭遇了许多事，但圣经只题到四件事：以撒的出生，在别是巴的生活，以撒的献上，以及撒拉的死和埋葬。这三章略去了我们所认为重要的事，却包含了撒拉的死和埋葬的详细记载。因此，我们必须密切留意创世记二十三章。
在二十二章的末了，亚伯拉罕、撒拉和以撒住在别是巴，毫无疑问，他们是住在立约的井和垂丝柳树附近。这是教会生活的小影，因为教会生活总是在活水井和垂丝柳树旁。忽然，二十三章的开头告诉我们，撒拉死了。虽然亚伯拉罕、撒拉和以撒住在别是巴，但撒拉死了是葬在希伯仑，就是与神交通的地方。
按照地图，希伯仑在南边的别是巴和北边的耶路撒冷之间，在别是巴到摩利亚的路上，摩利亚就是耶路撒冷所在的地方。主若迟延祂的回来，我愿意葬在通往新耶路撒冷路上的一个地方。今天你住在那里？我们都必须回答，我们住在别是巴，在活水井和垂丝柳树旁的教会中。我们的教会生活就是今天的别是巴。在主回来以前，有些年长的人会离开别是巴，就是教会生活，死在希伯仑，在那里等候新耶路撒冷。希伯仑不仅是与神交通的地方，也是通往耶路撒冷的路。在希伯仑的麦比拉洞是通往新耶路撒冷的门。撒拉不是仅仅葬在麦比拉洞；她现今睡在那里，等候有一天醒来，发现自己在新耶路撒冷。
信息重点：撒拉没有葬在别是巴的教会生活里，乃是葬在希伯仑——幔利就是希伯仑，与神交通的地方。创世记二十三章是一扇窗户，透过坟地的详细记载，看见复活的盼望与新耶路撒冷。死不是了结，乃是在交通中睡了，等候醒来进入新耶路撒冷。
应用祷告：主耶稣，感谢你，死对你我不是了结，乃是睡了等候你回来。叫我今天就住在别是巴——活水井旁的教会生活中，与你有甜美的交通；也预备我，将来能像撒拉一样，死在希伯仑，在与你的交通中安息，等候新耶路撒冷。阿们。
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Dying in Fellowship with God — Gen. 23:19
Genesis 23 records the death and burial of Sarah. Abraham must have done many great things during his lifetime, and I do not understand why the Bible does not record them, yet uses as many as twenty verses to describe how he spent time, effort and money, and even bowed down repeatedly, in order to obtain a burial site. But the Bible does not waste any words. Since every word of the Bible is the breath of God, Genesis 23 must be meaningful. Every Christian treasures Genesis 1, because it is the record of God’s creation. However, very few of us treasure a burial site. Yet Genesis 23 is centered on a burial site and records in detail the purchase of it. The matter of this burial site is meaningful, because the Bible tells us that not only Sarah was buried there, but also Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah. It is most meaningful that the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are components of the divine title of the God of resurrection (Matt. 22:32).
Genesis 23 is a window through which we can see the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem cannot be seen in this chapter, but through this chapter we can see it. Genesis 21 records the birth of Isaac. Then the same chapter tells us that Abraham redeemed a well, planted a tamarisk tree, and called on the name of Jehovah, the Eternal God. We have also seen that chapter 22 records the offering up of Isaac. Then chapter 23 records the death and burial of Sarah. These three chapters cover at least 37 years. During these 37 years Abraham must have encountered many things, but the Bible mentions only four: the birth of Isaac, the living in Beersheba, the offering up of Isaac, and the death and burial of Sarah. These three chapters omit what we consider important, yet include a detailed record of the death and burial of Sarah. Therefore, we need to pay close attention to Genesis 23.
At the end of chapter 22, Abraham, Sarah and Isaac were living in Beersheba; without a doubt, they were living near the well of the covenant and the tamarisk tree. This is a miniature of the church life, because the church life is always beside the well of living water and the tamarisk tree. Suddenly, the beginning of chapter 23 tells us that Sarah died. Although Abraham, Sarah,and Isaac lived in Beersheba, when Sarah died she was buried in Hebron, the place of fellowship with God.
According to the map, Hebron is located between Beersheba to the south and Jerusalem to the north, on the road from Beersheba to Moriah, Mroiah being the iste of Jerusalem. If the Lord delays His coming back, I would be willing to be buried at a place on the way to the New Jerusalem. Where do you live today? We all must answer that we live in Beersheba, in the church beside the well of living water and the tamarisk tree. Our church life is today’s Beersheba. Before the Lord returns, some of the older ones will leave Beersheba, the church life, and die in Hebron, waiting there for the New Jerusalem. Hebron is not only the place of fellowship with God but also the road leading to Jerusalem. The cave of Machpelah in Hebron is the gate leading to the New Jerusalem. Sarah was not merely buried in the cave of Machpelah; she is sleeping there now, waiting for the day when she will awake and find herself in the New Jerusalem.
Message Main Points: Sarah was not buried within the church life of Beersheba, rather, she was buried in Hebron – for Mamre is Hebron, the place of fellowship with God. Genesis 23 is a window through which, by means of the detailed record of the burial site, we see the hope of resurrection and the New Jerusalem. Death is not the end but a sleep in fellowship, awaiting the awakening to enter the New Jerusalem.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You; for You and for me, death is not an end but a sleep while awaiting Your return. May I dwell today in Beersheba — in the church life by the well of living water — enjoying sweet fellowship with You; and may You prepare me so that, in the future, I may — like Sarah — die in Hebron, resting in fellowship with You as I await the New Jerusalem. Amen.