July 16, 2023
Reading: Genesis 25-26:34
Focus: Genesis 26:23 – The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger that the other and the older will serve the younger.”
Abraham and Ishmael’s stories end here. Abraham had taken another wife after Sarah. Her name was Keturah. With her, Abraham had 6 more sons. He left all he had to Isaac but gave his other son’s an inheritance and sent them away from Isaac to lands in the east. When Abraham was 175 years old, he died. Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the same cave where Sarah had been buried. Ishmael’s 12 sons are listed along with where they lived and where he died.
Now, The story of Jacob and Esau is one of a third generation on the road to creating the nation of Abraham’s descendants that was promised. It shows us how God works in spite of one’s life choices. Let’s face it, Jacob was a jerk. He took advantage of his brother’s hunger to steal his brother’s birthright as the eldest son. He tricked his father into giving him the blessing that should have been given to the first born, Esau. He had been so devious that he had to run for his life. The story of the relationship between Jacob and Esau reads almost like a soap opera. It is full jealousy, favoritism, greed, deception and hostility between brothers.
For a long time, it seemed that Rebekah was barren. Isaac prayed to the Lord and He answered his prayer. She had a rough pregnancy. It seemed as though a minor war was occurring within her womb. She went to the Lord asking, “Why is this happening to me?” The Lord had told Rebekah that two nations that would descend from her sons and the elder would serve the younger. Esau, the eldest, was everything that Jacob was not. He was a hunter and loved being out in open country. Jacob was content to remain at home, tending to the family’s livestock. I don’t know if either man had been told of the prophecy given to Rebekah but Jacob began fulfilling that prophecy by taking Esau’s birthright.
Having the birthright was very important and much more rigid than it is today. After the father died, or in the father’s absence, the firstborn son assumed the father’s authority and responsibilities. However, the Bible also shows that the father could rescind the birthright and pass it on to a younger son but valid cause had to be shown. We’ll see more of this with Jacob’s sons. Not only that, that person became the religious leader and judge of the family. The birthright inheritance is a double portion of all goods and wealth along with all the rights and authorities of the deceased father. In other words, when Isaac died, Esau would be in charge and would receive two thirds of all of Isaac’s possessions and Jacob would receive one third.
Obviously, Jacob took exception to that. One day when Esau had been out hunting, without success, he returned home very hungry. He claimed he was so hungry he was dying. Esau demanded something to eat. Jacob was sitting among the tents cooking. Jacob took advantage and asked to trade food for Esau’s birthright. The family birthright which included, among other things, being heir to the Covenant between God and Abraham. This birthright was also the link in the line of descent through which the Promised Messiah was to come. Esau had so little interest in spiritual things that the birthright meant nothing to him. Jacob wanted the birthright and Esau didn’t care about giving it up at that particular moment. Giving up one’s birthright for a bowl of stew and bread was unthinkable, yet Esau sold it for food.
Jacob tended to rely on his own resources rather than going to God for guidance. He was a trickster and conniving. He accumulated wealth for its own sake. He relied on himself to succeed. This story shows us that all of our actions and intentions, good or bad, can be woven into God’s plan to bring the outcome that God wants. We will suffer or be blessed by our actions, sometimes both. Esau, on the other hand, tended to be impulsive to get what he wanted. He sold his birthright for food and instead of waiting for his father’s choice of a bride, he chose wives from among the Canaanites. He must have regretted his actions bitterly afterward.
Jacob didn’t think through what consequences taking the birthright would bring. He never looked beyond the right now. The birthright was his. But what was he going to do with it. He never thought that that transaction would come back to bite him in the rear. He wanted it and he got it. Esau didn’t care, at the moment, for anything except satisfying his hunger. He didn’t think it through either. They both forgot that actions bring consequences. In this case, BIG consequences.
By giving up his birthright, Esau had fulfilled the prophecy given to Rebekah. Esau had put himself as subservient to Jacob. When Isaac died, Jacob would inherit the rights and authorities of his father. Esau would be the one with one third of the inheritance and would be beholden to Jacob, as leader of the family. Like I said, I don’t know if these two had heard the prophecy given to their mother, but their actions brought it to fruition.
How many times in our lives do we make choices that we regret. Many times, we have chosen our own path. Others times we don’t wait on God and still others, we choose what we want in spite of God’s direction. We are responsible for our own actions and for the consequences they bring. However, God allows events to occur in our lives to accomplish His purposes. We must always consider the consequences. Don’t grab for everything you want. It will not satisfy. Do not sell yourself short like Esau did. You could miss out on something very important. Either way, it can bring sorrow but God can still use that event to move us down the path of His will.
Jesus was tempted by Satan before beginning His ministry. In the desert, Satan presented Him with the three basic temptations of man; our needs and wants, our faith in God and our desire for wealth and power. Like Esau, He was hungry but Jesus didn’t have to prove He was God and rebuked Satan, where Esau sold out to Jacob. Jesus was tempted to put God to the test. He rebuked Satan again. We should stand fast in our faith trusting God completely rather than taking what we want and expecting God to get us out of trouble later. Finally, Jesus was tempted with power and material things. He stopped Satan in his tracks. Jesus would not take the easy way out just to win men’s hearts, minds and souls. He would walk the road that God had laid out before Him, unlike Jacob and Esau, who took what they wanted when they wanted it.
Who guides your choices?
Father God, Thank You for opening my eyes to how my choices affect me and others. Help me in my weakness to be strong in You. Thank You for showing me what is important and what is not. Guide me as I write. Help me tell Your Truth. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Food for Thought
- What do you think about Jacob’s character in this story?
- What do you think about Esau’s character?
- Do you think that God would have achieved the same result if they had chosen differently? Why or Why not?
- What are you willing to trade for the things you want?
- Do you sometimes feel that important things in life pass you by while you are grabbing for something you want? Why?
