Jacob & Esau Gen 25 19-35

Jacob and Esau

1. Recap and Historical Context

Genealogy

Now these are the records of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham became the father of Isaac; and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.

Establish need: what is the purpose of genealogies?

Too often we overlook Genealogies without paying the attention they justly deserve, being the very word of God and profitable for teaching.

- Genealogies are essential for accuracy in historical accounting so that we (today and in the generations to come) can keep track of the things and people that have come before us. “Where did you come from where did you go where did you come from cotton eye Joe is not the theme of Genesis. “

-One of the reasons the word of God is considered a historically reliable document (even among non-believing historians) is because of its exceptionally accurate genealogical accounting and track keeping.

* Illustration: It would almost be like some random south African dropped into your church wanting to go into ministry that no one knows anything about, not so reliable right...There are definitely some of you who are thinking, Jip, seems a little sketch.

- Well fortunately for all of us, Gods word doesn’t do that to us, for the most part we know where everyone worth knowing comes from and how God brought them to that point.

- Really the only people I want to remind you of here is Abraham and Sarah the parents to Isaac and the promise that God made them which would pass down to Isaac and his son.

Recap:

1. Abraham and Sarah

i. Receives 3 specific promises which we will see God bestows on Jacob instead of Esau.

b. God promised REDEMPTION: He gave a promise of redemption through the seed of Abraham, that many nations would be blessed through Abraham, and those who blessed him would be blessed and those who cursed him would be cursed

c. God promised LAND: That God would Give His people land, The promise Land Canaan (now: parts of Israel, Syria, Lebanon)

d. God promised FRUITFULNESS: that God would give Abraham uncountable descendants, as the stars in the night sky and the sands of the sea.

2. Faith of the parents (Isaac and Rebekah) & Faithfulness of God

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.

A. Isaacs Prayer (faith displayed)

Transition:The lives of Isaac and Rebekah are brief in this passage and the focus although impactful during the narration of their lives, quickly changes to the lives of Jacob and Esau. But we can certainly see faith on both the parts of Isaac and Rebekah.

· In this one verse we should notice three things, 1) Prayer matters to God, 2) The spiritual leadership of the husband and 3) God opens and closes the womb/ All life begins with God

a. Prayer matters to God

We see Isaac expressing humility and earnest faith in the Lord to provide that which he wants but does not have, that God calls a blessing. It is clear to Isaac that without the intervention of God and His miraculous works they would never be able to conceive.

· The grammar here is indicative of an active response to the prayer of Isaac,

o Although God certainly did know this prayer would take place and that He did know how and through whom His chosen nation would be established.

o This verse does not tell us that it was based on Gods foreknowledge that He answered the prayers of Isaac, rather that it was a petition made to God and that was why God answered.

o The wording is clear; Moses wants us to hear that Gods action to answer is a reaction to or a result of the prayer Isaac made.

b. The spiritual leadership of the husband:

· scripture is indicating the spiritual leadership of Isaac over Rebekah. Obviously, Rebekah desires children, but God tells us that Isaac prayed on her behalf.

· Isaac here shows a great deal of faith. We don’t see in this verse but Isaac being 40 at marriage and 60 when Rebekah conceived shows a 20 year struggle to have children,

· His prayers were most likely many. And at 10 years in, did not faulter to his own methods unlike his parents.

o Practical: Like Isaac, we as men should be showing initiative in this way, both in the church but especially in marriage, even that time leading up to marriage.

o Are you setting the standard through your example for your possible future spouse in your prayer life, faithfully seeking after God?

o Moreover, Are you faithfully praying in line with that which God calls blessings and a good thing, such as future spouses and children.

o It is never too early, Isaac did not have children and yet faithfully prayed for them, if you do not have a wife yet, it is never too early to faithfully pray for the desires of your heart in line with Gods word.

o If your prayer life struggles now, I can guarantee you, it will struggle in your future marriage, and will certainly be difficult to be an example and leader in that way.

c. God opens and closes the womb:

· Illustration: Now as newlyweds being 6 months in Lia and I don’t have children yet, but it is certainly our hope and desire, so this is a passage that is a good reminder for us on how we should always be open to children and how we view them in general, never as being hindrances but as blessings. Yet the flip side of that coin is barrenness, something which I have certainly thought about, ironically even before marriage. I have often sought the Lord with my anxieties concerning, what if I never have a child of my own, knowing that children are a blessing from the Lord and that being my desire?

o We might not have children yet, but I am certainly praying in that direction, both for wisdom in timing and for God’s grace and favor, with the understanding that God hears my prayers and only by His divine intervention will He bless us with them in His proper time.

· I must spend some time here on barrenness and faith to conceive as we see it mentioned now for the second time in scripture.

· When thinking about life, there are 3 things that come into play. The Purpose of Children, Gods hand in the start of life and where there is no life.

· 1) The Purpose of Children

o First and foremost is that children are irrefutably a blessing from the Lord

o They are the typical way (But not only way) that God chooses to bless marriages. It is the reason why all these women who were barren in scripture are pleading with the Lord for children. It is to receive His blessing in this way.

· Practical: And you might be thinking how is this relevant to us who are unmarried. “if fail to plan you plan to fail,” in other words you want to be prepared for the very real possibilities of the trials that one might face in the not to distant future.

· I mention this because we live in a time, where to be without children is regarded as a selfish joy, we must adopt the proper frame of mind and biblical lens that children are a good gift from God and as a blessing they should be valued and sought after in marriage.

§ Ps. 127: 3-5 children are a gift from the Lord and the fruit of the womb, how blessed is the man whose quiver is full. God is clear that they are blessing and a gift. We see this further in the expression of His love and expression.

§ God specifically sees Leah, Jacobs first wife is unloved as Jacob loves Rachel instead, so God dealing tenderly with Leah blesses her with a child. He blesses the world through Jesus the son of Mary, He hears the prayers of Hannah, and lifts the shame of Elizabeth, all by His gift of children.

· 2) Gods hand in the Start of life

o Second: Only God can give life, he uses us as the vehicle, but scripture is clear throughout the matriarchs of the faith, without the intervention from God there can be no line of Jesus. Sarah was barren and God intervened, then Rebekah, Then Rachel and even Elizabeth (mother of JTB, the man who paved the way for Jesus’s ministry) in the new testament. It was only by the gracious hand of God that they could give birth.

§ Psalm 139:13–16“you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. my frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, in your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me when yet there was none of them”

§ Jer 1:5 “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”

o if you do not have a proper understanding of children and Gods hand in them, how then will you be able to ever deal biblically, honoring God with such an event and think rightly about them:

§ if it were you who potentially struggles to conceive. Or

§ As you one day walk through marriage and having children or delaying them for which reasons are you doing so?

§ And how you might offer biblical counsel to those that are facing these painful struggles.

· 3) Gods hand where there is no life

o Lastly: As we see here and in 7 other passages, God is even in the midst of barrenness.

o God in the specific case of Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel is not giving these woman matriarchs of the faith children for the purposes of showing that none of this redemption plan can be made possible without His constant intervention.

§ It serves as an encouragement that God must be an active partaker in our lives.

§ There is nothing of these men or woman that are special, they were only remembered because God chose to use them, they were only fruitful because God gave them children. Children is yet another avenue od Gods sovereignty being displayed.

o On the practical side: I have sat with many a dear brother in Christ that have wrestled with infertility, God has given some victory in this area and others not, whom I still sit with today and pray for Gods intervention. This is a topic close to home. And yet the principals of Gods sovereignty and hand in children remains true. Children are a blessing that only God can give.

§ Let us have faith if ever you find yourself in such a situation personally or in bearing the burdens of others in remembering these principles and passages.

· 7 women in scripture were barren for a time, and God gave them a child at some point in their lives. In the case of Sarah and Rebekah they waited 25 and 20 years respectively and Sarah was 90. There should always be hope, that God is able to do the impossible do not let your faith dwindle as time passes.

· Yet if He chooses not to bless one in this way let us hold onto these words of Abraham as God is about to destroy Sodom and all its inhabitants in gen 18:25 (will not the God of all the earth do good)

· Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposes.

· And the barren woman who is a believer always has a place and purpose in the family of Gods house Psalm 113:9 He makes the barren woman abide in the house As a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!

TRANSITION: Now as we move just one verse down, we quickly see, that not all blessings come without their fair share of struggle as I’m sure most parents would admit. But to Rebekah the struggle is both physical and symbolic. There are indeed pains in not receiving children, but certainly in receiving them too.

Rebekah’s struggle and inquiry (faith displayed)

But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why then am I this way?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.

a. Struggle defined

· The word “struggle” which is used here is a strong word that means to break, crush, or oppress. So indeed, she was in pain during her pregnancy with the twin boys.

· There is a central theme in Genesis that is continued in Rebekah, that two brothers born who relate to a promise are once again at odds with one another. The conflict between brothers regarding the favor of the father both heavenly and on earth may have started with Cain and Abel, and continued down the line of Isaac and Ishmael to this point at Jacob and Esau. However, it does not end here as we see reflected in the progeny of Jacob too (in walks who along the way was thrown into a ditch Joseph).

b. Rebekahs Faith

· Her question highlights her faith in God as the source of her children “if it is so,” whilst at the same time shows her lack of understanding of Gods nature “why then am I this way.”

o The fact that these children are indeed given by God and are His blessing to Rachel does not mean that because they are a difficult burden to bear, therefore not from Him altogether. Certainly not!

o Practical: How often do we look at our blessings as curses if they take the form of adversity and trial? How often do we dismiss our hardships as being the product of a sinful world rather than Gods loving hand towards us in furthering our understanding of Him and sanctification in Him.

§ How often are you resentful towards your studies because of the time and sacrifices it requires. Instead of seeing God’s blessing in it.

§ Are you quickly dismissive of friendships that require work and effort, instead of seeing Gods hand in your benefit through those difficulties.

§ In relationships for the purposes of marriage, are you quick to question whether or not it is meant to be at the first signs of hardships, with them personally or their parents’ intervention.

· Certainly, you should exercise wisdom and prudence in all these situations, seeking counsel and asking for the will of God to be revealed.

· But more importantly, I would testify personally and point to scripture, that trusting God where you are at, despite the difficulties, seeking the good and faithful hand of the Lord, is a full proof method of action always. He will keep you in or pull you out in accordance with His loving and sovereign hand for your life.

§ James 1:2-4 " Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

· God’s will does not invariably mean the smoothest path forward. It also doesn’t mean the clearest or most logical path forward, but it is always the best one. They fought and the pregnancy was difficult because it had to be that way, just as a Mary and Joseph had to suffer before the birth of Christ and directly after His birth too.

o Practical: It would do well for all the younger woman in the college group who fear what pregnancy might be like, to remember Gods sovereignty not only in the result, but in the process too.

o If Rebekah and the “mother” of the Son of God were not immune to her fair share of trauma and difficulty in pregnancy it is not guaranteed that you will receive more favorable conditions. That does not mean God is not in control, one might be better equipped to face the challenges and often pain that comes with a life in Christ if we remember the trials of those often closest to him.

· TRANSITION: Although God probably doesn’t give Rebekah the answer she was anticipating, His answer showing His sovereignty in the situation must give her a comfort and peace non the less. God answers her with a prophecy and a plan for their lives.

3. God’s faithfulness and promise

The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.” When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

A. What the prophecy means:

a. Two Nations:

· God Tells her that not only does she in essence have twins, but that her hopes and dreams for them being lawyers and doctors are over, instead they will be nations.

o I guess this means her pregnancy nutrition might need some adjusting,

· Not quite, however she has now just learned that the conflict and struggle would not come to an end at birth but rather result in conflicting nations

o I don’t think it is a far stretch to assume Rebekah hearing what God has told her is probably thinking about which child will be which nation, it seems like a common thought among pregnant parents (I wonder what he/she will be when they grow up).

o This seems to play into the favoritism of the parents. Although one can not be certain, it does appear that because God gave Rebekah the prophecy “The Lord, said to HER,” indicating only she knew of it. Which to me seems like an apt explanation for why Isaac didn’t automatically give the blessing to Jacob but was deceived into it and why He didn’t automatically favor Jacob but only Rebekah did.

o I couldn’t find any literature on this notion, I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, but I didn’t find it, so I will preface it with a phrase we all know very well “ It seems to me, as if this is the case.”

· This little prophesy concerning Jacob and Esau, and the older serving the younger, is very important to the rest of the story contained within holy scripture. The nation of Israel would come from Jacob, and the nation of Edom would come from Esau. And these two nations would be locked in perpetual conflict with each other.

b. Names significance

· It tells us more about the prophetic nature of what will take place in their lives. Remember that their names are not a retro active thing, It was first the names then the historical events, which is the same thing as a prophecy really. Showing Gods sovereignty from the very beginning of their lives.

1. Let us in the same way not forget God works in this manner with us too.

a. Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

· Esau:

i. I don’t know about you but I’m thinking Esau had quite a bit of testosterone even from birth by his comparison to a hairy garment. Not sure they were aware of the hormonal implications at that point in time, but when I read like a hairy garment I’m definitely thinking (yeah that’s probably the strong, wild one who belongs with the animals).

ii. Esau later finds residence in a city in Edom called Sehar (meaning hairy), He is also regarded as being the stronger of the two brothers which is the same for the two nations, Edom being stronger than Israel.

iii. Esau is called reddish, there are some that infer this being his hair color and other his skin color, the only real relevance is that it is a distinguishing feature from Jacob, therefore indicating that they are not identical twins.

1. It may be noteworthy that Edom (stemming from the line of Esau) comes from the word Edomi which means reddish.

2. Also noteworthy is the account of Esau the red one, calling out to Jacob for some of that red stew. The very thing that the marks the trajectory of Gods sovereign plan for his life.

· Jacob:

i. Is the start of the 12 tribes of Israel

ii. He is the one loved by God

iii. His name reflects this (Jacob-el) “May God protect me”

1. Which (Gods protection) is certainly the theme of Israel being the chosen nation of God and from the line of Jacob.

· Yet even in the case of the two brothers (one shall be stronger than the other) Esau indeed for a time in the beginning was stronger than Jacob at least is seemingly self-evident by their natural abilities and hormonal features. The one who is hairy and has the inclinations towards hunting vs the peaceful cook who is a tent dweller.

· Although this is the case for a time, as we see Jacob essentially ends victorious over his brother with both the inheritance/ birthright and the blessing. So does it happen to be this way with the nations too.

· The conflict between Edom and Israel, develops from Genesis to 2nd Kings, where Edom remains the stronger of the two nations until Kind David leads Israel in a victorious battle over Edom by the hand of God.

TRANSITION: Now as we have a better understanding of the prophecy made by God, in the same passage we see the beginnings of the prophecy unfold.

When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

4. Prophecy Fulfilled

· In this final section we see Esau and Jacob living up to their names and descriptions.

· It Should come as no surprise that the overgrown, hairy, red one that’s been out hunting all day is chasing after his daily protein goals, whilst the heal snatching tent dweller is cooking up a plan to grasp at that which he wants but isn’t technically his to own, much like the heal of his brother.

· I don’t really know at this point, which is the worse action, the desire of Esau to satisfy his temporary hunger or Jacob’s use of that desire to get what he wants.

A. Esau:

· Much to my shame I have found myself guilty of both ends of the proverbial sinful stick.

· In the case of Esau, I am reminded of my teenage and college years which I can’t help but shudder, thinking of the amount of time I spent in the literal sense, chasing after my next meal and heavy things to lift while focusing the rest of my time on the success of my future. I was fixated on my selfish goals of being better than the competition both in physical stature and my academic resolve.

· I was certainly a believer in Christ during this, but it is now undeniably evident just how immature I was in my faith and understanding of God, which was clearly reflected in my actions of giving more importance to the temporal things rather than the eternal, much like Esau.

· Esau’s sin was not that he was hungry and wanted food, but that he was so worried about alleviating the temporal struggles of the flesh and world that he completely neglected the things which have eternal implication, the things that God cares most about.

· For Esau, in this moment it was food, what does it look like for you?

· What in your life has so much importance right now that you could possibly be tempted to give up the things God calls us to and hold as valuable?

· Many things have this potential. There is much in this world that can distract us from Christ to much time fixating after the temporal things can easily allow the promises of the Lord for us as His children in Christ Jesus become less and less important.

· I have seen it happen many times before. Firsthand with my dad. He started out pursuing ministry, was hurt by the church, allowed that to harden his heart, shifted focus to the things of the world, became extremely wealthy, and before he knew it he was on his death bed with pancreatic cancer calling in a pastor to pray with him because he had no assurance of salvation for he completely neglected the things of the Lord along the way. The sad reality for my dad, much like Esaus meal, all of his wealth was taken away from him over night. He died and his business partner stole every cent. All of that time spent pursuing the things of the world and flesh just like esaus meal, gone almost instantly.

· The life of Esau and my dad are constant reminders for me that the things in the world often taste great, but we all die and those things are temporary, I must and you must, therefore practice dying to ourselves, denying our flesh and renewing our mind daily in the promises of the Lord, staying close always to the body of Christ so that we might be strengthened in that pursuit.

B. Jacob

· In the case of Jacob I don’t believe his sin is asking his brother for his birthright, if he had known that Esau in fact didn’t want it to begin with.

· Truly the sin, is Jacobs heart in seeking the weakness of his brother to scheme and manipulate him to get that which he wants. We see the nature of Jacobs heart depicted this way later in his deceiving of his father Isaac too and later Laban.

o Even in the case of Jacob, I shamefully am guilty of previously using the exploiting the weakness’s of others to result in my gain. Which is honestly why I struggled with practicing law. It to a large degree is the premise of the profession.

· Now I studied economics so I know the entire economy is driven by identifying the demand of the market and using that demand as a means to drive a profit. The difference between the working of the world and the working of the believer in the world is your motives and your heart.

o Are you driven by exploiting those around you, or are you using the system in the world which God has given us to live a life that reflects the nature and heart of Christ.

§ There is a business saying, no one makes it to the top without stepping on the heads of others along the way.

§ Remember that Joseph rose to power in Egypt at the hand of God, not the expense of others. Let not your desire for success ever overrule your desire to honor God with your decisions.