20230730 Genesis 25: Three Lives, One Sovereign God
Genesis: Looking Back in Order to Move Ahead Spiritually • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
Prayer
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country. 7 These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi. 12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen. 19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 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. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” 24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
When Moses wrote the first book of the bible, how many books of the Bible were there? And after he finished the first five books of the Bible, how many books of the Bible were there.
Imagine pouring over the book of Genesis. And over and over and over.
What does the Lord want the nation of Israel to know?
What does the Lord want us to know?
God is the hero of the OT. The OT is his autobiography
Christianity and Liberalism - Book by J. Gresham Machen
Imitation - Imputation
(1) Abraham: Eternal Hope - A Life Well Lived
7 These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
Faith of Our Father: Expositions of Genesis 12–25 Chapter 17: Sunset (Genesis 25:1–18)
What does ‘gathered to his people’ imply? Well, if Abraham, for example, is gathered to his people, it implies that ‘his people’ still exist in some way even though they are dead. Being ‘gathered’ to one’s people implies that men and women ‘survive’ in some way and join their forebears in the realm of the dead.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Abraham is buried with Sarah
(2) Isaac: Enduring Prayer - A Life that Trusts
20 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.
21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
(3) Esau: Instant Gratification - A Life of Foolish Desires
16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”
Notice the contrast between Abraham Isaac and Esau
Abraham’s fear - you are my sister
Isaac’s prayer -
Esau’s lack of care for covenant matters, the things of God
God’s Rascal: The Jacob Narrative in Genesis 25–35 Chapter 1: A Brouhaha in the Making (Genesis 25:19–34)
I recall hearing Dr. J. O. Buswell remark that he would translate the term as ‘secular.’ That was the problem. Esau’s style of life didn’t really matter. It didn’t matter that, to analogize, he sat by his Coleman camp stove, cooking game and reading the latest copy of Field and Stream magazine with his rifle stashed in the gun rack in his old pick-up truck. No, he was secular; he had no interest or concern about covenant matters, about divine promises or divine privileges. That ‘despised’ (v. 34) is a strong verb. And there have always been Esaus who’ve said, ‘No thanks, I really prefer the outer darkness.’
(4) Jacob: Shameless Trickery - A Life of Deception
What do we do with Jacob ?
23 And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
The writer must want us to see this. Esau didn't care about the covenant but Jacob did. Jacob even made sure it was legally given to him But Jacob goes about it in a way that shows he is following the path of Abraham, let’s deceive them by saying you’re my sister, instead of the way of Isaac - faithflu patience and prayer because the Sovereign Lord will keep his promise
The Lord works in ways that are completely sovereign and yet completely unique
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”
Jesus in the temple. Jesus the angry, not the gentle, shepherd. Jesus who it was prophesied was consumed with zeal and overturned the tables and took back what the Lord said was his.
The Lord is Sovereign, will you trust Him? The Lord is sovereign. Will you allow Him tolead you and guide you.
Benediction:
And may the God of peace
Himself make you holy
through and through. May your
whole being, spirit, soul, and body
be kept blameless at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ. The
One who calls you is faithful and
He will accomplish it. Amen.