01-70 A Tale of Two Sons

Genesis 25:12-26

If you grew up with brothers and sisters or if you have multiple children of your own, you know the challenges of sibling rivalry. I am 3 years younger than my brother (our sister is 7 yrs younger than me) and we were not immune from having those occasional spats that reveal the true condition of the heart (eventually I grew bigger than him). It was nothing horrible (though if you ask mom she might have a different perspective). But sibling rivalries are nothing new. In fact, they are almost as old as creation itself. The first sibling rivalries (more than just seeking attention of your parents…they are rooted in self-centeredness) are found shortly after the fall. Cain & Abel (though Scripture presents more of a 1-sided jealousy), Isaac & Ishmael (Gen 21), Jacob & Esau, Joseph and his brothers, Jesus and his siblings...

I can only imagine the hardship it would have been to grow up in the shadow of Jesus— “The perfect child.” We can only speculate if Joseph & Mary ever said to the others “why can’t you be more like Jesus.” “Well, b/c I have a sin nature and He doesn’t...”

Mark 3:32–35 NASB95

32 A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” 33 Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 35 “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus redefines the family of God in spiritual terms and in doing so stresses that those who follow Him and do the will of the Father are His true brothers. Within the church, our relationship to one another is such that the instruction of God’s Word is directed at our responsibility of mortifying the deeds of the flesh and loving one another reverently from the heart.

Siblings who can’t get along need the Lord. They need a new nature, new identity, new heart (as parents you handle that with discipline, prayer, and continually affirming the gospel of JC)—and so it is when brothers and sisters get saved and know the Lord—generally those rivalries will fade away—it did in my own family.

As we come back to Gen—there is before us the reality of 2 sets of rivalries that develop in Gen: Ishmael & Isaac and Jacob & Esau. Its the tale of 2 sons (or better 4 sons—though the focus is on Ishmael & Isaac).

Gen has major divisions in its 50 chapters: 4 events, 4 people; or divided along the word “Toledot.”

Toledot

Toledot in NAS is generally translated “these are the generations of...” and proceed to describe the genealogies of key individuals (Adam, Noah, Shem, Terah, Abraham...”) This term is used 11x in the book (6x in chs 1-11; 4x in chs 25-36; 1x ch 37). 2 of the uses are found in our vv today (vs 12, 19). We have the “toledot of Ishmael” and the “toledot of Isaac”—the tale of 2 sons of Abraham.

As we move away from the detailed life of Abraham in ch 11-25, it is natural that Moses would highlight the descendants of his first 2 children and place them side by side.

I. The Descendants of Ishmael

vv 12-18

Remember what God promised to Abraham concerning Ishmael.

Genesis 17:20 NASB95

20 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

Moses shows us how God fulfilled this promise in vv 12-16. Ishmael’s 12 sons became 12 “princes”—a term that means “tribal chief”, the heads of distinctive family groups which had settled in northern Arabia along the major caravan route b/t Egypt and Assyria. I want to point out the precision of God’s Word. Moses writes with perfect accuracy which ought to grow your confidence in the Bible.

vs 13—first born is Nebaioth and maybe the ancestor of the Nabateans who would eventually relocate to the areas of Edom and Moab having their capital at Petra. Next is Kedar, and his name would come to refer to all Arab’s more generally. Kedar is prominently mentioned in prophecy in various ways. Isaiah admonishes them to join the hymn to YHWH (Is 42:11). One day their reputation will come to a halt (Is 21:16) and Jeremiah explains that they are non-Israelites who worship their false gods more faithfully than Israel serves YHWH. In the Millennial kingdom, they will bring praises to the Lord as they bring acceptable offerings to God.

Ishmael lives to be 137 where Moses describes: vs 17. “Gathered to his people” as we saw with Abraham is a euphemism fro death. It underscores their belief that there truly is an existence after death as Ishmael would join his ancestors (who happened to be the same as Abraham’s) in the realm of the dead (Sheol). Without providing any commentary on Ishmael’s spiritual condition—arguments can be made both ways. God did promise to bless Ishmael and He did indeed. Whether Ishmael followed the example of the faith of his father is something I have a hard time being dogmatic about, though I would not be surprised if we find him among other OT saints when we get to heaven.

One final word on Ishmael is actually the fulfillment of...

Genesis 16:12 NASB95

12 “He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”

He lived in defiance (lit turn away) implying a rejection or to show aversion & disgust toward someone. Ishmael lived a very hard, isolated life—against everyone.

II. The Descendants of Isaac

vv 19-26

The 2nd “toledot” in this section has to do with the record of Isaac’s descendants. Moses is diligent to keep the flow of the narrative before his readers—taking us back to God’s choice of and promise to Abraham—vs 19. “Abraham became the father...” that’s b/c God was faithful to His Word, faithful to His choice, faithful to His purpose—Sarah bore Isaac in their old age.

vs 20—Isaac was 40 when Eliezer brought Rebekah to him to be his bride. Again, Moses reminds us about the events of ch 24 and it seems like God’s promise of innumerable descendants was going to quickly come about. but then—vs 21.

Now, Rebekah was barren for 20 years. In the OT that was thought to be a curse—to have no fruit of womb. Moses does not tell us what Isaac was thinking during those 2 decades. Was he wondering about God’s promise to his father? Was he embittered against his brother for having so many offspring? Isaac becomes another testimony of God’s abundant blessing in the midst of patient endurance. Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born. Isaac is 60 when he has children.

Isaac was learning to depend on the Lord—it was a long, slow lesson that needed to be learned. He didn’t follow in the footsteps of his father and take matters into his own hand—he doesn’t take a Hagar for himself. Instead—he prayed. What a picture of dependency on YHWH. When you find yourself in any hardship—take it to the Lord in prayer.

You may find yourself in a similar barrenness in life…struggling to have children (be patient and draw near to the Lord). Perhaps the barrenness is in other areas. Is your career at a standstill? Has it been years since you’ve seen God at work in your life in a dramatic way? Do you feel like the whole world around you is advancing and you’re stuck?

Does this mean God has abandoned you or that you are less well off than others? Of course not! God is teaching you to depend on Him. Take a lesson from Isaac—and pray!

And you will find a similar blessing—YHWH answered. The testimony of Scripture is that God answers the prayers of His people. Jesus affirms:

Matthew 7:7 NASB95

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

So Isaac prays, Rebekah conceives…but begins to have problems with her pregnancy—her thinking is “if it is this way why do I live?” This is a horrible hardship on her—a great deal of discomfort. She doesn’t understand why at first so she “inquires of the Lord.”

God provides her with 3 reasons there is such difficulty in this pregnancy:

First, she is carrying twins— “two nations are in your womb”

Second, they are already designated as the progenitors of 2 nations—Israel and Edom. And they are already at war with each other. The word “struggled” (vs 22a) refers to a violent collision, a crushing or breaking.

Judges 9:53 NASB95

53 But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.

No wonder Rebekah was having a hard pregnancy. Even in the womb the 2 babies couldn’t get along.

Third, God revealed the older son would become subordinate to the younger—complete reversal of what was customary.

Moses then describes the birth—vv 24-26. Esau is the firstborn. Apparently he was a hairy baby “red” (ruddy) which can either describe the color of his skin or hair (more likely). This becomes a prominent part of the later narrative (ch 27).

Then came Jacob. His name means “to grasp the heel” and Scripture would later attest to Jacob’s actions when the twins were being born (Hos 12:3).

Now, what God was revealing to Rebekah (in her moment of great discomfort, pain, worry) was the that the blessing of God’s gifts are all of grace. And this is a crucial truth for us to hold on to and to establish our lives upon.

Romans 9;

The account of Genesis tells us Esau was the firstborn and so the “natural” choice for carrying on the Messianic line would have been thru him. We will see later that Esau is his father’s choice. But he was not God’s choice. God chose Jacob over Esau—a choice that was made long before Rebekah had conceived the twins. What Paul is going to teach in Romans is that God has a sovereign right to choose whomever He will and to reject whomever He will and Paul’s point, writing under the inspiration of HS is that salvation will always and only be the accomplishment of God’s grace.

This comes just after he wrote the affirmation that God’s purposes can never be frustrated and that nothing in heaven or on earth could ever separate the believer from God’s love. This leads to the problem that Paul will address in Rom 9.

We spent several months in Men’s Bible Study covering Rom 9—so we can’t sufficiently wade into these deep waters in just a few minutes. Paul is anticipating an objection to what he is writing and sort of preempts the debate:

God promises to bless Israel

Israel is hardened in unbelief (1st C & today)

So what happened to the word of God?

Has the word of God failed and is it possible to be the object of God’s sovereign choice and be lost forever?

vs 6 Paul will explain that the promises were not made merely to physical Israel but to spiritual Israel. This is the key that unlocks the rest of Rom 9-11. vs 6b-7.

“they” (who?) Ethnic, physical Israel (the Jews). We haven’t seen it yet in Genesis but it is Jacob whose name is changed to Israel after he wrestles the Lord (ch 32). So not all Israel (spiritual/believing Israel) is descended from Israel (physical descent). If the promises of God were based on Abraham’s physical lineage then Ishmaelites and Edomites would be in the same position—and God’s Word would have failed.

But the promises were made thru Isaac. Is Ishmael excluded from God’s blessing? He was circumcised, God was merciful to him ad blessed him abundantly (12 sons). The nations that are represented were not however the nations to whom God would give His revelation, thru whom He would send forth His Son to bring redemption to sinners—but thru Isaac and as an illustration of God’s choice—then thru Jacob (contrary to what was customary, natural, normal way of choosing).

Paul’s commentary on Gen 25 begins in Rom 9:10. One of the most challenging vv in the Bible is vs 13. This is quoted from Mal 1:2-3. “Jacob (emphatic position) I loved” God chose to set His saving affection on Jacob—passing over the older—Esau. And it had nothing to do with Jacob (vs 11).

Donald Grey Barnhouse (American pastor d. 1960)

“The text flatly states that the choice of God was not dependent on their birth or their character. The choice was in the heart of God and based entirely on His sovereign authority. He decided that Jacob was the child who was to carry the line of Messiah and be the heir to blessing, and in the same way, He determined that Esau was not to carry the line nor inherit the blessing…This was God’s divine purpose. The works and characters of the individuals had nothing to do with the choice.”

The choice of God of Jacob over Esau and the choice to extend mercy and to save some continues to be based on the same truth of the Bible—it is all of grace. All that you are, all that you will become, all that you have, all that you will ever attain is due to God’s grace. If you have been the recipient of God’s kindness and have been saved by LJC—it is b/c of his gracious choice.

This may be new teaching to you. And many times it arouses anger and opposition that God passes over some and sets His saving affection upon others. Esau was passed over by God’s sovereign choice to be part of the Messianic line but that did not excuse his own disregard for the birthright (we’ll see that next time). You’ve heard me say many times—people are responsible to God for what they do, whether God chooses to save them or not. Sovereign election and human responsibility are twin truths in the Bible and so we can safely say that everyone in heaven is there b/c of God’s will and everyone in hell is there b/c of their own will. God holds all men accountable for what they do with JC. If you believe—you are given the gift of salvation—all of grace. If you reject JC—you are held responsible by Creator of the universe who judges the living and the dead—that’s your choice.

How does the truth of the blessing of God’s salvation—being all of grace, what does this mean for the Xn today?

1. It moves you to humility

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

If we were saved on the basis of something that we had done, something we contributed to our salvation then we have something to boast about. We have something that we’d be patting ourselves on the back for eternity. And how that would rob Christ of the eternal glory He deserves b/c of His sacrifice for us.

Revelation 5:11–14 NASB95

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Just like God’s choice of Jacob, there was nothing in him, nothing in us—but by grace alone.

2. It moves you toward greater love for God

1 John 4:19 NASB95

19 We love, because He first loved us.

Earlier in Romans Paul quotes several times from OT:

Romans 3:10–18 NASB95

10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 Destruction and misery are in their paths, 17 And the path of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

If that’s who you were and God set His saving affection upon you (loving you when you were running away from Him) and He drew you to Christ, and by His HS He opened your eyes to your condition and the penalty it deserves so that you would turn to JC for salvation…if God did this…and even before we were born:

Romans 5:8 NASB95

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

What a great, unfathomable love! It ought to move you to grow in your love for Him.

3. It moves you to share the gospel

Many object to the doctrine of God’s election and grace saying it discourages evangelism. People think that if God:

Romans 9:15 NASB95

15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

“God is going to save those He has chosen so there’s no point in my having anything to do with it.” But that is contrary to what God has purposed.

Romans 10:13–17 NASB95

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

If anyone is to be drawn to the Savior—God has determined that it will be thru the preaching of the gospel of JC. Yes He chooses those He will save, but He sends the church to be the mouthpiece of His grace to this present generation. And there is 1 thing that will penetrate hearts and minds that are set against the very things of God—that is the gospel of peace. So we ought to go forth with boldness to proclaim the glory of His grace b/c that is How God is determined to save those who call upon the name of the Lord.