Two Peoples Will Come From You

Is lying that big of a deal?

Culture would say that if you had to lie to do something good then it would be okay. They really downplay the serious sin of lying. It teaches us to categorize sin into big ones and small ones. We are trained to celebrate it by saying we had to do whatever it took to get what we want in life.

But scripture shows that lying always affects more people than we wanted to. A lie can reach into future generations, causing divisions and bitterness. Divides kingdoms and families.

Lies typically come from a lack of faith or an unrepentant heart.

We tell lies and deceive people because we think there’s no other way around the situation or to make something happen. And we speak untruth as a way to escape consequences, failing to realize that a lie only makes matters worse for ourselves.

Our bible lesson today is going to talk about this:

Jealousy and Pride lead us to make selfish decisions.

In ancient hebrew culture a birthright was reserved for the firstborn son. This birthright secured several privelages for the child: head of the household status, inheritance of the fathers estate, and a double portion of everything passed down to him.

This story talks about twin boys born to Isaac. How these twin boys would have strife with one another and be always fighting.

Open your bibles to Genesis 25:21-26

Genesis 25:21–26 ESV

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.

This wrestling around in her womb would signify their entire lives. Always at war with each other and God answers Rebekahs prayer about why this is happening to her: Jealousy over a birthright.

Jacobs name literally means deceiver or heel grabber. Always wanting what his brother has. Envious and jealous of the birthright.

Jealousy leads to sin.

When we want what another person has, whether it be things or life, it will lead us down a path of sin. This has been the story since the beginning of the book.

Adam and Eve wanted to like God and so they took the apple.

Cain saw that Able’s sacrfiiced pleased God and he got angry and killed his brother.

The fallen angels, saw that the daughters of man were beautiful and so they sinned and took them to be wives.

And we will continue to see it in throughout the rest of the bible. We see what we don’t have so we try to get it by whatever it takes which leads us into sin.

Proverbs 27:4 ESV

4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

Jealousy is powerful! Be watchful of your heart and steer away from this trap that the enemy wants to use.

Lets continue the story.

Genesis 25:27–34 ESV

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.

Remember, a birthright was a big deal in the ancient times, and still is to this day in some cultures. Esau didn’t care and wanted instant gratification instead of thinking about what the long run would look like.

Jacob saw that about his brother and took advantage of it. He deceives Esau into giving him the birthright. Jacob wanted it and did something terrible to get it. But don’t worry it gets even worse. His deception goes even farther.

After some years, Isaac was growing old and his eyes were dim so he could not see. Papa needed some glasses and was hungry. He asked Esau to fetch some food and make up some of his sons best soup, and after Isaac would bless Esau, which was another big deal. This blessing that Isaac was going to give to Esau will establish the identity of the heir to the divine promises given to Abraham and Isaac.

This can seem confusing, talking about birthright and blessing.

Birthright is all the stuff that comes with being the first born. Your older brother got the house, car, and things. The blessing however is favor from the parents. You didn’t get the things but a note that says, “You are my favorite, you will do great things.”

Jacob surprisingly got both through trickery and deceiving.

Lets continue on through the story.

Genesis 27:6–13 ESV

6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”

This lying all comes from not trusting the promise of God back in Genesis 25:23 “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.””

God Himself told Rebekah that Jacob was the one who will inherent the blessing and birthright. Trust in His plan. But it gets sticky when our sin gets in the way.

Sin leads us to deceive others.

Everyone in the story was at fault. A lack of trust leads us to taking matters into our own hands and making a mess of things. We can have two different mindsets. A scarcity mindset or an abundance mindset.

Scarcity mindset is when people feel like they don’t have enough and so they’ll hold tightly to what they have already. Then they will claw and grab at what they don’t have, like Jacob. Even though it is already his.

Abundance mindset is when you trust that God has given you everything you need and you can freely give.

Trust in the goodness of God that He has your best interest at heart and know that He loves you and has great plans for you. He can use the messiness of this family and promise to one day restore and bless the world through Jacobs lineage.