Isaac: Esau & Jacob

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Sixteen verses we will look at today with a greater focus on the last 8 verses.

Our passage today is very narrative,

It spans probably close to 40 years or more.

We will take a look at how we view spiritual things… and where our focus is!

Genesis 25:19-21 begins with Isaac’s generations…

Genesis 25:19–21 NASB95

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

Generations of Isaac

Isaac’s life will serve as a Segway for us. There is very little shared about his life really.

The father Isaac is mentioned to bring us the narrative of his two son’s Esau and Jacob

We will spend chapter 26 next week looking at how God is confirming his confirmed blessing through Isaac and then move on to his sons.

Genesis 25:22-23 is such a beautiful portion looking at once again the sovereignty of our God!!!

Genesis 25:22–23 NASB95

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. 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.”

God’s Sovereignty

Something is not right… and Rebekah goes to God!!!

This is a parent’s worst nightmare… God declares they will fight all their life AND for generations

There is no doubt that Isaac was also aware of what God states here

Warren Wiersbe states the following:

The fact that God had already determined to give the covenant blessings to Jacob (the younger of the two) didn’t absolve anybody in the family from their obligations to the Lord. They were all responsible for their actions, because divine sovereignty doesn’t destroy human responsibility.

Genesis 25:24-26 gives us a glimpse of what is to come between these two boys.

Genesis 25:24–26 NASB95

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; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

A Preview

Esau’s name indicates “hairy” or “red” he would later be called Edom… the father of the Edomites.

The name “Jacob” comes from a Hebrew word (yaaqob) that means “may God protect”; but because it sounds like the words aqeb (“heel”) and aqab (“watch from behind” or “overtake”), his name became a nickname: “he grasps the heel” or “he deceives.”

From birth we see Jacob the younger trying to overtake his brother Esau the older.

Genesis 25:27-34 is a sad narrative on wrong focus… we see all individuals really having to some extent a focus on the flesh rather than the Spirit…

Genesis 25:27–34 NASB95

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. 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.

Perspectives on Spiritual Things

I want to make several observations and then close in some practical application for us the church today...

Verse 28 is a sad commentary on the parenting of Isaac and Rebekah

Rebekah leaning towards Jacob possibly because of the oracle

Isaac leaning towards Esau maybe as oldest, or outdoorsman… we know he had a taste for the wild game.

Either way this began to tear the family apart

Each wanting what they desired to be the outcome, Isaac possibly hoping to see Esau take the blessing

Ironically Esau is a skilled hunter yet Jacob here seems to set the better trap

Even though Jacob was known as a deceiver, he does NOT hide his intentions

We see Esau responding from his emotions, his appetite

The last statement of this narrative sums things up… “Thus Esau despised his birthright.” Hebrews 12:15-17 addresses this… it was a HEART issue for him, scripture calls him IMMORAL!!!

Hebrews 12:15–17 NASB95

See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary b. The Purchase of the Birthright from Esau (25:27–34)

Sadly, things of great spiritual value are often handled in profane or crafty ways. Some people treat spiritual and eternal things with contempt, for they see them as of no value. And others, though regarding such things highly, make the higher cause serve themselves through craft and manipulation. Esau and Jacob are examples of both types.

Esau has no desire for the spiritual things

Jacob sees the value but approaches it trying to manipulate God’s hand

You and I should never feel we need to scheme if we are truly living by faith

Later we even see Rebekah scheming trying to manipulate God’s plan

I see here in this narrative an issue we still deal with today...

ENTITLEMENT = the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment or we have a right to something.

Our world feeds this to us, and we find ourselves desiring the things of the flesh versus the Spirit!

Think about the lies we are fed by satan

“you deserve this”

“treat yourself”

self-help materials abound!!!

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are full of statements and phrases telling people to focus on you!!!!

Credit cards and debt are at epic proportions because we tell ourselves “I deserve this!”

This is even prevalent in our churches!!!!

We put a “spiritual looking” blanket over it or words to it but we are just as guilty!

Entitlement puts YOU at the center NOT Christ!!!

It could look like this in some churches… “Me Worship Video Clip”

What Value Do You Place on Spiritual Things?

Jacob and Esau were looking at the blessing of land, blessings, God’s chosen people, blessing others

Esau tossed it aside for soup

Jacob saw the value and pursued it with zeal

You and I have been given Spiritual blessings:

Salvation

The Holy Spirit

The Promises in God’s Word

God’s very words themselves

Some even in the church feel ENTITLED to these things...

I show up to church… I deserve heaven

I try to be good or I come from a long line of “Christians”… I deserve heaven

I tithe and give more money than most… I deserve heaven

Let be be clear, you and I DO NOT deserve heaven! Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 NASB95

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You see scripture states opposite of what the world screams at us… Philippians 2:5 -8

Philippians 2:5–8 NASB95

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus Himself taught that the last shall be first and the first will be last.

What does your life, actions, words, declare about how you value the Spiritual things versus the things of the flesh?

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