Genesis 25: 19 – 34
I did it my way
19 This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. 21 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” 24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Let’s see if you can quickly find a verse. It is, “God helps those who help themselves.”
I’ll give you a few minutes to look, but to save you time, you’ll find it in the book of 2 Errors chapter 6 verse 66.
If you’re looking for the book 2 Errors, you won’t find that in the Bible anywhere. This statement, no matter how much they align with the way we believe in our culture, is biblical or necessarily true.
But modern, materialist culture is firmly imbued with the idea that whatever success we achieve in life is due to our own efforts, and if we are not successful — i.e., wealthy — then it’s our fault because we have not done the right things.
When we read the Bible, it’s important to recognize that it’s a book of truth, and the whole thing says something, not just individual verses that we invent out of non-biblical statements. And when you read the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, you encounter several themes, one of which is that God is in control — of everything — and that includes our lives. To achieve success — which in His terms doesn’t necessarily translate into prosperity, power, and prestige — we need to cede to Him that control.
We read in the book of Isaiah 48: 17, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” While you’re at it, start with Isaiah chapter 40, and read all the way to 50 and beyond. Much of what the prophet is discussing there has to do with events that will happen 100 years hence from his writing, and three basic themes emerge:
1) God not only knows the future, he plans and directs it. (I know — that’s a rough one to wrap our minds around, but He’s in complete control, or He’s not and if He’s not, then who else is sharing power with Him?)
2) Idols —are anything that takes precedence over the authority of The Lord God Almighty — are powerless, so calling on them for help defies reason.
3) We are God’s people — In the book of Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 11 our Holy and Great God wants us to know, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Isaiah 41: says, For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
I know you’ve got things you want to do. So do I. And God knows this; indeed, He created us with certain skills, abilities, desires and dreams. Isn’t it good to know, though, that it isn’t all on your shoulders, that it isn’t all dependent upon your cleverness and intelligence and resources and connections?
Because I don’t know about you, but I’ve run up against a brick wall — or a Red Sea — enough times to know that I am very finite in all the major ways: intelligence, resourcefulness, power, wisdom and the very ability to draw my next breath, and it’s good to know that Someone who isn’t limited at all, is holding my hand.
There are many times when we feel tempted to try to step in and help God. It can be tempting to take matters into our own hands and try to force the issue, especially if we perceive that God is not taking any action. Of course, just like we are going to learn today in the case of Jacob and Esau, most of the time when we take matters into our own hands than wait for God’s timing it leads to major problems. We must trust God to work out His plan in His own way. As I have said in the past, God does not need our help. He knows what He is doing, even when we are unable to figure it all out. When we try to step in and force the issue, we only make things worse, and often we simply create more work for God to have to clean up. Trust that He knows what He is doing. Trust that His plan is working in your life. Instead of trying to lead, when it comes to God’s will our best course of action is to follow Him.
19 This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian.
Issac was married at the age of ‘Forty’. Many look at this and wonder, wow, he sure waited a good time before getting a wife and settling down. I think you might be surprised that today men are also waiting longer to get married. Statistics now reveal that most men are now getting married in the 30‘s.
21 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
One thing honorably that Isaac could do was pray. He knew how his father Abraham had had to pray in a similar way and he knew that because of the promises to Abraham a child would also be born to him. He had the quiet confidence that the YHWH Who had so wonderfully found him a wife would now provide him with a child through that wife, for the one followed on from the other.
So he prayed and his prayer was answered. We are given no detail of how he went about it. The interesting fact that comes out in verse 26 was that the positive result of his prayer came twenty years after his union. Thus Isaac too, like his father, has had to possess his soul in patience. He continued steadfast in prayer for all this time.
In a history review we need to remember that it was ‘Ten years’ which was the time Abraham spent in Canaan before Sarai lost courage and gave her maid Hagar to Abraham (16.3). Thus Isaac and Rebekah, waiting for twenty years, are seen as very patient and we are intended to see in this his quiet confidence in YHWH.
22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” 24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Rebekah conceived, but the birth was to be a difficult one for she was having twins and she was aware that all was not right within. In those days death in child birth was a fairly common experience.
Our Precious Holy Spirit teaches us that ‘The children struggled together within her.’ She seems to have felt that death was near (‘why do I live?) and she goes to enquire of YHWH. It is very possible that the prophet she went to seek an answer from God was her father-in-law --Abraham.
In accordance with His promises to Abraham YHWH now promises that from Isaac will come not one but two separate nations, clearly divided. The original promises do not need to be repeated. Isaac knows them by heart. But here there is a further twist. ‘The one shall be stronger than the other and the elder will serve the younger.’ Ironically the one who will be the stronger will be the one who serves. The main point is that it is the younger that will carry on over the family tribe as the chosen of YHWH. YHWH is in control of events and He chooses whom He will.
Esau was very red when born and covered with a mat of hair. The clutching of the heel was seen as significant in the light of the preceding prophecy. Even from the womb Jacob sought to supplant his brother.
27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.
The two boys, different in birth, grew up as very different people. Esau was the outdoor type, interested in hunting in the woods and the wide open spaces, away for days on end, never long at home. He life reflected a lot like his uncle Ishmael. Jacob was ‘a mild man’, meaning that he was more ‘respectable’, more in keeping with the expectations of the family tribe, an established farmer tending the sheep and the crops and living in a ‘civilized’ fashion and remaining in the family tribe encampment.
28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Sadly both parents had their favorites. Isaac favored Esau because Esau brought him tasty meat to enjoy. He overlooked the fact that Jacob remained at home assisting with the main work. He probably just took that for granted. The other for reasons not given, but it may well partly be because Jacob was there and helpful in domestic affairs and was more responsive to her love.
29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.
Have you ever took a ride in a convertible during the warm time of the year and you smell in the distance someone cooking some steaks outdoors on a grill. You know then how the smell gets you hungry. Now imagine that you have eaten for a while and you get the whiff of someone cooking some food that smells good. You now have a good idea of what Esau is experiencing.
Esau was a tough hunter. If he felt faint and hungry we can be sure it was something quite severe. He had possibly been out for many days and had not taken anything, and now famished and totally exhausted he is returning to the camp.
30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
Jacob could have been boiling some red meat and possibly added some beets or tomatoes to create a red look. Since we are going to learn that Esau gives up the right of the first born over a bowl of soup his ancestors pick up this name Edom
31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”
That Jacob was taking advantage of the situation cannot be doubted The ‘birthright’ in mind was the elder son’s portion (probably a double portion as later) and would include leadership of the family tribe and responsibility for its possessions and wealth.
Since Jacob spent much time with his mom we can glean that he was told by Rebekah that God had told her that he would be the future head of the family and inheritor of the blessings of God. Jacob then wants this blessing to begin. Perhaps he feels that God has arranged this incident for this to occur so he feels it is his opportunity to do something.
We cannot really doubt from what has been said that Esau had no particular desire for such a position. He wanted to be free to hunt and venture far and wide. And there can be no doubt that Jacob was more suitable for the position. It is probable too that Esau had often lamented to Jacob about the fate that would eventually tie him down to his responsibilities. Indeed this was probably what gave Jacob the hope that he might succeed in what he was doing. Thus what Jacob was asking him to give up was not something he greatly desired.
Yet we cannot admire the trait in Jacob’s nature that prompted him to take advantage of the situation. It was not a transaction that Esau had thought out but one arising on the spur of the moment, and he knew that he had caught Esau at a time when he was most defenseless. But the final truth is, as the writer Moses points out, that Esau despised his birthright. It was, in fact, not what he wanted from life at all. Pleasure came before duty so neither can be exonerated from blame.
32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Many subconscious factors no doubt brought him to this decision, including the wish to be free from something burdensome, the desire to enjoy full liberty to do his own thing, his scorn at those who could make do with camp life, all now brought to a point by his present condition of thirst and starvation.
Thus at a moment of great need like this he could dismiss his birthright as irrelevant. What good was a birthright to a dead man?
The seriousness of this transaction must not be underestimated. It was a genuine transaction carried out quite legally and not under duress. And it was established by an oath. Once that had been sworn the position was legally and permanently fixed. The birthright legitimately belonged to Jacob.
Jacob fulfils his part in the transaction. And it is noteworthy that any disapproval of the transaction by the writer Moses is directed at Esau. He treated lightly what was so valuable, including his responsibilities to the family. Jacob merely took advantage of Esau’s contempt for his birthright. From now on Jacob can carry on knowing that the leadership in the family will one day be his, and he can happily bide his time.
The statement ‘He ate and drank and rose and went away’ suggests that at this point Esau could not care less about his birthright. To him YHWH’s covenant with His people mattered little. Future events suggest that to Jacob at least it was of more importance. But his methods demonstrated that his own trust in YHWH was minimal at this point. He did not believe God’s promise could be fulfilled without his own intervention. Like many he sought the right things by the wrong methods.
