Genesis 25:19-34
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.
The battle between these two nations begins from the womb. They
fight with each other for the love of their parents. They even fight each other
for the love of God. Esau is the mighty hunter who prepares wild game, in which
his father delights. Jacob is thought to be the homebody, or mama’s boy, who is
loved by his mother.
Both of them seem to be able to provide for themselves. These
two nations do not appear as though they should struggle at all. But Jacob
starts off by pulling the heel of his brother. Esau comes in from the field
famished, and willing to give up his birthright. This is a tail as old as time.
How many of you would be willing to give up future blessings,
for an easier life now? How often are we more than happy to look at the world
in front of us, than to peer into the eternal picture? How many of you would
deny the truth, in order to live peacefully with your neighbors, or co-workers?
God offers you eternal life, this birthright that was given to
Jesus Christ. He offers his birthright to you, free of charge. This birthright
does not belong to us, but it is given to us for less than a bowl of soup. It
is given to you freely, because Christ desires to live with you rather than
live without you. God forgives you, what would you trade that eternal gift and
promise for?
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