Gen 25:19-34
SS Lesson for 09/11/2022
Devotional Scripture: Rom 9:8-16
The second half of Genesis introduces audiences to Abraham (originally known as Abram) and his family line. God promised that this family would be the way by which he would bless the world (Genesis 12:1–3). Despite Abraham and Sarah’s fertility issues and their advanced age (11:30; 12:4), God provided them with a son, Isaac (21:1–7). However, Abraham would have other sons by other women. Hagar, a servant of wife Sarah, gave birth to Ishmael (Genesis 16:1–4, 15–16). After Sarah died, Abraham took another wife, Keturah, who bore him other sons (25:1–2). However, Abraham held Isaac in the highest regard (25:5–6). Isaac eventually married Rebekah (24:67). Together they settled in the southern part of Canaan, near the Sinai Peninsula (25:11; see 16:14). Throughout Genesis, family lines and the concept of generations serve as transition points in the text. For original audiences, these served as markers for moments of great significance, and each marked a new focus in the narrative (see Genesis 5; 6:9–10; 11:10–27; 25:12–18). The underlying Hebrew word translated as “account” (Genesis 5:1; 6:9; 10:1, 32; 11:10; etc.) reminds audiences to focus their attention on the upcoming narrative and the individuals depicted. This lesson focuses on “the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac” (25:19a).
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”
This passage includes four sections: (a) the births of other sons to Abraham (25:1-4), (b) the safeguarding of Isaac’s inheritance (vv. 5-6), (c) the death and burial of Abraham (vv. 7-10), and (d) the blessing of Isaac (v. 11).
25:1-4. When Abraham married Keturah is unknown, but the verb took and the adjective another suggest it was after Sarah’s death. (Actually Keturah was a concubine, 1 Chron. 1:32.) That would mean there was a maximum span of 37 years for the births of Ketarah’s six sons. (Abraham was 138 when Sarah died, and he died at 175.) Tribes in Sheba and Dedan, in Arabia (Gen. 25:3), as well as the Midianites (v. 4), came from Abraham. This was in fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham that he would become great (12:2) since so “many nations” look to him as their ancestor (17:4).
25:5-6. Abraham loved all these boys; he gave them gifts. But they and their descendants may possibly have posed a threat to Isaac. So Abraham sent them away as he had done with Ishmael (21:8-14). He sent them to the land of the East, thus preserving Isaac’s primacy and his right as Abraham’s heir.
25:7-11. While Isaac and Ishmael together buried their father (who had lived 175 years) in the cave where Sarah was buried (cf. 23:19), Ishmael’s presence may have posed a possible threat to Isaac’s rights, now that their father was dead. But God’s blessing rested on Isaac. Isaac was then living at Beer Lahai Roi. This was a place where God was known to respond. God had heard Hagar there and had delivered her (16:14). And Isaac meditated there when waiting for his future wife (24:62). Thus Isaac lived at a special place, a place where God had answered prayer. When Abraham by faith sent away all his other sons, he provided for transferring his blessing to Isaac who waited on the Lord. Abraham would be gone, but God’s program would continue. No leader of the covenant is indispensable, for God’s program to bless the world will continue to grow and expand from generation to generation. Each of God’s servants must do all he can to ensure the ongoing of God’s work, but the work is bigger than any individual
25:12-18. Ishmael too was a son of Abraham, so God told what became of him and his line (the account [t̠oled̠ôt̠] of... Ishmael) before returning to the chosen line, the succession of Isaac. Ishmael had 12 sons, as God had predicted (17:20), and died at the age of 137. His sons lived in the Arabian peninsula from Havilah (in north-central Arabia) to Shur (between Beersheba and Egypt). The Ishmaelites lived in hostility toward all their brothers, a fulfillment of God’s words to Hagar (16:12). After briefly mentioning Ishmael’s line (25:12-18), the narrative returned to the chosen line through Isaac. “This is the account (t̠oled̠ôt̠) of... Isaac,” 25:19). The first section (25:10-28:22) records Isaac’s prosperity and Jacob’s struggle for the right to it—events within the land of promise. Chapters 29-32 relate Jacob’s blessing in his sojourn out of the land of promise, and chapters 33-35 his return to the land and possible corruption of the land. This account of the births of Esau and Jacob is a fitting introduction to the following chapters, for their struggle for supremacy manifested itself even before their births (cf. Hosea 12:3).
25:19-20. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, was also his cousin (cf. 24:15). Similarly Nahor had married his niece (11:29). (See the chart “Terah’s Family,” near 11:27-32.) Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah thus tied him to Abraham’s native country and family, and to the Arameans in northwest Mesopotamia (cf. 24:10), later known as Syria.
25:21-23. God supernaturally provided a son for Isaac. Like Sarah, Rebekah was barren (v. 21) even though God promised that nations would stem from Abraham! In contrast with Abraham (16:1-4), Isaac prayed, and God responded. This shows that births were sometimes supernatural provisions. Later, Rachel, Jacob’s wife, was also temporarily barren (29:31). But there was conflict in Rebekah’s womb (25:22). When she went to inquire about this from the Lord, she received a prediction from Him: Two nations, that is, twin progenitors of two nations, were struggling in her womb and the younger would triumph (v. 23). Indeed the Israelites (Jacob’s descendants) and the Edomites (Esau’s descendants) fought continuously. God’s election of Jacob the younger over Esau the older was against the natural order.
25:24-26. The parents observed the strange situation, and in view of God’s oracle they commemorated the event by giving them appropriate names. The first of the twins was red and hairy, like a little animal, so they named him Esau. The mention of “red” anticipated the future rugged nature of Esau (vv. 27-34). Fascinating wordplays were used to describe the first twin. The name Esau (ʿēśāw) has a loose connection with the word “Seir” (śēʾr), the early name for Edom to the southeast of the Dead Sea, where Esau later lived (32:3; 36:8). The Hebrew word “red” (ʾad̠môn) is related to the word “Edom” (ʾĕd̠ôm; cf. 25:30); and “hairy” (śēʿār) is similar to “Seir.” Those words were carefully chosen to portray in the lad the nature of Edom, a later arch rival of Israel. The second twin was born grasping Esau’s heel (v. 26). In view of the oracle the parents had received (v. 23) it seemed appropriate to give this child a name that would preserve the memory of this event. The name Jacob (yaʿăqōb̠, meaning “may He [God] protect”) was selected because of its connection in sound and sense to the noun “heel” (ʿāqēb̠). The verb ʿāqab̠ means “to watch from behind.” But as with Esau, so Jacob’s name would take on a different sense later in life as his deceptive nature became evident. His name also meant “one who grabs the heel” or “one who trips up.” So the twins’ births had great significance for later events in their lives. God’s fulfillment of His promise to Abraham was carried out by His election of Jacob (later, the nation Israel). At the same time, on the human side, prayer was necessary (v. 21). God’s promise is not carried out except through faith in His supernatural work. God later gave Israel, His elect nation, the promise. But it would not come without Israel’s struggle. From the outset the birth of the nation of Israel was supernaturally superintended. Paul noted that before the twins’ births the younger was chosen over the elder (Rom. 9:11-12). God often reverses man’s natural order, for His ways are not man’s ways. 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.
25:27-34. Jacob and Esau developed in accord with their initial characteristics. Esau, “the red man,” was overcome by his physical appetite for red stew (v. 30) and sold his birthright. And Jacob, “the heel-grabber,” cunningly overtook his brother and gained the birthright. Though Jacob was not righteous, he was not in this instance deceptive. He was open and obvious, but he was unscrupulous. He must be given credit for knowing what was of value and going after it. Esau, however, was totally “godless” (“profane,” kjv; Heb. 12:16.) This passage too includes several important wordplays. Esau was a skillful hunter (lit., “a man knowing game” [ṣayid̠], a man of the open country; Gen. 25:27), but he could not find game this time (v. 29). His father loved him because of his own taste for wild game (ṣayid̠, v. 28). Thus Esau’s nature and occupation were favored by Isaac because of the satisfaction of his palate. Both Isaac and Esau made choices because of this. Jacob was loved by Rebekah (v. 28), partly because of the oracle (v. 23) which she probably mentioned often. And he was a quiet man, staying among the tents (v. 27). But ironically Jacob was the craftier hunter, baiting his trap for the hungry “animal.” One day he was cooking (lit., “boiling,” wayyāzed̠) some stew (“vegetable soup,” nāzd̠; v. 29) made of lentils (v. 34). These words reflect by sound the word for “game” (ṣayid̠; vv. 27-28). But also the verb zd̠ (“to boil”) speaks of Jacob’s presumption, for it means “to be exalted or presumptuous.” Thus the boiling soup portrays a man whelming up over his bounds. As the firstborn, Esau had the birthright and Jacob had the stew. But in the exchange, Esau received the stew and Jacob the birthright. But Esau despised his birthright (v. 34), for what could it do for him if he died of starvation? (v. 32). Jacob, the second-born, then had the birthright. The calculating, quiet man who recognized the spiritual value in the birthright manipulated his profane brother into giving it up. Perhaps knowing the oracle (v. 23), Jacob had been waiting for this opportunity. However, God later made Jacob realize that His promises are not acquired in this way (cf. his grandfather Abraham’s manipulating, 16:1-6). Certainly the profane nature of Esau was a warning for Israel. It is wrong to sacrifice spiritual provisions to satisfy one’s physical appetites. This is a question of priorities. Esau saw only food; and he did whatever was necessary to get what he wanted (cf. Eve and the food on the tree, 3:6). Esau is portrayed as emotional: he was fainting and gasping (famished, 25:29), gulping (suggested by the Heb., v. 34), and then despising (v. 34). In this instance he was not a skillful hunter; he was more like an animal he had trapped with bait. To live on this base level, to satisfy one’s appetites, inevitably leads to a despising of spiritual things. Jacob, though an indoorsman, was a better hunter than Esau. He too craved—but something worth craving. Once he had grabbed by the heel; now he pressed the matter harder. But danger lies even in such spiritual ambition. Believers should seek things of spiritual value, but they should avoid the devices of the flesh. After Jacob was later purged of his human expedience, however, he became a capable servant, for his priorities were then correct.
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
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.
17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
8 This is what the Lord says: "As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, 'Don't destroy it, there is yet some good in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." 7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
6 Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. 7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
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."
10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. 11 And she made a vow, saying, "O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."
13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth
14 "What can be done for her?" Elisha asked. Gehazi said, "Well, she has no son and her husband is old." 15 Then Elisha said, "Call her." So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 "About this time next year," Elisha said, "you will hold a son in your arms." "No, my lord," she objected. "Don't mislead your servant, O man of God!" 17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad — in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls — she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
12 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval.
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.
2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
28 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons . He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' 29 "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. 31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered.
29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed . Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." 33 But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." 34 Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
18 'The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.'
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
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.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? 28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
15 He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made.
22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.
1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. 3Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." 5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."
20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. 21He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?" 22"Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil. 23They said to me, `Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' 24So I told them, `Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!" 25Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.
15 Then she said to him, "How can you say, `I love you,' when you won't confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven't told me the secret of your great strength." 16With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death. 17So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." 18When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, "Come back once more; he has told me everything." So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. 20Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" 9And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2"Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." 3But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. 4Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.
8 He said, "Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me"; and so he became their Savior. 9In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 10Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.
15 But the king rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape?
2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations--
The process of election has been apparent in the previous verses. God chose Sarah, not Hagar or Keturah, to be the mother of the child of promise. God likewise chose Isaac long before he was ever born to be the heir of Abraham. While Abraham had several wives and many children, only Isaac was to be the one through whom the promised blessings would come. In verses 19-26 we see that the process of election continues. Here it is Jacob who is designated as the child of promise as opposed to his twin brother Esau, the one who by a natural course of events would have been the heir of promise.
Isaac married Rebekah when he was 40, but it was 20 years later before she bore him children. Isaac interceded with God on Rebekah’s behalf, and she became pregnant in answer to his prayers (verse 21). During her pregnancy Rebekah was perplexed by the intense struggle209 that took place within her womb, so she inquired of God to determine the reason.210 The answer from the Lord verified the significance of the activity within Rebekah’s womb:
And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples shall be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).
Without all the sophisticated medical tests employed today, God informed Rebekah that she was to give birth to twins. Each of the children would be the father of a nation of people. Of these two nations, one would prevail over the other. Of these two sons, the older would not, as was the custom, become preeminent. Normally, the first-born son would have been the heir through whom the covenant blessings would have passed. While the father could designate a younger son to be the owner of the birthright (cf. Genesis 48:13-20), this was the exception, not the rule. Also, the oldest son could sell his birthright, as Esau did.211
This prophecy is a very significant revelation not only for Rebekah but also for Christians in our age because it indicates the principle of divine election. Before the birth of the children God determined that it would be the younger child who would possess the birthright and thus be the heir of Isaac so far as the covenant promises were concerned.
In Romans 9 the Apostle Paul referred to this incident as an illustration of the principle of election:
And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac, for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, ‘The older will serve the younger’ (Romans 9:10-12).
While we must acknowledge that God in His omniscience knew all of the deeds of both these sons from eternity past, Paul says that the choice of Jacob over Esau had nothing to do with their works. Jacob was chosen in the womb and without regard to the works he would do in the future. In other words, God’s election212 was not based upon “foreknowledge”213 as it is sometimes taught. God’s choice was determined by His will, not by man’s works. Personally, I think that Esau was the more likeable of the two. (At least Isaac would agree with me on this point.)
The events surrounding the birth of the twins gave further evidence to the truth of the words of the Lord spoken to Rebekah before their birth:
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. And 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 (Genesis 25:24-26).
Esau was born first, and he came from the womb red and hairy. The Hebrew word to describe the color of Esau sounded similar to Edom and may have prepared the way for his nickname as it was decided in verse 30. The name Esau somewhat resembles the sound of the word meaning ‘hairy.’
Jacob came forth from the womb grasping the heel of his brother Esau. Jacob’s name was suggested by the Hebrew word for ‘heel.’ Later events, such as the barter of the birthright in verses 27-34, indicate that the name, taken in its negative sense, referred to Jacob’s grasping and conniving nature.
In the life of Abraham the birth of Ishmael was an event which taught the patriarch that God’s blessings are not wrought by self-effort but by trusting God. In Jacob’s life the incident in which he outwitted his brother into selling his birthright served the same purpose. It was a shrewd bargain that Jacob struck, but it was not the means of bringing about God’s blessing.
In addition to the events surrounding the birth of the twins, three factors played heavily in the relationship of the two boys. First, the boys had very different dispositions. Esau seems to have been a masculine, outdoor-type man who loved to do the things a father could take pride in. He was a skillful hunter, and he knew how to handle himself in the outdoors. In our culture I believe Esau would have been a football hero in high school and college. He might even have played for the Dallas Cowboys. He was a real macho man, the kind of son a father would swell with pride to talk about among his friends.
Jacob was entirely different. While Esau seems to have been aggressive, daring, and flamboyant, Jacob appears to be just the opposite: quiet, pensive, more interested in staying at home than in venturing out and making great physical conquests. Not that he had no ambition to get ahead, quite the contrary; but Jacob couldn’t see the sense in tracking about the wilderness just to bag some game. In the solitude of his tent Jacob could mentally reason out how to get ahead without getting his hands dirty and without taking dangerous risks.
The second factor which tended to separate the two sons was the divided loyalty between their parents. Isaac seems to have been the outdoor-type himself; at least he had an appetite for the wild game that Esau brought home (verse 28). Esau was the kind of son that Isaac could proudly take with him wherever he went. Rebekah, on the other hand, favored Jacob. She probably thought Esau was crude and uncultured. Jacob was a much more refined person, gentle and kind, the type of son a mother would be proud of. Besides, Jacob probably spent more time at home than Esau did. Each parent seems to have identified too much with a particular son, thus creating divisions which would be devastating. This favoritism also brought about disharmony between Isaac and his wife. Later Rebekah was to conspire with Jacob to deceive her husband (chapter 27).
The third factor which Moses recorded for us in chapter 25 was the underhanded means by which Jacob wrested the birthright from his brother. While Esau had been out in the field, Jacob had been at home preparing a stew. Weary and famished, though hardly at death’s door, Esau was enticed by the fragrant aroma of the meal. Esau greedily pled for some of “that red stuff.” Rather than showing his brother the hospitality due even a stranger, Jacob saw this as an opportunity to gain the advantage. Here Jacob’s greedy, grasping disposition rose to the forefront. Without a hint of shame Jacob bartered, “… First sell me your birthright” (25:31). With this Esau’s carnal nature emerged, “… Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” (25:32). With an exaggerated estimation of his physical condition and need and a minimal appreciation for the value of his birthright, Esau was willing to exchange his destiny for a dinner.
Jacob was not willing to let Esau take the occasion as casually as he was inclined to; therefore, he made him swear a solemn oath declaring the sale of the birthright. This done, the meal was served, and Esau went on his way. As Moses concluded his report of this event, we find his estimation of Esau’s character: “… Thus Esau despised his birthright” (25:34). And so it is that the writer to the Hebrews can speak of Esau as a man who has no appreciation whatsoever for spiritual and eternal things:
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 (Hebrews 12:15-16).
(Adapted from URL:https://bible.org/seriespage/principle-divine-election-genesis-251-34)
Readers should be unimpressed with the attitudes and actions of the individuals described in this lesson. Isaac and Rebekah each favored one of their sons over the other. Esau desired immediate relief over long-term benefits. Jacob schemed and manipulated his brother for personal gain. A story that began with God’s love and power transitions into a story of people pursuing selfish interests. However, we need not idealize any one human character, because the Lord is the protagonist of this story. He alone can make good out of less than ideal circumstances and less than ideal people (see Romans 8:28; compare Genesis 50:20). God worked through this deeply flawed family, and he will work in the lives of all people whom he has called. People of God should not strive to force his hand. Instead, we should trust that his plans and purposes will be fulfilled, regardless of any attempts to circumvent or force those plans.
The political struggles for the Middle East are as ancient as the account of Jacob and Esau. In some ways, the struggle between Israel and her neighbors of today can be traced to this time. The struggle between Jacob and Esau can also be seen to signify the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. That is another struggle we face today. Paul explained in Galatians 5:17, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Just as Jacob and Esau continually struggled against each other, so we all face the struggle between our flesh and the Spirit, which war in our inner being. God has given us ultimate victory over the flesh, but we still must make a decision to live in the Spirit each day. We see a battle similar to this in the lives of Jacob and Esau. God had promised that He would make Abraham into a great nation and that his descendants would be a great people. This became a bit complicated when his grandsons were twins. According to Jewish tradition, as well as that of most of the world, the eldest son was the one who would receive the inheritance and the birthright. In this case, the struggle for supremacy began even before the twins were born. This led Rebekah to ask God for help, and God explained the struggle to her. The two were already at war. Often God's ways are different from man's ways, and they were in this case. God said the older would serve the younger, which is the opposite of what the world would naturally think. It is natural for us to think that we should fulfill our fleshly desires and needs. We do need to take care of our bodies, but in our culture that has become the ultimate goal. The Spirit has been ignored. Again, God's ways are different. As Paul explained, the flesh and the Spirit are at war. While our world may say we need to give our flesh what it wants, God says our flesh should be in subjection to His Spirit. When Isaac and Rebekah had twins, they gave them names that signified who they would become. The Genesis account says Esau was "red" and "hairy" (25:25); so they named him "Esau." He was also called "Edom," which means red. The mention of red also anticipated his rugged nature. He would later live in Edom. The name "Jacob" means usurper, or one who grabbed at the heel to trip up an adversary. When Jacob was born second, he was grasping the heel of Esau. So the name fit. The account continues with Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of stew. Esau was guided by his fleshly desires and therefore did not see the value of his birthright. Jacob saw the value and used the opportunity to take the birthright from Esau. This episode shows that we should not sacrifice spiritual things to satisfy our fleshly appetites. Jacob used fleshly devices to obtain what God had promised, and that is not what God desires, either.