The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 25:29-34,
"Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, 'Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!' (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, 'First sell me your birthright.' 'Look, I am about to die,' Esau said. 'What good is the birthright to me?' But Jacob said, 'Swear to me first.' So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright."
Jacob and Esau were twins born to Isaac and Rebecca. Esau was the first of the twins at birth, and so, according to convention, held the birthright and was the primary heir of all that was Isaac's. The greatest, beyond all of what was Isaac's, was the promises and blessings of God passed from Abraham to Abraham's offspring, as recognized by God.
What we see here is that Esau held such little esteem for the promises and blessings of God, that he sold them for a bowl of lentil stew! God, of course, knows all things - even things yet future, and so he declared his unhappiness with Esau and his delight for Jacob even before they were born. Paul observes this as he makes his case that God makes his choices, "Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'" Romans 9:10-13.
Paul quoted Genesis 25:23 to demonstrate that God makes his choices, and in the Romans 9 passage we learn that he had chosen for himself who he considered the children of Abraham that would receive the promises made to Abraham, as opposed to those who simply are next in the genealogical chart. The sale of Esau's birthright to Jacob demonstrates the why of God's choice of Jacob, even before both were born!
Jacob and Esau were twins born to Isaac and Rebecca. Esau was the first of the twins at birth, and so, according to convention, held the birthright and was the primary heir of all that was Isaac's. The greatest, beyond all of what was Isaac's, was the promises and blessings of God passed from Abraham to Abraham's offspring, as recognized by God.
What we see here is that Esau held such little esteem for the promises and blessings of God, that he sold them for a bowl of lentil stew! God, of course, knows all things - even things yet future, and so he declared his unhappiness with Esau and his delight for Jacob even before they were born. Paul observes this as he makes his case that God makes his choices, "Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'" Romans 9:10-13.
Paul quoted Genesis 25:23 to demonstrate that God makes his choices, and in the Romans 9 passage we learn that he had chosen for himself who he considered the children of Abraham that would receive the promises made to Abraham, as opposed to those who simply are next in the genealogical chart. The sale of Esau's birthright to Jacob demonstrates the why of God's choice of Jacob, even before both were born!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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