Abraham’s grandsons
Genesis 26:2-5 And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham you father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. (While living in Gerar, Isaac denied his wife as wife, claiming she was his sister, because he feared for his own life. This of course, leave her open to attack and sinning by other men…)
Genesis 27:1-10 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son” and he answered, “Here I am.” He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then take, your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, ‘Bring me game and prepare for me a delicious food that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’” (She urged him to slaughter two young goats and bring them to her so she could prepare food for her husband, and encouraged Jacob to cover himself in goat skins when he presented it—thus allowing Isaac to “feel” the hairiness of his eldest son.
Genesis 27:18-24 So he went in to his father and said, “My father,” And he said, “Here I am, who are you, my son?”” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me. . .Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are those of Esau.”. . . He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.”
Genesis 37:4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
Abraham’s grandsons were NOT close as brothers, never mind as twins. They were complete opposites—one who loved hunting, killing animals, and the other was more a homebody, fed the lambs and small, young animals, probably gardened, but did not like the more rugged activities of the life at that time.
Their father, Isaac, certainly did not seem devious, but Rebecca, their mother was. She came from a long line of deceivers –her father, her brother, and learned her lessons well. She was frequently playing Esau against Jacob and really ensuring one lost a lot to the other. The elder had already lost his birthright, his privilege as the first born to his brother since it was not of much value to him when he was hungry and selfish for immediate gratification. He did not spend a moment considering what he was callously giving up. His concern was his hunger, his stomach and being satisfied NOW. So, he signed it away with a wave of his hand.
But, then Isaac, only about 60 years old at the time, decided he was dying in the near future and wanted Esau, the oldest, to make him his favorite meal of meat stew and then he could give him his blessing—the blessing to his eldest child. But, Rebecca, Isaac’s wife, the mother of the twins, overheard the plea of Isaac to Esau and intervened—interfered. She called Jacob to hurriedly kill a lamb and quickly fix a stew and urged him to lie and deceive his father so that he, the second son, the one who had already stolen his brother’s birthright, now would cover his body with goat hair, wear his brother’s clothes, and Jacob did. He did lie blatantly. When asked if he was truly Esau, he answered, yes, with no delay, no apparent guilt or remorse.
After he received the blessing Isaac had meant for Esau, Jacob was afraid and at his mother’s urging, fled, heading to her family’s home. Her brother, Laban, lived a long distance away. On arrival, he was immediately attracted to his cousin, Rachel, and decided he wanted to marry her. Her father, Laban agreed if Jacob would work for him tending sheep and goats for the next seven years. Agreement was made, and when the time was complete, Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, but sneaky Laban substituted his eldest daughter instead of Rachel into the marriage bed.
After fourteen years, Jacob was finally able to marry Rachel. In the interim, Leah had delivered several sons, and once he married Rachel, she was unable to conceive for several years. In the interim, Jacob enjoyed the maid of each of his wives, and they each delivered two sons, and finally, Rachel became pregnant.
Laban wanted Jacob to continue working for him, so Jacob made a “deal” regarding the birth of solid versus striped or spotted offspring. He believed the stipes or spotted came from different logs he placed before the males. Laban just recognized that he was wealthy with Jacob caring for his flocks and did not want to lose that.
The flocks continued to flourish, including Jacob’s herds as he gathered more of the spotted or striped animals. However, we know that was God’s protection and provision for Jacob.
About this point, Jacob decided he had had enough of making huge sums for Laban, enlarging his herds and still working for him, not for his own homestead. So, he decided to take his large family and his own herds back to where he came from. Wives in agreement, the large group started out. Unbeknownst to Jacob, his beloved wife Rachel had stolen valuable property from her father.
Laban stopped the group, upset they had left without a goodbye. . . but then stated his real point, which was the theft of his property. He searched all the tents and the animals being ridden: all except Rachel’s since she stated she was having her monthly and unable to dismount. Another dishonest and sneaky move by this family member.
Jacob was nervous about meeting his brother—guilt made him wonder if payback would be as severe as he feared. He divided his family and herds, hoping to protect the ones most important to him. But when he met his brother, it seemed as though Esau had put aside any anger and animosity he had felt twenty years previously.
On arrival, he found his father still alive—which I would have found surprising, as there had been such a blow-up regarding the birthright and the “final blessing”, and that was more than twenty years previous.
Between his four wives, Jacob had twelve sons, and at least one daughter, Dinah. Dinah was raped and two of her brothers decided to get retribution. Because the guilty young man decided he wanted to marry Dinah, the entire town was deceived to be circumcised. The two brothers then slaughtered the entire town since the townsmen were too uncomfortable to be able to fight and protect the town.
Judah, the fourth son, married and had three sons. His eldest son died because he was a sinful man, so the wife, Tamar, was given to the second son, who did not want “to honor the law of being the parent of a child that would belong to his brother,” and that, too, was against God’s desires. The second son was also killed. Judah, then sent his daughter-law- back to her father’s home until the third son was old enough to marry. But Judah had no intention of giving his last son to Tamar.
After a few years of waiting, Tamar took matters into her own hands. She enticed her father-in-law, Judah, to sleep with her. Apparently, there was no discussion, no face to face kissing, and Judah impregnated Tamar, without a clue that she was someone he knew.
When it was learned she was pregnant, he was all for making sure she would be burned for adultery. However, she had his belongings, which she had asked for as reassurance for payment for ‘services rendered.’ When Judah was presented with his own belongings, he declared she was more honorable than he had been. Unsure if Tamar and her twin sons were welcomed into his home and he supported them, but the Bible does state he did not ever again “know” her.
Jacob had made it clear that his favorite child was Joseph, the elder of Rachel’s two sons. The half-brothers from all the different mothers resented the favoritism, even though Joseph goaded them with dreams that they would bow down and worship him. His superiority in attitude annoyed them, so Jacob’s sons also decided to get rid of him. They sold him to the Midianites, but made it seem as though he had been killed by wild animals
Lot of sneakiness to be found in this generation of the Lord’s earthly ancestors. I think God presents us with these true stories to show us those who follow Him are not perfect, they are sinners, and all are sinful—just the human tendencies. But He opened a way for our growth and repentance by confessing and repenting of our sins and asking the Holy Spirit to help us not repeat this sinful behavior again.
Certainly, we know we should not covet, be jealous, crave things another has whether material or physical or even mental, yet often we envy someone else.
God spent years—centuries—walking with people and many of them were chosen to write His words down for the benefit of those who want to be close to God. I knocked and asked to come in, and He opened the door and I am so thankful, blessed ‘me and my bellaviews.’
Comments