GENESIS 24-27: DAY 44 JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
February 13, 2023
GENESIS 24-27
DAY 44 JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
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Focus Verses For Today: Genesis 25:34; 26:34-35
Our journey today continues through the book of Genesis, the book of creation. While we continue to follow the descendants of Abraham, today, we look at his grandsons, Jacob and Esau. Gifts, birthrights, should not be considered lightly, nor freely given, however, through all, God’s will prevails.
Take a few moments to pray for God to give you an understanding of today’s journey, the journey through Genesis 24-27. Now read chapters 24-27 of Genesis listening for God to speak to you through these verses.
Genesis 24-27: Abraham seeks a wife, a Jewish, untouched wife, for his son Issac. Such a wife, Rebekah, is found amongst relatives of Abraham. Abraham dies, and Ishmael and Issac, brothers, come together to bury their father. Esau and Jacob are born, and Esau gives up his birthright for a bowl of red lentil stew. Issac, through his God, gained a reputation among neighboring kingdoms. Jacob, and his mother Rebekah, deceive Issac into giving Jacob the firstborn blessing, angering both Issac and Esau. Jacob was forced to flee after his father’s death. (Genesis 24:1-27:46)
Our focus verses for today:
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.
(Genesis 25:34, NIV)
When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.
(Genesis 26:34-35, NIV)
The Lord had told Rebekah that the older would serve the younger. When we consider the focus verses for today it is obvious that there is a problem with Esau being the protector of the covenant. In the first focus verse, he sells his birthright to his brother for a bowl of red lentil stew. He gave up the position of leader of the Abrahamic line when he sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew. That’s right, his birthright, for a bowl of lentil stew; a bowl of red lentil stew! He was about to die, or so he claimed. In the second focus verse, consider the fact that he had married two Hittite women. Esau did not understand that he was to be the father of a great nation, a great Jewish nation. Esau did not appreciate the importance, the true value, of his birthright selling it for a bowl of lentil, red lentil soup. By marrying Hittite women, he showed that he did not respect God’s direction to all Jews to marry only Jewish women. This shows either obstinance to God’s commands or genuine disinterest. Neither quality satisfied the requirements for the future leader of the house of Abraham (Issac).
While Esau proved his unworthy as a leader of the house of Abraham, Rebekah was not content to wait on God’s timing – who knows what would have happened had she waited! Are you like Rebekah, unwilling to wait on the Lord’s timing? Are you like Esau, willing to throw away what a birthright for momentary pleasure? Consider your relationship with the Lord. Does it resemble any of the relationships shown in today’s reading?
Godspeace!
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