ISAAC & JACOB: TWIN TROUBLES

ISAAC & JACOB:

TWIN TROUBLES

Genesis 25:19-20 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

Susie: The early part of chapter 25 relates Abraham’s death at 175 years old and burial in the cave at Machpelah he had purchased as a tomb for Sarah. Then Abraham’s lineage through Ishmael, his son through Hagar the handmaiden of Sarah, is listed. Now we will continue with the story of Abraham’s descendants through, Isaac, the son the Lord chose to receive the promise of His covenant with Abraham.

Genesis 25:21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Susan: It is interesting to note here that like Sarah, Isaac’s mother, Rebekah was barren. Isaac knew that the God of his father, the Lord, had the solution for the problem.

Susie: Isaac knew the Lord promised to make a great nation from his descendants which meant he must have at least one child. Therefore, he prayed the Lord would open Rebekah’s womb and give them a child. When they married, Isaac was already forty years old, but many scholars believe that Rebekah may have been as young as fourteen!

Susan: Being married at such a young age and wide difference in age between husband and wife was not odd in their culture. God answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant.

Genesis 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.

Susie: Remember, there were no sonograms, no way of knowing you were carrying twins. Therefore, when Rebekah started having unusual pain and discomfort, she asked God what was happening.

Susan: It was as if a war was going on inside her, or in the very least that the twins were having a spirited wrestling match. She may felt like a gymnastics competition was going on in her womb.

Susie: Since Rebekah and Isaac both grew up around domesticated animals and in a culture where midwives and family members delivered babies, I am sure she was aware that this was not a “normal” pregnancy.

Genesis 25:23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

Susan: God was Rebekah’s personal sonogram and informed her she was carrying twins.

Susie: He explained that each would be the father of a nation, and that they would have very distinct personalities.

Susan: God said the firstborn would serve his younger brother, the one born second. This would go against the tradition of the firstborn being the one to receive the blessing and the larger share of the inheritance.

Genesis 25:24-25 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

Susie: When Rebekah gave birth, it was just as God had said . . . there were twins. Surprise, surprise, surprise—God knew what He was talking about! Really no surprise at all, but the way it was stated made me think that.

Susan: The first twin delivered was named Esau which means “Hairy” because he was hairy all over.

Susie: I’m glad my parents didn’t name me the first thing the doctor said about me because my name would be “it’s another stinking little girl.” Thank you, Doc! I was the third girl.

Genesis 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

Susan: Next came Jacob, which mean “to grasp the heel or supplanter.” What is a supplanter? Glad you asked:

Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language:

SUPPLANT', verb transitive [Latin supplanto; sub and planta, the bottom of the foot.] To trip up the heels.

SUPPLANTed down he fell.

1. To remove or displace by stratagem; or to displace and take the place of; as, a rival supplants another in the affections of his mistress, or in the favor of his prince.

Suspecting that the courtier had supplanted the friend.

2. To overthrow; to undermine.

Susie: As we will see, Jacob’s name not only described what he was doing when born but was a prophecy of his replacing his brother in the position of chief heir. This verse notes that Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born which means he and Rebekah had to wait twenty years for children.

Genesis 25: 27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

Genesis 25:27 (VOICE) When the boys grew up, they could not have been more different. Esau became a skillful hunter and preferred to be outdoors. Jacob, on the other hand, grew up to be a contemplative man, content to stay at home.

Susie: As God had foretold, the twins were as different as night and day. Esau was a rugged outdoorsman who loved to hunt wild game.

Susan: Jacob was a quiet man, a thinker. He preferred pondering to sweating and indoors to outdoors.

Genesis 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Susan: It may be that each parent loved the son most like themselves.

Susie: And Isaac loved some deer meat! Each parent received something from the son they favored. Isaac was supplied with tasty meat, and Rebekah probably enjoyed the companionship of her son, Jacob.

Genesis 25:29-30 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

Susan: Jacob was cooking a reddish-brown stew made of lentils one day. Esau came back to the camp from hunting in the field, and he was famished from hunger. Esau said “Give me some of that stew that you’ve cooked up, brother, before you have to raise me from the dead!” (Susan paraphrase).

Susie: This is how Esau gained the nickname “Edom” which is a variant of Adam and means “red” or “from the red earth.”

Genesis 25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

Susan: Jacob lived up to his name strategizing to get Esau’s birthright. Esau had something Jacob wanted, and he proposed what sounds like an outlandish exchange!

Susie: Either Jacob knew he was a world class chef or he knew of his brother’s rash foolishness to propose that a bowl of stew was worth a birthright, the privilege due to him as the eldest son.

Genesis 25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

Susie: Jacob knew his brother well, that he did not value his birthright as he should. Esau agreed to the terms in order to feed his belly and even took an oath to sell his birthright to Jacob for a meal.

Susan: Of course, God knew Esau would sell his birthright giving Jacob position over him in the family. He sold it for comfort food!

Genesis 25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Susie: The birthright was no small matter. It included a double portion of the inheritance and the right to be chief and priest of the entire family.

Susan: It offended Jacob and God as well that Esau would place so little value on his birthright which was a gift from God. In the New Testament Esau is remembered as “a profane man”:

Hebrews 12:14-16 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

QUESTIONS

1. What did Rebekah have in common with Isaac’s mother, Sarah?

2. Why did Rebekah “inquire of the Lord?”

3. What did the Lord tell Rebekah about her twins in answer to her prayer?

4. What is the meaning of:

a. Esau?

b. Jacob?

c. Edom?

5. In what ways were the twins different?

6. Each parent had a favorite twin. Who was Isaac’s favorite and why?

7. For what did Esau sell his birthright to Jacob?

8. What privileges came along with the birthright being firstborn?