March 21, 2023

Hello Advent Family,

Isaac continues to operate under the great covenant the God made with his father, Abraham.  He knows that a great nation will come from his line and his people.  His firstborn sons are twins but are quite different.  With Mom and Dad each having a clear favorite.  Let’s read the account together today. 

When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. 27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 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.

This is a quick but very significant portion of scripture.  A birthright was given to the firstborn and with this birthright a blessing was handed down.  This blessing would be the Covenant that God had made with Abraham.  Esau flippantly sells his to Jacob because he is hungry.  He knows that he is Isaac’s favorite and probably assumes he will receive the blessing anyways.  This makes light of God’s great promise however and has significant consequences in the life of both Jacob and Esau.  God does indeed make a great nation out of Jacob.  He even renames him Israel.  Jacob’s sons become the twelve tribes of Israel.  Esau however become an outsider to that great blessing.  For us today the significance is how important little choices can be in our lives.  Esau didn’t think twice about selling his birthright because he thought he would get it anyways.  When we make flippant choices they often can have lasting consequences.  We all probably have a story or two about that.  Esau serves as a reminder to trust in God’s great plan for us and not make decisions that waver from that.  We also have a great promise from God that we are His children who get to receive the blessings of His birthright.  When we do follow His plans we get to experience the greatness of the blessings that He has for us.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave


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