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Let’s take a look today at a family in Jesus’ lineage: Isaac and Rebekah, their children Esau and Jacob.
When the children were struggling in the womb, it says in Gen 25:22 that Rebekah inquired of the Lord – and He told her that the older shall serve the younger. That’s the birthright – Jacob would be the heir of God’s covenant of salvation. By God’s choice.
Did she treasure this divine news? Share it with Isaac? With the children? We don’t really know.
But we do know from Gen 25:29-34 that Esau, the outdoorsy guy, when hungry, sold his birthright for a bowl of stew to his something of a scoundrel brother Jacob. The birthright determined who would inherit the covenant God made with Abraham; it was REALLY IMPORTANT.
So odd — Jacob was scheming in the flesh to gain something God had said was already his. And Esau – saw no value in it, at least not if you are hungry! And according to God’s word it wasn’t his to sell. Sheeez.
It gets worse in chapter 27. Jacob already has the birthright; and now he steals the blessing! You might read up on birthrights and blessings in the Old Testament – VERY important stuff!
Another oddity. Isaac insists on giving the blessing to Esau, the one whom God did not choose, who despised his birthright, and who married pagan wives that caused his parents great distress. What was Isaac doing? Maybe it was the willfulness of his old age. Did he realize he was acting contrary to God’s word?
In this house, it seemed no one trusted anyone else. Or trusted God.
Instead of trusting God to fulfill what He had promised, Rebekah used manipulative scheming to accomplish what she thought was God’s plan – and, likely, also her preference. Spurgeon has commented that good men have gone very wrong when they have thought of aiding in the fulfillment of promises of God.
It seems in this tragic story, everyone lost. Everyone suffered, because they insisted on their own solutions rather than trusting God’s word and finding rest in it.
NEVERTHELESS, God still accomplished His purpose. Isn’t that encouraging? Our mess-ups do not automatically result in a thwarting of His purposes, although they may mean difficulties for us in this life.
Yes, this life, TODAY. We have a birthright and blessings that are ours through Jesus Christ. Let me ask you (and me) — are we functioning according to our birthright and receiving God’s blessings – by faith? Or are we wearing out through scheming and maneuvering in human wisdom and energy – to build a bigger church, bigger ministry, have a better life – compromising ethics and integrity just to ‘help God out.’ Hmmm.
Eph 1:3-14 show us a FEW of the riches that are ours by birthright, the new birth, in Jesus. For example:
Every spiritual blessing is ours. Don’t do without a single moment longer!
We are chosen in Jesus, adopted into God’s family. Reject rejection, friend!
Totally accepted by God in Jesus. No conditions!
Totally redeemed. Totally forgiven. No conditions – it’s the blood!
The riches of God’s grace are ours. We are saved by grace through faith, and there’s much more.
Be transformed by THESE TRUTHS; you’ll — COME ALIVE!
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