as we continue in our studies in the book of Genesis. There's several things going on in this particular chapter. I'll begin reading in verse 1.
Scripture Reading: Genesis 25:1-34
Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Midan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Ashurim, Letushim, and Lumim.
And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Ephur, Hanok, Abida, and Eldiah. All these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had.
And while he was still living, he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east. This is the sum of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, 175 years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth.
There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife. And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac dwelt at Ber-lehi-roi. Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maidservant, bore to Abraham. And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names according to their generations.
The firstborn of Ishmael, Nabazeth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsum, Mishma, Duma, Massa, Hedar, Tima, Jeter, Naphish, and Kedema. These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, 12 princes according to their nations. These were the years of the life of Ishmael, 137 years, and he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people. They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.
He died in the presence of all his brethren. This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian.
Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her, and she said, If all is well, why am I like this? So she went to inquire of the Lord.
And the Lord said to her, two nations are in your womb, two people shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger. So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb, and the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called his name Esau.
Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. So the boys grew, and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary. Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, Sell me your birthright as of this day.
And Esau said, Look, I am about to die, so what is this birthright to me? Then Jacob said, Swear to me as of this day. So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils.
Then he ate and drank, arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Amen.
Introduction
Well, as I said, there are several things going on in this particular section. We'll look at four things. First, the marriage of Abraham and Keturah in verses 1 to 6. Secondly, the death and burial of Abraham in verses 7 to 11.
Thirdly, the genealogies of Ishmael and Isaac in verses 12 to 28. And then finally, the profaneness of Esau in verses 29 to 34. It's the apostles' word. commenting on this man Esau. But
Abraham's Marriage to Keturah
in terms of the marriage of Abraham and Keturah, we are actually starting tonight the story of Isaac. If you look at verse 19, this is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham's son. That particular literary convention occurs several times in the book of Genesis. And here in the book of Genesis, we start the story of Isaac.
This will continue on until Isaac's death in chapter 35 and verse 29. But it records the death of Abraham to show that indeed, Isaac is the patriarch. Isaac is the elect seed, the one in whom the promise is coming to pass. And with reference to the marriage of Abraham and Keturah, notice in verses 1 to 4, it states that he married this woman named Keturah, and then it highlights the sons of Abraham and Keturah in verses 2 to 4.
Now, there is a bit of a question concerning the time frame, concerning the time frame. Is this after the death of Sarah? That's how most people would interpret, that it's after the death of Sarah. And if we compare the dates and the times with reference to Isaac and his life, this is probably, well, this is 40 years beyond when he has had Isaac.
And so, Some have made the observation. He was no spring chicken at 100 when he was able to sire Isaac via Sarah. And here to go with six additional sons with this woman Keturah, some suggest that he was rejuvenated by God after the birth of Isaac. Others suggest that he married Keturah or he took on Keturah as a concubine while Sarah was still alive, while Sarah was living.
Now, I'm inclined to agree with that. That's the position of John Calvin. It certainly seems to be favored by John Gill, but I think there are several lines of thought that would validate this. In the first place, the narrative itself is not strictly chronological.
If chapter 25 was strictly chronological, the death of Abraham would occur after the birth of Jacob and Esau. Jacob and Esau were 15 at the time that Abraham died. We know that Isaac himself was 75 when Abraham died, and we know that Isaac had Jacob and Esau when he was 60. So there was a 15-year period there where Jacob and Esau would have had communion with and would have known Abraham.
So it's not strictly chronological in the sense that the way that the chapter is ordered flows chronologically. As well, if you go back to chapter 24, when the servant goes to find a bride for Isaac, he tells Laban, in verse 36, and Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. Now that's recorded for us here in chapter 25, that he gives everything to Isaac, but the servant prior to this in chapter 24 already mentions this. Now, the birth of these six sons by Keturah would actually be more supernaturally amazing at his age now than Isaac's birth would have been some 40 years prior.
And then as well, the reference in verse 6. Notice the plural form of concubines. But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had. He had two.
He had Hagar and he had this Keturah. It's most likely that he took on this Keturah, whether before or after Hagar, but while Sarah herself was alive. In fact, in 1 Chronicles 1.32, it identifies Keturah as a concubine. Now the son's born to Keturah, Abraham's concubine.
So it's a plural form there in verse 6. Yes, she's called his wife, but she's also referred to as a concubine, which is not uncommon in scripture. Now a concubine obviously had less rights than a married wife, and certainly the children of that particular union had basically no rights unless the father himself conferred good gifts upon them, which Abraham does give gifts to them, but the heir, the sole heir, is Isaac. And I think that's the point why the narrative is structured in this particular fashion.
Waltke says the placement of this genealogy at the end of the Abraham story functions to show how Isaac, the son of promise, is the elect patriarch and the sole heir of the promised land. Again, the two views with reference to Abraham and Keturah having six sons after this long period of time, you know, that Isaac's grown to be 40 and married, and then he grows to be 60 having two sons. The idea is that he's either A, rejuvenated physically, Or, B, he had been with Keturah prior to the death of Sarah. Again, it's an argument that I think is pretty consistent.
And again, if you read John Calvin, you'll probably get more information to that particular end. But either way, we see that he had other sons. We see as well that God's promise to him that he would be the father of many has come to fruition.
Isaac as Sole Heir of Promise
Now in terms of the inheritance, notice in verses 5 and 6, and Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. That is conspicuous. That is the emphasis. We are to see here that Isaac is the elect, the seed, the promise, the chosen one, that the line will continue on and through.
But Abraham, according to verse 6, gave gifts to the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had. And while he was still living, he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east." So it's to highlight or isolate that it is Isaac alone that is the inheritor of the promised land. They are sent to the east. They are sent out and away and I think that foreshadows what's going to come later in terms of a dispossession of the Canaanites from the land so that Israel can inhabit the land being unmolested by those perverse influences of those pagans.
And then
Death and Burial of Abraham
notice secondly with reference to the death and burial of Abraham. He was 175 years. He certainly lived a long and a full life. When it says, and was gathered to his people, it probably looks beyond the physical grave.
Because the only one he would be gathered to is Sarah, presently, in that particular field that he purchased. In fact, Matthew Poole makes this observation. He says that gathered to his people means to his godly progenitors, the former patriarchs, the congregation of the just in heaven, in regard of his soul. For it cannot be meant of his body, which was not joined with them in the place of burial, as the phrase is, but buried in a strange land where only Sarah's body lay.
So most likely there's another reference here to what scripture tells us everywhere. There is life beyond this physicality that we know. And then notice that the burial takes place via Isaac and Ishmael. which I think indicates that Ishmael was still in the life of Abraham. You see that in verse 6.
He gave gifts to the sons of the concubines, plural. So he didn't forget about Ishmael. He loved Ishmael, and while he had to send him away, it's not the case that they no longer had any interaction whatsoever. When he dies, it's both Isaac and Ishmael that are involved in burying him in that plot that he had purchased, for Sarah, He is going to be placed there as well.
And then again, the emphasis is on the blessing of Isaac in verse 11. And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed His son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Ber-lehi-roi. So it's like the narrative is moving forward to that particular point of verse 19 where this is the genealogy of Isaac, this is going to occupy the narrator up until chapter 35 and the death of Isaac, this is the emphasis in the chapter.
Genealogies of Ishmael and Isaac
Now thirdly, we have the genealogies of Ishmael and Isaac. You have Ishmael It's pretty straightforward. We have his sons indicated to us, and then we have his death in verses 17 and 18. Now the death is recorded in precisely the same language as is Abraham's.
If you look at the particular text, with reference to Ishmael, he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. Now this suggested to some commentators that perhaps he was repentant, and perhaps he did go on into a heavenly rest. John Gill says this language is used to both good and bad men and I certainly didn't have the time to check all the references so I'm going to trust or defer to John Gill on this one and suggest this is not a sure indicator that Ishmael is at the marriage supper of the Lamb. But it is interesting language, and we do see how Ishmael isn't forsaken, he is not cut off, and what God had promised both to Hagar and to Abraham comes to pass with reference to Ishmael.
So
God's Faithfulness to Ishmael
even in the life of Ishmael, we see the faithfulness of God Almighty. If you look at chapter 16 in verses 10 to 12, you have God's encouragement to Hagar. Remember, she's quite sad about all that has occurred, and the Lord God comes to encourage her And in Genesis 16, 10. We read, Then the angel of the Lord said to her, I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.
And the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold, you are with child, you shall bear a son, you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man, his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. And then with reference to God's promise concerning Ishmael to Abraham, in the very next chapter. Look at verse 19.
This is in response to Abraham saying, let it be on Ishmael. In other words, let this promise come to fruition upon him. and God says, No, Sarah, we'll bear a son, you'll call his name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you.
Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. So back in chapter 25, that's precisely what we see in the text in verse 16. These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations.
So God's word to concerning Ishmael to both Hagar and Abraham does come to pass, it is fulfilled by our Lord in His graciousness.
The Genealogy of Isaac
And now we slow down a bit when we come to the genealogy of Isaac. Again, that sort of section heading. You see it there in chapter 25 verse 12 with reference to Ishmael, but you see it here specifically with reference to Isaac. You see it in the creation account in Genesis 2 at verse 4.
You see it in Genesis 5.1, Genesis 6.9, 10.1, 11.10, 11.27, here in 25, and then again in 36.1 and 37.2. It's the way the narrative is advanced. These are the generations of and then whatever the particular character is. It's a literary device that Moses uses to advance the narrative with reference to the particular section or particular situation or person that he is dealing with in this particular book.
And then notice it speaks concerning his parents and his wife. Abraham's son, Abraham begot Isaac. And then in verse 20, Abraham was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian, of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now that foreshadows or sort of presents or puts into our minds that this Laban the Syrian is going to be mentioned again.
And of course he is when it comes to the Jacob narratives, and Jacob goes to find a wife in the household of Laban. And then verse 21 says, Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife. When you read through the narrative concerning Isaac, he's not the boldest fellow. In fact, in some respects he's a bit passive.
In this particular chapter, we learn that he likes food and we can all probably relate to that to some degree or other, but he's not an overly aggressive sort of fellow. At this particular instance, however, when his wife is barren, what does he do? He seeks or he entreats the Lord. Now, you need to remember that the twins weren't born for 20 years, and I think we have a great example in Isaac of prevailing and earnest prayer.
I think that Isaac was a man that certainly exemplifies what it is to pray to the Lord and give him no rest until he make Jerusalem a blessing in the world. It says in verse 21, Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, And the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived." It's a beautiful statement. It's a beautiful thing. So on the one hand, there's likely this natural desire in Isaac.
He has a bride, and he wants to have children. Up until the 21st century, that's just kind of the way people did things. You got married, and you were fruitful, and you multiplied. It just was the natural flow of things.
Well, probably just the 21st century, it's been around. This animosity or enmity toward babies in the womb has certainly preexisted that, but you get the point. So he has this natural inclination, but as well, he has this spiritual desire. He knows of this promise from God.
He knows of a seed that the Lord God is raising up. And as Matthew Poole makes the observation, he says, he prayed as the Hebrew word signifies, instantly or fervently, frequently and continually, for near twenty years together, for so long it was between their marriage and the first child. He was so much concerned because not only his comfort but the truth of God's promise depended upon this mercy. And he knew very well that God's purpose and promise did not exclude but requires the use of all convenient means for their accomplishment." Again, that is a great display of earnest, faithful praying.
I think at times with the people of God we pray for you know 20 minutes and we think oh that's you know I've really put in a lot of effort to try and ask God for this or 20 days or you know 20 weeks or 20 months. This is a 20 year period where he prays to the Lord God and God in his graciousness Here's his plea, and then God opens the womb. It also demonstrates that Isaac knew something very crucial in terms of who God is. God is the giver of life.
This idea of barrenness and this idea of opening the womb, it's always attributed to Yahweh. He is the Lord of life. He is the giver of life. He is the sustainer of life.
And so Isaac expresses faith in that God when he comes before Him to ask Him to open his wife's womb. And I think there is this contrast here between Ishmael and Isaac. Notice in verse 12, now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maidservant, bore to Abraham, and these were the names of the sons of Ishmael. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
We get to Isaac, this is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham's son, Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife. And then in verse 21, now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. It was the case with Isaac himself.
How long did Abraham and Sarah wait before Isaac came along? It was a 25-year period. It's not going to be the case for the people of God that everything is going to come easily or it's going to come immediately. God encourages us to long-haul faithfulness and to perseverance and to steadiness.
Matthew Poole again makes the observation, she was barren as divers of those holy women that were progenitors of Christ have long been, that it might appear that the sacred stock was propagated more by virtue of God's grace and promise than by the power of nature. I think that's a great observation. Some of this length indicates not just the power of nature, but the power of God in answer to prayer, bringing to pass the fulfillment of the promises that He had made.
Rebekah's Pregnancy and the Oracle
Now we move to the pregnancy of Rebecca in verses 21 to 28. The first thing we ought to observe is the identification of that which is in her womb. The children struggled together within her. Obviously the pro-choice, God-hating rebels that want to murder babies call what's going on in the womb the product of conception.
But the product of conception is babies. The product of conception is twins. And in this particular instance there are twin boys. But it is intriguing.
The children struggled together within her and she said, if all is well, why am I like this? I don't think this is a case of morning sickness or a bit of discomfort. Not that I have any clue what that's like, but I've lived with a woman who went through it five times, so I maybe have a little bit of inkling what it's like, but not physically myself, but certainly hearing. the effects of it, that there's something more going on. And again, we see the faith of Rebecca because she goes to God to lay out her burdens before the Lord.
And I think that when you look at these narratives, there's such a live or fruitful communion with the living and true God that the people of God maintain. If all is well, why am I like this? So she went to inquire of the Lord. Now there's some discussion as to what's happening here.
Did she go to a prophet? You know, besides her father-in-law and besides her husband, there probably wasn't a whole lot in terms of the prophetic word. It probably just means she prayed to the Lord, and then the Lord said to her. And again, this is programmatic for what will happen or occur between Edom and Israel.
So these two sons obviously are representative of the nations that they serve, that they will lead. And he says, two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.
So what we have, the two sons are two nations, Israel and Edom. We'll know or we know that Jacob is later called Israel. And we know that from this particular narrative, Esau is also referred to as Edom, which means red. He's a hairy and most likely redheaded hairy sort of a fellow.
And so we've got Israel and we've got Esau, Edom. So two people shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, Israel, and the older shall serve the younger. So the older in this respect is Esau who comes out first, but he ultimately will be subject or subjugated to the nation of Israel.
You see that during the reign of David, he subjugates the Edomites. But certainly there is this ongoing issue between Edom and Israel, and it's prophesied, foretold, foreshadowed in this particular instance, and it's even developed at the very end of the chapter. We already see this struggle come to pass in this account with reference to the stew or the pottage. Now
Birth and Character of the Twins
notice we have the birth of these twins. Verse 24, so when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. and the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called his name Esau." That's kind of an interesting way to describe this precious little bundle of joy. I mean, when you read that, it really doesn't sound like a precious little bundle of joy.
It's almost as if the, not the deck is stacked, but there's a bit of foreshadowing even here that Esau's not the hero of the story. Esau's not the guy that upon whom all the promises of God are yea and amen. Amen. Esau is not the progenitor in the line that will be the progenitor of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not that Isaac hated him, in fact, Isaac favored him, but in this sort of description, the first came out red, he was like a hairy garment all over, so they called his name Esau. Yeah, all the years I've been alive, I don't remember a baby coming out and looking like a hairy garment. So it just doesn't sort of bode well for the rest of Esau's life, but nevertheless, that's the way it goes. And then verse 26, after his brother came out and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob.
Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them. So we have Esau, hairy and likely a red head, and then we have the second who takes hold of his brother's heel. Now, Jacob literally means may El, that means God, protect or reward, but also signifies in the context one who takes the heel, and also supplanter and deceitful. And certainly that's sort of the mindset or the way that we understand this Jacob moving along in the narrative.
We know that Jacob is the hero. We know that Jacob is the good guy. We know that Jacob is the son of promise. We know that he is certainly in the line, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but he's not a very sympathetic character.
He's not the sort of guy you rally behind because he's just such a virtuous and noble fellow. When he comes to deal with Esau later in this particular section, it's premeditated. I don't think he just had this thought that, oh, maybe I can truck with him to get the birthright. It seems like it's all pretty well set up with reference to the way that Jacob is going to get this birthright from his brother Esau.
So we have the growth of the twins in verses 27 and 28. So the boys grew, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a mild man dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. So you got Jacob as a bit of a mama's boy, and then you've got Esau who's the rugged outdoorsy fellow.
And of course, Isaac likes the rugged outdoorsy fellow because he brings him good food. Isaac likes a bit of meat, And Esau delivers and later on that's going to be the very basis upon which this deception occurs with reference to Jacob going before Isaac. And
The Profaneness of Esau
that brings us finally to the profaneness of Esau in verses 29 to 34. Again, Jacob's right, Jacob is the son of promise, but man, he's certainly not like Abraham and he's not like Lot. First of all, notice the desire of Esau in verses 29 and 30. Jacob cooked a stew and Esau came in from the field and he was weary.
And Esau said to Jacob, please feed me with that same red stew. I think it's literally feed me with that red red. And likely the red red looked like a bowl full or a stew pot full of meat and savory items such that Esau would like. We get down to verse 34, and it turned out to be lentils.
You know, there's no commentary in here, and there's no sort of divine sort of interpretation for us, but I know if I was expecting meat and I got lentils, I don't think I'd be the happiest camper on the face of the earth. Not that lentils are bad, mind you, but meat is just so much better and so much more satisfying. So one wonders, you know, Esau eats, he drank, he rose, and he went his way. But that's not the emphasis in the text.
Notice what Esau says to Jacob in verse 30, "...please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary, therefore his name was called Edom." Again, that is red. Now note Jacob's response in verse 31. Jacob said, "...sell me your birthright as of this day." Dude, your brother, he's hungry and he's thirsty and he's been out in the field. Could you give him a mess of pottage without extorting from him his birthright?
Remember the kindness and the hospitality of Abraham in Genesis chapter 18, when those three men come, what does he do? He has a calf killed, and he prepares it, and he sets out a bounty for them. And even Lot. Lot is a gracious and a charitable and a hospitable man.
Jacob missed that gene. Jacob is all about business, and Jacob is simply about, sell me your birthright. Wenham says, the way Jacob states his demand suggests long premeditation and a ruthless exploitation of his brother's moment of weakness. I mean, I think we can surmise from this interchange that Esau is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.
He's certainly a man governed by his passions. He's certainly a man that displays what is common to so many people on the face of the earth, this desire for immediate gratification than this future orientation. That's his issue. He wants this mess of pottage now.
He doesn't care about the birthright to come, which was extremely important to anybody and everybody who was living at that particular time, but he illustrates that immediate gratification, that government by passion, that I need to have this bowl of stew, I don't care what there is beyond this or what's in my future. I just want what I want. And then notice with reference to what he wants, he says sell me your birthright as of this day. Now the birthright afforded a double portion of the inheritance according to Deuteronomy 21 17.
There was a double portion of the inheritance given to that one who had the birthright. As well, it was a position of honor in the family, and it provided for that man to be, in essence, the leader of the family. So it's quite a rich and good and blessed thing, but not for Esau. Esau just wants what he wants.
And then notice what he says in verse 32. Look, I am about to die, so what is this birthright to me? As Wenham points out, he continues to prattle on pretty well, evidencing that he really isn't about to die. The fact that he can continue on in this debate and dialogue and say, just give me the mess of pottage, indicates he's not on death's door.
He's ready to give up what he has in order to get what he wants. I'm about to die, so what is this birthright to me? And then notice the demand by Jacob. Swear to me as of this day.
So Wenham again says, Esau prattles on, showing he is far from being on the point of death and exhibiting a careless indifference to a privilege that the ancient world held dear. Jacob's curt three-word reply, swear to me at once, confirms that he is cold and calculating, determined to cash in on his brother's folly. Again, we know that Jacob is the hero, but man, he's not the most likable hero because of the sorts of things that he does along the way, which I think develops for us or should illustrate for us sort of this larger theme that we find in the scripture. God uses imperfect man to advance his perfect plan.
There is no such thing as a sterile instrument that God utilizes when it comes to life on this earth. There's a bit of Jacob in all of us, I'm sure. There's a bit of that sort of supplanting. There's a bit of that sort of calculating.
There's that sort of coldness. Well, praise God Almighty that nevertheless there is forgiveness with him that he may be feared. As we move through the patriarchal narratives, we continually meet up with imperfect men. God uses imperfect man to bring about his perfect plan of redemption through the perfect man, the God-man, even the Lord Jesus Christ.
So along the way, there may be those things that leave us a little bit thinking, wow, you're not functioning here with hospitality and kindness. I mean, isn't there another way to get this birth right than extorting your dying brother? At least in his mind, he's your dying brother in such a cold, calculating way. But nevertheless, it is successful as we see here in verse 33. 33 So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils.
Then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Now notice this. This is intriguing. You don't get this a lot in these Old Testament narratives.
You don't get divine commentary that says, Thus Esau despised his birthright. In other words, a lot of times in a narrative, it doesn't always end with sort of practical implications or applications on how you ought to think through this particular narrative. And sometimes we do the best we can, try to glean some lessons. Some are very obvious, and we're pretty apt to be able to make those assertions.
But here the bad guy in the narrative, it isn't Jacob. It isn't the cold calculating brother who extorts his near dying brother for a bowl of soup. But rather Esau is the one who despised his birthright and evidences what it is to want that immediate gratification instead of delaying it, having a future orientation which says that God's blessing, God's birthright or this birthright that ensures me a double blessing from my father's inheritance, which assures me leadership of the family. Those things are far more valuable than a bowl of soup right now.
And again, I think that there's probably a bit of Esau in all of us as well. We want that immediate gratification. Now,
Application
I do want to conclude with a few thoughts that I think are practical in nature that hopefully we can glean both from this passage itself and then also from the New Testament. In the first place, we ought to appreciate, as always in any study of God's Word, the faithfulness of God. He's always sort of the star. He's always under the spotlight because He's always faithful in providing for, sustaining, and blessing His people.
His grace in the life of Abraham to the very end. Abraham, the report given to us about Abraham dying. He lived 175 years, then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years and was gathered to his people. The Lord's people die well because the Lord is good and sustained Abraham every jot and tittle of the way.
He sustained him every step of the way. Now Abraham didn't display perfection, Abraham didn't display that absolute perfection, but nevertheless he was a faithful man because he served a faithful God. As well, up to this point, we see that God is faithful in having given the land. Remember that was fundamental to the promise given to Abraham, that they would inherit the land of promise, this land of Canaan, and they have the land.
Such now that Abraham drives out all the sons of the concubines so that they're nowhere to be found with reference to Isaac and the promised land. Also his long-term plan to bless the nations through Jesus Christ. We're getting closer in Genesis chapter 25 to Matthew chapter 26. It is by steps.
It is incremental. The Old Testament is a book of promise and anticipation. And each chapter moves us forward to that blessed realization of the new covenant in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the promised seed from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One would come that would save His people from their sins.
A second lesson is obviously the faith of Isaac and Rebekah. I think Isaac's pattern here in verse 21 is exemplary. Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife because she was barren. Again, he understood certain truths concerning God.
It's God who opens the womb, it's God who closes the womb. And if the womb isn't open, then Isaac can go to God and say, please open my wife's womb so that we can have a baby to make us happy, but as well so that we can see that covenant promise move further along in and through an heir. and then the faithfulness of Rebekah. She knows of the struggle in her womb, so she goes to inquire of the Lord." Now when we look at them favoring, you know, Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob, that's not ever a good thing. You know, when a parent favors one, perhaps to the exclusion of others, and certainly this is going to produce some nasty fruit later on, at least in terms of the deception that is wrought, but by and large what we see in this chapter is faithfulness on the part of God's people.
I think a third lesson in the New Testament helps to display this, is a demonstration of God's sovereignty. In Romans Chapter 9, the Apostle Paul invokes this particular section of Scripture in his argument for the sovereignty of God. And in Romans chapter 9 verse 6 he says, But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children, because they are the seed of Abraham.
But in Isaac your seed shall be called. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise. At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.
And not only this, but when Rebekah also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac, for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, it was said to her, the older shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." we move through narratives and we see less than stellar performance, say on the part of a Jacob, we can reflect upon this reality. Well, it's not ultimately because Jacob is a great guy, but it's ultimately because God is a great God and God in His sovereignty God, in his decree, has purposed to save a great multitude which no man can number. He set his affection upon Jacob, and he did not do so with Esau. Jacob I loved, Esau I hated.
And he highlights this parenthetically in verse 11, for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand not of works, but of him who calls. So this section in Genesis 25 is a demonstration of God's sovereignty in the hands of the Apostle Paul and then finally it's a demonstration of Esau's apostasy. You can turn to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12, where this same man is utilized as an example and remember the context in the book of Hebrews.
I've tried to explain it over the last couple of weeks. You had essentially a group of Jewish people that had professed saving faith in the Lord Jesus. The book was written prior to the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem in AD 70. that means that there was still a temple standing, that means there was still a sacrificial system in place. And so these Jewish professors in Christ were being pressured, pressured to renounce Christ, to recant from Christ, and to go back to those old covenant system, that old covenant system of worship.
Now notice in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 12, Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Looking carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.
So you see in the context in the book of Hebrews, he's saying, don't be like Esau. There was a momentary sort of answer to his particular problem, but in order to gain that, he sacrificed everything in terms of future bliss and glory. A very appropriate example for those persons under that particular pressure in the first century that happened to be Jews that had happened to profess faith in Jesus Christ. The author is saying don't be like him. be future-oriented, do not go for the immediate gratification of relief from persecution or pressure from friends or family or business associates.
Stay the course, go forward, glorify God Almighty. And then he mentions in verse 17, for you know that afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. Now this applies to the Genesis 27 passage. He was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Now, oftentimes people will read that and they say, well, poor pathetic Esau, he cried and everything. He wasn't crying for the glory of God and for the forgiveness of his sins, he was crying because he didn't get the blessing. You have to see that's a big difference. We can cry or repent or be sad or upset because God's not glorifying because we're vile sinners and we just wanna say with the Apostle Paul, oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?
That's one thing. That's a godly repentance. Those are godly tears. But a man crying because he didn't get a blessing?
That's not legit. That's not good. Never read this passage and say, oh, poor pathetic Esau. He cried and everything, and the Lord shut him down.
Yeah, he cried because he forfeited a great blessing and he realized what a foolish decision he had made. So it's not the case that this poor guy wanted God and God said, Oh, absolutely not, Esau. You know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it, the blessing, diligently with tears. He wasn't seeking repentance.
And again, that fits the context of the book of Hebrews in a most excellent way. Hebrews 6, it is impossible to renew them unto repentance. Hebrews 10, the same sort of thing. Esau is the typical or the archetypal heretical apostate that the scripture warns us against, or at least the book of Hebrews does.
And so that's why I called that last statement the profaneness of Esau because that is precisely what we find in this particular passage. Well, I hope that you will be encouraged with who God is and who we ought to be But as well, we ought to be encouraged with that demonstration of God's sovereignty. The way that Paul uses in Romans chapter 9 is truly amazing and glorious. And then the way that he appeals to him here as the sort of archetypal apostate is, I think, very helpful as well.
So let's close in a word of prayer.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this book of Genesis and the faithfulness of God on each and every page, Lord. And I pray that we would see the lessons of the faithful people of God and seek by grace to emulate these things. And I pray that you would just bless us in our individual lives, bless the families represented here and throughout our church, and God, bless our church as a whole and help us to remain steadfast and to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
Go with us now and grant us safety and grace and your peace to be upon us and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.