Two Boys Choose Jacob and Esau Lesson 11 1
Lying lips are abomination to the LORD; but they that deal truly are his delight. (Proverbs 12:22) 2
Last week we learned that Eliezer went to the city of Nahor to obtain a wife for Isaac, and the lady chosen was Rebekah. She was the granddaughter of Abraham s brother, Nahor. 3
Ian W Scott/flickr He met her at a well something like this. 4
This week we will learn about the children of Isaac and Rebekah--Jacob and Esau. 5
Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah and sixty years old when Jacob and Esau were born. 6
Why did Isaac love Esau? Because of food! And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison. (Genesis 25:28) That is not a good reason to love anyone. 7
What is true love? It is not a feeling, although feelings can be nice. True love is noble and is a high and holy principle. That means we love others even when we don t feel like it. This is different from how most of the world looks at love. People in the world think love is a wonderful feeling, but when things get tough, their feelings of love disappear, and sometimes they disappear, too. God expects us to practice self-denial and to show kindness, courtesy, and Christian sympathy to others. This is how love will be kept warm in our hearts. (PP, p. 176) 8
What do we know about Rebekah? She was Abraham s grand niece. She was helpful and kind to strangers. She was fair to look upon. She was respected by her family--the final choice to leave was left to her to make. She and Isaac had a tender relationship, at least at first (because she later deceived him, but then repented). 9
What do we know about Isaac? He loved Rebekah. Even when he was forty years old, he submitted to his father s judgment in the choice for a wife. He was highly honored by God, for he was made the inheritor of the promises of God. He was buried in the cave of Machpelah. He was gentle and yielding in disposition. 10
What do we know about Jacob? 11
Thoughtful Diligent Care-taking Thought more of the future than of the present Content to dwell at home Cared for the flocks Tilled the soil Patient Deep & strong affections Unremitting attention to mother Had an unspeakable desire for the birthright Esteemed eternal over temporal, but did not have experimental knowledge of God Constantly studied a way to secure the birthright blessing from Esau Thrifty 12
It was not the possession of his father s wealth that he craved; the spiritual birthright was the object of his longing. To commune with God as did righteous Abraham, to offer the sacrifice of atonement for his family, to be the progenitor of the chosen people and of the promised Messiah, and to inherit the immortal possessions embraced in the blessings of the covenant--here were the privileges and honors that kindled his most ardent desires. 13
What do we know about Esau? 14
Had no love for devotion, no inclination for religious life The spiritual birthright was not welcomed. The law of God was regarded as a yoke of bondage. His greatest desire was to do as he pleased. To him happiness was found in power & riches, in feasting & reveling. He gloried in a wild, roving life. Had a special, strong desire for a particular article of food and felt he would die if he did not have it. He sold his birthright for a small indulgence to meet present wants. 15
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What do we know about Rebekah and Jacob and Isaac and Esau? 18
To Rebekah, Jacob was the dearer son. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 177) 19
Why was he the dearer son? Jacob was the favorite son of his mother because his disposition was mild and better calculated to make his mother happy. (3SG pp. 133, 114) 20
Isaac loved Esau better than Jacob. 21
Would you be interested in knowing why Isaac loved Esau better? (Hint--we ve already mentioned it.) 22
Because of food! 23
Isaac loved Esau better than Jacob because Esau provided him venison. He was pleased with his bold, courageous spirit manifested in hunting wild beasts. (3SG, p. 113) 24
So, one son was mild, and the other son was bold. Is one trait better than the other? Maybe one is better for boys and the other for girls? 25
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29) 26
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39) 27
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench. (Isaiah 42:2, 3) 28
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ s sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32) 29
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:9) 30
As Christians, there are times when we are to be meek and mild, and there are other times when we need to be courageous and strong (and maybe even display all four traits at the same time), but all of this is to bring honor to God and never to bring attention to ourselves about how strong, brave, or meek we are. 31
Isaac loved Esau for the wrong reasons--not for his character, but for the food he brought to him which, in turn, demonstrated his physical prowess. 32
Could God have fulfilled the promise to Rebekah that the elder would serve the younger if Esau had received the birthright? 33
Esau was supposed to have received the birthright blessing, and if he had and if he had loved and reverenced God while in possession of this blessing, God would have added his blessing to that of Isaac s blessing. God would have blessed Esau, just as he had blessed Abel. 34
And if Jacob, without the birthright blessing, had also loved and reverenced God, God would have blessed him, too. Even though he had not received the birthright blessing from his father, Jacob would have also prospered under the hand of God, so much so that God would have brought about circumstances in which the elder would have served the younger, just as God had prophesied. 35
However, if Esau were to have received the birthright blessing from his father and then to have shown no respect for God or for his commandments, he would not have received a blessing from God, and he would not have prospered. 36
In other words, the birthright blessing from man is of none effect without the blessing of God added to it, so it didn t really matter if Esau or Jacob received the traditional birthright from Isaac because God would have overturn Isaac s blessing to accomplish his own designs. 37
However, Rebekah and Jacob did not trust God to work things out in God s own way. (1SP 107) 38
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