Wednesday, April 28, 2004
something to ponder...
I love how Genesis is all about the underdog. Before Jacob and Esau were even born, God tells their mother, Rebekah, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." As they grow up, it becomes obvious which brother has the upper hand. Esau is the firstborn, so he has all the legal rights as well as the covenant promises from God that Isaac had inherited from Abraham (at the heart of the birthright). Plus, he's bigger, he's stronger, he's more outgoing. He's the man. Jacob, on the other hand, is quiet, probably smaller, a mama's boy...sounds to me like he's kind of dorky. But God has already said that the older (Esau) will serve the younger (Jacob), and that one will be greater (Jacob as well).
However, it takes an act of the will on Esau's part to bring this prophecy to pass. Although Jacob is a sneaky sneak in the event, I really think it was Esau's decision that was the major part. He comes in from hunting. He's tired I'm sure, hungry definitely, beat, ready to fall over, but dying? Come on. What a drama queen.
Jacob's in the kitchen (pansy) making some stew when his brother comes in and says, "Quick! Let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" So Jacob says, "First sell me your birthright," and the big oaf does it! His logic is that he's about to die anyway so his birthright is useless, but let's think about this....if he thought that one bowl of stew would cure him, he obviously didn't really think he was in that dire a situation. And since we know that the one bowl of stew does, in fact, fix him right up, we can probably guess that he was just really really really really really really ridiculously hungry. I personally don't think the guy was very bright, but that's just me.
In any case, it was this event that caused Esau to lose his birthright (God's blessing and promise to be his God) and to begin to bring about the fulfillment of what God told Rebekah before the boys were born--that the older would serve the younger.
God already knows the plan for our lives as well. But we do make choices along the way that bring that plan to life and fulfillment. Something to think about.
However, it takes an act of the will on Esau's part to bring this prophecy to pass. Although Jacob is a sneaky sneak in the event, I really think it was Esau's decision that was the major part. He comes in from hunting. He's tired I'm sure, hungry definitely, beat, ready to fall over, but dying? Come on. What a drama queen.
Jacob's in the kitchen (pansy) making some stew when his brother comes in and says, "Quick! Let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" So Jacob says, "First sell me your birthright," and the big oaf does it! His logic is that he's about to die anyway so his birthright is useless, but let's think about this....if he thought that one bowl of stew would cure him, he obviously didn't really think he was in that dire a situation. And since we know that the one bowl of stew does, in fact, fix him right up, we can probably guess that he was just really really really really really really ridiculously hungry. I personally don't think the guy was very bright, but that's just me.
In any case, it was this event that caused Esau to lose his birthright (God's blessing and promise to be his God) and to begin to bring about the fulfillment of what God told Rebekah before the boys were born--that the older would serve the younger.
God already knows the plan for our lives as well. But we do make choices along the way that bring that plan to life and fulfillment. Something to think about.