Division vs Unity

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

DIVISION VS UNITY

Gen 28:1-9

28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother's father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham." 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau. 6 Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, "Do not marry a Canaanite woman," 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. 8 Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; 9 so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.

NIV

As dysfunctional this family appeared to be, with the division between Isaac loving Esau and Rebekah loving Jacob, and the conflict between the two brothers, there was some unity. The two Hittite women that Esau took as wives were a source of grief to both Isaac and Rebekah. She did not want Jacob to follow Esau by taking a local foreign woman as a wife; she must have talked this over with Isaac, so he called Jacob in to greet him, bless him, and give him instructions on where to obtain a wife. He had to go within his mother's family, to her brother Laban. We know what happens there, but we should focus on Jacob's and Esau's personalities. From what we know, Jacob is somewhat of a gentle being; we might say, a mother's son. Yes, he deceived his brother out of his birthright and his father to obtain the firstborn blessing, but he was also obedient to his mother, and now he is being obedient to his father. Esau continues to show a mean streak, angry at his brother for agreeing to relinquish his birthright just because he was hungry. He was the one who despised his own birthright, yet he allowed his jealousy and anger to get the best of him to the point of wanting to kill his own brother. So, on a united front, Isaac sends Jacob away with the blessing God gave to Abraham. Isaac wanted him to be fruitful and increase in number until he became a community of people, which we know he became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. However, Esau's anger or hatred for his brother, and now against his parents, led him to take another wife, this time from his Grandfather's son, Ismael's family. Esau caused more division among his father's household. We should learn this lesson well: we cannot allow anger, jealousy, or envy to drive us to hatred or revengeful thinking or behavior. If we live in obedience to our Lord, our lives should always be driven by love, which covers a multitude of sins. It would take years for Jacob and Esau to reconcile. We must reconcile any conflict immediately, not allowing the enemy of our souls to gain a foothold or create division among us. We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord, and our love should reflect the unity of God. 

Worthiness of Life

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

WORTHINESS OF LIFE

Gen 27:42-46

42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, "Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you. 43 Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Stay with him for a while until your brother's fury subsides. 45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I'll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?" 46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living."

NIV

There are two concepts to ponder within this text. First, we wonder why Rebekah thought that she would lose both sons if Esau's hatred drove him to want to kill Jacob. If Esau killed Jacob, wouldn't Jacob be the only one she would lose? However, when Noah came out of the ark, the LORD commanded him that whosoever sheds the blood of man, by man will his blood be shed. So it would seem right that a blood relative of Jacob would be obligated to avenge his death by killing Esau, which could have taken place the very same day that Esau took the life of Jacob. The truth God revealed in that command was that man is made in his image, and therefore the life of all men should be sacred. It would be good for us to consider the sacredness of each other as seen by the Lord. Another example is the hurt Esau caused his mother when he married two Hittite women. We are told she was disgusted with living because of those Hittite women in her household. Were there cultural differences that great; were they completely incompatible? Research suggests they worshipped many deities, were polytheistic, and believed in some form of communication between the living and the dead. Is it any wonder that Rebekah could not tolerate them practicing their religion within her household? She served the One  True God, the only God, the creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them. This should give us enough to ponder how many concepts in the culture we live in are so completely incompatible with the ways of God, which should be our ways. However, we should not adopt the same disgust Rebekah felt; instead, we are told to love one another, for all people were created in God's image. That does not mean we should approve of those corrupt ways in this world's culture. However, we also cannot let the world's ways influence our lives so much that we become accustomed to them and begin to accept them as normal, or possibly even adopt some of them without realizing it. Although Rebekah thought that if Jacob took a Hittite wife, her life would not be worth living, we know without a shadow of doubt that because He lives, we can face tomorrow; in other words, we know our lives are worth living. We should never give in to disgust, despair, or disappointment, because He lives, and He holds our future, and life is worth living. 

Who Is in Control?

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

WHO IS IN CONTROL

Gen 27:38-41

38 Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!" Then Esau wept aloud. 39 His father Isaac answered him, "Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above. 40 You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless,  you will throw his yoke from off your neck." 41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

Jealousy and envy turned Esau into a man of hatred, enough to want to kill his own brother. Isaac's prophetic words to Esau were hurtful because his blessing was more of a curse: as Jacob received the heavens' dew and the earth's riches, Esau's dwelling would be away from both. He would receive nothing good. Instead, he would become a restless man, throwing off the headship of his brother. Yet, this hatred that would drive him to want to kill Jacob is the story of life. Jesus made the lesson clear that to hate is the same as murder. Although Jesus used the word angry, which is not as harsh as hateful, to even get angry at someone means judgement by Almighty God. Anger is an emotion driven by self-centeredness, thinking of oneself more highly than one should. We are told that if we forgive those who offend us, the Lord will forgive us, but the opposite is also true: not forgiving means we have no forgiveness from God. Esau was in danger from the judgment of the LORD, as his anger was driving him to desire murder. We cannot allow anger to enter our minds, for as a man thinks, so is he. If we allow that anger a foothold in our minds, it will bring ruin upon our spirits. How can we be in fellowship with God while we allow anger to control our spirits? There is a difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the self. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control, which means that if we are in control of ourselves, we would not allow anger, as well as envy, jealousy, or pride, to control us. Esau was out of control, lost to his selfishness, and allowed anger to control him. We cannot afford that luxury of giving in to our selfish, self-centered life. When we turn our lives over to Jesus and call him our Lord, we give him control. So the question is always before us: who is in control?  

Limited and Unlimited

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

LIMITED AND UNLIMITED

Gen 27:30-37

30 After Isaac finished blessing him and Jacob had scarcely left his father's presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. 31 He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, "My father, sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing." 32 His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I am your son," he answered, "your firstborn, Esau." 33 Isaac trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him — and indeed he will be blessed!" 34 When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me — me too, my father!" 35 But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing." 36 Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?" 37 Isaac answered Esau, "I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?"

NIV

Esau receives his due reward for despising his birthright for a bowl of stew. There is no question that he is upset because Jacob deceived their father into giving him the firstborn blessing, and Esau understands the meaning of his brother's name, accusing him of being no better than a thief. Esau is upset and angry about not getting what he thought he should. Was he now envious of Jacob? Was he jealous because Jacob is now the lord over him, instead of him being lord over Jacob? Isaac asked Esau what he could possibly do for him as his son. With men, at least during those times, there was only one firstborn blessing that was for the prosperity of the blessed. Isaac could not give Esau a blessing of prosperity; however, we will see the type of blessing he does get. It will be away from the very things Jacob will receive. Our story is about the blessing not from an earthly father to his son, but from our Heavenly Father through his Son. As sons and daughters of God, we all have been blessed through Jesus coming to earth in the form of man for the express reason to take our place on the cross, the punishment for sin. If that were all he blessed us with, that would be enough. However, he continues to bless us in so many ways. Of course, the blessing of abundant life refers to eternal life. Still, it could also mean a life here and now filled with his presence, and the power of the Holy Spirit empowering us with his gifts,  manifesting his fruit within us, and leading us to walk the way he leads. That is the greatest way to have a fulfilled, happy, content, satisfied, blessed life.  Isaac was limited in what he could do for Esau, but our Heavenly Father is unlimited in what he can do for us.  Man is limited; God is unlimited. 

The Dew of Heaven

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE DEW OF HEAVEN

Gen 27:18-29

18 He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" 19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing." 20 Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success," he replied. 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not." 22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. 24 "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," he replied. 25 Then he said, "My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing." Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me." 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,

"Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. 28 May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness — an abundance of grain and new wine. 29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed."

NIV

Although the deception is complete, God's will for Jacob remains the same, as he received the firstborn blessing. He was due this blessing because Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. Even though he deceived his father at his mother's direction, Jacob still had the right to the firstborn blessing. Having our mind, or rather our spirit, settled on the matter of Jacob's rightful due of the blessing, we should focus on truth within it. What does it mean to have heaven's dew? To understand the significance of heaven's dew, we need to understand the land of Israel. Because that area generally has only two rainy seasons, the morning dew refreshes or supplies enough moisture to sustain the vines and other crops. However, the spiritual significance lies in the relationship between heaven's dew and earth's richness. This earth is our temporary residence, which is sustained by the Lord God of Heaven and earth. This brings us to our relationship with the Lord. Without the dew of heaven, the abundant supply from heaven, which can be seen as Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we could not flourish. We could see Jesus as the dew of Heaven, who supplied us with the life-giving moisture, the living water. Without the dew of heaven, we could not have the richness of life. The dew could also represent the Holy Spirit, who was poured out from heaven upon us who believe. How could we flourish in this dry land unless we are filled with the dew of heaven, the Holy Spirit? A land void of truth is nothing but a wasteland, with no ability to produce any fruit. However, as the Spirit is poured out on us, we flourish with an abundance of fruit. This is one of those transcultural truths that speaks to all peoples in all times. We are blessed by the dew of heaven so we can flourish spiritually because of Jesus, who gives us the life-giving water, and the Spirit leads us into all truth. Let us flourish in the dew of heaven. 

Trust and Obey

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

TRUST AND OBEY

Gen 27:5-17

5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.' 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies." 11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I'm a man with smooth skin. 12 What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing." 13 His mother said to him, "My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me." 14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it. 15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins. 17 Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.

NIV

This is the beginning of the deception Rebekah conceived and directed so her son, Jacob, would receive the firstborn blessing. We know Jacob was meant to father the twelve tribes of Israel. We know the LORD spoke to Rebekah concerning her younger son and that the older son would serve him. So then, was this a deception or following the leading of the LORD? How can the will of God be considered achieved through deceiving Isaac into giving Jacob the firstborn blessing? We wonder if Rebekah ever revealed what the LORD said to her while the twins jostled within her. Did she tell Isaac that the older would serve the younger? We are not told, yet Isaac loved his firstborn son, which would have been natural. The oldest son would inherit all the father's possessions. However, God's plan must be fulfilled, and he will direct the paths of his people to accomplish his will. It seems we are but pawns in his hands, doing whatever and however he desires. Yet we have a choice; Rebekah could have let the knowledge revealed to her slip by the wayside, but then she would have been outside God's will. Still, it does not seem right that God would want us to lie about anything; however, that was the case when Jacob deceived his father into believing he was Esau. Yet, Jacob was being obedient to his mother, honoring her plan as it was revealed to her concerning him. Did she tell Jacob about the word of the LORD that came to her? Again, we are not told; however, her plan was based on the revelation she received from the LORD. We know that God's plan and purpose will always be accomplished in our lives because he is sovereign. His ways are not our ways, and our ways are not his ways. We must know that this plan for Jacob came through God's sovereign hand, Rebekah's obedience, and Jacob's trust and obedience to her. That is the lesson for our lives. God has a plan and purpose for our lives, and it may not look like we think it should; however, he will reveal in due time what we are to be, what we are to do, and we simply need to trust and obey.  

Here I Am

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

HERE I AM

Gen 27:1-4

27:1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." "Here I am," he answered. 2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons — your quiver and bow — and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die."

NIV

This marks the beginning of Jacob's deception at Rebekah's direction, though she acted on the LORD's word that the older would serve the younger. She knew in her heart that Jacob was to be the leader, the one who should receive the father's blessing, for he had already received the Father's blessing. But we are not at that point in this long narrative about Isaac's blessing of his firstborn. However, Isaac does send for his son Esau, whom he loved, and sends him out to kill some wild game and prepare a tasty meal for him.  Our story is about the father's call and the son's response. Of course, we could go to the call of our Heavenly Father and Jesus's, the Son's, response. Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus to gather his people to himself, in the same sense that Isaac sent his son to gather him a tasty meal.  When Isaac called for Esau, he answered, "Here I am." When God called Moses from the burning bush, Moses answered, "Here I am." When God called Samuel, he answered, "Here I am." In one of his psalms, David responded, "Here I am."  The writer of Hebrews repeats those words, but they refer to Jesus telling his Father, "Here I am; I have come to do your will." But the personal story is about us being called the sons of God. When our Father calls, we have only one proper response: "Here I am." As we respond to God's call on our lives, we also need to complete that statement as we follow Jesus by adding, "I have come to do your will." What good is being a son or daughter of God Most High if it is just for the blessings we can get? Would we be like Peter, asking, "What's in it for me?" We wonder whether we are more concerned about our lives than about God's will for our lives. We know he has a plan and purpose for us, and maybe sometimes we do things in what we think is right, but that might not be his plan, but ours. If we are seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, we have only one correct response: "Here I am; I have come to do your will."