Genesis Ch25v19-34 - Family Feuds

Tables please to Genesis chapter 25.

Genesis 25 · chapter mention

Genesis chapter 25.

Genesis 25 · chapter mention

We're working our way through Genesis.

It's foundational, not just because it's the first book,

but it sets the theme for many of the plots that we come across in the Bible story.

And one of the great characters is Abraham.

And we see there even on the heading of chapter 25, Abraham has died.

And so the focus of the story now comes to Isaac and to his family.

So we're going to read a little bit about their family this morning

and what we can learn from them.

So Genesis chapter 25, starting at verse 19 through to the end of the chapter.

Genesis 25 · chapter mention

This is the account of the family line of Abraham's son, Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,

and Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah,

daughter of Bethuel of the Aramean from Paddan Amram,

and sister of Laban the Aramean.

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife,

because she was childless.

The Lord answered his prayer,

and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

The babies jostled each other within her,

and she said,

why is this happening to me?

So she went to inquire of the Lord.

The Lord said to her,

two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples from within you will be separated.

One people will be stronger than the older,

and the elder will serve the younger.

When the time came for her to give birth,

there were twin boys in her womb.

The first to come out was red,

and his whole body was like a hairy garment.

So they named him Esau.

After this, his brother came out,

with his hand grasping Esau's heel.

So he was named Jacob.

Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

The boys grew up,

and Esau became a skilful hunter,

a man of the open country,

while Jacob was a content to stay at home among the tents.

Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,

loved Esau.

But Rebekah loved Jacob.

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew,

Esau came in from the open country famished.

He said to Jacob,

quick, let me have some of that red stew.

I'm famished.

That is why he's also called Edom.

Edom means red.

Jacob replied,

first sell me your birthright.

So look, I'm about to die,

Esau said.

What good is the birthright to me?

But Jacob said,

swear to me first.

So he swore an oath to him,

selling his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.

He ate and drank,

and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.

Well, keep your Bibles open there,

and we're going to pray,

and we pray to ask God to help us to learn from his words.

So let's do that now.

Father, thank you for families.

Thank you for the family of this church.

We gather together because we want to learn from you.

We want to hear from you.

So as we focus our attention on this ancient family of Isaac and Rebecca,

would you teach us through it?

Would you teach us more about yourself,

about us,

and how we should respond?

Father, bless us, we pray,

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, I'm sure you all know the Simpsons,

those little yellow characters on the TV program.

They're a bit of a dysfunctional family, aren't they?

They're always fighting and falling out.

Next door to the Simpsons lives the Flanders.

He's the local pastor

with his well-behaved children,

a model of perfection.

Well, if Isaac and Rebecca had a surname,

I don't know what it was, by the way,

but if they did have a surname,

it wouldn't be Flanders.

It would be the Simpsons.

They're quite the family, aren't they?

Not the happiest or peaceful of homes.

There's tension between the brothers

as they squabble and fight.

There's division between the parents.

Isaac loves Esau,

but Rebecca loves Jacob.

And then there's this whole deception

as the birthright is sold off

for a bowl of stew.

Now, what should get our attention here

is not just how dysfunctional they are,

but how central they are

to God's plan of salvation.

God had made a promise

that through the family of Abraham,

a son would come

who would bring redemption to the world,

a son who was going to bring blessing

to all the nations.

So as Abraham dies,

we're introduced to Isaac

and his family.

Verse 19,

this is the account of the family line

of Abraham's son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac

and Isaac was 40 years old

when he married Rebecca.

Now,

they're not the kind of family

that we might choose

to carry forward God's plan of salvation.

But as we're going to see,

we're shocked,

we're surprised

at the way in which God works.

This isn't our plan

and God doesn't do things our way.

There's much that we can learn

about God through this feuding family.

We're going to look at three things,

our struggle with God,

our surprise with God,

and our shock with God.

So first,

let's look at our struggle

with God's ways.

Our struggle with God's ways.

Isaac marries Rebecca

and everything seems in order.

But,

verse 21,

Isaac prayed to the Lord

on behalf of his wife

because she was childless.

Now,

for many couples,

those words are especially painful.

Isaac and Rebecca

longed to hear

the pitter-patter of tiny feet.

To hear a little one

call out,

Mum,

Dad.

And for those who face this reality,

and there are many,

it's heartbreaking.

We struggle because

this is what we so desperately want.

After all,

it's central to married life.

It's about building your family.

And for Isaac and Rebecca,

well,

they are childless.

not only that,

for Isaac and Rebecca,

this was a double struggle.

Remaining childless meant

that the promise

was in doubt.

Remember,

it's through the family line of Abraham

that God's blessing of salvation

would come to the world.

So,

if Isaac and Rebecca

have no children,

then there's no blessing.

And if they have no son,

then there's no redemption.

And if we do our maths correctly,

it's been going on for 20 years.

Verse 20 tells us

that Isaac was 40

when he got married.

Verse 26 tells us

that he was 60

when the two boys were born.

So,

20 years

of struggle.

Not just pain

within the family,

but doubting God's goodness,

questioning God's plan.

You see,

when things don't go

as we expect,

we struggle.

Maybe you plan

for a family

and it doesn't quite work out

the way you expect.

Does God not love me?

Perhaps you lose

a close friend

early in life

and we're left wondering,

does God not care

about me?

You see,

we all have our plans

for our life,

don't we?

Each one of us here,

we could write it down

on a piece of paper.

Our dreams,

our expectations,

and we have it all

mapped out

from an early age.

I'm going to go to college,

I'm going to study

this course,

then I'm going to travel

for a bit

and then I'm going to find

a partner,

a husband,

or a wife

and we're going to work

for three and a half years

and then we'll have enough

for our mortgage

and we're going to buy

our house

and then we're going to have

our 2.7 children

and then we're going

to retire

and then I'm going

to be able to do

everything I wanted to do

and go on all these

lovely sun holidays

and...

Well, life rarely goes

according to our plans.

Health issues arise,

an unforeseen move,

a loss of income

and we sit down

and we ask God,

what is he doing?

Can I trust God

with my life?

Well, it would be stupid

of me to pretend

there's answers

to all of these questions.

I certainly don't have them.

But what God calls us

to do in our struggle

is to turn it all

into prayer.

We cry out to him

because that's exactly

what Isaac and Rebecca do.

Verse 21,

Isaac prayed

to the Lord

on behalf of his wife

because she was childless.

The Lord answered his prayer

and his wife, Rebecca,

became pregnant.

Now, let's be clear here.

This does not mean

God will give us

everything that we ask for.

This isn't a quick fix solution

to all our wants

and desires.

Remember,

Isaac and Rebecca

had a central

and unique role

in God's plan

of salvation.

Through the family

would come a son

who was going to bring

salvation to the world.

So they begin to pray

according to God's promise.

We're not told

what Isaac prayed,

but we can picture him there

as he puts his arms

around his wife

to console her

and as they kneel

before God

morning, noon and night

and they cry out to him,

Lord,

you've promised

to bless the nations.

You've promised

that a son will come.

Please, God,

fulfill your promise.

In our struggle,

keep us faithful.

In our doubt,

keep us trusting.

Please sustain us.

Amen.

Well, God has made

many promises

to us,

his redeemed people.

In our struggles,

God has promised us

that

my grace

is sufficient

for you.

In our doubts,

God has promised

that nothing

can separate us

from the love

of God.

in our fears,

God has promised

to care for you

and to uphold you.

You see,

here is encouragement

for every one of us

in every struggle

that we go through.

Here are promises

that we can take

and we can pray them

back to God

knowing that he will

deliver on his promise.

Prayer like this

will sustain you.

We can cry out to him

Lord,

as you have promised,

give me your grace.

Strengthen my faith.

Supply my need.

Pick me up

when I fall.

Fill me

with peace.

Prayers like that

will sustain you

in your struggle.

So first,

our struggle

with God's ways.

Not only is there

a struggle,

but there is also

a surprise

at God's choice.

Surprise.

So Rebecca and Isaac

gather together,

they pray,

and God,

according to his timing

and in his will,

provides them

with children.

She becomes pregnant.

And there is a surprise

with the pregnancy.

Not that there are two

instead of one,

but what is going on

between the two boys?

Look at verse 22.

The babies

jostled with each other

within her.

Now,

I've never had

the privilege

or the experience

of being pregnant,

but I know

babies kick

and move

and punch

and do all kinds

of things

inside the womb.

But this is

something different.

It's like a wrestling

match is going on

inside Rebecca.

What are we to make

of this

surprising pregnancy?

Well,

two things.

Let's read again

from verse 22.

The babies

jostled with each other

and she said,

she cries out,

why is this

happening to me?

What's going on?

What's the meaning?

And the Lord

said to her,

two nations

are in your womb

and two peoples

are within you

and they will be

separated.

one people

will be stronger

than the other

and the elder

will serve

the younger.

Well,

what are we to make

of all of this?

Well,

first it teaches us

about God's

gracious

choice.

Do you see

the end of verse 23?

the elder

will serve

the younger.

Well,

that's not

the way

things are

meant to go.

The tradition

was that

the older,

the first son,

was always

given priority.

The older

is always

chosen first.

They're the

firstborn.

They're the one

who gets

the inheritance.

They're the ones

that get

the blessing.

It's just

the way

it is.

Well,

guess what?

God doesn't

do tradition.

God doesn't

follow social

norms.

In fact,

God does

things his

way,

not our

way.

God chooses

the younger

one over

the older

one.

Well,

you say,

well,

there must be

a reason for

that.

It must be

because the

older one

later in

life,

he must

become the

baddie,

and,

well,

the younger

one,

he must

be the

goodie.

The older

one must

be kind

of a

Simpson

type,

and the

younger

one turns

out to

be a

Flander,

a good

guy.

That's

how it

works,

right?

Well,

not so

fast.

God works

by his

grace.

The New

Testament

actually

interprets

this

verse

for us

in

Romans

Romans 11 · chapter mention

chapter

11.

I have

it on

the

screen

here.

You can

follow

with me.

It says,

Rebecca's

children were

conceived

at the

same

time

by our

father

Isaac.

So,

the two

boys have

the same

father,

no problem

there.

Yet,

before the

twins were

born,

or had

done any

good or

bad,

in order

that God's

purpose in

election might

stand,

or according

to his

gracious

choice,

not by

works,

but by

him who

calls,

she was

told,

the older

will serve

the younger.

You see,

God's choice

had nothing

to do

with what

Esau and

Jacob were

like.

God

didn't

make his

choice

based on

how they

would

live,

how they

would

turn out.

Now,

look what

it says,

before

the twins

were born,

before they

had done

any good

or bad.

In other

words,

it was

all by

God's

gracious

intervention,

and God's

gracious

choice.

And it

wasn't the

kind of

eeny,

meeny,

miny,

moe,

I'll

just

pick a

name out

of the

hat and

see which

one comes

out.

No,

God's

choice of

Jacob to

receive the

blessing lies

with God

and his

purposes,

and it

has nothing

to do

with Jacob.

It's God

who calls

us according

to his

purpose,

and it's

all by

his

grace.

God's

choice.

In fact,

there's

another

surprise.

Not only

is it

God's

gracious

choice,

but it

seems that

God's

choice is

for sinners.

God

chooses

those who

are sinful.

Look how

these two

brothers are

contrasted.

Look at

verse 25.

The first

to be

born came

out red,

and his

whole body

was like a

hairy garment.

I kind of

read that and

think, did he

come out like a

monkey or

something or

what?

No, I

just think he

had lots of

hair, like

some kids

when they're

born just

have a big

head of

hair, don't

they?

And we

might say

they're a

healthy one,

a healthy,

full of

strength and

vitality.

So his

name was

given Esau,

which means

hairy.

It's pretty

obvious, isn't

it?

After this,

verse 26,

his brother

came out,

and his

hand was,

well, it

just wasn't

normal.

He was

grasping,

catching a

hold of

Esau's

heels, so

he was

named

Jacob.

What's this

unusual

grasping all

about?

Well, you

might have

a little

note at

the bottom

of your

Bible.

It tells

us that,

well, Jacob

means deceives.

He's a

grabber.

In fact, as

we walk

through the

passages in

Genesis and

get to know

Jacob a little

bit more,

his whole

life is a

broken mess.

As the

years go

by, it

seems he

gets worse.

He's really

not a very

nice guy.

You wouldn't

want him to

be in your

social networks.

God

but yet,

this is

the son.

This is

the one

that God

chooses to

receive the

promised blessing.

Now, I

don't know

about you,

but that

gets my

back up.

It annoys

me.

People like

that should

be cursed,

not blessed.

Good people

should be

honoured,

and bad

people should

be punished.

doesn't God

surprise you?

He takes

the youngest

and the

weakest.

He takes

the one

with no

strength and

no status

and blesses

them.

God chooses

sinners.

But yet,

we shouldn't

be surprised

because that's

the big

message of

all of

scripture.

Go with

me.

Keep your

finger in

Genesis 25

and jump

forward to

1 Corinthians.

It's on

page 1145.

Page 1145.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1

and we

pick it

up in

verse 26.

Here Paul

is writing

to a

church,

just like

us,

ordinary

people,

and he

reminds them

of why

God called

them,

why God

saved

them.

Chapter

1,

verse 26.

Brothers

and sisters,

think of

what you

were when

you were

called,

when God

intervened

and saved

you.

Not many

of you

were wise

by human

standards.

Not many

were influential.

Not many

were of

noble birth.

But God

chose the

foolish things

of the world

to shame

the wise.

God chose

the weak

things of

the world

to shame

the strong.

God chose

the lowly

things of

the world

and the

despised

things and

the things

that are

not,

to nullify

the things

that are,

so that

no one

may boast

before him.

It is

because of

him

that you

are in

Christ Jesus.

If you've

got a

highlighter,

highlight that,

verse 30.

it is

because of

him,

not you,

because of

him

that you

are in

Christ Jesus.

Let's go

back to

Genesis 25.

You see,

it's because

of God's

gracious

choice

and love

and kindness

towards sinners

that any

of us

have any

hope at

all.

You see,

God has

no favourites

and neither

should we.

The problem

is we do

treat each

other differently.

We treat

each other

differently

within the

family of

the church.

Or perhaps

even like

Isaac and

Rebecca,

parents

treat their

children

differently.

Look at

verse 27.

The boys

grew up.

Esau

became a

skillful

hunter,

a man of

the open

country.

Kind of

the rough

and tumble

kind of

guy.

While

Jacob was

content to

stay at

home among

the tents,

Isaac,

who had

a taste

for wild

game,

oh,

he loved

Esau.

But

Rebecca,

no,

she loved

Jacob.

You see,

they each

had their

blind spots.

Isaac

loved the

country boy.

Rebecca

loved the

home boy.

They had

their

favourites

which only

fuelled

the family

division.

You see,

if Isaac

and Rebecca

had just

grasped and

taken a

little bit

of time

to understand

God's

amazing grace

towards them,

they would

have no

favourites.

They would

love their

children,

all of them,

equally.

And we

would have

no favourites

either.

So,

parents,

if you

have

children,

please be

very,

very careful

of this.

Your

favouritism

can destroy

your relationship

with your

children

and can

wreck

your family.

Instead,

let us

all step

back and

immerse

ourselves

afresh

in God's

grace

and understand

that he

loves you

in all

your mess,

in all

your

brokenness

and with

all of

your sin

and he

loves you.

And so

we should

love all

the family

equally,

no

favourites.

So,

our

struggle

with God's

ways,

our

surprise

at God's

choice

and

then

our

shock

over

God's

response.

Fast

forward

20 years,

it seems

just a

normal day.

Esau has

been out

hunting and

is hungry.

Jacob

has been

at home

and he's

been cooking

in the

kitchen.

But what

follows is

something

quite

shocking.

First,

we see

just how

desperate

these

brothers

are.

Their

hearts

are exposed

before us.

Verse

30,

Esau

has come

in and he

says to his

brother Jacob,

quick,

let me have

some of that

red stew.

I'm

famished.

Well,

Jacob being

Jacob sees

the opportunity,

doesn't he?

Verse 31,

first sell

me your

birthright.

Well,

look,

I'm about

to die,

Esau said.

What good

is the

birthright

to me?

I'm

starving.

I've been

out all

day and

if I

don't get

some of

that stew,

I'm going

to pass

out here,

I'm going

to die.

What good

is the

birthright

going to

me then?

You can

have it.

Just give

me some

of your

stew.

Well,

of course,

Esau

wouldn't

have

died.

We all

know what

it's like

to listen

to kids

or even

ourselves

come in.

I'm

starving.

I'm

going to

die if

I don't

have

something

to eat.

No,

he wasn't

going to

die.

He was

hungry.

He

wasn't

on death's

door.

He was

just

desperate

for

something

to

eat.

And

Jacob

senses

the

weakness

and he

closes

in.

Verse

33,

Jacob

said,

swear

to me

first.

Let's

make a

deal.

Let's

make this

legal.

Let's

sign on

the dotted

line.

So Esau

swore an

oath to

him,

selling his

birthright

to Jacob.

Well,

I'm sure

Jacob could

hardly believe

his luck.

I mean,

it didn't

take much

persuasion.

Just a bit

of his lentil

stew was

enough to

get him

over the

line.

seems

Esau

couldn't

be

bothered.

In

fact,

it was

much more

serious

than that.

Look at

the end

of verse

34.

Esau

despised

his

birthright.

He

turned

his

back

on God's

blessing.

You

see,

the

birthright

was

God's

blessing.

It was

a gracious

gift from

God that

only God

could give,

yet these

two brothers

show a

complete

disregard

for it.

Jacob

tries to

deceive his

way into

the blessing.

Esau,

on the

other hand,

despises and

gives up

the blessing.

Now,

before we

go pointing

fingers at

this feuding

family,

I think we

need to turn

the mirror

around,

don't we?

doesn't

this just

look a

little bit

like us?

Maybe

like Jacob,

we try to

deceive our

way into

God's

blessing.

We'll use

any means

possible to

try and

force God's

hands to

bless us and

make things

go well for

us.

We might

be making

pots of

stew,

but we

can try a

bit harder

in our

prayers and

we can do

a bit more

serving and

Lord,

have you

seen what

I've done

and you've

got to

bless me

now?

Or perhaps

we're like

Esau and

we despise

the blessings

that God

has already

given us.

Maybe

you've been

raised in a

home where

you've been

taught the

gospel.

Maybe

you're a bit

older and

you're just

coming along

week by

week and

you have

the privilege

of a good

church to

support you,

but no,

you just

prefer the

temporary

comforts of

life and

you push

Christ and

his gospel

to one

side.

You despise

what you

have and

you decide

to go it

alone.

You see,

both these

brothers are

saying,

I don't

need God.

I can do

it another

way.

I don't

need grace.

I'm well

able.

What's God

going to do

with these

deceiving and

despising

brothers?

More to

the point,

what is God

going to do

with us?

Well,

God's

response

is shocking

because he

doesn't

treat us

as our

sins

deserve.

God in

response

sends a

savior.

He would

send his

son,

the promised

son who

would come

from a

fighting,

feuding

family like

this.

A son

would come,

not like

Jacob,

not like

Esau,

and thankfully

not like

us,

but God's

own son,

his perfect

son.

You see,

the blessings

of God

could only

come through

the grace

of his

son,

the Lord

Jesus Christ,

the one

who is the

firstborn over

all of

creation,

the one

whose birthright

means he

owns all

things and he

rules all

things and has

power and

authority and

is supreme.

But yet

this son,

who being

very in

nature God,

didn't

consider

equality

with God

something to

be used

or grasped

for his

own advantage.

Instead,

he willingly

gave up

his birthright

to enter

into this

world to

serve us.

He made

himself

nothing.

He humbled

himself by

becoming

obedient to

death,

even death

on a cross.

He died

for our

deceiving and

deception so

that we

could be

forgiven and

become heirs

and co-heirs

with Christ.

Jesus took

the low

position,

the humble

position.

He became

one with no

status and

no strength

so that we

might share

in his

birthright and

receive all

of his

blessings

freely.

Shocking.

None of us

deserve such

grace.

But God

responds in

grace to

all of our

mess.

blessings.

He blesses

us with

his salvation

now,

today and

forever because

he loves

us.

How are we

going to

experience this

grace?

Well, don't

be foolish like

Jacob and try and

deceive your way

into God and

do all kinds of

things to think

that somehow you

deserve it or

you've earned

it.

don't be like

Esau and be

proud and

despise what

God has given

to you.

Instead, we

humble ourselves.

We bow in

surrender.

We thank him

for his grace.

And we go

with a view

of the world

that has no

favourites.

But just as

God has shown

grace to me,

we will show

grace to

every person,

to every

sinner,

just like you

and me.

Because God

has no favourites

and he loves

for people to

turn to him.

So what can

we learn from

this feuding

family?

Well, we may

struggle with

God's ways,

but he's given

us prayer to

sustain us.

grace to

God's grace.

We may be

surprised at

God's choice,

but how

wonderful that

grace is.

We may be

shocked over

God's

response,

but how

thankful we

are that he

sent his

son and

has called

us to be

conduits of

his grace

to a needy

and broken

world.

God's

love.

Let's pray.

Father, we

might look at

this family

of Isaac and

Rebecca and

Jacob and

Esau and

point the

finger and

go, I'm

glad I'm not

like them.

How wrong

we are.

Father, thank

you for your

grace.

Thank you for

your intervention.

Thank you for

your love.

Thank you that

you choose

sinners such

as us.

Thank you for

Jesus, that

he came,

giving up

his status

and his

position of

privilege,

gladly

surrendering

his birthright

that we

might gain

all his

blessings for

us.

Father, help

us to

immerse

ourselves

daily in

your grace.

Give us

eyes that

see people

as you see

them, that

we would

not have

favourites,

but that

we would

love others

as you

have loved

us.

Help us, we

pray, in

Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

A song we're

going to sing,

what love could

remember no

wrongs we have

done.

That's amazing

love that

would forgive

us.

Our sins may

be many,

but his mercy

is always more.

Let's stand

together as we

sing.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And so we thank you.

We praise you.

Send us with your grace.

Fill us with your spirit's power that we might live well as your people this coming week.

coming week. May it be for your glory and for our good. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Just a reminder, a couple of things. Tea and coffee afterwards. You can catch up with

Trevor and Kayla and Rua then. Tonight, I forgot to mention this, tonight at half past six in this

hall. There'll be a teaching on the Psalms. So how do we teach or how do we interpret the Psalms?

How do we apply it to our life in our situation? You're welcome to come along to it. It's part of

the MBC courses that are offered, but it's one that you can just come to this evening from half

past six until half past nine. Yeah, there'll be a break in between. You don't have to say