The subtle phrasing is easily overlooked, but God’s plan always was to bring, through His plan, the most blessing to the most people. Coming to the end of Genesis 27, is Rebekah still conniving? It looks like it. She wants her favorite son, Jacob, safely away from his brother’s anger but also wants his leaving […]
Key decisions are like the juncture of a railroad track. Where it branches is a matter of inches, but at the end the two lines can be a continent apart. The household intrigue continues in Genesis 27. Rebekah hears what Esau had said about killing his brother for taking the birthright. She warns Jacob that […]
It’s true, Esau sought repentance, but not for his own heart; it was his father, Isaac, he wanted to repent. We seldom find repentance when we think it’s the other fellow’s fault! Fooled by the conspiracy between his younger son and his wife, old Isaac gave Jacob the blessing of the firstborn. Is the way […]
When someone decides to live life by taking from others, in the end the person from whom they take the most is themselves. In order to pull off the deception of Isaac his father, Jacob and Rebekah contrived to override all five of the old man’s senses. The goat would be spiced to disguise it […]
Like a stone thrown across the surface of a lake, actions we take today can ripple across many generations. Careful! A trail of trickery follows the line of Abraham from his half-truths about Sarah through Isaac’s similar ploy, and on through Jacob and Laban and Jacob’s sons to Joseph himself. Only one of these (Joseph’s […]
The Lord said, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it,” but like any good parent, He will only fill it with what’s good for us. Because there are significant periods of time between the recorded interactions of God with the human race, we may make false assumptions if we’re not careful. In our […]
No wonder the Hittites were “hit and miss.” They believed their gods were as uncertain as the weather, as uncaring as nature. At the end of Genesis 26, we see that Esau, the man enslaved by his own appetites, has set for himself a downward path. He has already sold his birthright for a bowl […]
Read More… from June 22, 2021 — Esau And Twenty-First Century Hedonism
The world is a fickle lover. It will push you to the pinnacle of success, and then push you over to make room for someone else. Isaac seems like a peaceful, verdant valley between the thunderous heights of Abraham and Jacob. It’s true he has his challenging times, but his life generally is marked by […]
Read More… from June 21, 2021 — A Changeless God And A Capricious World
The old wells are filled with rubble. New wells needed? Or dig out the ones our fathers dug? Abraham was known for his altars. It is said he built them at Shechem (Gen 12:6-7), Bethel (v 8), Hebron (13:18), and Moriah (22:9). Later, Jacob will be known for his four pillars: at Bethel (28:18), Mizpah […]