Genesis 25:1-34

Genesis 25:1-34

Stomach Thinker

June 2, 2019

Lynchburg, Virginia

EXHORDIUM

         There is a great deal going on in this chapter. Isaac is now married, comforted after the death of his mother. Rebekah has become the new matriarch of the family. Abraham is reinvigorated after Isaac’s marriage and takes a new wife, Keturah, at the ripe old 140. He has six sons with Keturah.

         Rebekah and Isaac are married for twenty years but have no children. Like her mother-in-law, Sarah, that she never knew, Rebekah is also barren. It is important that these women must rely upon God for their offspring. God wants us to know without a doubt that His works come about by promise and by the Spirit and not by the arm of the flesh. 

         Isaac prays to God for Rebekah and God hears him and answers her prayer and Rebekah conceives. But the boys struggle within her, vying for the preference of their mother, even before they are born. A prophecy is given that the older will serve the younger. Again, a recapitulation of Ishmael, the eldest and first born of Abraham, who must serve the younger Isaac.

         Ishmael was a covenant member and yet Isaac was chosen because the seed would come from Sarah and not Hagar. In this story, Jacob and Esau are both delivered of the chosen mother of the faithful. And yet one of them is a son of the flesh and one of them a son of the spirit. 

         It is not remarkable that any are condemned but that any are saved. It is not unjust that God would choose Jacob and overlook Esau. God’s grace and mercy are extended to whomsoever He pleases. It is never unjust when mercies are extended by God. God’s justice would condemn all. His mercies flow from His graciousness. It does no good to claim they are unfair. Rather, repent of your sin and receive His mercies.

EXEGESIS

25 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name wasKeturah. ² And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. ³ And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. ⁴ And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these werethe children of Keturah.

After the death of Sarah and the marriage of Isaac, Abraham is reinvigorated, takes a wife and has six more children.

⁵ And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 

Isaac is the only heir. He gives before he dies. He also settles all his affairs, separating the sons of the concubines from the son of his marriage to Sarah, the son of promise. 

This is a wise move on Isaac’s part. As you grow older and near death, it would be wise of to settle your financial affairs with your children before we you pass into eternity.

⁶ But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. ⁷ And these arethe days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. ⁸ Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. 

Abraham sent the concubines away, Hagar and Keturah, because he did not want their sons competing with Isaac as the heir. He died at 175 years old. He had dwelt with God for 100 years after being called out of Ur. He was gathered to his people, Sarah and his father who died before him.

⁹ And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which isbefore Mamre; ¹⁰ The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. ¹¹ And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.

Ishmael had mocked Isaac when he was a child. They are now much older and they come together at the funeral of their father for the burial. Moses takes the moment to remind us that God had chosen Isaac and not Ishmael. God blessed Abraham’s son Isaac.

¹² Now these arethe generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham: ¹³ And these arethe names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, ¹⁴ And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, ¹⁵ Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: ¹⁶ These arethe sons of Ishmael, and these aretheir names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. ¹⁷ And these arethe years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people. ¹⁸ And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that isbefore Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: andhe died in the presence of all his brethren.

Ishmael’s children were twelve princes. They were a mighty nation but not the chosen people of God.

¹⁹ And these arethe generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac: ²⁰ And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. ²¹ And Isaac intreated the Lordfor his wife, because she wasbarren: and theLordwas intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Like Isaac’s mother, Sarah, Rebekah was barren. She did not conceive a child over 20 years of marriage and it took divine intervention for her to conceive a child.  Isaac intreats of the Lord and the Lord answers his prayer.

²² And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it beso, why amI thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. ²³ And the Lordsaid unto her,

Two nations arein thy womb,

And two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;

And the onepeople shall be stronger than the otherpeople;

And the elder shall serve the younger.

Rebekah’s pregnancy was a troubled one. She was carrying twins who were at war with one another, even in her womb.

         This is a virtual replay of Ishmael and Isaac. Two nations that are enmity with one another and the older will serve the younger.

         We know these two to be Jacob and Esau.

         I am not sure who the stronger people are. Esau’s people are strong but they do not prevail.

²⁴ And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there weretwins in her womb.²⁵ And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 

Esau was a wild, red, hairy child and grew up to be wild, red and hairy man, one who loved wild meat and red stew.

²⁶ And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac wasthreescore years old when she bare them. ²⁷ And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob wasa plain man, dwelling in tents. ²⁸ And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of hisvenison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

There is a great deal in these few verses. When they were born, Esau was the first born but Jacob was right upon his heels. In fact, Jacob had a hold of Esau’s heel, a sign that he would supplant Esau as the firstborn son and heir to his father’s estate.

We have a classic daddy’s boy vs. momma’s boy thing going on here. Isaac was prone to love Esau more, the son who was out in the field hunting wild game, a man’s man. He fed his father Isaac venison and Isaac was very pleased with him. 

Jacob was of a very different disposition. He hung out at home with his mother. He learned how to cook. He was plain man, nothing remarkable about him. It almost seems as if he is passive. Rebekah loved him.

Of these two sons, Esau seems the more likely to be the head of a band, a leader, an aggressive man who has the respect of other men. 

Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart.

²⁹ And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he wasfaint:

Jacob was cooking up some lentil soup when Esau came in from the field famished.

³⁰ And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I amfaint: therefore was his name called Edom. ³¹ And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. ³² And Esau said, Behold, I amat the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? ³³ And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. ³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised hisbirthright.^[1]

Esau was a bloody man. He was red, liked red meat and even went in for red pottage.

Heb 12:16 ¹⁶ Lest there beany fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.^[2]

         Esau was not dying of hunger. If he was, he could not have rose upon and gone his way immediately after his meal. He let his hunger get the best of his judgement. He lived through his stomach instead of through right thinking, duty, wisdom and virtue.

         How many are there that ruin their lives in a moment to satisfy the flesh. And some take a very long time in destroying their lives through their stomachs, mouths and eyes, through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

         Esau despised his birthright, thinking nothing of it. Perhaps he presumed too much upon his father’s love, only to realize that his chance had slipped by. He could not find a place of repentance, though he sought for it with tears. This is like a man lamenting his loss with tears but only the loss and not the sin that occasioned it. Or a young man who is caught in his sin and therefore sad about it, maybe even moved to tears. But he is not sad about his sin, only getting caught. That is what it means to despise your birthright as a child of God.

         Beware, lest the blessing of the birthright be promptly taken from you and given to another.

EXHORTATION

         God’s election stands

Romans 9:6-16

For they arenot all Israel, which are of Israel: ⁷ Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are theyall children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. ⁸ That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these arenot the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. ⁹ For this isthe word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. ¹⁰ And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, evenby our father Isaac; ¹¹ (For the childrenbeing not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) ¹² It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. ¹³ As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is thereunrighteousness with God? God forbid. ¹⁵ For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. ¹⁶ So then it isnot of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.^[3]

God’s sovereign election stands. We see that his choice of Jacob was not based upon the merits of Jacob. In this, one may be tempted to blame God as unrighteous. But Paul shuts that mouth, saying that God’s will is done through mercy. 

His grace is always a mercy. It is not amazing that some are looked over but that any are saved.

Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Luke 4:4, Deut. 8:3 (manna). Jesus is the manna from heaven.

1 Cor. 1: ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 

²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹ so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰ And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ^[4]

Matthew Henry-Note, People are ruined, not so much by doing what is amiss, as by doing it and not repenting of it, doing it and standing to it.^[5]

I believe better things for you, things that accompany salvation. Believe God’s promises to you in Jesus Christ. Receive them. Repent of your stomach thinking and return to the salvation of your souls in Jesus.

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^[1]The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ge 25.

^[2]The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 12:16.

^[3]The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ro 9:6–16.

^[4]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version(Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Co 1:25–31.

^[5]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 59.