43. Jacob and Esau: Divine selection vs Human choice (Gen 25:19-34)

 As Rebekah had conceived twins after long years of marriage, God foretold sibling competition between them.

Please Read Gen 25:19-34

After (          ) years of marriage, Rebekah got pregnant. What did the Lord say about the twins struggling in Rebekah’s womb? (v20 & 26, v23)

 

The younger brother grasped his brother’s (               ). They named him (             ).

When Esau returned hungry from hunting, Jacob requested (                  ) as the price for a bowl of stew. Esau said, “I’am about to (          )! What use is (                 ) to me?”

The Bible evaluated this way. “Esau (                 ) his birthright”

Answers & Meditation

The Bible emphasizes Rebekah was the Aramean, not the Canaanite. This marriage became an example for the audience of Moses so that they were not supposed to marry the Canaanites.

20, two nations are in your womb, 

the older will serve the younger

Sibling rivalry is one of the themes in Genesis. Their fighting might not be God’s will. It came into human minds as Adam ate the fruit.  

In verse 23, it is not clear that the thriving of the younger was God’s choice or prediction of the future. 

Human sinfulness has brought quarrels between brothers, and the two cannot become one, so God chooses one to fulfill the salvation ministry.

Later authors of the Bible say that God chose Jacob (Isaiah 44, Romans 9)

Both died without seeing this prophecy’s fulfillment.

Heel, Jacob

Jacob was a man of tricks and desires. Jacob and 'heel' in Hebrew are similar.

The birthright, die, the birthright

Despised

Regarding God's Choice(?) in Chapter 25, we can say as follows.

1. Esau valued physical food over spiritual blessing. In this way, he walked away from the family of the covenant. And his descendants would become aliens to the covenantal blessing. It was his choice. Before we debate on the sovereignty of His Choice, which we cannot fully understand, we must not walk out from Christ's presence. 

2. Jacob was jealous and desirous. Esau was indifferent to spiritual things. None of them was qualified for God’s choice. By God’s grace, Jacob was chosen. We should treat others with love and compassion in humble hearts.

3. God chose Jacob as the heir to the Abrahamic covenant. In order for Esau to be blessed, he could bless Jacob and have a good relationship with him. So Esau was not excluded from God's blessing. They were chosen as the Messianic people. However, believing the Messiah is another story. The majority of Jews are still rejecting the Messiah.

4. God's choice is still in progress in history. He had chosen Abraham, but God chose Jacob over Esau. Through Moses, God had chosen and drawn the generation after 400 years of slavery, but the next generation was chosen to enter Canaan. 

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