Good morning, friends!
Today I read Genesis chapters 25-26. Let's get started!
So, first Abraham dies, and we get a list of his descendants through Ishmael.
And then we get into the story of Isaac and Rebekah.
Rebekah has twins: Esau and Jacob.
And at the end of chapter 25 is the infamous chapter where Esau sells his birthright for a bowl of soup.
Yep. His entire birthright, as the elder son, for soup.
Now, Esau is a strong hunter, and is favored by his father, naturally. But Jacob is more cunning.
Esau was pretty dramatic about the birthright, too.
When Jacob insists that he exchange his birthright for the soup, Esau says "Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?" (Genesis 25:32).
About to die? Really? You've just come in from hunting, and you're hungry. But you're not starving.
The original drama queen, everyone!
But all joking aside, this is very serious.
Jacob may have suggested it, but Esau agreed. Perhaps he thought Jacob was only joking (they were twins after all, and had grown up together). We can't really tell from the scripture here.
But we'll later learn that Jacob was very serious.
Not justifying it, but I really can't see anything else he could have done to get the birthright. He might have been clever, but Isaac preferred Esau, who could put meat on the table.
Speaking of meat, up next, there is none. There is a famine in the land, so Isaac moves his family to the land of the Philistines.
Where he lies about Rebekah being his wife, so the guys don't kill him.
I'm starting to see a pattern here.
Thankfully, nothing happens. Abimilech, the king, sees Isaac and Rebekah embracing, and knows she isn't his sister.
But naturally Abimilech gets angry, and sends Isaac and his family away.
And they close up his wells with sand.
Rude!
Isaac just digs up the wells again, though. And then Abimilech comes and makes peace with Isaac because he is afraid of conflict with him, having seen everything God had done for Isaac.
I find that to be a very encouraging message.
"God can still bless you, even when people put sand in your wells." ©Copyright 2018 Musings and Reflections of a Growing Christian Woman
He can even make your enemies your allies.
When people are doing stuff to hurt you, even when they put sand in your wells, keep praising God, and serving Him. He will eventually turn your situation around.
Just don't lie about your wife being your wife.
I really don't see how anything could follow that bit of wisdom, so I'm going to leave it there.
See you tomorrow when I read Genesis chapters 27-29.
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