17 - Isaac's life with his sons.

Kathleen’s thoughts

Genesis 25-27

Isaac’s sons Esau who was an expert hunter, a man of outdoor living, and Jacob who was quiet and stayed at home. Isaac’s love for Esau was because of his love for the taste of wild game but Rebekah loved Jacob,

Deception is a very ugly thing, brings heartache and hatred and this is what happened in Isaac’s home. Jacob stole basically Esau’s birth right then he stole his blessing. I can’t imagine how Esau felt, it must have been heart wrenching for him and when you read this part of the scripture Jacob seems quite happy with it. Then you read about their wives and it states here how these women brought bitterness into Isaac and Rebekah’s household. It’s very sad,

The Lord once again assures Isaac about his offspring being numerous as the stars in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by his offspring.

This reminds me of the sins of the fathers brought down. Abraham lied about his wife Sarah being his sister. Here in Chapter 26:7 Abraham's son does the same thing! Isaac lies about Rebekah his wife being his sister and it was to the same King Abimelech. And his reproach to Isaac is the same as it was to his father. Interesting!

It was sad reading the end of this chapter when Esau begged Isaac to bless him. There is hope though in this blessing where Isaac says “you will break his yoke from your neck.”

Blessings

Kathleen.

17 - Blessings affirmed and blessings stolen

Jacob offering a dish of lentils to Esau for his birthright, 18th century painting by Zacarias Gonzalez Velazquez

Chareen's Thoughts:

Genesis 26:2-5 The Lord affirmed His blessing to Isaac.  Of particular note to me is verse 5. because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My mandate, My commands, My statutes, and My instructions.

I had a look at the meanings of these words in Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary because God states a reason here for His blessing upon Abraham I wanted to more fully understand what He said. This is what I found:

• Mandate - A command; an order, precept or injunction; a commission
• Commands -  To bid; to order; to direct; to charge; implying authority, and power to control, and to require obedience
• Statutes - declaring, commanding, or prohibiting something; a positive law, An act of a corporation or of its founder, intended as a permanent rule or law
• Instructions - The act of teaching or informing the understanding in that of which it was before ignorant; information, Precepts conveying knowledge Proverbs 8:10 Receive my instruction in preference to [striving for] silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,
• listened - To hearken; to give ear; to attend closely with a view to hear. To obey; to yield to advice; to follow admonition

Genesis 26:6 - 10 Yikes Isaac does the same as his father and lies about his wife calling her his sister (at least in Abraham's case it was a half truth!)
Genesis 26:29 Interesting to note that the people of the land recognised the hand of the Lord's blessing in Isaacs life.
In Genesis 27:1-46 We read about Isaac handing Esau's blessing to Jacob.  As I read it I realised that Isaac doubted and asked Jacob 3 times if he was Esau before he blessed him. It made me think of Peter denying the Lord three times before he went to the cross (Matthew 26:69-75).

In Genesis 27:36 Esau speaks thus about Jacob (surplanter) - So he said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice now. He took my birthright, and look, now he has taken my blessing." ... One thing that is dear to my heart is the naming of my children. I have felt quite strongly that the name of a person carries with it a blessing. It amazes me as I read this account that Jacob stole from Esau twice. First he bought his physical inheritance with a bowl of lentils and second he stole his spiritual blessing.

The thing that astounds me is that once the blessing was given it could not be retracted. Secondly the Lord honoured the blessing even though it was meant for another. The blessing was conveyed through touch.  Blessings are another area of interest to me. 

Blessings

Chareen

16 - The older will serve the younger

Rebecca and Eliezer by Bartolomé Esteban Perez Murillo

Not many thoughts today.  I did not realize that Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca. (Genesis 25:20) and they were married for nearly 20 years before she conceived and bore the twins Esau and Jacob. (Genesis 25:26). I found the wording in this verse intriguing.Genesis 25:24 When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb.
Genesis 25:23 When I read the Lords response to Rebecca's inquiry I am reminded that nothing is a surprise to Him.  Sometimes I forget how sovereign He truly is and just how much He knows. How often have I read the story of Esau and Isaac and the sale of a birthright to be surprised by the actions of these two brothers and yet it was foretold to their mother while she still carried them in her womb.

Blessings

Chareen