Genesis 25
I. The end of Abraham’s life (1-11:)
1-2: Following the death of Sarah and the marriage of Isaac, Abraham remarried and had 6 sons
3-4: 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren result from two of these sons
5-6: Though he provided gifts for these children of Keturah, Abraham sent them all away and reserved his estate for Isaac
7-8: When Abraham died at the age of 175, he “died in a good old age.”
9-10: Abraham’s death, like many others, reunited long separated sons Isaac and Ishmael who buried their father in the same place that Sarah had been buried 38 years earlier.
11: Isaac, sole heir to Abraham’s estate, remained in the land and enjoyed the blessing of God
II. The family of Ishmael (12-18:)
16: Ishmael had 12 sons (13-15:)who lent their names to their towns and castles
17: Ishmael died at the age of 137, which was Abraham’s age when Sarah died
III. The family of Isaac (19-28:)
20-24: Isaac prayed for God to enable Rebekah to bear children; and God honored the request with twin boys twenty years after Isaac first took Rebekah to be his wife (26:)
23: God’s prediction concerning the boys carried its significance into the New Testament
Romans 9:10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being 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.
Malachi 1:2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
24-28: From birth the twins were different from each other in complexion, demeanor, and even parental affection
IV. Isaac buys Esau’s birthright for a bowl of lentiles (29-34: and 25:34)
30: Esau was hungry
32, 34: Esau despised his birthright
31, 33: Esau was a motivated seller who accepted an offer far below market value for the birthright
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Meditation Points:
- Abraham’s wealth went to one son. Imagine the squabble at the reading of the will.
- God had promised Hagar that her son Ishmael would be the father of nations; and so he was.
- Husbands should pray for their wives.
- When God predicted that “the elder shall serve the younger,” who would have guessed how that would happen?
- Two people growing up in the same family can be quite different from each other. Proximity and exposure to the gospel and Christian parents does not guarantee regeneration.
- Trouble arises when a parent loves one child above the other, more so when parents are divided in the objects of their affection.
- Jesus asked what profit there is if a man should gain the whole world yet lose his soul (Mark 8:36); Esau asked, “What profit shall this birthright do to me?” Worldly men value the things of this world; spiritual men value things of God.
Genesis 26
I. Faced with famine, Isaac determines to go to Egypt; but God stops him (1-5:)
II. Isaac follows his father’s lying footsteps and claims that Rebekah is his sister (6-11)
III. The Philistines ask Isaac to leave (12-25:)
IV. The Philistines ask Isaac to join them in a peace treaty (26-33)
V. Esau brings grief to his parents by marrying two Hittite wives (34-35)
Meditation Points:
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
- Isaac was led by God to avoid Egypt
- Isaac feared for his life and lied about his wife. Like father, like son.
- The Lord blessed Isaac; the Philistines envied him.
- The Philistines asked Isaac to leave; but later realized that they wanted God’s man to be their friend.
- Sinful sons will always bring grief to believing parents
Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Proverbs 15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
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