Week 2, Session 2 Read Genesis 25: 29-34 According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, (accessed on blueletterbible.org) birthright denotes the special privileges and advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Jews. He became the priest of the family and could expect a double portion of the paternal inheritance. Because Esau was born first, that privilege would fall to him. But as we read in the scripture already, Esau gave it up. Evidently he came home from the field to find his brother cooking stew. Now I think Esau might have been given to exaggeration which maybe got him into trouble here. He probably was extremely hungry, but I doubt that he was starving. Possibly his excited state (and low blood sugar) led him into some poor decisions. And I suspect Jacob had been waiting for an opportunity to grab something he wanted. There is no mention of a pause to consider his next words; he hears his brother and strikes up a deal. He recognized the opportunity. For Jacob and Esau, this one moment in time that changed everything had possibly been in the making for years. The deal is struck:
What I’m left with is the silence. Esau didn’t comment. He got up and left. He either thought it meant nothing or he just didn’t care. He was ruled by his appetite.
Hebrews 12:16 calls Esau godless, the Message version says that Esau traded away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. Why do you think this deal was allowed to remain in effect? Read Malachi 1:2-3. “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated...." Throughout scripture we notice God choosing the weak, the unlovely, the lesser and promoting them. Can you think of some examples? David was not the oldest or even the tallest brother; Solomon was not the firstborn. God sees the heart, but also He is God and will do as He desires for His own purposes. I think it’s wise for us to exercise our spiritual eyes and learn to see how He’s working in another person's life or how He visualizes a situation. To see as He does will involve looking for His favor on someone—to see what He is seeing. We need to ask for and practice this way of seeing until it becomes natural not to be swayed or moved by outer appearances. Journaling prompt (choose one or all): Did Jacob’s actions fulfill the pre-birth prophecies or was he just taking matters into his own hands? Write about a time you received God’s favor in your life. Is there a situation in your life that you need to see in the same way God sees? Take a minute and write what He’s telling you.
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May 2020
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