GENESIS 25

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GENESIS 25
1. Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
5. And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
6. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
8. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, and an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

In chapter 24, Abraham thought he was gong to die soon. In chapter 25, he gets a "second lease on life", takes a new wife named Keturah and has six more sons. We never know what God has in store for our lives. He is truly the Master of surprises!

Abraham gave gifts to these six sons and sent them away. He gave everything he had to Isaac; the son of promise. Then he died at the age of 175 and his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the cave he had purchased earlier to bury Sarah in. Now begins the story of Isaac and Rebekah.

Rebekah was barren and Isaac prayed that God would give them a child. When she became pregnant, God told her she carried two children who would later become two nations. He also told her the younger son would be stronger and the older son would serve him; (thus, predicting the outcome of the two nations to come.) So, at the age of sixty, Isaac has two sons; Esau, the oldest, and Jacob, the youngest. Isaac loved Esau best because he was a hunter and an outdoor type; but Rebekah loved Jacob best.

29-34 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

One day Esau came in from the field and was hungry to the point of fainting. Jacob was cooking, (probably red beans), and Esau asked him for some. Jacob said he would trade him some for his birthright (or blessings of being the first born.) Esau quickly agreed to trade his birthright for some bread and lentils (his argument being, what good would the birthright do him if he was dead.) He despised his birthright, and was not worthy of the promise of God's covenant.

We must not take our "birthright" lightly. God crowned us with Royality when He accepted us into His Royal family and He expects us to be worthy ambassadors to Heaven, wear our crowns with pride and guard our positions with our lives!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1. Why do you think Esau gave up his birthright so readily? Do you think he was really at the point of starvation?

2. Do you think it was wrong of Jacob to barter with his brother? Why didn't he just give his brother the food he evidently was in need of?
Wouldn't you have?

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