Freed to Serve

Brothers and Nations

(Genesis 25:19-28, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, February 22, 2015)

[19] These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac, [20] and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. [21] And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. [22] The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”

The story of Genesis now shifts from Abraham very briefly to Isaac and Rebekah, and then on to Jacob and his twelve sons. In this passage the focus is first on Rebekah, Isaac's wife—her difficulty in conceiving, the eventual fruit of Isaac's answered prayer, the struggle within her body, and her confusion about what was happening to her. The Lord was with her through it all.

So she went to inquire of the LORD. [23] And the LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the older shall serve the younger.”Because she knew that God was her God, she confronted her confusion by inquiring of the Lord. He spoke to her—how, we are not told. But we have His words. The story of two brothers was about two nations that would come from them. One would be the father of Israel, the other, Edom. They were struggling in a prophetic way inside their mother Rebekah. Through the tussle, now combined with God's explanatory word, God was revealing that these two nations would be at war with each other, and that the descendants of the younger twin would be His chosen nation. Israel would be stronger than Edom at key moments in their history, and Edom would be forced to serve Israel. This would take many centuries to play out, but it was revealed first here in the Word of God given to Rebekah—given in connection with a special life event also from Him.

[24] When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. [25] The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. [26] Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
[27] When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. [28] Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.Eventually the boys were born with some more interesting details of struggle and distinction. Isaac preferred Esau, but “Rebekah loved Jacob.” Much later God revealed through the prophet Malachi that Rebekah was right, saying, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” But in our day, through the Messiah descended from Jacob, adoption into Israel comes for all who believe.

Put the Word to Work: What is your people group by birth? What about by adoption? There is no shame in being either low or high. Who or what is your real master? Have you found forgiveness and peace from the King of Peace? How has He loved you? How do you love Him back? Jesus has transformed both submission and dominion so that we no longer need to be stuck in old patterns of bondage and oppression. We have been freed to serve God and others.

Memory Verse from the Songs of Ascents—Psalm 128:1 – Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!

Gospel Reading—Matthew 18:21-35 – The parable of the unforgiving servant