Genesis 25

Even though a man may live a very long life beyond all of his companions, eventually every generation that has come must also go. Abraham, the man who fathered Ishmael by Hagar who was then given Isaac by Sarah, took another wife, Keturah, and fathered several children by her. After giving his other sons gifts, he sent them far away, but he left the rest of his possessions to Isaac, in accord with God's revelation to him that Isaac was the bearer of the promise for the coming generation. Then, after 175 years of life on the earth, he died, and his remains were brought to the same family burial plot where Sarah had been buried.

Meanwhile, not only would Isaac prosper, but as the Lord had promised, Ishmael would have a very notable group of descendants. His sons are listed here, and the author of Genesis notes that they lived in a certain region “over against all his kinsmen.” As with the descendants of Keturah, there is much that the Lord knows about all those who count Ishmael as their ancestor, yet recounting the progress of those lives will not be the direction of the the remaining chapters of this book. The promise of God through Isaac will be our chief interest. Why should that be? God is preparing a particular individual, a Seed of the woman who will crush the head of the serpent. He will be a people and a person—a chosen person who comes from a chosen people, who unites to himself a far more diverse people. This Messiah will accomplish the eternal purpose of God, and he will come from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The revelation of the third man on that list comes to Isaac's wife Rebekah before Jacob was born. Rebekah was originally unable to conceive a child, but now as a result of Isaac's prayer, the Lord has granted her twins. These two are struggling within Rebekah, and the Lord reveals to her the reason why. “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.” This division, felt by Rebekah and announced by God, was shown forth in the birth of the boys. Jacob, the younger brother, came out grasping the heel of his older brother Esau's foot.

The order of their birth was very significant according to the customs of the day. Though it was only a matter of minutes, Esau was the firstborn, and had the rights of the firstborn, yet God had revealed to Rebekah that Jacob, the second son, would be the promised son of the covenant in his generation.

Despite this Word from the Lord to Rebekah, Isaac—the father of these two boys—preferred Esau. Rebekah, we are told, loved Jacob. When these boys grew up, they showed their character and priorities. Esau prefers a bowl of stew to his birthright, and speaks as if there is nothing for him to consider about his own life or the life of anyone else should he die. This is faithless and very short-sighted. Jacob tries to take advantage of his brother's hunger and spiritual foolishness to purchase Esau's birthright.

Though it may seem to us to be a childish prank, this is a significant episode in the life of these two young men. In the New Testament, the author of Hebrews calls Esau “unholy,” referring to the fact that he “sold his birthright for a single meal.” Jacob's actions were also revealing. Was he trying to secure through his own clever machinations what could only come to him through the hand of God? The Lord had already revealed the fact that the older would serve the younger before either child was born. Why was everyone rebelling against the prophetic Word that was spoken to Rebekah, or did she keep it all to herself, sharing it with no one?

The apostle Paul uses this revelation to Rebekah as proof of God's electing love. He draws upon Malachi, who would record these surprising words by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated.” God made a choice between these two boys before either one had done anything good or evil. That choice had implications not only for them as individuals but also for the nations that would come from them. Esau would be the father of the Edomites, and Jacob would be the father of the Israelites.

Hope comes to us through Jacob, not through Esau. This should not shock us. We have already seen that God made a distinction between Ishmael and Isaac. In this chapter we know that Isaac was treated differently than the son of Hagar and all the sons of Keturah. The Lord has His plans. Who can accuse Him of wrongdoing or stop His powerful hand?

Any blessing or security for any of us, including the joy of even one good meal, comes to us from the gracious provision of Almighty God. But God has more for us than just one meal. Through Jesus, the chosen Redeemer, the Lord is gathering His people from all the nations of the world. His story is not about the strong taking advantage of the weak in order to grasp what is not theirs by right. The power of His death on the cross is the way that God has chosen that the last shall be first according to His great electing love.

The blessings of Jesus' resurrection come to us by God's eternal decree. They are not won by our clever schemes. We receive His love as a gift, free to us, but very costly to Him. Through Jesus, we have come to know that there is more to life than what we are able to see with our eyes or grasp with our hands here below. We believe in heaven and the resurrection of the dead.