5. We travel from Genesis Chapter 25 to Chapter 28.

In Chapter 25, Abraham dies, leaving all that he possessed to his eldest son

Isaac. He was buried in the same cave as his wife Sarah. It is good to pause at

this point and think a little about Abraham. We have seen how he travelled

from the land between the two rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) and journeyed to

Egypt, finally settling in Palestine. The Israelites always ascribed the

beginning of their religion to Abraham; not, as some think today, to Moses.

When God appeared to Moses in the story of the burning bush (q.v. later) he is

described as ‘the God of Abraham’. When Elijah was praying to God on

Mount Carmel he speaks to Jehovah as the ‘God of Abraham’. ln spite of this,

none of the early prophets speak about Abraham, except for Isaiah and Micah.

So we say farewell to Abraham, a tough desert leader who had an unbreakable

faith in our God, and who governed his people with

great wisdom. Isaac, in contrast, was a gentle

character, who, we are told, in Genesis Chapter 21

was a farmer. He was fond of his family, and was

given to prayer and meditation. In Chapter 25 verse 19

we are told that when he was forty he married a

Woman named Rebekah, the sister of Laban, This is

Where the story becomes fascinating. Rebekah could

Not bear children until Isaac prayed to God on her

behalf and she became pregnant with twins.

These babies pressed hard on each other in the womb

and she wondered what that meant She asked God about it. God said: ‘Two

nations in your womb, two peoples going their own ways from birth. One

shall be stronger than the other; the older shall be servant to the younger.’

God knows all things. The first baby to be born had a covering of red hair all

over his body. Because of this, he was named Esau which means covering

Esau’s brother was born immediately afterwards and his hand was grasping the

heel of Esau. This baby was named Jacob which means ‘He caught by the

heel’. Now, as you read on, you will realize what a human, and in some ways,

what a tragic story this is. The boys grew up. Esau became a hunter roaming

the plains for game. Jacob stayed at home living a quiet life The situation now arose can sometimes be encountered in modern families Isaac thought more of Esau than he did of Jacob. Rebekah favoured Jacob. If you

will now read Chapter 25, verses 27 to 34, you will

discover how Esau sold his birthright. This needs a

little explanation. As the eldest son, Esau would

have become head of the family when his father

died. He would also have received a double share

in Isaac’s estate. All this he gave up for a single .

meal. I think you will find that the story shows

Jacob to be a cunning, cool, calculating man.

In Chapter 26 we meet the Philistines. They were

sea-people who had sailed across the eastern

Mediterranean possibly from Greece and had settled

In Palestine. In this chapter Isaac and his people

make peace with the Philistines

and find a place to settle, blessed with water.

I thoroughly recommend that you read Chapter 27 very carefully, and perhaps

more than once. In it you will find a story of deception, without equal. None

of the family seems to come well out of the story. Esau lost his chance to

become ruler of the tribe on the death of his father, because Jacob stole his

Blessing. Thus, what God told Rebekah comes true: ‘One shall be stronger

than the other the older shall be servant to the younger’ The result is a split in

the family. Esau is very bitter and has murder in his heart. Jacob is sent away

for his own safety, and Rebekah never sees him again.

Next month, in Chapter 28, we shall see the significance of ‘Jacob’s Ladder’

and also discover what Jacob had to do to gain the lady of his choice.