73 - Les Feldick Bible Study Lesson 1 - Part 1 - Book 7

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com LESSON 1 * PART 2 * BOOK 7 JACOB, ESAU, BIRTHRIGHT Genesis 25-46 Turn to Chapter 25. Here, we're dealing with two sons, Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac and Rebekah. God delineated that. God is in control of every jot and tittle of what takes place. Not only in the life of Israel, but, I think, in the life of every child of God in particular. God is bringing it all to fruition in his own time. Now, Genesis 25, and a little review: Genesis 25:19-23 "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:" Who mandated, then, that Jacob would end up where he did? God did! As we study this, and especially when we come into the conniving of Rebekah and Jacob to get that blessing from Isaac, never lose sight that God had mandated this before they were even born. What I think we are going to see is a situation just like Abraham, who got impatient with God's promise with regard to a son. And without God's instruction he connived with his wife Sarah to bring about the child Ishmael. When Isaac is 40 he marries Rebekah. And then 20 years later, when he is 60, the twins are born and they are Jacob and Esau. When Isaac is 75, Abraham dies, being 175, so Abraham is off the scene. When Jacob and Esau are 24 years old, Jacob got the birthright by selling that bowl of red bean soup to Esau. Then 16 years after Jacob gets the birthright from Esau, Esau marries the Canaanite women. Remember we touched on that last week, and the Canaanites were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. It's 37 years from the time they are 24 (when Jacob got the birthright), until he connives with Rebekah and gets the blessing, and then he has to flee. Then, 20 years later, we see Jacob coming back with all of his wives and children; all 11 sons, and Benjamin will be born after he comes back. Ten years after Jacob comes back to the land of Canaan, Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin. Then it's another 12 to 15 years (I don't remember exactly), that Jacob joins again with Isaac down in southern Israel, in Beersheba. So Jacob, with all of his offspring, enjoys living several more years with his father, Isaac, who dies at the age of 180. Jacob and Esau are now 120 years old. By the time that Isaac dies at 180, and Jacob is 120, Joseph is 29. Scripture says that Joseph was 17 at that time. Then, 64 years after Joseph dies, Moses is born. Genesis 27:1-3 "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I." Genesis 27:11-13 "And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:" Of course Isaac lived on and, as I have mentioned, Jacob spent quite a few years with him after he returned with his families. Genesis 27:14,15 The eldest son is given clothes that pertain to his position. Remember how mad the other sons got when Jacob gave Joseph the coat of many colors? What Rebekah is doing then, is taking this designated piece of clothing for Esau and putting it on Jacob. In verse 16 there is another word I want you to underline, and that word is "kids." The Old Testament says you sow to the wind and reap whirl winds. Genesis 27:16-19 How could Jacob tell a bold faced lie? But, again, you must look at it in the light that God himself had designated that Jacob was to have the role of the firstborn. So, in that light, Jacob was not lying. We may ask was God unfair? NO! Because what had God seen in the make up of Esau? NO FAITH! "Without faith it is impossible to please God." So, no matter how morally good Esau might have been (and I doubt that he was, because of his marriage to the Canaanites), even if he was a better man than Jacob, God couldn't use him because he had no faith. So that Jacob, when he said, "I'm your firstborn son," according to how God mandated it, he didn't lie. Genesis 27:20-23 " And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me." The birthright was the spiritual side of the family position. The eldest son was more or less the priest of the family. This makes it so very important, that God's sovereign will is accomplished. Jacob then got the birthright, not really by deceiving, since Esau was willing to sell it for a bowl of soup. Now, the material side said that the eldest son would get a double portion. So, if there were three sons, immediately the father would divide the estate into four parts. In Isaac's case, he would divide the blessing into three parts, with the oldest getting two, and the other, one. Always remember the birthright never did bother Esau, because that was something spiritual; he only wanted the material things. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible