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GENESIS 24–25; PSALMS 17, 18

Week 2, Day 6

We have had two miracles in Isaac—first his birth, then his preservation. But there will not be a family line through Isaac unless he becomes a father, so there must be a marriage.

That seems simple enough, but Abraham felt otherwise. He was convinced that his son must not marry a daughter of the Canaanites, but he was equally sure that his son must not settle back in the land he and Sarah left so long ago. Both these convictions sprang from Abraham’s understanding of the plan of God in his life and in that of his family.

So he sent his trusted servant (whose name, perhaps significantly, is never mentioned) on an expedition of trust, and the servant brings back a wife for Isaac, the beautiful and clever Rebekah.

The developing plot has its own pain. Rebekah conceives, but finds a war in her womb. The twins, born only a moment apart, are as different as if from alien cultures. As they grow up, Esau is his father’s favorite and Jacob is his mother’s. By convention, Esau should be the primary heir, as the older son, but Jacob is the one who is chosen by God. In many ways, Jacob does not appeal to us; he is too crafty and too ready to dupe his brother. But Esau is interested only in the needs and excitements of the moment, and he gladly sacrifices his birthright to fulfill an evening’s appetite. Whatever his other limitations, Jacob has a better grasp of life’s ultimate values.

PRAYER: Lord of life, teach me to prize what truly matters most; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

What are the flaws in Esau’s character—likable though he may have been—that prevented him from being an effective channel for God’s purposes?