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This week’s Parasha is entitled Toledot, meaning Generations. It is taken from the book of Genesis 25:19-28:9.
Adonai promised to make Isaac, the only son of Abraham by his wife Sarah, a great nation. Isaac’s descendants through Jacob would become the Chosen People.
Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel and sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife. She was barren, so Isaac prayed for her, and she conceived.
Notice, the barrenness of both Sarah and Rebecca speaks to the fact that their conceiving children was an act of divine intervention. God was at work forming His Chosen People.
The children struggled in Rebecca’s womb, so she prays to the Lord. Adonai answered her and said, “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples will come from you, one will be mightier than the other.”
Adonai speaks directly to Rebecca and transmits this important message about the destiny of Rebecca and Isaac’s children. And the final line to this prophecy was, “and the older will serve the younger.”
Rebecca was informed of God’s plan, of giving the blessing to the younger of the twins. She will carry this knowledge with her when she later helps Jacob to deceive his father into giving Jacob the covenant blessing.
When the time of her delivery came Rebecca gave birth to twins. The boys were different from each other in appearance and in temperament.
The first boy was hairy and had a reddish complexion. His name was called, Esau. The second boy was born holding Esau’s heel. Isaac and Rebecca named him Jacob, which means “he will heel.”
This name most likely expressed the hope that he would follow Adonai at His heel – in other words that he will be close to God.
Jacob was a quiet man who enjoyed staying home; but Esau was full of vigor and adventure. Esau despised his spiritual privileges. He chose the flesh, not the spirit.
Esau was of the world and outside the temple. Like many people today, Esau was a success in the world but a failure with God.
The question begs to be asked, how could Esau sell his birthright? And for a bowl of stew?
Esau could have inherited everything from his father, but he sold it all for a single meal, for a moment of pleasure.
He sold something that he could not lose, for something that he could not keep. We should pray that none of us are like Esau.
Chapter 26, famine is in the land. Isaac goes to Gerar. And out of fear for his life, he claims, Rebecca is his sister. King Abimelech discerned the truth and charged the people saying, “anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death.”
Isaac planted crops, became rich, and grew richer until he was very wealthy because the Lord was blessing him.
The philistines become jealous. Isaac digs wells and the Philistines fill them with dirt.
King Abimelech asks him to leave his land. Later, Isaac and the king make a covenant not to harm each other.
When Esau was 40 years old, he married two Hittite women. They were a source of bitterness to Isaac and Rebecca.
By taking pagan wives, Esau confirmed he was unworthy of serving as the heir to the spiritual heritage of Abraham and Isaac.
Chapter 27, Rebecca learns that Isaac was preparing to bless Esau, so she quickly advised Jacob to trick her husband into blessing Jacob instead.
Jacob was not concerned about the deceitfulness of his mother’s plan, but he did have fears about getting caught. He did deceive his father and received the blessing of being Isaac’s spiritual heir.
However, that deception cost Jacob dearly. He never saw his mother again. He was exiled from his home and family for years. His brother wanted to kill him.
Since we all reap what we sow, Jacob would be deceived by his uncle Laban. Jacob’s family became torn and afflicted with strife.
Now that Jacob’s life was in danger from Esau, Rebecca discussed Jacob’s future with her husband. Now that Jacob had the covenant blessing, it was important that he marry the right woman.
Isaac agreed and called Jacob to tell him of their decision. Isaac spoke kindly to his son and repeated that the wonderful promises of the Abrahamic covenant were truly his.
Esau’s response to this news was further evidence that he did not value spiritual things. Already married to two Hittite women, he went out and took another wife from the family of his uncle Ishmael.
In closing, what lessons can we learn from these three – Isaac, Jacob, and Esau?
Isaac was the child of promise. If Abraham is to be honored for his obedience to Adonai, Isaac must also be honored for his obedience to God and to his father. As Abraham built the altar, spread the wood, bound his son, and laid him on the altar.
Abraham must have been relieved that Isaac put up no resistance, apart from him questioning his father about the lack of the sacrificial animal, *** which took faith. We should Be like Isaac.
Jacob’s conception and birth were indeed supernatural. He entered this world holding the heel of Esau, his twin brother. We can learn some things from this heel grabber.
Look how he desired and seized the birthright and the spiritual blessings. Jacob is the one who later said to God: “I will not let you go until you bless me.”
If we as believers in Messiah could have the same hunger for spiritual things that Jacob had, God would truly bless us.
We should be like Jacob.
The Scriptures would have us learn from Esau also. Many of Esau’s decisions and actions were birth in the flesh. He valued earthly things more than heavenly things.
Esau’s life was filled with many decisions that he must have later, regretted bitterly. Don’t be like Esau.