Advent Devotional: Faith-Family Tree {The Tumultuous Twins}
Two Nations
The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.” ~Genesis 25:23
In the beginning of their marriage, Isaac (Abraham’s son) and Rebekah could not conceive children. However, Isaac knew the promise God made to Abraham.
God made Abraham a promise that included thousands upon thousands of descendants—more numerous than the stars in the sky! So, Isaac prayed for Rebekah to conceive, and God blessed them with two sons. Esau entered the world before his brother, Jacob, thus earning the birthright of the firstborn son.
God continued to bring forth the Messiah through a bloodline which included deceit, trickery, and lies.
Today’s Scripture:
Now it came about, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” ~Genesis 27:1
Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring home, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, ‘Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.’ ” ~Genesis 27:5-7
“…Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it…” ~Genesis 27:9, NIV
By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. ~Hebrews 11:20, NIV
Today’s Snapshot: The Tumultous Twins
While Jacob stayed among the tents and became Rebekah’s favorite, Esau was an avid hunter, which pleased his father immensely. One day, Esau came inside, famished after a hard day of hunting. He could smell Jacob’s savory stew on the stove. Esau asked for some of the red lentil stew. Jacob told him he could have a bowl of stew in exchange for his birthright, and Esau traded his birthright for one meal!
In the custom of the time, the firstborn received:
… a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him. ~Deuteronomy 21:17, NIV
Esau took his eyes off of the big picture for temporary satisfaction when he gave Jacob his birthright in exchange for one bowl of stew. Then Rebekah helped Jacob deceive Isaac to receive the blessing.
From a human perspective, the lineage of Jesus Christ would have traveled through the bloodline of Esau.
From a heavenly perspective, the spiritual Seed moves through the younger son, Jacob.
It happened that quickly.
One shallow choice equaled one eternal shift in the Savior’s lineage.
Could moments that seem deceptive actually be divine?
In God’s sovereignty—through what appears to us as a human betrayal—Jacob received the birthright, and then—through one act of human deceit—Jacob received the blessing from Isaac.
The lineage of the coming King is passed down from
Adam to
Noah, to
Abraham, to
Isaac, to
Jacob (whose name we know as Israel), to
Judah (one of his 12 sons), and…
… eventually …
through the young girl Mary
to the baby Jesus.
Family Discussion:
- What would be the best thing about having a twin? What would be the worst thing about having a twin?
- Why is it important to keep our eyes on the big picture? How can this help us when we make decisions?
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for the gift of twins! We praise You for Esau and Jacob who help us to see that people in the Bible are real people who deal with real issues such as jealousy, deceit, and strife. You used their selfish actions to carry out Your eternal plan. Lord, thank You for loving us in spite of our flaws. Your beautiful plan is beginning to unfold, and we have the privilege of watching the story through snapshots of the big picture. Thank You for giving us a glimpse into Your heart this Christmas as we anxiously await the birth of Your Son.
In the precious name of Jesus, we pray,
Amen
This devotional is adapted from Faith Roots: An Advent Family Devotional available for purchase on Amazon.
Basking in His Light
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