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Today is Saturday January 09, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the book of Genesis chapters 25-27. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-january-9

As children of God, we are destined to become what He has created us to be, the skills we learn and the talents we are born with are all gifts from God to be used to fulfill His will. Oh, He may let us go off course for a time in order to show us that what we are desiring is not what we need, but He always brings us right back where we are to be. At times, God will use people, for what seems as deception, to fulfill His will. For instance, Isaac was the promised seed by Abraham and Sarah used to fulfill the covenant between God and Abraham. At the age of 40 Isaac married Rebekah, but for 20 years they had no children. Then in an answer to prayer on behalf of his childless wife, Rebekah conceived and was about to give birth to twins. Before their birth an unusual incident occurred which caused Rebekah to inquire of the Lord. “And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” - Genesis 25:20-23. God told Rebekah that she was going to have twins and that the first born would be weaker and serve his younger brother. He mentioned two nations, meaning that they would both be rulers of a nation and that younger child's nation who be stronger and rule over the older child's. God is always in control, if He says that the first born will serve the youngest He means it, no one can change the will of God.

Now, as the children grew, Isaac favored Esau, the firstborn, who became a man of the world with no interest in God at all. Jacob, on the other hand was and derived his inspiration from Rebekah, who through spiritual insight, never forgot the miraculous message from God that Jacob would rule over his brother. Since Esau was the first born, he had birthrights to the family, which included, among other things, being heir to the covenant that God had made with Abraham. This birthright was the link in the line of descendants through which the Promised Messiah was to come. However, Esau had no desire to even fight for his birthright and gave it up for food. “And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.” - Genesis 25:27-34. Had Esau remained heir, God's Covenant would have been broken, therefore, it was imperative that Jacob be given the birthright in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled.

As Isaac grew old and blind, he decided to impart the Abrahamic Covenant to his favorite son, Esau, disregarding the words that God had told Rebekah, yet Isaac was determined to hand the sacred covenant blessing to Esau. even though he sold his birthright to Jacob for a single meal. So, Rebekah came up with a plan to get Isaac to bless Jacob instead. “And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.” - Genesis 27:5-10. God allowed Rebekah to help Jacob deceive his father into thinking he was Esau in order to make sure that Jacob received the blessings that were to be rightfully his. Isaac knew that Jacob was to be the heir to the Abrahamic Covenant, but he chose to ignore that to fulfill his own desire rather than God's. Whenever we try to scheme our way into things we can be sure that someone else is scheming us as well.

When Esau came back to receive his blessing, Isaac had realized that he just gave everything to Jacob instead.

Issac now had nothing to give Esau, this cause great friction between the two, so much so that esau threatened to kill Jacob after his father died. “And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.” - Genesis 27:31-35. You see how Isaac said that Jacob subtly took Esau's blessing from him? Many people deem Jacob as a conniver, but the truth is that if it were not for Rebekah influencing Jacob to deceive his father than God's covenant would have never been fulfilled. Jacob was blessed and the prophecy was fulfilled as God stated, overthrowing the scheme that Isaac himself had to bless Esau. While we should never scheme our way into following God's will, Jacob's experience proves that it is impossible for anyone to keep the chosen servant of God from accomplishing the perfect will of God. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” - Romans 12:2.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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