Jacob and Esau: Tangling Twins

Genesis 25: 21-34 Genesis 27:1-40

In our search for where there is growth, leading to going, it is hard to find in Jacob's life. I think the main reason for Jacob's many faults is an entanglement with the world. We see this starting before their birth, as Jacob and Esau struggled in their mother's womb. As they struggled in the womb, they struggled at birth. As Esau evidently won that battle for position, he was born first, but Jacob was not far behind, clinging to his heel. Again, Esau won his father's love by providing him with the food he craved. Jacob wanted something far more important—the rights of the first-born, and trusting his own intellect, he waited for the right time. That time was when Esau came back from a hunting trip, nearly starving to death. Maybe he wasn't such a good hunter after all. Anyway, this was Jacob's opportunity for a trade. He would give Esau some soup if Esau gave him his birthright. Now, I wonder, who would even think to try such a thing. I mean, who in their right mind would trade their birthright for a bowl of soup. Evidently, Jacob knew his brother very well. He knew that the things of God meant nothing to Esau. He knew that this scheme would work, based not on the preciousness of his soup, but the despising that Esau had for his birthright. And it did not end there.

Jacob's own mother wanted her favorite son to have all that was meant for the firstborn. So, when she heard Isaac tell his favorite son, Esau, to kill some venison and bring it to him, and he would bless him, she sprang into action. Rebekah convinced Jacob to play along with her elaborate scheme to deceive her own husband into thinking Jacob was Esau, so he would basically steal Esau's blessing.

Now the tragedy of all this deception is that it did not have to happen. The question comes to mind: what if? What if Jacob and his mother would have trusted God instead of their ideas? Wasn't it God who told Rebekah, right in the beginning, that the older would serve the younger? But Jacob and Rebekah were so entangled with the world, they lost trust with God. This seemed to run in the family. As Jacob's grandparents, Abraham and Sarah, when told they would be blessed with a son, lost trust in God's promise, resulting in the whole issue of Hagar and Ishmael. What if Rebekah would have, like another distant relative, namely Mary, just submitted to the promise, and in a seemingly impossible situation, simply said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord?" Let God untangle all the impossible situations. Let's quit our entanglement with the world and "let it be unto us according to the word." You see, when we are entangled, we can't grow, and we can't go. God has a promise for your life. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chr. 7:14

~ Jim Frantz

Behold, the Camels are Coming

Genesis 24: 61-67

Today, we have set before us an example of a life submitted to a Holy God in order for Him to move His way, accomplishing His purposes for His Kingdom. Abraham, the patriarch, a man who has given his life to the Lord, now assigns his trusted servant the task of finding a wife for his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham's commitment to the Lord has grown to sweet communion, precious to the Lord and to Abraham. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing wither he went...For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Heb.11:8,10) In this secret place of prayer, under God's direction, he tells his servant to go. The servant is obedient to his master. He grows under Abraham's leadership and example. He prays; the Lord hears and answers. "And the man bowed down his head, and worshiped the Lord." (Gen. 24:26) Praise God! Always praise unto Him! No matter the circumstance, no matter the answer, for His way is marvelous! He does all things well. Rebekah, the young maid, firmly planted in this place by the Lord, sweetly lays down her own agenda. "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." (2 Thess. 3:5) Rebekah gives the servant a drink, and she also draws water for all the camels. Ten camels! Talk about a job! How many people complain about their jobs? "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers. But in singleness of heart, fearing God: whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." (Col.3:22) Praise God for Rebekah's utter abandonment to the Lord! Her obedience to water the camels provided the way to travel to her intended beloved. Eventually, camels need to drink, and drink they did, by her obedient heart, and the camels, carried the Bride to the Bridegroom! And at the same time, Isaac is obedient to his father as he remains where the Lord had placed him. How easy to rebel and seek his own wife! "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." (vs.20) The Lord was moving in this time, for Isaac was seeking and growing. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel." (Gen. 24:63,64) God's word is so rich and vibrant, for it holds the key that will set us free from our captive lives of "what's in it for me?" His name is Jesus! It is by His blood! He has a plan, a purpose for our lives. Stop! Be still! Listen! Seek! Read His Word! Pray! Cry out to the Lord of Heaven...Save me! Sanctify me! It's not too late! It's a new day! GROW in Him and GO! Are you thirsty? Bring up the buckets from the living well and drink! "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." (John 7:37) Alleluia! Alleluia! HIS NAME IS JESUS! THIS IS CHRISTMAS!

~ Judy Hollobaugh

Growing and Going...Right from the Beginning

Genesis 13

When I was just a kid, my Mom had a Christmas album by Perry Como. One song, in particular, struck a "chord" with me—C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S. It was about a boy who was confused by all the messages of Christmas, so his Mom sat him down and explained to him what it was really all about, simply by spelling it out—"'C' is for the Christ Child, born upon that day; 'H' is for Herald Angels in the night; 'R' means our Redeemer; 'I' means Israel; 'S' is for the stars that shone so bright; 'T' is for three wise men, they who traveled far; 'M' is for the manger where He lay; 'A' is for all He stands for; 'S' means shepherds came—and that's why there's a Christmas Day." I think hearing those words was one of those "growing" moments for me—year after year—and I thank God for that!

Throughout the story of Abram and Sarai, we see the call upon their lives to grow and go! I think their biggest challenge was to truly believe God's promise that they would be the parents of multitudes—and hence, their new names, Abraham and Sarah. They were growing older and older, and it seemed entirely impossible to have a child as promised. But such faith and trust would be absolutely crucial, in that this Child of Promise, Isaac, would forever point to the coming Messiah, namely Jesus. Remember Lot, Abram's nephew? I wonder if Abram could have seen Lot as an "easy way" to get an heir! Remember his initial call?—"...Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." (Gen. 12:1) It sure looks like he wasn't even supposed to bring Lot, his "kindred", in the first place. Years later, in Genesis 13, strife develops, and Abram makes Lot separate, and it is then, the call is reaffirmed—"And the Lord said to Abram…Lift up now thine eyes, and look...Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee." What a promise! If only they could have learned their lesson at this point!

But they didn't, and they would try other ways. In Genesis 15, Abram suggests that his own servant, Eliezer, could be his heir, thereby, fixing everything. In Genesis 16, we are told of yet another attempt to solve the whole problem—have a son by Hagar, Sarai's Egyptian servant. And, oh, what a disaster that turned out to be—Ishmael, the Child of the Flesh, would be born into the situation, and forever be a "thorn" to Israel—even today, as she is surrounded by those who want to destroy her! Time after time after time—they tried to solve their own problems, and only messed things up. And yet, God uses the whole thing to grow them in faith. Now, Abram could trust his God to take him all of the way to Genesis 22 and the willingness to sacrifice his control over Isaac, the Child of Promise—and even witness resurrection! (Heb. 11:19) Praise God—true growth comes in letting God have His way His way. Only then, will we be truly ready to go on in Him.

~ Rev. Roy D. Warren, Jr.

Introduction

Recently, I was reminiscing about the "good old days." I suppose what got me to thinking was a little comic I saw in another church's newsletter. In it, a little child came up to her elderly grandfather, who was sitting in his over-stuffed chair, and said, "Papa, what was so good about the 'good old days?'" His answer? "I was very young!" As I watch my little 1 ½ year old grand-daughter grow day by day, and watch her go through the house at top speed, I am reminded of what it was like to be young. I'm sure that when her Mom and Dad have twins after the first of the year, I'll feel a little older once again. In my reminiscing, I recalled that in elementary school, I would flip-flop from year to year in what I preferred the class and the teacher to call me—my real first name, Roy, or my nick-name, Skip. Some choice, huh? I didn't really think that "Skip" was too bad, especially after the other kids started to grow up and stopped using the monikers, "Skippy Peanut Butter," or just "Skippy."

The years that I chose to use "Roy" were not without challenge, either. You guessed it—I was always getting called "Roy Rogers." I suppose I could be thankful they didn't call me "Trigger." You remember Roy, Dale, and Trigger, don't you? They were all quite popular back in the 1950's, when I was a kid. Recently, I read about a family reminiscing about those years, and how it got awfully confusing, especially around Christmas time. Their son, John, was four years old, while little Mary was only two. John loved "The Roy Rogers Show," but he was equally fascinated by the story of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. For Christmas, John received a six-shooter and a holster, while his sister got a doll baby. A few days later, the mother overheard the boy say to his little sister, "Mary, swaddle that baby and jump on Trigger, 'cause we're headed for Bethlehem!" It wouldn't be long, and they would grow up, too—and go on!. At least back then, Jesus was a part of the picture—not so much today, huh?

Yes, I think the enormity of God's Gift in that manger is lost to many of us amidst the crowded malls, over-abundance of social events, overspending, overeating, or just plain fatigue from overextending ourselves. Please take time to join us daily, as we, at Christ our Rock Bible Church, go on a journey this Christmas—a reminiscing of growing and going! Be watching for it each day—no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in every day, God wants to use it to grow us, and then, go on in His grace. During the next two weeks, we will be scanning the Old Testament to see how it pointed to the Christmas call to grow and go. Following that, we will spend a week in the Gospels, seeing the same thing. And then, the week before Christmas, we will immerse ourselves in the story of growing and going—Christmas itself! It will be a very uplifting time—it is our prayer that you will be drawn into the heart of Christian growth, and then live every day going on in Him. In this, have a very Blessed Christmas!

~ Rev. Roy D. Warren, Jr., Pastor