Day 10: Genesis 25-26
Today's morning devotion is Genesis 25-26, chronicling the death of Abraham, the birth of Esau and Jacob, and the rise of Isaac.
Isaac and Ishmael together in grief
I just thought it was heartwarming to see Isaac and Ishmael reunited when they buried their father Abraham. I assume this was after years of separation since Sarah drove Hagar out of Abraham's household, which made this reunion that much more special.
Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, (Genesis 25:9 ESV)
Isaac's prayer granted
Later in time, Jesus would teach what people now simplify as, "Ask, and you shall receive."
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 ESV)
With Isaac, we see the prayer and response in rapid succession, when God opens Rebekah's womb.
And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. (Genesis 25:21 ESV)
Sold for bread and stew
I remember many moons ago at a Citylife CG meetup, reading and discussing the story of Esau selling his birthright. Even as I read it again now, I'm still left in amazement at what Esau did.
Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:32-34 ESV)
Could Esau truly have been so hungry as to sell his birthright for a meal? Especially a meal that Esau presumably would've received eventually anyway when the family would gather to eat.
Perhaps God is simply making a point here, that we should always keep our wits about us, especially when we are physically exhausted.
She is my sister
Does the line, "she's my sister" sound familiar to anyone else? Like how his father tricked Pharaoh of Egypt, so Isaac tricks Abimelech of Philistine by telling Abimelech that Rebekah is Isaac's sister. And as expected, Abimelech was not pleased when he found out.
But Abimelech's response to the deception left me wondering, was Isaac's lie really necessary?
So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” (Genesis 26:11 ESV)
At this point, Isaac had not yet performed any great deeds in Gerar. It would seem that Abimelech would've protected Isaac's union with Rebekah even if Isaac had been honest the first time he was asked. Or is the point here that lying is okay to protect one's own life?
In Chinese, there is a saying, "害人之心不可有。防人之心不可无。" The translation is essentially, "You must not harbor ill will toward others. You must also maintain a sense of self-protection." This philosophy fosters a passive and cautious approach to human relationships, an approach that condones lying, whereas I feel the Christian way is anything but passive and is passionately honest.
More importantly, though, I have to believe that lying even to protect one's own life is not honoring God. Jesus would later imply that enduring hatred and persecution through honesty (at least regarding one's faith) is the path to salvation.
Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:21-22 ESV)
In the end, I'm still left with a question mark: What is the Christian view on lying?
Pushing away a blessing
I feel like it's important to point out how silly it was for the Philistines to push away the blessing among them: Isaac. Isaac doesn't seem like the hoarding kind or a man who amasses wealth solely for his own personal gain, so wouldn't helping him prosper be better for everyone? Yet...
He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” (Genesis 26:14-16 ESV)
I think at times I am also very envious of the wealth of others, and I must remember to avoid that feeling. Worldly wealth is not worth anything in the end, and furthermore I'm not sure I'm ready to be a good steward of such wealth.
Why so bitter?
As a closing thought for the closing paragraph in the devotion, I wonder why Esau's two wives made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah. (Genesis 26:34-35 ESV)
And why bitter for Isaac and Rebekah but not for Jacob?