God Chooses the Younger Twin

September 11, 2022 Background Scripture: Genesis 25:19 - 34 Lesson Passage: Genesis 25:19b - 34 The title of our lesson can be a little confusing. There is a difference between a person making a choice and God choosing. We often make decisions without the foreknowledge of what the future holds. In His omniscience, God always has foreknowledge of the future. God knows our thoughts while they are yet far from us. The Bible is clear: Without faith it is impossible to please God. God knows who will trust Him in the future and who will not trust Him. We tend to be self-reliant before we submit ourselves to the Lordship of God. As a result, we learn to accept the outcome, or limitations, of our decisions. Unintentionally, we grow more distant from God; nor do we feel the need for God in our lives. We cannot please God with such a mindset. God is pleased with those who put their trust in Him and believe His promises. God already knows who will trust Him in the future. Because of His foreknowledge, predestination can be understood as God's plan to protect and guide those who will trust Him later. If God knows a person will never accept Him under any circumstances, other than giving the person the opportunity to accept Him, why protect the person from the consequences of their own wicked schemes? On the other hand, if the person is going to trust God in the future, God may very well order their steps to bring them safely to the point where they will exhibit faith in Him. As parents, if we see our child exhibiting a high aptitude for learning, it is reasonable to consider starting a college fund for their future. If a second child exhibits a serious learning disability, we may opt to start a savings account but perhaps not a college fund. That's not choosing one child over the other but rather making plans based on the most likely outcome in the future. Jacob was nurtured by his mother and Esau was encouraged by his father as the boys developed. Rebekah encouraged Jacob to pursue some things she knew had a high future value. Put another way, Rebekah taught Jacob to pursue some things to his benefit. God told her before their birth that the older son would serve the younger. Isaac encouraged Esau to pursue an activity that Isaac enjoyed the outcome of eating wild game. Although they were twins, Esau inherited two very valuable assets by virtue of being the firstborn. From a material standpoint, Esau inherited the birthright of a double portion of the family's wealth. From a spiritual standpoint, Esau inherited the covenant God initiated with their grandfather, Abraham. Esau enjoyed accomplishing things using his own prowess and skills as a young man. Rebekah taught Jacob to be more cognizant and shrewder in deliberation. Jacob practiced those skills on his brother, Esau. Esau became a man of the world and Jacob became a man of faith. As a worldly person, Esau did not value his birthright or the blessing of being heir to the covenant. Esau grew dependent on his own ability. Rebekah taught Jacob the value of the blessing of God. Both the birthright and the blessing became targets for Jacob's acquisition. Jacob literally purchased the birthright from Esau for a single meal. The birthright is better appreciated from the standpoint of long-range strategic thinking. Esau was driven more by instant gratification than he was long-range strategic thinking. As a result, Esau sold his birthright to satisfy a temporary hunger for food. In today's lesson, we see God ordering the steps of Jacob. God knew Jacob would become a man of faith. Although Jacob was the younger twin, his faith in God pleased the Lord. Robert C. Hudson September 1, 2022