Year 7, Day 24: Genesis 25

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 25 continues to give us a decent perspective on humanity – even among the righteous.  Let’s start with Abraham.  Do you hear what Abraham does after his wife Sarah dies?  Abraham takes more wives.  Granted, Sarah was dead.  There’s nothing particularly wrong with that action.  What is wrong is what happens when the kids come along.  The only kid who gets a notable inheritance is Isaac.  All of the other kids are paid off and sent along their merry way.  I find that rather interesting.  Naturally, Isaac is the boy of God’s promise.  However, what is the precedent that is created?  Furthermore, is that even God’s intention?

As we look further into the text, do you hear what the natural consequences to this human trait happen to be?  Isaac and Rebekah give birth to twins.  However, those twins are competitive.  They struggle with one another, even within the womb!  Human beings continue to wrestle and struggle and compete.  We still want to be the desired one while being content letting the others be the ones who are paid off and sent away.

Take a look at the last story in this chapter.  Jacob buys – or perhaps more properly, coerces – Esau into giving up his birthright.  Jacob is content taking what he wants and then tossing Esau to the side.  Even these brothers are not willing to be community without trying to get the best of one another, assert their superiority, and dominate over one another. 

Time and time again throughout this story of Genesis we have seen humanity at work.  Humanity doesn’t change.  We are who we are to the core.  Left to ourselves, we will demonstrate these traits again and again.  Only God can change us.

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