The Book of Genesis
Part 47
Our last study closed with a few observations about the family of Isaac, and we decided at that time to examine the characters of the two brothers, Esau and Jacob. Before doing so, it seems necessary that we further look into the conduct of the parents.
The Parents
Actions which appear as merely incidental, occasionally are very significant for they reveal traits of character. The throwing of a shoe at a small puppy to hear it whine in fear, may indicate a hard and cruel attitude to human suffering. Discourtesy to others may be an expression of an exaggerated opinion of one’s own importance.
In the case of Isaac, there are several minor actions which are self-revealing.
His faith in God: When God revealed Himself to Jacob in the vision of the ladder set up on earth, the top of which reached to heaven, He spoke saying “I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac” (Gen. 28:10-15). Many centuries later the Lord Jesus confused the Sadducees with His Statement, “As touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt. 22:31-32). A very important act of faith in the life of Isaac is recorded in the New Testament, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come” (Heb. 11:20).
There is no doubt that Isaac was a sincere believer, and that his faith was acknowledged by the Lord. Nevertheless, the lesson to be learned from his biography is that there may be life in the soul even when there is weakness in the personality.
His reliance upon the Lord: This is seen in the fact that he prayed for Rebekah that she might bear children. Whatever were his weaknesses, he did seek the Lord occasionally. It may rather have been that his circumstances drove him to the Lord than any desire on his part for a deeper communion with God. We read two or three times that the Lord appeared unto Isaac and blessed him, but these apparently were because of God’s covenant with his father Abraham.
His self-indulgence: “Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison.” It was this very gratification of his own appetite and pleasure that occasioned the deceit on the part of Rebekah and Jacob (Chapter 27).
His deception: The failure of Abraham was repeated in his son. Isaac, like his father, had a beautiful wife, and like his father, he lied about her. He lied to the men of Gerar, saying, “She is my sister” (26:7).
His self-preservation: To save himself from hurt and possible death, Isaac exposed his wife to moral ruin (26:9-11). Self was of supreme importance to Isaac.
His pessimism: Twenty years and more before his death Isaac said, “I know not the day of my death” (27:2). Esau apparently thought likewise that his father would not live very long. He said, just about the same time, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand” (27:41). Isaac may have been a delicate individual; nevertheless, his outlook on life must have been, to say the least, melancholy. How different to Moses (Deut. 34:7) or Caleb (Josh. 14:11)!
His indolence: Isaac did not seem ready to expend either time or thought to investigate matters; he failed to face up to an adverse situation. When Rebekah said, “If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life to me?” (27:46) Isaac, without any investigation as to Rebekah’s veiled motive, immediately sent Jacob away. He invariably took the course of least resistance.
We are fully aware that it was God’s purpose in maintaining the purity of the Messianic line not to have Jacob marry among the heathen of the land, but his separation from the children of Heth and his subsequent marriage to Rachel and Leah were the result of divine providence rather than strength of character in Isaac.
There was a lack of strong character in Isaac. He was similar to many another son of a godly father; he was deficient in practical spiritual qualities.
Let us also look at his wife Rebekah. While she partook of many of the faults of her husband, actually she was a contrast to him. If Isaac deceived the men of Gerar, she deceived him. If he favoured Esau, she favoured Jacob. If he risked her to moral ruin, she risked herself apparently without protest.
Notwithstanding these blemishes of character, in many other respects Rebekah was an opposite to Isaac, she was a woman of conviction and competence. Rebekah was a thinker and a schemer. She conceived the idea through which the patriarchal blessing was obtained by her favourite. She thought out the way by which Jacob escaped from the wrath of Esau. Moreover, she planned where best to send Jacob in search of a wife.
She was active and ready to do things in a hurry. This is very evident in the plan and preparation of the meal which resulted in Isaac’s blessing Jacob (Chapter 27).
Rebekah firmly believed that the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob), and this persuasion became within her an obsession. Her forceful personality imposed itself upon everyone who might obstruct the fulfilment of this divine prediction. Instead of leaving the accomplishment of His will to God, she interposed her own will and engaged in her own efforts. She may not have failed in the knowledge and understanding of the divine will, but she failed in that she did not make her will subservient to the will of God.
Of these two very different parents were the two brothers born at whom we must now look.
The Twins
Inasmuch as Esua is the elder, we shall examine first the traits of character in him. The Word of God uses Esau as the picture of him who has failed of the grace of God, of him who is a troubler and defiler of others (Heb. 12:15). It is extremely sad to realize that such a man as Esau was born and raised in a home where God was believed and in a measure honoured. Truly, grace may run in the ancestral line, but it is not transmitted in the blood.
His disrespect: It would appear that Esau chose Mahalah as a wife in order to further provoke and annoy his parents; he certainly disregarded their wishes. Of course, we must admit that this attitude of his toward his parents could have resulted from the favouritism of his mother for Jacob, and from the fact that both Rebekah and Jacob had taken advantage of his weakness and absence. The attitude of parents produces either good or evil reactions in their children. If within the family circle there had been imposed upon them a feeling of inferiority, the natural reaction in them would be that of self-assertion. How careful parents should be!
His morals: It is obvious that Esau’s ethics were not good. We read, “Lest there be any fornicator … as Esau “ (Heb. 12:16). His standards in morals were low, and for this as well as for other things, he is condemned in the Word of God.
His profanity: He is not called profane because of his language, but because of his conduct. “Esau, … for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” (Heb. 12:16). Very definitely he placed little value upon spiritual things. Esau at heart was a materialist who always temporized.
His occupation: Esau is not condemned because he was a hunter (Gen. 27:3), but in this he was a contrast to his brother, who was a shepherd (Gen. 31:38-40). These two vocations are indicative of the two men. A hunter preys upon the animal, he hunts for self-gratification. A shepherd cares for the animal, and does so by self-sacrificing labour.
His changeableness: Esau was impetuous. He frequently acted in rashness and repented in leisure. We read about him that “after, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Heb. 12:17). He had changed in his esteem of the patriarchal birthright, and he attempted persuasively to change his father’s mind, but his efforts were futile. God is over all, and accomplished His own purposes through Isaac. The man who generally took the line of least resistance, under divine influence became firmly fixed in this circumstance.
We must leave this sketch of Esau’s habits and tendencies and make a brief survey of Jacob’s life and character. Without engaging in too intensive a study, we notice that he was
The object of divine love: The Word of God is quite implicit in this regard, “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: Yet I loved Jacob” (Mal. 1:2). Rebekah from the birth of the two brothers realized God’s mind upon the matter of His preference for the one over the other.
The object of His mother’s favour: In certain respects this did not result in peace and quietness within the family. Her attitude may have developed because of her understanding of the will of God; nevertheless, events proved that it was wrong. Moreover, events further proved that God in His government and grace had to over-rule the damage done by Rebekah in her zeal for Jacob’s welfare and progress (Gen. 32:1-23).
The object of his brother’s hatred: “Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob” ( Gen. 27 :41 ) . Esau was of the spirit of Cain. God’s love and favour upon Jacob filled Esau’s heart with jealousy.