The Crow's Nest

Thursday, July 6, 2023

The Twins

Isaac was blessed with a beautiful wife who loved the LORD. Isaac inherited Abraham’s belongings. What follows is a complex family relationship.

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. Rebekah, just like Sarah was barren and Isaac prayed to God for a child. It would take another 20 years for Rebekah to conceive.

Rebekah felt a struggle inside of her womb and asked the LORD what is happening here? If you think of it in modern terms you would go see a doctor. A doctor would tell you, “Oh its just the babies kicking.” God didn’t stop with a simple explanation. He told her what was going on and how it would continue into the future.

Genesis 25:23 “And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”

Rebekah knew that there were two babies who would be different from one another. One would be stronger. But which one? Rebekah may have assumed that since the elder would serve the younger, then the younger would be stronger. Was she right? Read on.

Isaac was 60 years old when the twins were born. The first came out Red and Hairy. Like a child in a coat. His name was Esau. The second child came out with his hand on the heel of his brother.

As the brothers grew Esau became a cunning hunter and man of the fields. Jacob was plain and stayed close to the tents. Twins but completely different.

Isaac loved Esau, not just because he was the first son, but also because he was the strongest son. Rebekah love Jacob. Was this because the LORD had told her that Jacob would lead Esau? Read on.

Esau came in from the fields, was tired, and starving. Jacob had made a delicious meal. Esau begged Jacob for some food. Jacob hatched a plan. Sell me your birthright and you can eat. Esau didn’t want a birthright, so he sold it to Jacob.

That is not how birthrights work. A birthright is given to the first born male. It is more than possessions, it is the right to lead the family. The lie is between Esau and Jacob. Rebekah will be involved in the lie.

Isaac and Rebekah were godly parents and had taught their children of the covenant between Abraham and God. Abraham’s seed would possess Canaan and bring a savior to the world. Esau did not believe this covenant. When he was done eating he left without a care about the birthright.

Jacob was not mister squeaky clean. He had swindled Esau out of his birthright, and now he had to swindle his father.

Esau married two women at the same time, they were Canaanites that were condemned to Noah’s curse. Esau did not ask his parents permission to marry in such a way, and cared only for his own pleasures. He was removed from God and full of the wicked world.

Stay tuned for Part II.

The Temptation of Abraham

Abraham had a close relationship with God. He had built altars to worship God. He had spoken directly to God. He listened to God’s lessons. But Abraham was not perfect.

Abraham had lied to kings. Abraham’s fear was that he would be killed because his wife Sarah was beautiful. Abraham understood the lust in people’s heart. God understood the fear in Abraham’s heart and as Abraham grew old God knew he had faith to give birth to a Son, he called Isaac.

God’s covenant with Abraham was much more than a nation, but a promise to all nations that there would be another Son born to save the peoples of the world.

God tempted Abraham with a lesson, not just a lesson for Abraham but a lesson for us all. God wanted a sacrifice. He had Abraham take his only son Isaac into the mountains. Isaac had to carry the wood for the altar up the mountain. Abraham, in his heart believed that God’s plan was to sacrifice Isaac on the altar.

Isaac knew how sacrifices were done. Isaac asked his father where was the lamb? Abraham answered, “God will provide a lamb.”

Abraham laid Isaac on the altar and raised his knife. The angel of the LORD stayed Abraham’s hand. Abraham saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes. A sacrifice had been provided.

God knew what was going to happen, Abraham didn’t. Abraham now realized that to follow God’s commands his family would grow in numbers and might. God was also speaking to us.

Just as God would provide his only son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Abraham leads to Jesus.

Lot’s Dilemma

God has spoken with Abraham and told him of the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Gen 18:20-33)

Lot lived in the city of Sodom. The population there could be thousands. What is known was the city was vile and full of evil. However, God gave Lot, because he was righteous, a way out. The Angels of the LORD came to Lot to rescue him.

Lot’s dilemma is; When do I leave, where do I go, what does my future hold?

But Lot didn’t follow the directions at first. He waited, but the Angels were not going to wait, and neither were the evil people in Sodom. Lot’s family, his son’s son’s in-law, wife, and daughters were not willing to leave.

Lot and his family recognized the danger posed to the Angels and his family. Lot, though faithful, was still scared of the unknown future. He tried to stall. However, he knew the Angels were real when they blinded the evil men attempting to push their way into Lot’s home.

The Angels told Lot to take his family and take refuge in the mountains. Lot did not want to hide in the caves. Instead, he asked the Angels if he could go to the “very small” town of Zoar, The Angels agreed.

That morning the Angels led Lot, his wife, and daughters out of Sodom and told them to not look back. As they fled Lot’s wife looked back at the destruction of Sodom. She was turned into a pillar of salt.

Lot’s faith got him out of Sodom, but he lost his wife. Her turning back demonstrated not only a lack of faith, but the desire to stay in such a sinful place. Lot’s wife did not fear God and in breaking God’s command she suffered the consequence. Lot knew enough that staying in Zoar was a bad idea. So he ran to a cave.

Lot’s daughters used wine to get their father drunk and they slept with him. The heart of humans is deceitful. Lot’s daughters wanted babies to improve their lives. It doesn’t. Lot took the wine, but could he control his drinking, No.

To quote Matthew Henry, “From the silence of the Scripture concerning Lot henceforward, learn that drunkenness, as it makes men forgetful, so it makes them to be forgotten.”

The Story of Lot at Sodom is found in Genesis Chapter 19.

I Will Be

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5

When Moses asked God who he should tell the Children of Israel what God’s name is God said “Yahweh…”(Ex 3:15) Yahweh is the Hebrew verb “He Will Be”, The personal name of the God of Israel.

The name Yahweh shows up over 6000 times in the Old Testament. In order to show honor to the name the Hebrews used the Jewish word “Adonai”. In English, Adonai translates to LORD.

The translation from the Jewish Bible did not want people to actually say God’s name. So, they made up a word. They did this by taking the YHWH from Yahweh, and then added the AOA from Adonai, which created the word “YAHOWAH”. No Israelite ever said the word Ya-Ho-Wah, the made up word was meant as a visual device to say Adonai.

When the English translations began no one knew that YAHOWAH was a made up word. And pronouncing the word became JEHOVAH. Regardless of the name you use; God, Yahweh, Yahowah, Adonai, or LORD, the name means the same.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 18:20-21 “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.”

The created Angels left Abraham and Jehovah. Jehovah stayed with Abraham to tell Abraham what was about to happen.

Jehovah does not punish the sinner in their time, but he does it in his time. He gives people the chance to repent as individuals. Jehovah loves the sinner and wants them to love him. There comes a time when punishment for sin sends a message. Listen.

Jehovah gave Abraham the opportunity to learn the ways of God. Abraham prays to Jehovah to spare 50, 45, 40, 30, or 10 righteous people in the city. Jehovah’s message is that he will spare the righteous. But not the unrighteous.

The Angels of Jehovah arrive at Sodom.

Abraham and His Visitors

“And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,” (Gen 18:2)

Abraham saw the three men and ran to meet them. Abraham offered to wash their feet and feed them. Abraham had Sarah make bread and a servant dress a calf. He served the three with bread, butter, milk, and the dressed calf.

Abraham stood by then three as they ate. Then one of the men asked where Sarah was. Abraham told them that she was in the tent.

The Lord said to Abraham, “…I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.” (Gen 18:10)

Abraham and Sarah were beyond the normal stage of life where they could have children. When Sarah heard the Lord say she would have a son, she laughed at the idea that someone as old as her could do such a thing.

The Lord asked Abraham, why did Sarah laugh? The Lord said, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” (Gen 19:14)

Instead of being honest, Sarah feared the Lord and denied laughing. Sarah laughed because she lacked Faith. She sinned because she thought she could hide her laughter from the Lord.

Abraham is blessed to be the father of a nation. The family dynamic will be difficult.

ABRAHAM

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Gen 17:1)

“4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.”

Abram meant the father as head of his family. God changed his name to Abraham, which meant the Father of a Nation. God also changed the name of Sari, which meant My Princess to Sarah, which means the Princess of a Nation.

God’s covenant with Abraham was to make him and Sarah the patriarchs of a great nation. God will make Abraham’s nation fruitful and give them the land of Canaan. God also stipulated that they must all be circumcised. Not just Abraham’s family, but also everyone in his house to include the servants.

Abraham would father the Kings of Israel and Jesus Christ.

SHEMA

Shema is the ancient Hebrew word for Listen. Listen, has many meanings.

Listen can mean the mechanical ability to hear sound.

Listen can mean to understand something. Simple things like an alarm, a dog barking, on someone crying, or more complex levels of understanding.

Listen can mean to obey. A dog might hear what you say and have no idea what you mean. When you teach a dog it will learn to obey commands they hear and understand.

God talks to us everyday. We must learn to Shema.

The War of Nine Kings

War and politics are the oldest form of argument. Four kings, band together to make war on five Kings who had also banded together. Exactly who these kings were is an argument for archaeologists. What is known is that the war ended with the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled the battle. They either were killed in the slime pits, or fled into the mountains.

Abram head of the war and discovered his nephew Lot had been captured. Abram selected 318 of Abram’s trained servants went on a rescue mission to return Lot. Abram’s forces attacked at night and were able to return all of the goods the enemy had taken, but they returned Lot as well.

Abram is hailed by Melchizedek king of Salem as a hero. Melchizedek blessed Abram in the name of God. He also told Abram to release the prisoners to him, but to keep all the spoils of the war. This is the twist of politics.

Abram refused the offer of the spoils of war, ” That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:”(Genesis 14:23) Abram wasn’t stupid. He fully realized that to accept such a gift, would come with strings at a later date. This is the danger of accepting gifts, even if you deserve them. The politics of nations, states, cities, and families are full of these stories. To quote Jesus, “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and unto God that which is God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Anything else is an argument that can be used against you.

Abram gave God all the glory.

Read the full account of the War at Genesis chapter 14.