Year 2 Day 250

Year 2 Day 250 


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 27


Message - Scott Woodburn
As we studied the life of Abraham we discovered that he was far from a perfect man. He knew the promise of God and yet often took matters into his own sinful hands, not least when he, Sarah and Hagar conspired together to provide an heir. Unfortunately the next generation seemed to share Abraham’s habit of disobedience.


Isaac was old and about to die and so he urged his beloved son Esau to go hunting and to make his father some delicious food. Isaac knew death was coming and so he wanted to bless his son Esau before he died. This seems like a beautiful picture of the bond between father and son and yet disobedience abounds. Isaac knew the word of God which said the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob) (Genesis 25v23). His wish to bless Esau was in direct opposition to the stated plan of God.


Esau had already acted rashly and sold his birthright and blessing to Jacob for the poor price of a bowl of stew (Genesis 25v29-34). Did his father know about this arrangement? We can’t be sure. But Esau knew and God knew. Despite this Esau hurried out hunting with his father’s words ringing in his ears. Esau wanted the blessing regardless of what he previously promised.


What about Jacob and Rebekah? We can be sure that the Lord would have kept His word. If Jacob had rested in the promises of the Lord then the blessing would certainly have come to him. Instead he and his mother conspired to trick Isaac. There was no honour in such an act. A wife sought to fool her husband and a son showed no love for his brother. Rebekah made food which pleased her husband and Jacob dressed like his brother Esau and lied to his father repeatedly. The deed was done and the blessing was won, Isaac pronounced a blessing over Jacob.


The result of these multiple acts of disobedience was tragic. Isaac shook with anger when he realised what had happened. Esau begged his father for a blessing but his father’s words only underlined that Esau would serve his brother. Esau wept and was filled was rage, so much so that he planned to kill his brother once his father died. Rebekah sent Jacob away, dividing the family and she worried that Jacob would end up marrying a Hittite. Jacob had won the victory but years later he would tell Pharaoh “Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life” (Genesis 47v9)


Brothers and sisters, we kid ourselves if we think we are doing God’s work by engaging in deceitful and wicked acts. Christ is not honoured by driving a minister out of his church by lies, rumour and deceit. Christ is not honoured when we refuse to speak to a fellow Christian without ever explaining why. Christ is not honoured when churches fight, split and divide.


The Lord will bring his purposes to pass but not by wicked means. Walk before Him in humility. Act and talk justly. Do deeds in keeping with repentance. Keep your lips from slander. Do all things under the gaze of the Lord for surely one day you will stand before Him and be called to give an account.


Pray (acTS)


Sing

WSC
Q17 Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.
​