The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Genesis 25:27-28
I only have one child. After we had Samuel, we tried immediately for another one, and I worried - how would I ever love another baby as much as I loved Samuel? On the other hand, what if something happened to us - Samuel would be all alone. Not a good reason to have a child - so your first one won't be lonely!
But I had visions of a son and daughter loving, playing, taking care of each other. Fighting, laughing - all the joys and pains of siblinghood. (Just made that word up!)
Nevertheless, we weren't blessed in that particular way - lots of other ways, but not with lots of children. So perhaps that's why I cannot identify with Rebekah and Isaac's peculiar "love" for their sons.
How do you favor one child over another? I do not get that, not at all.
What I do get, though, is greed. And Rebekah shows herself to be a greedy woman as her husband, Isaac, approaches old age:
When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.”I assume that part of her motivation for concocting this scheme was because Esau and Jacob knew what was up. Esau knew his mother didn't care much for him; Jacob knew his father favored his brother. So perhaps Rebekah was worried that her older son, the one on whom the benefits and responsibilities of inheritance would fall, would not take care of her in her old age after Isaac died.
“Here I am,” he answered.
Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death. Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”
Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.’ Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.” Genesis 27:1-10
Perhaps she just wanted to see her favorite son with all the favor! Perhaps she felt rejected by Esau, and wanted him to feel rejection, also. Whatever the reason, greed was at the heart. Greed is defined as
excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions. So whatever her motivation, greed was definitely at the heart of the matter!
What causes a person to give themselves over to greed? I think it is a lack of trust - not believing that God will provide all your needs, and that whatever He bestows upon you - that's enough. It may not be the world, or lots of earthly possessions. But whatever He gives is enough.
When we are also searching for more, wanting more, looking and scheming and striving for more - we are telling God that what we have is not enough.
OK, confession time - I do this. All. The. Time. I love to look through Pottery Barn catalogs, decorating books and blogs, looking for interesting ways to improve my home, inspiration for crafts and decorations, creative outlets.
Is that wrong?
Not when it's checked by the Holy Spirit. If God tells me that I'm spending too much time in Pottery Barn, and not enough in the Bible, I'd better change life, or I'm going to end up on the wrong side of His righteousness.
Greed is want run amok. Greed is indulgence to the max. Greed is wants before needs, me before you, mine, mine, mind.
I can't understand favoring one child over another.
But unfortunately, I can understand greed. I've seen it in my own life, and it's ugly. It scars everything and everyone around it. Because of Rebekah's greed, she most likely never saw her son again - he ran from Esau after stealing his father's blessing. That's quite a price to pay - never seeing your favorite son again.
So what's the lesson? Trust God. Trust He has a plan for your life. Trust in His goodness, His ways - not your own.
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