If you read last week’s blog, you found the story of the Jewish enslavement purposeful and fulfilling. Some may have thought we lost our way in this series (and maybe we have and do not know it! ha!), but I do not think that is true. Sometimes “asleep at the wheel” semi drivers are extremely dangerous on the open road (for that matter so is everyone else). Such is the case with those who do not know WHY the Lord gave us all the parables in the Old Testament without calling them by the name parabolis.
Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to get the best fruit of the crop; we are told to “search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me”, John 5:38-39, and to “study to show ourselves approved”, 2 Timothy 2:15, and “these are written for our learning, that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 Now, if you will just take a second and think you will see the trap you have fallen into that this line of teaching forever and irrevocably teaches is: in ALL the examples/parables, THERE IS ONLY ONE thing being taught, whether it be of peoples, nations, or individuals that the explanation is used and that will fit!! The Greek word for “study” is spoonae and it means to dig with all your might, for the value is within. The Greek word for “approve” is dokimos and it means to recognize, be approved and accepted in the furnace of adversity. The Old Testament stories/parables/Sunday School messages were NEVER meant for a simple cursory reading which required no thought or digging into!! Sometimes the easy is the hardest.
When we come to the story/parable of Esau and Jacob, this is no exception. These two brothers represent two peoples and how they were to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. Esau as the type of Israel had the birthright by being the first-born son who mocked, treated with no concern, and was very indifferent to what it meant. He could have cared less that the Messiah was to come from his ancestry. When offered a minimal exchange for the birthright, Esau traded immediately because he had a selfish interest to take care of; he was hungry and had not been successful at the hunt. Jacob, on the other hand, had a great, overwhelming desire for the birthright his brother so foolishly ignores. Also, before the boys came from Rebecca, God had told her and her alone that the older was His choice: “JACOB have I loved and ESAU have I hated.” Romans 9:13 The Jew was complaining that God had treated them badly and had cheated them out of their inheritance without any consideration. They felt sorry for themselves and complained because they had gone through all the grief and misery for 1500 years just so the Messiah could come through their blood line that would bless ALL NATIONS. Genesis 15 This pity had to cease when they had revealed to them the reason for the story/parable, Sunday School message they had know from their youngest memories!! God MADE choice BEFORE either boy had done anything good or evil, (by the way, it was quite all right with them when THEY were the recipients of the special providence of God in selecting Jacob who was their father in the flesh, they even thought God was JUST in so choosing—now, they did not think as highly of the message as they once did thinking themselves the ONLY ONE!!) Notice the message ONLY ONE?? Maybe Ishmael and Esau had a complaint BUT God had a PLAN!! See how easy this explains the Jewish dilemma? Thanks to brother Paul and the Holy Spirit for making us dig into this in Romans 9. You cannot complain when you have had your chances for 1500 years and blown it!! Without “the Seed” the Jew was nothing.
