Abraham marries again (a wife, Keturah... not a concubine!) and sires 6 children through this lineage. They don't seem to merit very such attention as we know very little of the outcomes here. We are told Abraham left everything to Isaac, and he sent away the children of his concubines (so he was keeping himself busy...!) with just gifts. We don't know what he did with the children of his second wife, Keturah. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised since the record keepers were descendants of Isaac....! :)
In any case, it would appear that Abraham wasn't much of a father, and the favoritism he showed to his children would set the stage for the middle eastern conflicts we see today.
Isaac continues with his father's wonky fatherhood style and sets the stage for some more sibling conflicts through the terrible twins Esau and Jacob.
Then comes yet another funny "wife passing off as sister" story....this time involving Isaac. Similar to 21:22-31, this account also involves Abimelech and the story of the founding to Beersheba (the well of oath),....which begs the obvious question as to whther these 2 stories refer to the same incident, but with the names of the protagonists changed. hmmmmm.......
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So, the story of Esau and Jacob is an example of predestination? Which of the following do you subscribe to?
a. God knew what Esau is like (not valuing his own birthright, which is a spiritual gift) that He decided to fulfil His promise through Jacob? OR
b. He decided that it's going to be Jacob, regardless of whether Jacob is deserving of the blessing?
So are we chosen because GOd foreknew we will respond to Him positively, or that He simply chose us, because that is His choice and His prerogative? :)
hmmmm....to me is really a non-issue. Since God is both at the beginning and the end simultaneously, he must know the outcome of any decision He makes. So our struggles with the idea of predestination is really only because of our limited ability to comprehend rather than any fault in the concept.
However and interesting thing to consider....Isaac's blessings came about as a deception (domestic politics. God's blessings came only after that. We do not necessarily need to assume that they were related. Perhaps God would have chosen Jacob anyway, regardless of domestic politics.
Was Jacob of better character than Esau?....We will never know. We can certainly understand Esau's bitterness. However, in God's wisdom, He chose between the 2 twins. Perhaps God knew something we do not? Perhaps, between Jacob and Esau, Jacob had a more listening ear when God spoke to Him.....like Abraham did. So regardless of their very human failings....it was the sensitivity of their hearts to God's leading that may have proved the important criteria.
Just speculating....:)
But is important lesson for us too. Perhaps what is most important for us in our Christian living, is to have a heart that listens to God and wants to hear His voice.
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