January 16th

January 16th -- Genesis 25:19-34 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2025:19-34%20&version=NLT)

Jacob and Esau.

So even when Rebekah was pregnant with these two, they fought. When Rebekah asked why, God told her why they fought, saying they would become two warring nations, and the younger of the two would be the leader of the stronger one. Or, "your older son will serve your younger son"

I laughed at this in my study Bible: Esau was named Esau because it sounds like a Hebrew term that means "hair" and Esau was apparently hairy when he was born.  Then Jacob was named Jacob because it sounds like the word 'heel' (and also 'deciever') and Jacob was grasping Cain's heel when he was born.

So then these two grow up. Esau becomes a hunter and his dad played favorites on him. Jacob liked staying home and his mom played favorites on him, though that may likely have been because she knew from when she was pregnant that his brother would serve him.

One time, Esau comes home from hunting REALLY hungry, to the point he says he is starving of hunger. He asks Jacob for some. Jacob says he can have it in return for his birthrights. Esau accepts. This was a foolish impuslive decision that lost Esau a lot that he could have had later on. It's just an example of why we have to be careful that we don't just look for immediate gratification - especially in today's world - but look more to the future and what effect our choice may have on that.

Just a thought that we really need to think about our decisions. Think about what repercussions they may have and also think about God's view on them.

That's all folks! God bless!