God’s Plan for Rebekah’s Twin Sons

God’s Plan for Rebekah’s Twin Sons

Date: May. 3, 2025

Passage

Genesis 25:19-34 (ESV)

19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her,

  “Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
  the one shall be stronger than the other,
    the older shall serve the younger.”

24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 25:23

And the LORD said to her,

  “Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
  the one shall be stronger than the other,
    the older shall serve the younger.”

Isaac was forty when God blessed him with Rebekah as a wife. Likely remembering his own heritage, he prayed on behalf of his wife, who was childless, and God answered his prayer. Isaac prayed for twenty years (26b)! Let’s learn patient, long-term prayer as we intercede for others.

Rebekah, suffering in pregnancy, engages in spiritual dialogue with God (22). God reveals to her his plan for her twin sons: they will separate into two nations, with the older serving the younger (23). Before they were born God had chosen Jacob as the spiritual heir (Ro 9:10-12). From their birth into young adulthood, the characters of these two boys are revealed: Esau, the oldest, is hairy and physical, a man ruled by his stomach. Jacob, the younger, is a devious and ambitious home body, who manipulates his brother to receive the birthright. Both have character flaws. Instead of praying and talking together about their boys, Isaac and Rebekah played favorites (28). This will have long term implications for their family.

As we pray for our children, grandchildren, and Bible students to know and carry out God’s plan for their lives, it will require both struggle with God in prayer and struggle together in community.

Prayer: Father, help me to pray and struggle with you and work together with others to raise disciples in my family and in your world.

One Word: Find prayer partners for disciple raising

“i Will Be Your God”

Exodus 5:22-6:30

Key Verse: 5:6:7

Today's Question

What does the first commandment forbid?

See answer and references

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