The blessing and the birthright

Hello MVBC! In last weeks study, we saw many customs unfolding that may seem unusual to us today but were critical to the family structure. While I don't think I made the point as eloquently as I had hoped I would have, the structure of the family, even of perhaps the whole clan, rested on the single patriarchal elder. Individuality wasn't a concept, just survival. There was no shopping mall, delivery service, or doctor next door with a bag full of antibiotics to help you. An abscess tooth could very well be fatal! So when we see Rebekah and a full forty year old Isaac being paired for marriage by Abraham and Laban and think it odd, remember that was normal for the day.

The father had a huge responsibility. His entire family existence depended totally on him to be the father he needed to be. Everything required a correct decision. How much to plant, do we need to travel, protection, and worship. It all had to be done correctly.

Genesis chapters 25-27 shows us the end of Abraham's life, Isaac's sons (Esau and Jacob), and the importance of the birthright and the blessing (yes these are two different things). As I studied this, I couldn't help but notice how closely this tied into our Wednesday night discussion about Jonah. So as you read these three chapters, keep this question in the back of your mind: Am I doing what God intended?

See ya Sunday!!!