Let’s go back a generation to Jacob. The reason Jacob ended up serving his mother Rebekah’s brother Laban and marrying his daughters was as a result of irreconcilable differences with his twin brother.
The story in Genesis 27 tells how twins were born to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was born first and Jacob was born second. These were not identical twins; indeed, the biblical account stresses their very different physical features: Esau was a hairy man and Jacob had smooth skin. The eldest son, in common with many cultures, was the heir, so the few minutes Esau preceded Jacob, mattered a great deal. Esau stood to be head of a large extended family and its property, and Jacob stood to gain nothing, unless by deceit and trickery.
Esau was very easily persuaded to trade his birth right for a meal when he came back hungry from hunting one day. Later in the story, there was a further deception when, as Isaac lay dying, he called for Esau to give him his blessing and Jacob masqueraded as his brother (aided by his mother whose favourite he was) and took the blessing due to Esau. Esau was less than happy and Jacob deemed it better to seek a new life elsewhere, travelling to Paddan Aram to the home of his mother’s brother Laban – another schemer.
Much later in their lives, the twins met again- you can follow the story in Genesis 32- but the mistrust remained.
Is there a situation in your family where someone gained something through a dishonest action? Is there lasting bitterness? Family rifts are very hard to heal, but forgiveness is important to God.
Pray for situations where there is hatred within families.
Mairi Mowbray
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