The Birth of Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25: 19-20, 22-23)

Isaac was the son of Abraham, and he was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel. Almost twenty years later, Rebekah still had no children. Before Rebekah gave birth, she knew she was going to have twins, because she could feel them inside her, fighting and he told her: "Your two sons will become two separate nations. The younger of the two will be stronger, and the older son will be his servant."

Through Abraham, Isaac was the heir to the covenant God made with his father. Just as with Abraham, the wife of Isaac is barren. God intervenes and she becomes pregnant. Humanly speaking, one normally expects privileges of birthright to fall on the older son. From a divine standpoint, God reserves the right of election. He chooses the younger son Jacob to the heir to Abraham's promises and later changes his name to Israel which means "God strives." This will be the nation by which God will mediate his blessings to the nations (Genesis 12: 1-3). The nation will be the result of twelve sons being born from Jacob's body. These sons will be fruitful and multiply and give rise to the twelve tribes which make of the nation of God's choice. The older son Esau will be blessed with different land and the father of the nation of Edom.

Daily Prayer: Father, it is clear that your ways are different than man's ways. I am thankful that despite our human frailty, you intervene by grace and bring children to barren women and by your grace, give privilege to those who love you. In your holy name I pray Amen.