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- Apr 25, 2006
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Esau and Jacob (1)
'Isaac ... loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob' Genesis 25:28
Esau and Jacob had issues, to say the least. Seriously, these guys put the 'fun' in 'family dysfunction'. From birth there was trouble. Esau was the first to be born, and so the story goes, Jacob was not far behind, snatching the ankle of His twin brother. A severe case of sibling rivalry was not helped by Mum and Dad. Daddy Isaac unashamedly loved Esau more than Jacob whereas Mummy Rebekah was biased towards Jacob. These were pre-Supernanny days, so with no Jo Frost to teach a few lessons in parenting, the boys were allowed to tear the family apart.
Esau comes across as a man's man - a hairy, rugged caveman who worked with his hands in the outdoors, always muddying mum's freshly mopped floor. Jacob is classic mummy's boy material; the indoors type, good in the kitchen, probably used moisturiser. Perhaps he was even an embarrassment to dad and bro's testosterone-fuelled culture. It seems neither boy completely matched up to both parents' expectations.
And the story teaches that because the brothers weren't loved unconditionally, division occurred. Esau will live separated from his brother, without the blessing of his father; whereas Jacob will leave the family home and live like a wanderer.
Do you feel like you've failed your parents' expectations? Maybe your parents have failed you. God loves you for who you are not what you can do.
written by Bob Gass
'Isaac ... loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob' Genesis 25:28
Esau and Jacob had issues, to say the least. Seriously, these guys put the 'fun' in 'family dysfunction'. From birth there was trouble. Esau was the first to be born, and so the story goes, Jacob was not far behind, snatching the ankle of His twin brother. A severe case of sibling rivalry was not helped by Mum and Dad. Daddy Isaac unashamedly loved Esau more than Jacob whereas Mummy Rebekah was biased towards Jacob. These were pre-Supernanny days, so with no Jo Frost to teach a few lessons in parenting, the boys were allowed to tear the family apart.
Esau comes across as a man's man - a hairy, rugged caveman who worked with his hands in the outdoors, always muddying mum's freshly mopped floor. Jacob is classic mummy's boy material; the indoors type, good in the kitchen, probably used moisturiser. Perhaps he was even an embarrassment to dad and bro's testosterone-fuelled culture. It seems neither boy completely matched up to both parents' expectations.
And the story teaches that because the brothers weren't loved unconditionally, division occurred. Esau will live separated from his brother, without the blessing of his father; whereas Jacob will leave the family home and live like a wanderer.
Do you feel like you've failed your parents' expectations? Maybe your parents have failed you. God loves you for who you are not what you can do.
written by Bob Gass
