Raising Sons is Raising Nations
Romans 9:6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Spiritual birth is more important than Physical birth (HS is the #1 need)
Abraham
- Gentile from pagan godless family chosen by God (family named Babel Gen 10-11)
- Father Terah left Ur of Chaldeans in Iraq SE Babylon (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:4)
Josh 24:1-4 Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago…Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor…served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.
- Chosen & saved by God,
- Circumcised self & family 13-14 years later = begin Jewish people
- Promise bless nations – Jesus “seed”/“offspring” (Gal. 3:16)
- Most of the early XN Jewish (? about circ., food etc. from Gentiles)
- Many Jews rejected Jesus & do so to this day
- We Gentiles follow their father, worship their savior, read their Bible about their family
Jacob and Esau (Abraham’s Grandsons)
- Conflict Jacob & Esau started in womb
- Mom Rebekah prayed, God said boys struggle & the older would serve the younger
- Esau older, “hairy” & also called “Edom” red Daddy’s boy ate meat, hunted, was outside
Alpha, truck, boots, meat, country music, cage fighting
- Jacob younger, “trickster” birthed grabbing brothers heel, Momma’s boy @ home spoiled
Beta, Prius, Crocks, vegetarian soy boy, Disney musical soundtracks, safe spaces,
- Esau entitled family birthright – double portion of estate, next head of family
- Traded birthright for a meal,
- Younger displaced older (like Cain & Abel; Isaac & Ishmael, Joseph & brothers)
- Esau did not care for God’s calling on their family
- Neither was godly, but God chose one before they were born & had done anything
Nations
- Each boy grew into a nation. Esau = Edom. Jacob = Israel
- Nations @ war – yrs later King Herod (Esau) sought kill Jesus (Isaac) Matt. 1:1-2; 2:13
Edom
- 100X in Bible
- Hardly anything outside of Bible known
- Exodus: Edom strong enough to force the Israelites to walk around out of Egypt
- David: first to defeat Edom & killed 10,000 men
- Prophecies about the destruction of in Isaiah (11:14; 34:5-17), Obadiah (10-11), Ezekiel (32:2935:4-5); Amos (1:11-12), Malachi (1:2-4)
Israel
- Still a nation to this day w/a legacy
Group Questions
- Who was the patriarch/first link in your family’s line of faith?
- Are you a strong, weak, or broken link in your family’s line of faith?
- How can you strengthen the links near you in your family’s line of faith?
- How can we pray for you and the weak and broken links in your family’s line of faith?