Read Genesis 25 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs for this chapter share a Common Theme:
25:1-11 {p} The offspring of Abraham by Keturah
25:12-18 {p} The offspring of Abraham by Hagar (Ishmael’s seed)
25:19-34 {p} The offspring of Abraham by Sarah (Isaac’s seed)
That is,
25:1-34 {px3} Strong Theme: The record of all the offspring of Abraham
This is important, because Abraham’s covenant with YHVH is going to be passed down to his offspring. Which offspring?
And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. Gen 25:5
Isaac then had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Of them, God said, “Esau I hated, but Jacob I loved (Rom 9:13).” Why?
Thus Esau despised his birthright. Gen 25:34b
The greatest part of Esau’s birthright was Abraham’s covenant with YHVH. Esau despised it, but Jacob desired it. What we can Learn from the Narrative:
1. God chose Isaac and Jacob, the second-born sons, to inherit Abraham’s covenant (Gen 25:5, 23), despite the Torah command that the firstborn is to receive the inheritance of the firstborn (Deu 21:15-17).
2. Thus, the covenant with God does not come through the flesh, but through faith in the promise (Gen 17:19-21, 25:23).
3. The one who rejects Him and who esteems Him lightly, God rejects, but the one who loves and desires Him, He loves and establishes His covenant with him (Gen 25:34).
Why This Matters: When Paul dug deeper into the puzzle of Isaac and Jacob, he received the revelation that those who are the children, are those who are of faith in the promise, and that circumcision is a matter of the heart (Rom 4:13-18, Col 2:11).
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Who Are the Children of Israel − Christine Miller
The Principle of the Seed − Brad Scott
The Tares Among the Wheat − Brad Scott
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