Genesis 28:6–9

It's been a busy day trying to get things ready. So anyways, we are here together trying to make this a priority to be on devotions with you. We are at Genesis chapter 26 or 28 verses six through nine. So just a few verses to us today, a pretty sad story. But why don't we have well, I don't have any coffee. It's in the afternoon. I've drank enough coffee today.
Let's pray. We'll get into God's word. Lord, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for the blessing it is to follow after you. We pray that you would please care for us now as we read your word. Father, please instruct our hearts in Jesus's name. Amen. Genesis chapter 28, beginning at verse six.
Remember Isaac has just sent Jacob away to go find a wife and in light of that verse 6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram to take himself a wife from there and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge saying you shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. And that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahaloth. the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, Nebajoth, there you go, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.
Well, we need to ask ourselves, A, what's this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what are we called to do in response to this? So Abraham has sent away, sorry not Abraham, Isaac has sent away Jacob to go get a wife from his father's people in Paddan Aram.
And as he is there now, Esau is still angry in his heart. And he sees that his Canaanite Wives have grieved his father and mother and the blessing went to his brother Jacob. And this is where interpreters kind of split. What does he do? So he goes to Ishmael. And he finds a daughter of Ishmael and he marries her. Now, this can be seen in two different lights.
Either this is in spite of his father and saying, I don't want anything to do with this family. You think that I'm already bugging you with my two Canaanite wives? Just wait. Remember that brother who despised you? I'm going to marry one of his daughters. Or.
Is it keeping it in the family line? that this is a cousin of some sort of relation. And he's continuing on in this, keeping it in the family theme that we've seen. I think it's probably the former rather than the latter. I don't think it's necessarily keeping in the family.
I think it's in spite of his father. I think he's mad that his father didn't give him the blessing that he wanted. I think he's mad at his mother for conniving to steal his blessing. I think he's mad at his brother, Jacob, for stealing his blessing and for tricking him out of his birthright.
I think we see here. That he's aligning himself more and more with the people not of the promise. And he's rebelling against the Lord. This is Esau, I think it's Esau turning away. and embracing the darkness that's even already being seen in his heart.
What's the best verse to summarize is why have verse nine underline in my Bible? Let me know. Would you underline something else? But what are we called to do? Where do we find Christ here? Well, we see that the covenant is true. The promises are true. The gospel is for us and for our children. And yet.
It's not for every single child. The heartache, the sad thing in this world, in this life, is that there are children who will not believe. There are children who will keep the covenant at an arm's length to stay away from the things of God, and so they hold it out there. Do not desire it. And indeed, maybe you have felt this pain. They don't want it and they reject you. Not even do things just to get back at you.
This is the depravity is where we see that sin is real. The consequences of sin are real because it causes real problems and real families. And again, this is a real family, a real story, a real life. And he saw is going the way. Not of the promise, but of his own desires. I think we need to be humble, pleading with God that he might show grace to our children, but also recognizing that at the end of the day, it's the Lord's choice whether we like that or not. And I say this as a dad of just four young children, and I plead with God that they might know him and love him. But at the end of the day, salvation is a gift from the Lord.
And I can't imagine the pain and heartache that Rebecca and Isaac felt at this. Just know that if you have a child who's a prodigal, who has turned and is walking away from the Lord, doing things in spite of your faith, rejecting what you believe. It's an old story. You're not alone. Many saints have walked that sad road. Cling to your Savior. Remember the promises.
Go to him, plead for your children, but also recognize that it's the Lord's will, whom he loves. Let's go ahead and pray. Father, we do pray, confessing to you that it breaks our heart to see children who walk away from you. Father, we pray that you would please If it is your will, we plead with you, God, that you might protect and save our children. But yet at the same time, Lord, we recognize that they are their own individuals and you are sovereign in your grace. And so, Lord, we entrust them to your hands, pleading with you for their salvation. I pray especially a comfort, a prayer for comfort for those who their children might be walking away from you.
Lord, please let them never give up. For we do not know on this side of eternity who is yours. And Father, we pray that you would please comfort us. Give us wisdom, even with our children who might walk away from you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. May the Lord bless you. May you walk in the joy and peace of Jesus Christ, and I'll see you tomorrow. Bye. No, I won't see you tomorrow. I will see you on Monday. Bye.
Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith and your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website. share on rpc.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue, Morning Sun, Iowa, 52640. May God richly bless you this week.