Genesis 35:22-29

2009.Oct.15 14:45

Isaac’s Death

While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:
(Genesis 35:22, NIV)

Here we see one of those quick asides that must have represented a quite dramatic episode at la casa Israel. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant. It’s reasonable to speculate that this comes just before or just after Rachel’s death. One can imagine that Jacob is no happy camper. However, if he takes any action, it’s not here noted (and if it’s mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, I apparently have not noticed). This situation is one of many soap-opera moments in this family. One may choose to be reminded of Yahweh’s grace.

The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram. Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
(Genesis 35:23-29, NIV)

There’s yet another list of Jacob’s sons (and, hence, the tribes of Israel, depending on which list of tribes you want to use to get the twelve). The only thing I have to add about that here is that Benjamin is lumped with those born in Paddan Aram, rather than near Bethlehem. I doubt that noting that has any value.

Aside from that, Isaac dies. On a happy note, he gets to see Jacob again, and on fairly good terms with Esau. His family turned out pretty well, despite some of his efforts. The history of people whom Yahweh blesses, loves, and chooses is a sordid history. How did Ishmael not decide to one day show up at Isaac’s doorstep and challenge him to a duel? How did Isaac and Rebekah stay married despite their dueling favoritisms? How did neither Jacob nor Esau commit fatricide? How did…well, you get the picture.

That Esau and Jacob bury their father together, after he has had a full life, is one of the best illustrations of Yahweh’s mercy. The theory that there is only an angry, vengeful God in the Old Testament does not stand to examination.

And now, it’s time for the next generation to play their games. Soon enough, we’ll return to Egypt. And that’s where a family, it seems, becomes a nation.

Genesis 27:1-4

2008.Aug.08 18:00

Food for a Blessing

Read Genesis 27:1-4 | Full Chapter

After Isaac had become old and almost blind, he called in his first-born son Esau, who asked him, "Father, what can I do for you?" Isaac replied, "I am old and might die at any time. So take your bow and arrows, then go out in the fields, and kill a wild animal. Cook some of that tasty food that I love so much and bring it to me. I want to eat it once more and give you my blessing before I die."
(Genesis 27:1-4, CEV)

I can’t say that Isaac’s best decision, if he really intended to give his blessing to his eldest son, was in first requiring Esau to make him a meal. Has he not yet figured out that Jacob is willing to use such opportunities to his advantage, and happens to be much better at doing so that Esau? My impression of Esau is that of the “dumb jock”, but without the motivation (By the way, is it just me or are the an uncanny number of bookish and artistic heros in the Bible?).

Still, I’m sure there’s plenty of significance, well-meant of Isaac’s part, in having Esau first prepare a meal for his father. If nothing else, it’s likely that a good meal will put Isaac in a better mood, thus enhancing the quality of said blessing. For Isaac, this event is probably much more significant than for any of the other players. He is about to die, he is losing his eyesight, at least, and likely feels like he is no longer capable of independent action. This blessing represents his last foray as a powerful patriach; the meal he requests may be the final acknowledgement of his waning power. Of course, as it turns out, the attempted bless more demostrated his failing health and strength.

In other words, this should have been a big moment, and one particularly focused on Isaac. It would have been nice to see the family gathered together, celebrating Isaac’s life. Ha ha. Instead, it’s family politics.

So, my wife is pregnant. Which is wonderful. I read this story, think about my future, my family’s future. Family politics is something I want to be a wall against. What a shame for the last moments of your life to be filled with rivals positioning to gain from your death. And maybe Isaac and Rebekah did make an effort to stop this earlier. But I don’t see any evidence thereof. Indeed, it appears they actively participated.

Genesis 26:26-33

2008.Jul.26 02:45

Treaty

Read Genesis 26:26-33 | Full Chapter

Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with his adviser Ahuzzath and Phicol the commander of his army. Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?" They said, "We see plainly that the LORD has been with you; so we said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.'"
(Genesis 26:26-29, NASB)

Abimelech wants a treaty, more or less, with Isaac. He is aware that Isaac is becoming increasingly powerful, and is an economic force to be reckoned with, that he is “the blessed of the Lord”. This is a bit uncomfortable. After all, Abimelech, shortly before this, recommended that Isaac buzz off. Yes, it was probably for mutual good, but still, you can understand that Isaac is less than happy to see the king, especially accompanied by his adviser and military commander. Abimelech’s explanation seems to appease him, though. Or, maybe Isaac just sees this treaty as advantageous to himself as well.

Then he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. In the morning they arose early and exchanged oaths; then Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace. Now it came about on the same day, that Isaac's servants came in and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, "We have found water." So he called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
(Genesis 26:30-33, NASB)

So, it could have gone like this. Isaac’s sitting at the entrance of his tent, and sees the king coming with the army commander. He’s had all these troubles with the herdsmen of Gerar, on top of having to move from the land he and his family have been living in. My mind, in this situation, might have jumped to the possibility that Abimelech is about to offer a treaty, yes, but a very poor one on Isaac’s side, with the other option being Abimelech’s army against Isaac’s group. Because things have not been going well for Isaac.

Instead, the treaty is a positive one, and they finally have a well that’s not being contested. One of the biggest difficulties of having faith is those really dark moments, when it just seems like everything is going wrong and one more trouble is going to be too much. And, yet, as here, as with Job, you may be on the edge of a huge blessing. Or, at least, know that if you fall of the cliff, Yahweh is quite capable of catching you still.

Genesis 26:23-25

2008.Jul.19 15:20

”I Will Bless You”

Read Genesis 26:23-25 | Full Chapter

Isaac went on to Beersheba, where the LORD appeared to him that night and told him, "Don't be afraid! I am the God who was worshiped by your father Abraham, my servant. I will be with you and bless you, and because of Abraham I will give you many descendants." Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the LORD. Then he set up camp, and his servants started digging a well.
(Genesis 26:23-25, CEV)

God reiterates his promise to Abraham, that his descendants will be blessed, and that Yahweh will be with them. That’s not something I should just read past. I’m accustomed to discussion of generational curses, but here is something that is so wonderful: a generational promise. Yahweh often extends his promises to a family or group, for a long period of time. And, isn’t this nice, he is actually able to keep those promises.

The flip side, of course, is that we may not come into possession of a promise within our lifetime. A promise that I may think I will receive, may actually be received by my descendants several generations down the line. That’s okay, but it’s important to be aware that I may not fully understand the details of a specific promise from God. Not so that I can play the Nostradamus game of trying to make anything that happens fit with a given promise, but so that I can check my own expectations. Often, of course, the fulfillment of a promise blessing from God can be better than what I had imagined.

And one more aspect of this generational promise is that Isaac is receiving a portion of that promise, not because of himself, but because of his father. Likewise, I receive the promise of salvation in Christ, not because of me, but because of Christ.

And, of course, Isaac’s servants dig another well.

Genesis 26:12-22

2008.Jul.12 21:04

Diggin’ the Wells

Read Genesis 26:12-22 | Full Chapter

Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, and the man became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy; for he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped up by filling them with earth. Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go away from us, for you are too powerful for us."
(Genesis 26:12-16, NASB)

Okay, one thing I want to note here is Yahweh providing such blessing as to cause problems for the person blessed. Isaac’s wealth grows to the extent that he and Rebekah become targets of jealousy. In addition, there’s probably some difficulties with Isaac’s livestock using up land that the native inhabitants wanted and possibly needed.

I often find myself annoyed with “name it, claim it” mentalities because they seem not to consider this aspect. If I taught, for example, a youth Bible study, one thing I would like to do is take the group somewhere from which we could all see a mountain, and read Mark 11:23. No, there’s probably half a dozen additional issues to address when talking about such passages, but the thing I’d want to have these young people do is to decide whether to ask for that mountain to be cast in the sea, understanding that “it will be done” (assuming they have faith, etc).

Because I really believe that an essential part of faith is wisdom, specifically discernment of what really is “a good thing”. Sending this theoretical mountain into the sea would have negative consequences, probably for no gain. Many situations though are not that clear, as here for Isaac. Yahweh is blessing him, I imagine largely to prepare for the future Israelite nation and also as a testament to Himself among those Isaac meets. But those blessings directly result in confrontation.

So, now, Isaac and Rebekah make the choice to leave as Abimelech has demanded. Or, faith does not exist in a vacuum.

And Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar, and settled there. Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them. But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it Sitnah. He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rehoboth, for he said, "At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."
(Genesis 26:17-22, NASB)

With this, we see more of this difficulty playing out. Again, the blessings on our nomadic heroes lead to conflict with their neighbors. So, they move on, digging wells, until finally they land in a spot where they have room. Isaac could have done the “God blessed me and I’m not moving” thing that some people do (probably I do sometimes without even being aware of it), as though Yahweh’s blessing in our lives is permission to be selfish rather than opportunity to bless and help others. Instead, Isaac accepts that receipt of God’s blessings on this earth is inseparable from sacrifice.

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