A complete timeline for Esau doesn’t exist after he traded
his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup and when he married two Hittite
women at age forty. Judith and Basemath became a source of grief for Isaac and
Rebekah, probably reflecting the influence of the women’s cultural and
spiritual heritage they brought into the family.
The
conflict supports the fact that a person’s family of origin and the influence
of their values are a powerful force. Esau’s parents were afraid he would discard
their values and faith to please his wives. Esau easily gave up his birthright
to appease his hunger. Rebekah would do her best to make sure Jacob did not
follow his brother’s lead.
Desperate parents sometimes take desperate actions. However, this desperation is not a license to sin or to act impulsively, but an invitation to pray for God’s guidance, provision and protection. We’re encouraged to make our requests known to God with praise and thanksgiving so the Lord of all hope can meet our needs.
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