Bookmark Daily Bible Reading Calendar By: Ehimwenma E. Aimiuwu – Please LIKE us on Facebook
Genesis 25:
Abraham married a second wife, Keturah, who gave him 6 children, as well as grandchildren. He left all his inheritance for Isaac, but the children of his concubines, he gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac to the east (Arabia). So Abraham committed fornication and probably adultery as well while Sarah was still alive because it appears that Keturah’s children were old enough to compete with Isaac. Abraham died at 175 years old, and Ishmael and Isaac buried him. Ishmael’s descendants became 12 tribal rulers, he died at 137 years old, and his descendants settled along the borders of Egypt. Isaac married Rebekah at 40 years old and prayed to God because she was barren like his mother Sarah. She got pregnant, but the struggles within her was great that she inquired of God. God revealed that two separated nations were in her womb and the older shall serve the younger. Isaac was 60 years old when twins were bore to him, So God’s promise took 20 years for Isaac. The first twin was Esau (red or hairy) and the second was Jacob (he that holds the heel or deceiver – he held Esau’s heel as he came out of the womb). Isaac loved Esau for his wild games as a skilled hunter, but Rebekah loved Jacob because he was quiet and stayed at home. One day Jacob made Esau give up his birthright for his bowl of red stew because Esau was hungry to death after he returned from hunting without a kill. Be careful about what we say and do not take oaths. Never depend of a crafty and deceiving brother.
Genesis 26:
There was famine and Isaac went to meet Abimelech, king of the Philistines, but God warned Isaac not to go to Egypt because he was going to bless him in the land he will show him, which was promised to his descendants. When Isaac got to Abimelech he lied that Rebekah was his sister because he was scared that they might kill him to take his Arab wife. Abimelech later found out that they were married and decreed that no one should touch them. African men found fair or Arab women to be beautiful. They did this to Abraham in African Egypt, now it is Isaac with the Philistines. God blessed Isaac so much with wealth, harvest, servants, and flocks that Abimelech sent him away because he was becoming too powerful. The Philistines later came back to him when they realized that God was with Isaac in his prosperity and they made peace with him. Esau married two Hittite women at 40 years old, but Isaac and Rebekah were not pleased with them.
Genesis 27:
Isaac called Jacob to bless him as the oldest son at a time when he was old and was basically blind. He requested that Esau go kill his usual favored wild game and prepare a meal for him, so that he can bless Esau before he dies. Rebekah planned with Jacob to steal Esau’s blessing for Jacob and ordered Jacob to bring two young goats, so she could prepare it for Isaac the way he likes it. Jacob was scared that his father would curse him rather than bless him if he discovered the deceit because his skin was smooth and not hairy like Esau’s, but Rebekah said that she would take the curse. She dressed Jacob up with Esau’s favorite clothes to smell like Esau and used goatskin to cover up his neck and hands to feel like Esau, so Isaac blessed him. Esau came in and found that Isaac had stolen his blessing by deceit, so he demanded that he be blessed as well. Esau swore to kill Jacob after his father’s death. Rebekah then send Jacob into hiding with her brother until Esau forgets his anger and hoped that Jacob marries over there instead of the Hittite women. Rebekah was a very bad woman who used favoritism to destroy her home and her children. It us obvious that she never guided Esau with love and probably wanted Esau to go the wrong way in order to turn Isaac against Esau.
Genesis 28:
Isaac told Jacob to return back to Arabia where they came from and not marry a Canaanite (African) woman. He blessed Jacob to prosper in Arabia (Iraq) and return to inherit God’s promise of land to Abraham in Canaan (Africa). So Isaac left for Arabia and Esau then realized that his father was unhappy about his Canaanite (Hittites were part of Canaan) wives, so he went to marry Ishmael’s (his father’s brother) daughter. On Jacob’s way to Arabia, he had a dream where he saw a ladder going into heaven from the earth and angels going up and down on it. God stood at the top and told Jacob that he was going to give him and his descendants the land where he was sleeping like he promised Abraham and the whole world will be blessed because of his offspring (Jesus). God also assured Jacob that he will not leave Jacob until he had fulfilled his promise of land and seed (Jesus). This means that since the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has abandoned Israel because his contract with them as his people is over. Jacob work up and called the place “House of God” because he believed that God and the gate of heaven was there. So Jacob made a pledge to God that he will give God a tenth of all God provides for him if God takes care of all his needs during the journey and bring him back to his father’s house in the promised land.