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19 This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. 21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” ~ Genesis 25:19-23
Today, we return to our study of Genesis 25. Having considered the genealogy of Ishmael in the previous verses, today, we will consider the genealogy of Isaac. Today’s passage was used by the Apostle Paul to explain the Bible doctrine of Election. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for all sin, but His payment for sin only applies to those willing enough to receive from Him eternal life.
In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian."
This is the eighth "genealogy" listed in the Bible. In order for us to see the sovereignty of God Moses gave us a recap of how and when Isaac wed his wife, Rebekah. The words "Abraham begot Isaac" were given here in order to confirm Isaac as the legitimate and chosen son of the promise. Abraham is known as the man of faith who followed God into the Promised Land. As he grew in his relationship with the God of the Bible, Abraham learned to live in anticipation of God's character and His promises. When Isaac came, Abraham asked his servant to find a wife for Isaac from Abraham's hometown. In so many ways, Abraham typified God the Father.
When Isaac was of adult age he consented to go up the mountain with his father to worship. After he carried the wood for the sacrifice, Isaac was placed on the altar. In that moment, yet again, Isaac became a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaac was the son of obedience and it was his father, Abraham who initiated the plan to go up the mountain to sacrifice unto the Lord, and, it was Isaac who carried out his father's plan. It was the father, Abraham who led Isaac, and, it was the son, Isaac, who followed. It was Abraham who commenced, and, it was Isaac who continued. Both Abraham and Isaac pictured for all to recognize God the Father and God the Son relating accordingly.
In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived."
Isaac married Rebekah in the year 2149 BC. Shortly thereafter he prayed for her because she, like her mother-in-law, was barren and she could not have children. Barrenness is a frequent subject in the Bible. And those who cannot have children struggle with their value because often a woman's value is most dependent upon her ability to have children. But what each barren woman doesn't know is that God has not forgotten them. Every barren woman is precious to the Lord. And, as always, God has purpose in the barrenness that some endure.
Spiritual barrenness is much more tragic than physical barrenness. This is why the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The phrase "poor in spirit" means complete bankruptcy in the spiritual sense. This means those poor in spirit or barren have no assets spiritually at all. The Lord Jesus was saying, "Blessed are those who realize their utter hopelessness and they turn to God through their troubles because this precedes a personal relationship with God."
The beauty of this scenario is that God always hears the cries of the hurting. It does not mean that we will always receive from the Lord what we want, but it does mean that we will always get from the Lord what He wants for us and that is the absolute best thing for us. In today's narrative the next phrase is: "And the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived."
Here was a husband praying for his wife. We live in the age of fertilization and very often we miss the most important thing we can do regarding such a matter and that is to pray. We pray because a relationship with God is forged as a result. More important than being able to have children was that Rebekah entered into and grew in a personal relationship with God. Rebekah discovered the only thing in this world that could fill the vacated dreams of her soul was the presence of God. Once Rebekah became aware that the main reason that she was on this earth was to know God, prayer became more important to her. It was then that she discovered that most of her problems fell into place because of her fellowship with God.
In v.22-23 of today's passage we read, "22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, 'If all is well, why am I like this?' So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her: 'Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.'"
The natural order of the delivery of the family blessing was once again reversed as had already happened several times before in Genesis. The younger will be put ahead of the older. And thus we again see the doctrine of Divine Election introduced into redemptive history. This doctrine will find its ultimate fulfillment in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Before they were even born, God elected the older to serve the younger. However this serving and subordination wasn’t limited to the children. Rather the verse reads "two nations are in your womb." This verse dealt with both the immediate and the future. In this then is also a picture of the true people of God, the elect.
In Romans 8:28-30 we read, "28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."
Before time even began God foreknew certain things about the people of the world and based on that He predestined some to be conformed to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as God foreknew the destinies of the two children in Rebekah’s womb, God knows in advance the destinies of everyone who has ever walked the face of this earth.
The death and the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ was an offering to God for sin and it has always been intended to save all. But, it only applies forgiveness and salvation to those who believe. Yes, it is true that we were spiritually dead in our sins, but God made us with the ability to reason, to choose, and to decline. And, God holds us accountable regarding what we do with the Lord Jesus' sacrifice, whether we believe in Him or not.
God’s order to provide salvation came before His order to elect all who have or ever will believe in the gospel of the Lord Jesus. According to Revelation 13 before the foundation of the world, God provided unlimited atonement for everyone who would believe on the redemption provided through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. God has made this offer to all and the elect respond. He desires that all repent and come to Him for His acceptance that was earned by the Lord Jesus on our behalf.
God doesn’t predestine some to eternal happiness and some to eternal torture without regard to free will. According to His own wisdom, without regard to our merits, He bestowed upon all humble enough to believe in His Son eternal life. Some were created for noble purposes and some for ignoble purposes according to that placement. All who have the opportunity to hear the message are given the ability by God to respond to it.
