Perhaps this means that the extra portion that the oldest would normally receive would now go to Jacob. This is an indication of the social structure in the society that these people lived in. Imagine the thrill of knowing that a child of yours is the president of a company. Or maybe he or she is the leader of a non-profit organization.
We might not look for our children to be leaders over each other, but we might want our children to be leaders in the society we live in. I want my children to grow up to be godly adults. This would be even greater if they could be influencers in the societies they live in as godly adults. In this situation it could even be his very brother since he stole the blessing from Esau.
Whoever the enemy of Jacob might be Isaac was praying that person would be cursed. By way of contrast Isaac asks that whoever blesses Jacob would also be blessed. The friends of Jacob would receive the good things of God and the enemies of Jacob would experience the bad.
It seems that in my house I will often hear someone crying, and when I go to investigate I find that someone hurt someone else. If I ask a reason they will often say because the other person started something. We try to live by the rule in our house that someone else hurting you does not give you the right to hurt them. They will often feel that this is just not fair. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
For a lot of us we want to see that evil person receive their just rewards. We want them to be punished for the deeds they did, whether it would be against us or against someone else. I believe that this is the kind of blessing that Isaac was seeking for his son. He wanted his son to experience real justice.
It would not be the son getting even, but it would be God extracting justice. I have a friend whose brother claims to be an atheist, even though he was raised in a Christian home.
This man has been going through some very difficult trials. He has lost a number of jobs and charges have been brought against him in a reckless driving case. His parents decided that they would engage in prayer battle for this son. They tell him what they are praying for. He was weary. Verse — Detail like these verses are rare, therefore it depicts the importance of this narrative.
The question is, just how important was the birthright or blessing by the father. Sarna lists 5 reasons the birthright was important: 1. It was the privelage of being chief of the tribe and head of the family 2. This blessing included the possession of Canaan and the covenant fellowship with God 7 Constable , 8 Hamilton , 9 Wenham , 10 Waltke , 4 4. It included a double portion of the inheritance Duet.
It included the privilege of being the priest spiritual leader of 11 the family. While we will not lose our salvation living only for the present world and things, we will lose some of the eternal reward 1 Cor. Verses — A famine struck the land again. There had not been a famine recorded since Abraham first arrived to Canaan and traveled down to Egypt with Sarah Perhaps the specific instructions by God to Isaac were given so that Isaac would learn how the Lord would bless him.
Verses — this is a repeat of chapter 20 in many ways. It has been a period of between years, so perhaps this is the same Abimelech. However Abimelech is a title rather than a name. Notice however that Abimelech is a bit more cautious, not taking Rebekah into his harem, but protecting his people from her v.
Three times he dug a well, two of the times, the Philistines quarreled with him over them. By Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble on January 27, What is a blessing? The depth of intimacy described by the word love is restored when the word is used prudently and saved for those who deserve it most. Similarly, the initial scriptural contexts of blessing can help inform the use of this phrase, restoring its sanctity and emboldening its sentiment.
Enjoying this article? Read more from The Biblical Mind. Blessings appear in various shapes and sizes in Scripture, both in their content and in the relational context in which they appear. Blessings are accorded from:. All three blessing forms appear with nearly equal frequency in the Bible, with blessings from man to God appearing more frequently in books such as Psalms and Proverbs. What is a blessing according to the biblical authors? What spiritual act are we performing when we bless others?
God blesses not commands! The sons of Noah are again blessed to procreate in Gen. The first child born to Adam and Eve is named Cain, in Hebrew Kayin , presented as a word play on kaniti, meaning to acquire or create. The naming utterance that accompanies the first child born in the world underscores the idea that children are a gift from God transmitted through human channels.
Fertility features time and again as a blessing from God and not a facet of nature. God also bestows blessings on man as a reward for obedience to His commandments. For example, Deut. All these blessings shall come upon you and take effect, if you will but heed the word of the LORD your God.
His love for you is so deep that He entrusted you with being His model in this world. May you feel the weight of this responsibility, and may it also bring you great joy. Reflect God to everyone you meet through your words, actions, and attitudes.
As children are blessed, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share the joy and love they have received from God by speaking His powerful life-changing words to others.
She is a southern California girl who transplanted to Austin, TX to be closer to her five grandchildren. She spends her free time perusing antique stores and flea markets for interior design treasures. How to Give Meaningful Blessings to Children.
Give children the foundation of truth they need each day! Debbie Guinn. In a blessing the recipient is encouraged, and God is exalted and glorified. Jesus tells us we are: loved John forgiven 1 John His workmanship Ephesians never alone Matthew b chosen 1 Peter protected from the evil one 2 Thessalonians Download your free guide.
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