From Eden to Egypt Day 31

Now Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison. And Rebekah loved Jacob.

- Genesis 25:28 (ASV)

Issac, the father of twin boys, loved one boy more than the other.  Okay, I might be a little harsh in my interpretation of the translation.  Issac showed, what Dr. Henry M. Morris called out as, favor towards one son over the other son.  His tendency leaned towards one more than the other.


The verse says because he did eat of his venison.  In a modern view, we might see this as: Now Daddy loved him some Junior because Junior sure could grill him some chicken and links.  It is bad enough what the Word says about the prenatal period of both of these boys, along with God's shared words about the two:

22The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger."(Genesis 25:22-23, ESV)

The real trouble does not come from what is added by the parents.  Rebekah got in on it, too.  If Isaac could do so with Esau, she could certainly do so with the other.  The sad truth is that for all of his contradictory ways and confusing characteristics, Jacob may not be entirely at fault.  It may have a whole lot more to do with the nurture by his parents rearing of him than by his nature. 

If Mama and Daddy are playing favorites, what is Jacob expected to do when he has an opportunity to take advantage of his brother or his old, feeble father? If Daddy showed favoritism, why not favor Joseph over his other sons? After all, he was the child of his "favorite" wife.

Parents need to see the problem that is revealed by the Scriptures here.  The Bible is for people to read and understand about how God operates and intends for us to operate in a covenant with us.  We should see these two young parents in Genesis and start pumping the brakes, just to ease into some deep and reflective thoughts about how we have raised or are raising our own children.  Got a favorite? Does everybody and their mama know it? Feel free to repent and seek to move forward without any favoritism.  It's in the Bible but it is not God's way for us.