Abraham’s Progeny

"Now these [are] the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham: and these [are] the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These [are] the sons of Ishmael, and these [are] their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. And these [are] the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people. And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that [is] before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: [and] he died in the presence of all his brethren." (Genesis 25:12-18)

We have there the final accounting of God's promise to Abraham concerning his first son Ishmael, born of Hagar the concubine' the promise that we saw earlier in Genesis:

"And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. " (Genesis 17:20)

It is interesting, and most likely significant in a way that I don't understand, that Ishmael has twelve sons and there will be twelve tribes of Israel, although not by Isaac, but by one of Isaac's twin sons named Jacob.

Now that Abraham's passing has been told, and Ishmael's history has been told, the bible puts its focus on the child of promise, Isaac:

"And these [are] the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she [was] barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If [it be] so, why [am] I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, [there were] twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them." (Genesis 25: 19-26)

After twenty years of marriage without bearing a child, Rebekah finally conceives, and similar to the birth of Isaac, it is all due to God, who, having heard Isaac's prayer, answers it and blesses Isaac and Rebekah with not one son, but two. This should be some encouragement to us to persist and be patient in waiting on answers from the Lord. Both Isaac, and his father, Abraham, had to wait to receive God's answer to prayer, or even God's spoken promise; in today's "gratification NOW" world, it isn't that God has changed and no longer answers prayer, but rather that we don't know how to wait on His answers and promises, and so we move on ahead of God instead of waiting on Him. That's how we miss God. That's why the world doesn't see God's power at work perhaps; because we can't wait to receive the promises, and so we never become faithful witnesses of Him to the world at large who are desperate for someone with the power to save them. They don't know that Jesus can deliver them from evil because we don't wait on Him to deliver US from evil…we take matters into our own hands rather than wait on God.

How long are we willing to wait to see what God has in store for us? Can we truly wait twenty years, as Isaac did? Do we even take the time to entreat the Lord as Isaac did, or enquire of the Lord as Rebekah did?

The twins were named Esau and Jacob. The name Esau means "hairy," but it is of the root word Edom which means "red." Just a few more scriptures along and we will see that Esau IS Edom. They are considered one and the same. When you read the word Edom or Edomites it is as though you are reading Esau or Esauites. And that particular "red" of Edom (or Esau) is the same color as red lentils, a prominent food of the middle east still today. God chose the names of these twins for a particular reason, and we will soon see what God foreknew about these children that Rebekah and Isaac didn't at the birth of their sons, when we see the importance of the "red" in Esau's life.

The second twin born, arriving on the scene grasping Esau's heel, as though either to hold Esau back or to overthrow Esau altogether, was given the name Jacob which means "supplanter" or "layer of snares." God prophesied that Jacob would rule over Esau; an idea that is totally without precedent in a land where being first-born holds tremendous importance, as we will see.

Twins they may be, but we will see that their personalities are as different as night and day. We will also see all that God has prophesied over the twins soon come to pass.