Results 161 - 180 of 773
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: JCrichton Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
161 | How can incest be forbidden? | Gen 3:3 | JCrichton | 129748 | ||
Hi, A. J.! Part of the answer in in your query: the world had to be populated! Knowing that God is all powerful helps us understand the rest! Our individual gene pool is said to have a limited structure which must be replenished through the various insertions of other human gene pools; if not, we would have all sorts of genetic deficiencies bread into the human species... Scientists also speak on a communality between the various species on the planet; the inter-dependency of echo systems dwellers (plants, insects, and higher life forms), planetary climate, water basins, etc... none was created in a vacuum! The same God that can turn stone into bread (Matthew 4:3) or into children of Abraham (Matthew 3:9) is the same God that supplied all of our needs (both nourishment and medicines) through plants, minerals, water and lower life forms... Could it have been a bigger task for Him to provide Adam and his direct descendants with with resilient genes that would be both self-regenerating and able to produce the diversity that would be required by huminity's collective gene pool? This same God that, through His Spirit, regenarated dry bones into full human beings (Ezekiel 37:1-10), could He have any limitations that would forbid gene splicing? God's Plan is all encompassing! There was a time when He needed just two of us to populate the earth--when that came to completion He introduced new limits and standards... who are we to question His Way (Romans 9:20): God designed Creation with certain limitations and flexibilities (built into the God's Plan from its inception), which He alone enhances or diminishes. We ourselves regress to an infant-like stage when interacting with babies, and when toddlers begin to experiment we set their bounderies--expanding their range or further limiting them as we observe their progress... though we do not (as yet) manipulate their genes, we strive to mold them into what we perceive as the apex of social excellence... do we not employ stategies that would seem complex and contradicting when viewed from a child's view point? At one time Yahweh demanded temporal reparation for our sinful acts... in the fullness of times Christ came and He instituted a New Covenant: one that required His Blood to be shed for us! Christ introduced yet another change in God's Plan as He gave us the opportunity to become children of God, not merely creatures of flesh but coheirs in the Spirit (John 1:12-13; Romans 8:15-27; Galatians 4:6-7). What God set into motion, from the beginning, was made according to His Will and Wisdom--it would be impossible for us to use hindsight in an effort to moralize, restore or improve Creation and the path on which God has set it! God Bless! Angel |
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162 | How Genesis 3:15 impact Old Testament | Gen 3:15 | JCrichton | 107692 | ||
Hi, Strikerredleg! I find this Biblical verse the most impacting prophecy about the spiritual battle that has begun! There are many who would want to interpret mankind as the seed; thus giving us dominion over Satan--are we God? Revelation 12:1-17 is the expanded version of Genesis 3:15. Read both Bible passages and compare them: the ancient serpent cannot be defeated but by Christ! The attact on our Lord's lower exremity is a typification of Satan's attack on the temporal Church: "Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, who obey God's commandments and have in themselves the witness of Jesus." (Revelation 12:17) As Christians, we represent Christ; but we can never be His substitutes. God Bless! |
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163 | What is God saying in this verse? | Gen 3:15 | JCrichton | 107693 | ||
Hi, Hallie! I find this Biblical verse the most impacting prophecy about the spiritual battle that has begun! There are many who would want to interpret mankind as the seed; thus giving us dominion over Satan--are we God? Revelation 12:1-17 is the expanded version of Genesis 3:15. Read both Bible passages and compare them: the ancient serpent cannot be defeated but by Christ! The attact on our Lord's lower exremity is a typification of Satan's attack on the temporal Church: "Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, who obey God's commandments and have in themselves the witness of Jesus." (Revelation 12:17) As Christians, we represent Christ; but we can never be His substitutes. God Bless! |
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164 | How Genesis 3:15 impact Old Testament | Gen 3:15 | JCrichton | 107694 | ||
Sorry, strikerredleg! I just finished posting a note that was meant for Hallie (What is God saying in this verse?)--I mistook your theme and posted Hallie's answer on it! God Bless! |
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165 | Why does God allow Sin? | Gen 3:15 | JCrichton | 135287 | ||
Hi, aust! In Genesis 3:15, we find Satan being destroyed by Jesus... this is the sentence given to him by God. In Revelation 12 we find an expansion on Genesis 3:15... I doubt that anyone can give you a clear and correct answer to your query... other than that God's Way is not our ways! I can offer two explanations: 1) God's Plan includes the struggle of His creation against evil (as in Job--how he would awake and make offerings to God for anything that he may have done in his dreams, as well as his offerings for his children)... God desires our love and obedience--Satan's challange is defeated every time we obey the Lord and serve only Him! 2. Since God knows no limits (time constraints, etc.) to Him 1000 years is but an insignificant fraction of time... and vice versa! (2 Peter 3:8) ...so, as in Jesus' parables (Matthew 13:24-30 and Luke 13:6-9), the wicked is allowed to coexist with the good till the fullness of times when all wickedness will be eradicated completely: from our perspective it's been years and counting... from God's perspective, Satan has already been condemned! Again, I am piecing together your thoughts with Scripture... there is no clear revelation of God's Intimate Design--only the Holy Spirit can truly reveal all Truth! God Bless! Angel |
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166 | Father of cain is? | Gen 4:1 | JCrichton | 134975 | ||
Hi, Seadoo127! I can understand your confusion as 1 John 3:12 makes a similar reference: 1 John 3:12 Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE) We must not be like Cain. He was a child of the devil and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? He killed him because the things he himself did were wrong, and the things his brother did were right with God. Not all translations have the same wording... most simply say that he was of the evil one... Which ever the wording, the meaning that is being conveyed is that Cain acted with malice both in the gift offerings to God and on the murderous betrayal of his brother--hence, he is the son of Satan, the ultimate murderer and liar! God Bless! Angel |
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167 | Sacrifices, why is God so picky? | Gen 4:4 | JCrichton | 135140 | ||
Hi, aust! It is very simple: God demands according to His Will--if we obey, if we submit our wills to His, we are rewarded with His Love! Genesis 4:3-7 depicts the first worship relationship between God and His servants... one (Cain) desires to serve according to his whims and his offering does not please God... the other (Abel) desires to serve with best of intentions and his perfect offering pleases God. Being a God of Love and Mercy, He does not reject Cain, only his offering... and He challenges Cain to make his offerings pleasing to Him so that He may reward him... sadly, Cain resorts to murdering his brother in order to suppress the competition--his offering will remain just as unfit as his heart... which will only continue to evoke God's rejection! There are many who confuse God's Love and Mercy with their aspirations of self-rule... yet, it is God who dictates to His creatures; the creatures cannot dictate to their Creator! God Bless! Angel |
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168 | Can we live longer than 120 yrs? | Gen 5:24 | JCrichton | 109572 | ||
Hi, Renovate Me! God set a limit to the life span of future generations--was He being literal and if He was does God have no flexibility, no ownership? Even today, people grow as old as over a hundred years old, does that mean that everyone must live as long as one hundred? I offered Enoch as an example of God's mysteries... was Enoch better than Moses, than Abraham, than Noah? If we search the Bible we will find that, with the exception of John the Baptist, no man had a greater responsibility than Moses; and certainly no man besides Moses talked to God one on one as intimately as he... yet Enoch is chosen and received by God into Heaven! God's Way is not our ways! God Bless! |
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169 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | JCrichton | 138109 | ||
Hi, Stephanie Marie! There are various notions on this subject... We know that God keeps safe those He loves... and we know that the Holy Spirit prays for us in manners that we do not even understand (Romans 8:26-27)... we also know that God is immensely Merciful... This of course does not mean that we have a built-in excuse to perform abortions or suicides... God is not a merchant of death, seeking to bring the innocent and the dishearted to Himself... He wants us to rely on His abilities to provide for us (Matthew 6:25-33)... Is God a merciful God that will embrace babies and children when they are cutoff in the essence of life? Yes! Does God condone terminating a life so that He can get those babies and children sooner? EMPHATICALLY, NO! God Bless! Angel |
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170 | Stem cell research and Scripture? | Gen 9:4 | JCrichton | 136927 | ||
Hi, Mikevy06798! There is little to be found on specific textual content... aside from rudimentary explanations about the blood being the life force of man and animal... As early as Genesis 9:3-6, we find Yahweh's commad not to consume the blood of the animal as part of a meal... as the blood of the animal and man's is sacred to Him! In the New Testament we hear Jesus adminishing the Jews and He testefies that He came to rescue the sinners... He uses the anology of doctor-patient relationship applied to Himself and the Children of God who have gone astray (are sick)... Jesus recognizes that there is a need for the medical science and that God's children are not to dispense of a doctor's assistance... Stem cell research was originally conducted on cord blood (the blood and components found in the disposal portion of the spent umbilical cord)... The harnessing of a potentially restorative/preventive material that in times past was simply discarded, on the surface, seems innocent enough! The problem lies in what is being done with the material that is being harnessed... and there is an additional controversy that stems not from the end product but from the actual harnessing method: babies are being murdered and their fragmented bodies are being harnessed along with the cord blood! Abortion has become the ultimate perfect business: murder of infants has been sanctioned by secular law and the harvesting of the murder by-product has become a prized commodity: the slavery of the new era! There are labs around the world where partial organs or appendages are being grown in specially cultivated animals... soon people will be able to kill in the womb any child that may be suspected of carrying genetic defects, unwanted traits (brown eyes; dark hair/skin; unwanted gender; hereditary deseases/boldness/phisical atributes...); science is playing good, the industry is reaping profit both by killing and recycling, and the government is playing catch-up politics--as usual! Christians are so fragmented that we even support the acts which trespasses God's Command that we execute our stwardship in His justice and love... we are in constant discord over inconsequential matters while Satan charms the world into committing all sorts of atrocities against God and nature in the name of science or quality of life! Though shall not kill... it seems that there never was such commandment! Love the Yahweh, the Lord your God (Creator) above all else... that one too seems to have ceased to be relevant! ...but God is not a God of confusion or double-mindedness... He is Eternal and Unchanging! When He ordered us not to kill, it was forever! When He ordered us to place nothing above Him, it was forever! God Bless! Angel |
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171 | Is this verse pro capital punishment? | Gen 9:5 | JCrichton | 122818 | ||
Hi, Chusarcik! Runs a good argument... I see a few problems with it: a) When was capital punishment established? (If it was not set up by the founding fathers I doubt that there has been any Biblical thought put into it.) b) Why would a state (and the people) who proclaim to want a division between God and state rely on the Bible as its source for developing a rule of morality? c) The Old testament rules were given at a time prior to Jesus incarnation--Christ is the fullness of the Law and the Prophets: He has established a reign of justice higher than the Mosiac Law (which could have worked perfectly if not by the myriad of circumventions). d) For the state to use one verse from the Bible to establish capital punishment it would have to stop circumventing God's commandments: (not kill, not lie, not cheat, not oppress, not support evil, not collaborate with evil, be merciful, love...). God Bless! Angel |
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172 | Why was God fearfull of man's knowledge? | Gen 11:7 | JCrichton | 120072 | ||
Hi, Marty J! You've heard of the expression "better than the average bear?" God created everything that exists, both the visible and the invisible, out of naught! We can hardly come to terms with our own mortality! Who has the advantage? There are Biblical quagmires that we will never understand (1 Corinthians 2:6-16 and 1 Corinthians 13:12)... Some of these seeminly perplexing questions are devoid of value since they do not yield anything that can guide us to Christ--the Resurrection and Life! Others were meant as simple teaching tools... It is good to search the Scriptures; but as Jesus said to the disciples: rather be glad that your names are written in the book of Life!--paraphrased (Luke 10:20). God Bless! Angel |
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173 | Who is Melchizedek | Gen 14:18 | JCrichton | 121820 | ||
Hi, tgc! Here's a copy of my previous response on that topic: There are several takes on Melchizedek… What I understand from the Scriptures is that He is Christ Jesus: When Abram returned from defeating Chedor-Laomer and the kings who had been on his side, the king of Sodom came to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the Valley of the King). Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He pronounced this blessing: Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High for putting your enemies into your clutches. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:17-20) We have several revelations within these verses: * Melchizedek is king of Salem (Salem could be short for Jerusalem)--traditionally Salem is identified with Jerusalem * Melchizedek offered bread and wine to Abraham--similar to our Lord’s supper (Matthew 26:26-29) * Not only was Melchizedek king of Salem, but he was also a priest of God Most High--he was officiating, two different titles, for which there was no nation/people to officiate over since not even Jacob, who’s name change would become synonymous with the people of God (Israel), was born. * It would take hundreds of years before tithing would come into effect in Israel, yet Abraham generously offers a tenth of all the plunder. Hebrews 7:1-10, 13-17 connects Melchizedek with Christ: both kings, both priests, both without beginning or ending… Further there is a kinship in question… that of Salem (Jerusalem), the city of the king of peace… then there‘s the breakdown of Melchizedek‘s priesthood: he is not a descendant of Aaron (house of Levi)--as Jesus is not--and he has the authority of the Most High--as Jesus is the authority of the Most High (I and the Father are One!). Here’s one final passage--somewhat like the icing on top: Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day; he saw it and was glad. The Jews then said, ’You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!’ Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, before Abraham ever was, I am. (John 8:56-58) Could Jesus not have been speaking of the meeting that took place why back when? There is no other place in the Bible where Abraham and Jesus meet! God Bless! Angel |
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174 | do we have to give tith? | Gen 14:20 | JCrichton | 140606 | ||
Hi! Tithing was mandatory during the Olt Testament... mening that there was a formula that Israel was obliged to follow... Jesus did not establish the tithing for the Church... still all Christians are expected to offer to God (not a minister or congregation) the best offering they can, and this with a joyful heart!: 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2 Corinthians 6:9-12) God Bless! Angel |
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175 | Son of David?Son of Abraham?Seed? | Gen 17:7 | JCrichton | 106429 | ||
Hello, Ray! The Plan (God's) existed from the very beginning. Genesis 3:15 is a charged verse depicting the Spiritual struggle of Satan vs. Jesus (amplified in Revelation 12). This seed will come into a human form in Jesus through the lineage of David who is Abraham's successor (Matthew 1:1, 2-17). Jesus was often spoken of as the great prophet and, since He seemed to have originated in Galilee, it was an easy built-in excuse for the unbelievers to base their apprehensions on. A parallel thought existed that said that no one would know where the Messiah would come from--since Jesus was Born in Bethlehem, Judea, exactly as the prophecy fortold these people were prooven oh so wrong! They were so determined to bring Jesus down a peg or two, that they missed the prophecy completely: they truly did not know of his origins (celestial/earthly). Remember that God's Word will not fail. Yes, it is true that the promise was originally made to Abraham, the father of faith, (who expected the coming of Christ) but he did not experience the encarnation of the Word (though Jesus tells us that he did, in the Spirit: John 8:56). Then the promise was made also to David, who wanted to build a temple to God; he was told that he would have a decendant occupying his throne for ever (what mere mortal could do that?)--Jesus, the eternal Priest and King fulfilled the Promise! (Hebrews 1:8, 4:14-16) Ray, that Promise was alive because it was God's Promise. God did not give a specific time He just said I will keep my Promise (Hebrews 11:1-40). And you are correct in saying that God ratified the covenant in Jesus--Matthew 11:10-15. Jesus is our Promise, our Inheritance! God Bless! |
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176 | Why did Abraham ask God to bless Ishmael | Gen 17:20 | JCrichton | 122970 | ||
Hi sixsmiths2! I think that Abraham was being a good father. Just as Joseph was when he attempted to correct Israel from giving the blessings of the first-born to Ephraim (the second born) instead of Manasseh (the first born). Certainly God could have chastised both Abraham and Sara for their decision to have an offspring... but their action was not that of David with Bathsheba and Uriah. I see Ishmael as a "must happen" so that God may bring about His Plan according to His own design and not according to ours: God chooses us to accomplish His Will: before her children were born, so that neither had yet done anything either good or bad, but in order that it should be God's choice which prevailed--not human merit, but his call-she was told: the elder one will serve the younger. Or as scripture says elsewhere: I loved Jacob but hated Esau. (Romans 9:11-13--reference to verse 13 is found in Malachi 1:2-3.) God Bless! Angel |
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177 | suicides and the bible | Gen 18:25 | JCrichton | 148468 | ||
Hi, Massaiman! No! But don't let this cloud your mind... neither is there a word against pornographic materials, using dope (coke, crack, dust...), using household chemicals to get high, very little is said about prostitution, just as little is said about abortion, nothing against domestic violance, child-labor, racism... There is a Commandment not to kill--though many simply choose to apply this Commandment in the most stringent definition of the word... euthanasia, even though it sounds pleasant, it is nothing more and nothing less than killing! ...abortion, though it sounds foreing, practiced both abroad and at home (US) as a form of contraceptive, is nothing less than murdering the most innocent and defenseless of God's creation... Jesus tells us that there is only one sin for which we will not receive forgiveness: blaspheming against the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit is God and, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, He instructs and teaches man... to reject Him or refuse His teaching simply means death! Only the Father can bring us to Jesus... the Father chooses the Holy Spirit as His means to bring us to Jesus... without the Holy Spirit's cleansing (as Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit) we cannot be saved! But the premise that we can sin because Jesus died for the world is flawed... Jesus did not claim to die for all but for many... those who believe! And there's no such thing as preforgiveness of sin... I mean, as a Christian I cannot choose to rob a bank and expect Jesus to have forgiven me prior to my transgression... how ridiculous it would be for Jesus to hang around waiting for me to thank Him for keeping me safe from harm as I commit a preforgiven transgression?... breaking into a bank to steal money many not seem to be suicidal, but there are many repercusions to the act: injury/death of the perpetrator, injury/death of a guard, bank personnel or client, injury/death of a police officer or a passerby... can I preconfess to Christ and expect His forgiveness? So too is suicide... it is fatal (most of the times)... it is permanent (all of the times); when a person commits suicide he/she is rejecting Christ... he/she is saying that God does not assists His servants when they are burdened... suicide is not just a simgular act... a person that commits suicide renounces life (inclusive of all of God's gifts), family, friends, hope! It is a selfish act that pronounces that the individual, not God, has the authority over life and salvation! DO NOT KILL does not simply applies to others or the postnatal! DO NOT KILL never goes out of fashion nor does it loses its imperative! Jesus is so adamant about violance that He cautions even against injurious language: 21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22) So, it is not surprising that when asked about the greatest Commandment Jesus fuses the Love of God with the love of others and of ourselves! (Matthew 22:36-40)... Paul enumerates the value of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8), verse 7 is superb: Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fails. We have a great weapon against death (suicide or otherwise): LOVE! God Bless! Angel |
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178 | Were the babes of Sodom righteous? | Gen 18:26 | JCrichton | 107811 | ||
Hi, Searcher56! I think part of the problem is that we want to apply our finite knowledge to God's infinite Works. The babes of Sodom and Gomorrah were not born after the death and resurrection of Christ, they were born under the economy of the Law--a distinction we must make as under the Law we would be required to offer sacrife and atonement (animals, oil, grains...) for our sins. How many children were called by the Law to make sacrificial/thanks offerings? God is concerned with our temporal existence but only to the point that it can serve us to grow spiritually: Matthew 18:8-9) Would those who died in the flesh, before Jesus' fulfillment of the prophecies be eternally condemned? What does Peter says: 1 Peter 3:18-22. Did Christ not die for those babes as well? Christ Himself attest that God has made special provisions for the children: Matthew 18:10--and no, Jesus is not just refering to the young in the faith: Matthew 19:13-14! God Bless! |
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179 | Parents who favor one child over another | Gen 25:28 | JCrichton | 124842 | ||
Hi, denise! I do not think that it is important why each parent favored the respective son... I think that it was part of the Divine Plan to assure that Jacob, though the second born, would receive the first-born's blessings. This action would force us to acquiesce to Yahweh's Divine Authority! In speculation one could surmise that since Jacob was a "homebody" he would most likely spend much more time with his Mom (talking, listening to her anecdotes, running errands, performing task that would require thought and patience...) than Esau, who most probably spent much of his time in perfecting his hunting skills. These types of bonds are still enforced in today's society (especially disseminated through the various media formats) where "machismo" is celebrated as the apex of human standard and intellectualism/humility is degraded and scorned. Yahweh purposefully chose not the warrior of the two brothers but the weaker one in order to bring His Plan to fruition--there could never be any doubt that it is through God's Mighty Hand that Israel is built and maintained! God Bless! Angel |
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180 | Jacob blessed after deception ??? | Gen 28:14 | JCrichton | 108391 | ||
Hi, jr8! I understand how this question can arise, since there is an apparent trickery being employed by Jacob and his mother... But let's go back a few: after coming home from a hunting trip (Esau was a hunter--so I gather that he was out on an excursion) Esau was extremely tired and hungry so he traded his first-born rights to Jacob for some food: Genesis 25:31-34. It would seem logical that Jacob would want to receive the first-born's blessings... Still, when the opportunity arose, Jacob was not exceedingly eager to jump at the blessing: Genesis 27:11-12. When she saw his hesitation Rebecca, their mother, assured him that any curse for the trickery should fall upon her--a terrific incentive, wouldn't you say? On the other hand, not only did Esau sold his first-born rights for a meal (as great as the meal may have been) but he also married two Hittites--women of a different culture and fellowship (worship): Genesis 26:34-35. And if we go a little further into the past we come to Genesis 25:25-28 where it is very clear that Yahweh preferred Jacob, who He ingraciated to Rebecca (something that would prove extemely useful in the near future). There is one more Biblical passage which demonstrates that Jacob had to have the first-born blessings: '...Was not Esau Jacob's brother? declares Yahweh; even so, I loved Jacob but I hated Esau. (Malachi 1:2) So though it may have seemed that Jacob was getting away with tricking Issac into blessing him, Jacob had no choice in the matter since Yahweh had chosen him to become Israel! You may also want to consider Ephraim's and Manasseh's blessings which are analogous to Jacob's and Esau's blessings. (Genesis 48:1-20) God Bless! |
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