I’ve been enjoying your series!
I see it a bit differently. God had promised to bless Jacob. He didn't have to steal Esau's blessing, he already had one of his own. He (and his mom) was trying to fix what wasn't broken.
It is a situation similar in effect to Abraham with Hagar. Trying to fix what isn’t broken. Its human. In our way we all do it at one time or another.
Funny.. I had not really thought about this first vs second born theme in the bible but it does run through it.
Consider also Cain and Able. . Cain the first born kills Able the second born out of jealousy.
Even Adam vs Jesus. . Adam is the first man..and is the root of the fallen man...
Abram and Lot
Genesis 13
5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
and...
Daniel 7
7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
Psalm 83
83 Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God!
2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” 5 For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; 7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. Selah
10 nations
1 Edom
2 Ishmaelites
3 Moab
4 Hagrites
5 Gebal
6 Ammon
7 Amalek
8 Philistia
9 Tyre
10 Assyria
Children of Lot Moab/Ammon
3 kings uprooted
Muammar Gaddafi
Hosni Mubarak
Saddam Hussein
And uprooted is the perfect word as these three had nearly 100 years of combined rule in the ME, no small feat!
And the little horn (short guy) that ascended before these three were done in...
Sunday, February 7, 1999 Published at 15:10 GMT
World: Middle East
Abdullah sworn in
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/274302.stm
The fierce looking king stands up
Daniel 8:23 ‘In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. 25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.
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Thanks! Great info and buckle up cuz the ride is going to get rough!