Genesis 25 Commentary
The message is written yet remains unwritten. It is coded. We need to read between the lines. Abraham has many more children from other women besides Sarah – women identified as concubines. Verse 6.
Yet multiplication or increase is not in the many wives/children, but in the solo son of a nearly barren woman Sarah! This situation negates the argument that a man contributes to God’s plan of “multitudes upon multitudes” by many children from many women. It is a strong statement!
The plan remained Abraham and Sarah, regardless. The multitudes like sand or stars in the sky would come from this union! Chapter 21 verse 12. The many, like the stars of the sky, would be by a lone son, Isaac. God’s maths won’t always impress!
This chapter springs up the thought that all others aren’t part of God’s plan. But the evidence is different. Of course, they are a product of men’s mishandling of godly processes entrusted to them. Consequently, a messy situation is created where some are even called by derogatory titles like concubines. Others are treated differently on account of birth over which they have no choice. The mess we create!
Yes, the same humans created on the same factory floor as Sarah and Isaac! Yes, by the same manufacturer with the same intentions! Humans must think seriously about the consequences of their decisions!
There we have it; Isaac gets everything while others get accessories. Yes, the LORD is silent but not exactly silent. The strong statement is that Isaac is coming from God’s original plan of marriage. It remains intact.
But these lines display God’s generosity in high definition – that others, others other than Isaac form part of the nations that Isaac’s offspring would eventually bless. The LORD God hasn’t abandoned them. They are subjects of God’s grace through Abraham’s offspring!
We came to this chapter thinking of Abraham as an ‘A’ grader in terms of righteousness. The thought of concubines hasn’t settled well with many. But the good book is clear: Abraham is no sinless messiah. His offspring is! We aren’t talking about Isaac! (Isaac wasn’t good enough a sacrifice on Mount Moriah!) The trip to Abraham’s offspring continues.
For now, we have Isaac’s children, Esau and Jacob. We shall have a few more notes tomorrow but we can close the day with a couple of observations. Ishmael and the rest are pitted against Isaac in the argument that they are outside God’s “marriage plan” – the plan housed within Sarah’s womb and no other.
Esau and Jacob come from the same womb but Esau’s poor decision plays a role in his own downfall. So, physical heritage hasn’t guaranteed the blessing!
Let the reader put his or her finger on the statement the LORD God makes at each point. They are all different. They all explain the nature of the blessing from different angles.
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