In our Sunday morning series so far we have seen that God called Abraham from Ur and promised him both land and descendants. Abraham is content that the promise for land may be in the future, but obviously the promise of descendants needs to start being realised in his life time! This brought crisis number one. Both he and his wife were too old to have children - but God over-ruled and Isaac was born. Then Isaac needed a suitable wife - and God led Abraham's servant to Rebekah. Now, today, in Genesis 25 we find that Isaac and Rebekah are unable to have children - could this be it for God's promise to Abraham?
So Isaac prays and God answers (v21). I wonder how many times Isaac prayed before God answered. Just once? Every day? Isaac married at 40 (v20) but by the time Esau and Jacob were born he was 60 (v26). That's plenty of time for all kinds of doubts about the promises of God to creep in. That's a long time to hold on to your faith whilst living among nations who worship other gods.
In response to Rebekah's question (22) God reveals that He has chosen the younger twin ahead of the older twin (23). This is theme that we have already encountered in Genesis (e.g. Abel ahead of Cain, Isaac ahead of Ishmael) and a theme that will run throughout the rest of the Bible. David, the youngest of eight brothers will be king (1 Samuel 16). On into the NT we find that if we want to be first we need to be last (Mark 9:35). If we want to gain life we need to lose it (Luke 9:23-24). And that God chooses the foolish, weak and lowly things of this world to overcome the wise, the strong, the powerful and influential (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
When God chooses He does not choose as the world would choose. It is not like being picked for a team in the school playground - where those who are no good are left to the end, and even then no one wants to pick them. But God chooses those whom the world rejects because these are the kind of people who will allow God to work in and through them - the kind of people who will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in them rather than on their own abilities and talents.
Listen to this message by Pastor Keith at Willesden Green on 21 October 2007
