Weekly Readings: Genesis 25:19-28:9, Malachi 1:1-2:7, Romans 9:1-31.

The name in Hebrew for this week's Torah portion is Toldot, meaning 'generations'. The theme of sibling rivalry is recurrent down the generations, beginning as far back as Cain and Abel, continuing through Abraham's offspring Isaac and Ishmael and finding further expression in the next generation as Isaac's sons Esau and Jacob take their place in the narrative.

Character and Destiny

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who introduced the concept of the Logos (Greek for word, order, knowledge), which is used in John's Gospel to describe Messiah as 'the Word made flesh'), also declared that "Character is destiny".

Rebekah, the mother of Esau and Jacob, asked the Lord why there was turmoil in her womb:

The Lord said to her, 'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.' (Gen 25:23)

God knew their characters from the time they were in the womb and how godly and ungodly character would shape their destiny. However, while their destiny may have been God's plan, the means of achieving it was not fixed.

Character and Choice

Instead of deceit, malice and injustice triumphing in Jacob, both brothers could have peacefully acknowledged their different characters and strengths, with the elder even joyfully serving the younger.

The Body of Messiah imagery of 1 Corinthians 12 shows that while we all have value in God's kingdom we cannot possibly all carry out the same functions or bear the same calling.

Character and Disobedience

Characters in Genesis often decide to give God a helping hand in fulfilling his promises: notably Abraham taking Hagar as a wife. Rebekah also hears God's word of destiny and decides to bring it about by encouraging Jacob to steal the birthright of his brother.

The lament of both Isaac and Esau when they learn of the deception is heart-wrenching. The Bible is usually sparing in describing emotion, but their anguish is fully expressed. It's a ghastly, irreversible moment of shame, regret and remorse epitomised in Esau's heartbroken cry to perhaps both his earthly parent and his heavenly Father: "Bless me too, my father!" (Gen 27:34).

Jacob's deceitfulness and Esau's rash impetuousness both contributed to this moment. Their mother's behaviour exhibits the characteristics of both her sons: Rebekah is impetuous in encouraging Jacob to seize the moment to triumph over his brother and devious in plotting with him against her other son.

Esau's bitterness is not appeased and his descendants are despised. In Malachi, we read about them: "They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. You will see it with your own eyes and say, 'Great is the Lord – even beyond the borders of Israel!'" (Mal 1:4-5)

Character and God's Sovereignty

Not only are his descendants estranged from the Lord, but their suffering at God's hands is to be a sign of the Lord's greatness. Romans 9 examines God's sovereignty in the light of Israel's history, reminding us that from Isaac to Jacob, God pre determined who should continue the line of promise leading to Messiah and who should be pre-destined for salvation. "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." (Rom 9:15).

In view of God's sovereign judgement and mercy, we should pursue holiness, as the author of Hebrews encourages us, while warning us to avoid the sins of Esau which led to irreversible disgrace:

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done. (Heb 12:14-17)

Dependence Upon God

We struggle to understand God's sovereign choice and the intertwining of pre-destination and free will, but that illustrates our complete dependence upon the Lord and shows that, in contrast to his supreme power to control destiny, we are puny and pathetic in our efforts to determine our lives and control the world around us.

We control very little and the only thing we can do to change our lives and influence the course of our destiny is to obey the Lord and, in so doing, build a character in the likeness of Messiah Jesus. As we build a character in his likeness, our destiny will be to mirror him for all eternity.

Author: Helen Belton