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Saturday, November 2, 2013

Rival Nations, Rival Siblings

Hey All - time to check the Book.

Once again, brothers are turned against each other.  One is granted paternal approval and endorsement, and the other is sent in another direction.

This time, there is no issue of a mother being jealous of the hired help.  Instead, G-D tells the mother that the twins she carries are destined to be rival nations, and that the younger one will be more powerful.  

So, in reliance on this Most Direct Revelation, she has Jacob deceive Isaac, taking advantage of his blindness, by pretending to be Esau so he can receive his father's blessing before he dies.  And even before that, Jacob talks Esau into selling his birthright, divesting him of nearly all if the privileges afforded him by primogeniture.  

Throughout their lives, these two have been against each other.  Their own father was able to make deals with the Philistines, but he couldn't broker a deal between his own sons.  Who can splain me that?

Most families are able to avoid this because most parents don't allow it to happen.  But what about the siblings themselves?  Why did Jacob make that deal?  And why couldn't he stand up and tell Rebecca, "I don't think this is right?"  

The message that I get from this is that you make your own enemies.  When you do someone else wrong, no matter how many people try to convince you it's right, then the resulting animosity is your fault.  If you just know, deep down, that it's wrong, don't do it.  No magic, no academics.  Just common sense.  If you're actually eager to start a battle, then go full throttle.  If not, don't be surprised at others' reactions.

Good luck marathoners.

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