When we lose our leaders it is a time of real loss. We often loss the path that they were leading us on. We may loss the vision that they reinstalled. However, if they were a good leader, then they should have done all that was needed to have things in order for when this day inevitably would come. A good leader wants to see their people move on and keep momentum. We all want to me missed when we are not there, but we need understand that life goes on. It is good to mourn, but not to stay in mourning forever.
After Sarah died and Isaac was married. Abraham felt like he too could remarry. He married Keturah who gave him five more sons. However, when he did die, he left everything to Isaac. Isaac was the one that God chose, so in return that is who Abraham chose. He could have handled things a little differently. When you show favoritism, then you only invite strife into the family. How can the other siblings love the one that is so far elevated above them in a familial way. While he was alive, he did give his other sons rich gifts, but after his death they were to leave Isaac. Abraham was 175 when he died. Isaac and Ishmael came together to bury Abraham with Sarah.
Ishmael did have his 12 sons that became tribal leaders. He lived 137 years. As predicted, his family always held hostility in their hearts. What do you expect when that is all Ismael knew. Of course that is what he taught his own sons.
Isaac was 40 when he married Rebekah. She, like his mother, was barren but Isaac believed in miracles. He believed, like his father, in God's promise to his family. He prayed for God to give them children. God sent him twins. Maybe Esau and Jacob were the first twins. We will never know for sure. However twin males changes things when it comes to the firstborn. Esau was born and Jacob followed by holding onto his brother's heel. Isaac was 60. He only had to wait 20 years when Abraham had to wait something like 50-60 years. The waiting period was getting better.
Sarah on the other hand had a hard pregnancy. She went to God about it and he told her that she had two nations inside her. One would be stronger than the other and the older would serve the younger. Just what any mother wants to hear.
The brothers could not be more different. Esau was a man that had a lot of hair and muscle. Jacob was more the educated type, but very cunning. He manipulated Esau into giving his birthright up for a bowl of soup. Hunger can make people do foolish things, especially when being manipulated. After this, there would never be true peace or trust between the brothers. This is when hatred entered Esau's heart toward his brother. Each parent had a favorite and that destroyed their family.
Genesis 25
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