This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see
what’s happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Isaac and Rebekah are married.

God renews the covenant promise that he
made to Abraham by repeating it to Isaac.

It would be through Isaac that God would
create his mighty nation that would bless the world.

However, like Sarah,
Rebekah is also barren,

and she and Isaac struggle
with infertility for almost 20 years.

But God answers Isaac’s cry for
help and opens Rebekah’s womb,

so that she becomes
pregnant with twin boys.

But think about this, if only one line is
going to carry the promised blessing from God,

what happens
in the case of twins?

Well, before either twin is even born, God
tells Rebekah which one he will bless –

He will bless the weaker
and the younger one.

In the ancient world, the firstborn gets
the father’s inheritance and the blessing.

So, the rest of the story shows how

God would work through human events
to make good on his promise.

First, in an act of desperation,
the firstborn Esau sells his birthright

to his slightly younger twin
brother Jacob for a bowl of stew.

That takes care of the
rights of the firstborn.

Second, at the advice of his mother,
Jacob engages in an act of trickery.

He tricks his elderly dad, Isaac,
to give him the blessing instead of Esau.

This story leaves us confused
with a lot of questions.

Did God choose Jacob over Esau
because he knew what would happen?

Or maybe Rebekah helped Jacob
trick his father because God

told her the younger
son would be blessed?

But then why would God
bless a liar and a trickster?

Does God work through deceit?

While we may not find satisfactory
answers to every question,

the point of the story is clear.

The New Testament explains
this story to us in Romans 9.

We are told that God chose Jacob over Esau
not because of anything good or bad they did.

Paul writes this to prove that we
are not saved based on our works.

To quote Romans 9:16 exactly, “So then
it depends not on human will or exertion,

but on God, who has mercy.”

God chose a trickster like
Jacob over Esau not because

Esau was bad and Jacob was
good, or the other way around.

They both had serious
flaws that the story highlights.

God chose to show that he
is merciful in and of himself.

His grace is not based on our goodness.

If you believe in
Jesus today, praise God!

It is not because you are smarter,
luckier, or better than anyone else.

It is simply because
God was merciful to you.

I pray that the Holy Spirit would show you
just how kind and merciful God is to save us,

even though our works
have done nothing to earn it.

And that you would see
Jesus as the older brother

who gave us the birthright
and blessing that he deserved.