Celebration of birthdays is a common practice in our society today. Truly there is nothing more memorable for a parent than the day of their children’s birth. My daughter was born after a very long and arduous labor of more than thirty six hours, leaving her mom in need of more than an hour of stitching and repair. For her first hour, after her birth, she was held securely in my arms and we had a very special bonding experience that has led to our close relationship that continues as she is now in her fifth year of college. Her birth was a great moment in my life. As she continues down a path of achievement; her life is being defined; her character being cast and tried. She will go beyond her parents in life; as it is meant to be.
The Bible gives another perspective that is found in Lamentations; it implies that, how we live our life; as it can only be evaluated at death; makes the day of our death greater than our birth; and precious to the LORD. We all start out as unknown entities, like an artist’s block of clay; its form and shape yet unknown.
Psalms 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
This is an interesting analogy. Why not rubies or gold? After many years of acute and chronic pain; any person from that suffering would value that which brings comfort and relief as being the most precious commodity. Gold and rubies can’t soothe. Wholeness and excellent health can not be bought, at any price.
At his death, Abraham left a legacy of faith that is unparalleled except by God Himself. Abraham gave his only son Isaac, just as God gave His only Son Jesus Christ. Through Abraham, would come the one most precious; the one who would be the true Balm of Gilead. It never ceases to amaze me of how there is so much meaning in what God orchestrates. It would be the descendants of Ishmael, who would become traders of balm from Gilead to whom the grandsons of Isaac would sell their brother Joseph into slavery; an act that would later become a balm to their own lives; and save the descendants of Abraham, through whom David would be born and ultimately Jesus Christ. Through His blood all would be reconciled and by His stripes, all would be healed!
We can’t have the New Testament, the New Covenant; without the Old that was founded upon Abraham. And so his life is sealed at his death; Abraham the Father of the Faithful and Abraham, the friend of God; who lived to be 175 years old.
Genesis 25:7-10 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. (8) Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. (9) And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; (10) The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.
Abraham’s son Ishmael became the father of twelve nations and he dies at the age of one hundred and thirty seven years.
Genesis 25:16-17 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. (17) And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.
Here again, the man through whom the promises, given to Abraham are to be fulfilled; is married to a barren woman, just like Sarah. God hears Isaac’s plea and his wife Rebecca conceives and has twins inside of her. The babies struggle in the womb and the LORD tells her that she carries two nations inside of her.
Genesis 25:20-23 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. (21) And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. (22) And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. (23) And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
God always knows the end from the beginning and even though Isaac’s first born was Esau; he sold his birthright and latter was swindled out of his blessing by his younger brother Jacob. Being the older and stronger, he would serve the younger and weaker. Rebecca gives birth, first to Esau, a red and very hairy baby and then to Jacob who came out with his hand on Esau’s heel. Esau became a hunter and Jacob became a farmer. Rebecca’s favorite son was Jacob.
Genesis 25:25-28 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. (26) And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. (27) And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. (28) And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
One day when Esau came in from the field exhausted and famished; and wanted some of Jacob’s bean soup. Jacob replies, “Sell me your birthright.” Esau was so hungry and his birthright seemed of no value at the moment, so he swears to sell his birthright to Jacob for a bowel of bean soup. That was the highest priced bowel of soup; ever sold in the history of mankind.
Genesis 25:29-34 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: (30) And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. (31) And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. (32) And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? (33) And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. (34) Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
We live in a world of instant gratification. It is easy to want something so bad that the actual cost becomes blinded in our mind’s eye and we foolishly buy things that are not worth the price. Esau, for a moment of hunger; fed his appetite without regard for the cost. He has to be history’s best bad example of impulse buying.
Prayer: Almighty Heavenly Father, you have given me a vision of your plan. Don’t ever let me lose sight of it. Never let me fall by the deceptions of this world and the lies of the enemy that would want to steal my crown of life and position in your glorious Kingdom. Protect me from false advertizing and counterfeits. You are the way, the truth and the life. Lead me to what you are blessing, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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