Fathers and sons; parents and children; what I see in this chapter is that important work of passing faith from generation to generation. In the case of Abraham, Isaac, Ismael, Esau, and Jacob this includes the passing on of God’s promise of a savior from generation to generation.
Father Abraham indeed had many sons through his concubines, but knowing that it was Isaac who would receive the inheritance he sent the others away. He gave them gifts, which says that he cared about his children. My understanding of this is that he gave them some starter cash and urged them to go into the world to make it on their own.
When Abraham finally died, two of his sons – the oldest two, who quite likely had the most reason to hate one another – came together to bury him. After all, Ishmael was the oldest and should, by rights, be Abraham’s heir, and Isaac could very easily resent and fear his brother’s presence as an attempt to take his inheritance. However, it seems that Ishmael and Isaac came together in faith and in the hope of the resurrection to properly bury their father. After all Genesis records that both Ishmael and Isaac eventually died and, “were gathered to their people.” That’s another way of saying, they went to heaven when they died since they were both believers in the God’s promise.
We also see that Isaac made a terrible mistake with his sons. Although they were twins, and prophecy had declared the younger the heir, he favored the older . . . and everyone knew it. It is so important for a parent to love all his (or her) children. We have been entrusted with a holy task of giving them a safe place to live, equipping them to go out into the world, and, most importantly, to share God’s Word so that they too can believe. For Isaac that would mean talking about the promise of a savior that would come someday. For us, that means introducing our children to Jesus who died to rescue us from sin and death and has won the victory for us.
It is such a foolish thing when parents decide to not, “Force their religion,” on their child saying, “We’re going to let them decide what they want to be when they grow up.” The reality is that they will decide what they believe when they grow up. We can’t make them believe anything, but we have this this opportunity to share the faith and hope we have with them so that they can believe in Jesus and know Him, so they can experience His love in their lives. Parents must witness to their children about the hope they have in Christ, because if we don’t . . . well, that, too, speaks volumes to them. As children grow up, they will either, by the Spirit’s working, take hold of the faith and follow Jesus, or they will deny it and walk away from Him. Which do you want? Now is your time to witness to your children.
Esau and Jacob both grew up hearing of God’s promises. Esau despised that heritage. He was willing to sell it for a bowl of soup. Jacob wanted the heritage, but for the wrong reasons. He wanted power and control. However, both of these men, when they had really “grown up” would also bury their father in the hope that One would come who would defeat death. We know that was Jacob’s descendant – Jesus who died so we can live. Tell your children about Him, and share your faith with them.
Father, help me to pass on the faith to children, friends, family and enemies for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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