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Esau's Birthright

Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." Gen 25;21-23

As the boys grow older, Jacob manipulates his brother & his father to get the rights of his brother Esau. When Rebekah was pregnant, the Lord had prophesied that the older would serve the younger. My question is: Would this prophesy have been fulfilled even if Jacob had not manipulated Esau? Was the prophecy made because the Lord knew what would happen or was this His will in the first place?

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 11, 2015 at 12:06pm

It's confusing for me to try to separate it -- do people do what God has already decided would happen because God has decided everything that would happen or do people do what God has already decided would happen in certain things instead of in everything?

If the latter is true, then the Jacob/Esau situation could be the same kind of situation as is mentioned in Acts 4, where people did what God, in His wisdom and power, had already decided they would do. But, I think it just means God already knew what their choices and actions would be and decided not to intervene and change any of it but to let it happen while working all of it together in His plan.

From Acts 4:
As soon as Peter and John had been set free, they went back and told the others everything the chief priests and the leaders had said to them. When the rest of the Lord's followers heard this, they prayed together and said: Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. And by the Holy Spirit you spoke to our ancestor David. He was your servant, and you told him to say: “Why are all the Gentiles so furious? Why do people make foolish plans? The kings of earth prepare for war, and the rulers join together against the Lord and his Messiah.” Here in Jerusalem, Herod and Pontius Pilate got together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Then they turned against your holy Servant Jesus, your chosen Messiah. They did what you in your power and wisdom had already decided would happen. Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant Jesus. After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God's message. ( Acts 4 : 23-31 CEVUS06)

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on March 11, 2015 at 3:12pm

Thanks Amanda. I, too, believe this is probably more of the case as well because I don't believe the Lord would have chosen Jacob to be manipulative but He foreknew it. I guess like Jesus knew Peter would deny Him & Judas would betray Him. He prophesied it before it happened.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 11, 2015 at 3:59pm

A poor analogy is the mother who knows her defiant child so well that when the child disobeys in some way, expecting his mom to be alarmed and shocked and to yell and scold and say "stop" or "don't" but instead she chooses to withhold giving attention to the bad behavior, having already decided, or having predetermined, that the disobedience would happen based on the child's defiant character, oppositional personality, and so forth.

The sovereignty of God and our being able to choose is a good topic, though perplexing.

Esau's Birthright

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