Parasha
Tol'dot
Genesis 25:19-28:9
By:
Dani'el Rendelman
There
are people in the Bible
you should want to be like.
Believers should desire
to imitate the life of Messiah,
Moshe, Ezra, and others.
Yet there are also people
in the Bible you should
not want to model.
The actions of Jezebel,
Judas, and Pharaoh just
aren’t becoming. Their
past is remembered as evil
and even the mention of
their names brings to mind
the evil behavior that characterized
their lives. Just
think, how many people do
you know that named their
daughter Jezebel?
Probably none, simply because
of the wickedness associated
with that name of that person.
The
Bible adds another name
to this list of evildoers
– the name of Esau or in
Hebrew Esav. “See
that no one is godless like
Esav, who in exchange for
a single meal gave up his
rights as the first born,”
Hebrews 12:15-17.
Esav was the twin brother
of Ya’acov (Jacob) and the
firstborn son of Yitz’chak
(Isaac). Though his
lineage is noteworthy, his
acts and lifestyle is less
than pleasing to the casual
observer. According
to the scriptures, Esav
grew as a boy to become
a hunter and received the
favor of his father.
Ya’acov his brother grew
as a boy to live and dwell
in tents and received the
favor of his mother.
To dwell in tents means
that Ya’acov spent his life
inside learning. But
it was Esav, not Ya’acov
that was first born and
was slated and destined
to follow in his father’s
footsteps and inherit the
promises of Avraham.
A
not so far trade
In
this week’s reading, the
scriptures recount a story
of Esav selling his blessing
of birthright and position
as the first born for a
simple bowl of soup.
“Once when Ya’acov was cooking
some stew, Esav came in
from the open country, famished.
He said to Ya’acov, “Quick,
let me have some of that
red stew! I’m famished!”
Ya’acov replied, “First
sell me your birthright.”
Esav said, “Look, I am about
to die. What good
is the birthright to me?”
But Ya’acov said, “Swear
to me first.” So he swore
an oath to him, selling
his birthright to Ya’acov.
Then Ya’acov gave Esav some
bread and some lentil stew.
He ate and drank, and then
got up and left. Esav
despised his birthright,”
Beresheet 25:29-34.
Why did Esav do this?
Why was this exchange so
important and tragic?
Did Esav trade his preeminence
just because he was hungry
or was there a deeper issue?
What is so bad about this
event that because of this
the scriptures say that
Esav was “godless” and not
worthy of following?
To
answer these questions one
must first understand the
cultural and Biblical significance
of the birthright of the
firstborn. The birthright
of the firstborn is a central
theme and part of the Israelite
lifestyle and lifecycle.
The
firstborn son of a Hebrew
father is given special
rights and is highly valued
as the heir to the family
and head of the household
when the father is absent.
The firstborn or “bikhor”
in Hebrew would receive
double the inheritance of
the other sons when the
father passed. “The
father must acknowledge
the firstborn by giving
him a double share of all
he has. That son is the
first sign of his father’s
strength. The right of the
firstborn belongs to him,”
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 21:17.
The
“mishpat bikhor” or “right
of the firstborn” is to
serve as a priest for the
entire family and act as
the family ruler.
This first child is to be
dedicated to Yahweh and
the firstborn of every womb
is Yahweh’s possession.
“Yahweh said to Moses, “Consecrate
to me every firstborn male.
The first offspring of every
womb among the Israelites
belongs to me, whether man
or animal,” Shemot (Exodus)
13:2. The bikhor is
Yahweh’s special and unique
treasure that is destined
to serve as priest and minister
unto Yahweh Adonai.
The
bikhor is to be redeemed,
or bought back, in a service
called the “pidyon ha’ben”
meaning the “redemption
of the firstborn.”
This Biblical custom is
found in Shemot (Exodus)
13:11-15. Just after
the last plague, which was
the death of the firstborn
of Mitzrayim, the Creator
called the firstborn from
each family to serve as
priests until Yahweh’s plan
called for the Levites to
take up this position.
The bikhor were still dedicated
to Yahweh through a service
of sacrifice and prayer,
the pidyon ha’ben.
Yahshua the Messiah went
through this pidyon ha’ben
in Luke 2:22-40 and was
set apart as the bikhor
of his family. After
this service the bikhor
were free to serve Yahweh
through their family rather
than be raised by the priesthood
and work as a priest for
life. To put it plainly,
the firstborn is Yahweh’s
and is to be dedicated to
service to Yahweh.
This is either full time
service as a Cohen or priest
or full time service as
the leader of a family that
serves Yahweh.
Esav
despised the birthright
The
problem with Esav is that
according to the Torah he
“despised his birthright.”
He evidently did not want
the inheritance and the
power and responsibility
that comes with being the
son of Yitz’chak and the
grandson of the patriarch
Avraham. Hebrews 12:25-17
tells believers that Esav
was “godless” and therefore
would not be the rightful
heir to the promise of the
faith. Clearly Avraham’s
blessing of dominion, multiplication,
and place in Yahweh’s plan
was to be passed on to his
son. It would in turn
be passed along to Esav
but it was not.
One
might casually look at the
story of Ya’acov and Esav
trading the birthright and
think that Ya’acov was being
overly deceptive and took
advantage of a famished
man. But this is simply
not the case. Esav
did not sell his birthright
simply because he was hungry.
“Esav sold his birthright,
his mishpat bikhor, because
he had not concept of its
meaning,” said one Rabbi.
Again, Esav despised his
position and inheritance.
This word for “despised”
is “bazah” and from Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance and
Dictionary this word literally
means, “ a primitive root;
to disesteem:—despise,
disdain, contemn (-ptible),
+ think to scorn, vile person.”
Don’t
be like Esav
Believers
are to not be like Esav.
The temptation is present
and the trade looks pleasing
but we must be careful not
to follow Esav’s example.
We must not despise our
birthright, our destiny
and inheritance as Isra’el.
*
“Yahweh says, ‘Isra’el is
my firstborn,’” Shemot (Exodus)
4:22.
*
“If you belong to Messiah
you are a seed of Avraham
and heirs according to the
promise,” Galatians 3:29.
*
“I am Israel’s father, and
Ephraim is my firstborn
son,” Yermi’yahu (Jeremiah)
31:9
As
a physical descendant of
Avinu Avraham you are Isra’el.
As a believer in Messiah
you are Isra’el. Don’t
be mistaken and don’t be
talked out of it, you are
Isra’el. You are Yahweh’s
firstborn bikhor and you
are Yahweh’s special possession
destined to inherit family
leadership, serve as ruler,
and minister as a priest.
“For you are a people set
apart for Yahweh as kadosh
(holy) for Yahweh your Elohim.
Yahweh your Elohim has chosen
you from out of all the
peoples on the face of the
earth to be His Own unique
possession,” Devarim (Deuteronomy)
7:6. (For more on
your identity as Israel
go to Rabbi Koniuchowsky’s
breakthrough teachings at
http://yourarmstoisrael.org/Articles_new/restoration/?page==home
)
Time
to clean house
We
must not loose interest
in the privilege of being
Yahweh’s bikhor and we must
not fall into the sin of
Esav who despised his birthright.
Esav did not esteem the
honor of being the ha’ben
Elohim. What about
you? The sin of despising
the birthright can manifest
in many ways. Just
think about these few areas…Do
you ever think that Yahweh’s
Torah is too hard to follow
or too big of a burden?
Do you have any ant-Semitism
hidden inside of you?
Have you accepted Israel
as your identity?
Have you dealt with the
false teaching that says
the church has replaced
Israel? Do you live
out your heritage and culture
of Israel or are you scared
of what others may think
or say about you?
Do you ever feel that something
the Bible commands you to
do is simply “too Jewish?”
Is your lifestyle more like
the world around you are
is your life patterned after
the Bible and it’s holy
days and way of life?
As
Isra’el you have been called
to be in the family of faith.
The name Isra’el itself
simply means, “one who reigns
and rules with El.”
You have been given a special
double portion inheritance
from the Father through
Messiah Yahshua. What
is the double portion?
“I have come that you might
have life, and life more
abundantly,” Yahshua said
in Yochannan 10:10.
The Father’s legacy life
today – way of living that
has significance and meaning.
His legacy is also life
in the hereafter – with
Him in the realm of the
Spirit. This is possible
through the Messiah, the
firstborn of the dead and
the firstborn resurrection.
“Yahshua HaMoshiach, is
the faithful witness, the
firstborn from the dead,
and the ruler of the kings
of the earth,” Revelation
1:5.
The
redemption of the firstborn
Yahshua
is the firstborn of the
firstborn – the head of
the family. Because
of His love and life we
have been made into the
“ekklesia of the firstborn”
or “family/congregation
of the firstborn.”
It is Yahshua’s family,
His congregation, “For those
Elohim foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed
to the likeness of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers. And
those he predestined, he
also called; those he called,
he also justified; those
he justified, he also glorified,”
Romans 8:29-30.
Yahweh
sees Israel as His bikhor,
and all firstborn are in
need of redemption.
Israel is in need of someone
to pay the price, to buy
Israel back, and to make
a sacrifice. To meet
this need the Father sent
forth His bikhor Yahshua.
Yahshua is the redeemer
and the sacrifice.
The Encyclopedia Judaica
says, “Owing to his favored
status, the firstborn was
considered was considered
the most desirable sacrifice
to a deity where human sacrifice
was practiced.” Yahshua
was the sacrifice that the
Father used to redeem the
firstborn Israel.
This sacrifice of death
brought life and established
Yahshua as the firstborn
of the resurrection, “He
is the image of the invisible
Elohim, the firstborn over
all creation,” Colossians
1:15.
“For
Yahweh so loved the world
that He sent His firstborn
and only son. That
whosoever believes in Him
would not perish but have
everlasting life,” Yochannan
3:16.
Yahshua
is someone believers should
imitate. Esav is not.
“See that no one is godless
like Esav, who in exchange
for a single meal gave up
his rights as the first
born,” Hebrews 12:15-17.
Don’t fall into
Esav’s sin. Don’t
despise your portion as
Isra’el. Don’t despise
your heritage and culture.
Don’t negate the position
of responsibility that comes
with being Yahweh’s bikhor.
Don’t trade your birthright
for a lousy bowl of soup!
*for
all things Biblical go to
www.emetministries.com
