Sermons in Genesis
#23 “UN-IDENTICLE TWINS” or
“A GOOD AGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET MARRIED”
Genesis 25:20-25
Intro- This is the story about two brothers; twins in fact. They were born at
the same time, in the same place, had the same parents but were different
as day light and dark! They were anything but identical twins. They are more
like "un-identical twins."
This chapter points out for us their Struggle in the World and then their
Struggle in the World. This struggling is a picture of our struggle with the
flesh against the Spirit. (J. Phillips)
Did you know that there are 4 babies are born each second; There are 247
births each minute; and approximately 133 million babies born each
year? and.(wiki.answers.com)
The heaviest newborn child in modern times was a boy born in Turkey in
1961 that weighed 24 lbs. and 4 oz. The lowest-weight surviving
newborn child was a baby born in England in 1938. It was a little girl that
weighed 10 oz and was 12 inches long.(wiki.answers.com)
The definition of a baby: “A baby is a small member of the home that
makes love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, the bank account smaller,
clothes shabbier, the home happier and the future worth living for."3
Someone has said that there are 6 great days in the life of an individual:
 The first great day is when one is born.
 The second great day is when one is saved.
 The third great day is when one is married.
 The fourth great day is when the first child is born.
 The fifth great day is when the first grandchild is born.
 The sixth and last great day is when one dies.4
At first glance everything seems fine. Isaac and Rebekah have a story book
meeting and wedding I’m sure…then we read of a slight problem. Rebekah
can’t have children! Remember, God had told Abraham that he would
make of him a great nation…so much so that his seed would be more than
the sand of the sea or the stars in the sky! Isn’t it something that
Abraham’s WIFE experienced trouble having babies; and now his
son’s WIFE is in the same boat?
I. THE BARRENNESS OF THE MOTHER
Verse 20… Isaac was 40…a good age for young people to get married!
We read in Genesis 25:21, "And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife,
because she was barren." The Bible mentions several barren women:
Sarah, Rachel, Hannah, Manoah’s wife, and Elizabeth. In our text we see
that we can add Rebekah’s name to the list.
A. THE PROBLEM OF PHYSICAL BARRENNESS
The word “barren” means “sterile.” For whatever reason Rebekah was
unable to have babies. (Is it possible that Abrahm’s servant chose the wrong
bride? OR do you think this is part of GOD’S PLAN in causing Isaac to have
to come close to GOD in prayer for a son?) Knowing Abraham has had a
talk with him that Isaac is to carry on the FAMILY NAME. Do you think there
were days when Isaac said Lord I don’t understand this? Am I Missing
Something GOD?
VS. 21- The Bible says “Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife” that means
Isaac carried his wife to GOD in prayer. Isaac said GOD my wife is having
difficulty conceiving, will you please HELP US!
1- The PAIN in her Barrenness- It has been said there is a pain so very
painful, and that is a woman unable to bare children! My heart has
always gone out to ladies who wanted children but were unable to do so. It
is a natural thing for a woman to want to have a child. It is sad when
because of some physical reason they are unable to do so. But hey look
around you mam, just adopt one of us! I’ve got the best mo &
grandmother back home… but God has given me some honorary
mom’s and honorary grandmothers!
2- The Prayer in her Barrenness- Vs. 21- And Isaac entreated the LORD
for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of
him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. (Sounds like a piece of
cake…look in verse 26 and see how long Isaac prayed before Rebekah
had children…20 more years!)
B. THE PICTURE OF SPIRITUAL BARRENNESSMany times in the Bible physical barrenness is a picture of spiritual
barrenness. As the bride of Christ we are to be a faithful bride and also a
fruitful bride. Our marriage to the Lord Jesus ought to be a relationship that
is fruitful. Everyone of us that are saved ought to be having spiritual
children. Simply, we all should be leading others to faith in Christ.
We read in Romans 7:4, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become
dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to
another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring
forth fruit unto God." Paul uses the analogy of marriage to describe our
relationship to Christ. He also speaks of that relationship as one that should
bring forth fruit unto God. Do you have any spiritual children? Or is your life
spiritually unfruitful and unproductive?
C. THE POSSIBILITY FOR SPIRITUAL BIRTHS- Just as Isaac intreated
the Lord for his wife, we need to pray our Lord will make us fruitful as
Christians. We are commanded to GO and MAKE DISCIPLES. “If you have
really been saved, you want others to be saved as well. BUT remember the
words of our Lord, “without me ye can do nothing”(Jn.15:5).
CHURCHES are BARREN…CHRISTIANS are BARREN… Oh that Christ
would intreat for us that we would bring forth Souls that are Saved from the
fires of HELL.
Listen! The fact of the matter is IF ISAAC had not Intreated or PRAYED
for his wife- SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER Conceived!
1- Look at Her PEDIGREE- She was not born into a Blessed Family like
Isaac. She was born in a Basic Family. Isaac was the well-beloved son of
Abraham. Isaac was the Son of Promise…His pedigree was faultless, hers
was marred.
2- Look at Her PROBLEM- SHE WAS BARREN…had not Abraham
purposed to find a wife for his son… had not his servant came looking for
her…she would have spent her whole life BARREN…. But thanks be unto
God, somebody was praying for her!
3- Look at Her PRIVILEGE- Vs.21- “…and Rebekah his wife conceived.”
May the True and Living GOD grant us that WE see Spiritual Births &
Growth here at A.O.H.
#1- The Barrenness of the MOTHER
II. THE BIRTH OF THE BROTHERS- (Vs. 22-23)
A. THE STRUGGLE IN THE WOMB- Vs.22 “And the children struggled
together within her”
Notice the Bible acknowledged the unborn babies as “children”. They
were not just “fetuses”! God said they’re children!
1- The Struggle led to PAIN
As soon as Mama conceived, she recognized right off…something’s going
on inside. “And the children STRUGGLED”. The word “struggle” means
“war”. To struggle means “to contend with an adversary”.
One commentator said: “the unborn children were dashing against one
another in the womb. Another said: “the children crushed or struck
one another in the womb”. (Thomas Whitelaw-Pulpit Commentary)
Rebekah had TWO NATURES in her now, and those two natures were
at WAR. Before she conceived, there was No Struggle. Now that
there’s new life inside her, she’s experiencing a battle. Sound
Familiar? Before you got saved, you were trucking along just fine. But
after you got saved… someone else moved in…someone that’s
HOLY… and the old flesh does not like it! It’s the struggle between the
flesh & the Spirit.
Romans 7:18-25 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no
good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is
good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I
would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it,
but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good,
evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward
man: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of
my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my
members. 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body
of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the
mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Paul was saying, I face a constant battle with my flesh!
2- The Struggle led to PRAYER- Thank the Lord Rebekah had a Praying
Husband that left a good example of what to do in times of trouble…!
Vs. 22-23 “And she said, If it be so, why am I thus? (What is going on inside
of me?) And she went to enquire of the Lord. 23And 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.
LADIES, can you imagine what Rebekah must have gone through? Sitting
there when all of a sudden it’s like WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment)
breaks out in your stomach?
B. THE STRUGGLE IN THE WORLD- Vs. 24-25
1. NOTICE THE PARTICULARS RECORDED IN THEIR BIRTH“And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold there were
twins in her womb. And the first came out red
a. His COLOR- Red- The name “Adam” means “red”. Suggest his
Adamic nature.
b. His COVERING- “came out red, all over like a hairy garment”he looked like a baby animal. Hair in the scripture speaks of
natural energy.
c. His CALLING- “and they called his name Esau.”
2. NOTICE THE PICTURE REVEALED IN THEIR BIRTH- Vs. 26
“And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s
heel; and his name was Jacob…”
Jacob holding on to the heel of Esau points us to Calvary, where
spiritual struggling was eventually overcome by Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
ARE YOU BARREN?
ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH THE FLESH?
ARE YOU BATTLING OVER SIN?
Do you need to Intreat or Pray to the Lord?