The Inheritance
Isaac Abramson inherited the family business from his father. Like his father, he planned on leaving the business to his son. When his wife delivered twins, they named the first born Esau and the second Jacob.
The boys grew up in the business. They weren’t going to be given the reigns of leadership without coming to a full understanding of the business.
Esau was relentless and ruthless in business. He conquered every position, making it his job, taking on responsibilities, making decisions and moved up the chain of command until he was the Plant Manager, second only to his father, the President and CEO.
Jacob did what he was told and did it well. He lacked the killer instincts of his brother and was slow in advancement. While Esau would spend twelve or more hours, seven days a week at the factory, Jacob went home after his eight hour shift and spent time with the family.
Jacob visited his father often and they did things together. He would take time off work to go golfing and fishing with his father. He loved to go shopping with his mother, he even learned to cook.
Sometimes when Esau came home late at night, he would find Jacob and their father in the den, sipping wine by the fire. His father would beckon him to join them. When he did, all he could talk about was work and how things were going at the plant. If Jacob and their father discussed other things, Esau soon bored and excused himself.
When Jacob’s children came along he made sure they spent time with their grandfather. As time went by, Esau stopped coming into the den. Tired and bored, he saw the children of his brother as nothing but a nuisance and a bother. He didn’t give his children much more of his time than he did his brother’s. What little time they got to spend with grandfather was at the insistence of Esau’s wife.
When it came time for Isaac to retire and turn over the reigns of command, he called his two sons into the study.
"Esau, you are the elder son and you have been very successful in running the plant. You have been the best Plant Manager this company has ever had." Isaac began. "I pray you will stay on and continue to run the plant, but I am leaving the plant to Jacob. Jacob, you are now President and CEO."
Tears welled up in the eyes of Esau for the first time in his life. "Why father, why?" Esau pleaded. "Jacob is lazy and easily distracted. He’ll ruin this company. He doesn’t deserve to be our leader."
"While you were busy learning the business," Isaac explained, "Jacob was learning to be like me."
Esau raised his fist and started for his brother, "You brown nosing weasel."
Isaac caught him by the arm and spun him around to face him. "No Esau. You’ve got it all wrong. You think it’s all about the business. You’ve been out to prove yourself all these years, not once taking the time to stop and find out the truth."
Esau collapsed in a chair as his father went on. "You think it’s about profit margin and growth, market share and acquisitions. Well it’s not. It’s about the people who have entrusted us with their lives. They believe in me and who I am. They know that I care as much about their lives as I do yours and your brothers. I won’t break that trust by leaving the company in the hands of someone who doesn’t love them the same way I do."
1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. NIVFor many today, religion has become about building bigger and better, having a voice in the political arena, exercising power by force of intellect and will. The Pharisees had all that in Jesus’ time of ministry.
Matthew 23 NASBPhylacteries is one of those words that you have to look up to understand, if you are not of the Jewish tradition. Here is what Easton’s Bible Dictionary says about Phylacteries.
Phylacteries: ( Gr. phulakteria; i.e., "defences" or "protections"), called by modern Jews tephillin ( i.e., "prayers") are mentioned only in Mat 23:5. They consisted of strips of parchment on which were inscribed these four texts: ( 1.) Exd 13:1-10; ( 2.) 11-16; ( 3.) Deu 6:4-9; ( 4.) 11:18-21, and which were enclosed in a square leather case, on one side of which was inscribed the Hebrew letter shin, to which the rabbis attached some significance. This case was fastened by certain straps to the forehead just between the eyes. The "making broad the phylacteries" refers to the enlarging of the case so as to make it conspicuous.
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Lexicon for Strong's Number 5271 |
Go to Gen 1:1 |
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5271 hupokrinomai {hoop-ok-rin'-om-ahee} |
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The reason I went to the root word for hypocrite is to point to the first definition of hupokrinomai. The usual answer to hypocrisy is to pretend you are someone you are not, as in 2a or 3 above.
1) to take up another's statements in reference to what one has decided for one's self
The implication is so much deeper here. As Esau did in my story about the brothers, his success was predicated on learning the business and following all the rules and deciding for himself what was right. While it accomplished everything he set out to do, be successful, gain position and authority, it didn’t do anything to change his heart.
We can sit around and read the bible and follow the rules and gain the benefits that come from obedience. There is no doubt that it will enrich your life. What good does it do you if in the process you fail to inherit the Kingdom of God?
It is not an intellectual pursuit. It is a relationship. It is about conforming you into the image of the Son through a change of heart. It doesn’t happen overnight. It is done bit by bit. Like any relationship, it has to be nurtured. The only way to really get to know someone’s heat is to spend time with them.
This line came to mind this morning as I write. "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." It is a heart issue. Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
I end this message with Psalm 27.