Monday, June 12, 2017

Wrestling in the Womb

June 11th, 2017      “Wrestling in the Womb”    Rev. Heather Jepsen
Summer Sermon Series: Wrestling with Jacob
Genesis 25:19-34
          This morning we embark on our new summer sermon series, “Wrestling with Jacob”.  The narrative of Jacob and his family weaves throughout the middle of the book of Genesis and I have found it to be one of the most intriguing and entertaining stories in our sacred text.  What is so wonderful about the Jacob story is how it seamlessly weaves together humanity’s brokenness alongside the blessings of God.  Much like the stories of David that we studied last summer, Jacob is hardly one we would consider an upright, morally sound, individual.  And yet it is precisely through this trickster of a character that the blessings of God come to the people of Israel.  Jacob is a person that believers must figuratively wrestle with, and he does plenty of literal wrestling himself, hence our series title “Wrestling with Jacob.”
          Our story begins as all good Bible stories do, with a perfect lineage.  The writers of the scripture want to remind us just where this family is situated historically.  Abraham of course, is the father of the Jewish people and their particular faith tradition.  It is with him that God made covenant to select and bless a chosen people.  Abraham has two sons, Ishmael, born of his concubine Hagar, and Isaac born of his wife Sarah.  Isaac is the beloved child of promise and most of you will recall the biblical narrative where Abraham nearly kills him because he believes that to be the will of God.  (Already we are getting a sense of the interesting family dynamics here!)  Isaac is 40 when he marries Rebekah, who is also of good stock coming from the Aramean tribe, close relatives to Abraham and his people.
          The stage therefore is set, for a perfect and noble birth.  But as usual, best laid plans often amount to nothing.  Like many a modern couple, Isaac and Rebekah are relegated to waiting and trying and still have nothing to show for their efforts.  This is hardly the way to give birth to a promised nation, and so finally Isaac turns to the Lord in prayer, asking for a blessing on behalf of his seemingly barren wife.  God answers the prayer, and after 20 years of trying, Rebekah finally conceives.
          It soon becomes clear that this is not a normal pregnancy.  Rebekah is pregnant with twins and the two children wrestle inside the womb.  The Hebrew verb used for “struggle” in verse 22 could also be rendered as “crush”.  The two children are literally trying to crush one another inside her body.  Any woman who has been pregnant, can easily understand Rebekah’s fear and frustration at this nightmare scenario.  What pain and discomfort this must have caused her!  I can hardly imagine trying to get through the day with that going on, let alone trying to sleep at night!
          Rebekah now turns to the Lord in prayer with a question that would surely be on any of our lips “Why is this happening?!?”  Rebekah is offered an oracle in answer to her prayers of frustration and fear.  God makes it clear that there are two nations, two distinct tribes of people, at war within her womb.  The twins she bears will be divided, one against the other.  One of them will be stronger than the other.  And in a reverse of common fortune and cultural tradition, the elder will be a servant to the younger.  Though I am certain Rebekah was pleased to receive an answer from God, I imagine that it offered her little comfort.  No one wants to give birth to children who will always be against each other.  And no woman wants two nations, at war, wrestling with each other, inside her very body.
          Finally the time comes for the children to be born.  In what I imagine was a painful, frightening, and uncomfortable process for Rebekah, the children wrestle their way right out of her womb.  Esau is born first and the author tells us he came out red, his body like a hairy mantle.  This is confusing for modern readers, as many of us start asking if Rebekah has given birth to some sort of Sasquatch.  What we are missing here is all the Hebrew play on words.  Esau will become the Father of the Edomite tribe.  The word for “red” is a play on the word for Edom the name of the tribe.  The word for “hairy” is a play on the word Seir which is the region of the Middle East where the tribe is located.  Esau may very well have been born red, (many babies are red right when they are born) and he may very well have had a bunch of red hair, but he probably wasn’t some sort of hairy monster baby.  The writer just wants to connect Esau strongly with the Edomite tribe.
          Jacob is born second, hanging onto Esau’s foot, his heel.  The image given is that the children are fighting their way out of the womb.  It is a fight over who will be first, who will inherit the rights of the first born.  Esau wins the birth order, but Jacob didn’t give up without a fight.  Jacob’s name of course is also a play on words.  Jacob’s name means “he grasps the heel”.  It also can mean “he deceives.”  In our modern use of language one might say they named him “Heel” because he was a “heel”.  As we will find out, Jacob can be a bit of a jerk, and he was certainly jerking Esau around on his way out of the womb.       
          As the twins grow up the difference between them is plain to see.  Esau is a man’s man who enjoys being outside tracking and hunting animals.  Jacob is the quiet one, who enjoys spending time at home in the tent.   What would be taboo today is hardly given a second glance as the author makes clear that each parent has their favorite son.  Isaac loves Esau since he loves to eat meat.  I imagine that Esau was the stronger one, the bigger one, the man’s man and that is why Isaac is drawn to him.  Surely this is the child through which God’s blessing will pass.  Rebekah loves Jacob.  I imagine she loves him because he is the one staying at home with her; he is her helper around the house.  He is the youngest, he is the smallest, and he is her baby, a real momma’s boy.  Already we are getting a sense of the un-healthy family dynamics in this royal household.
          The relationship between the grown brothers is evident in the next narrative the author offers.  Jacob is back home making lunch while Esau is out working in the field.  Esau is hungry and asks Jacob to share his meal.  Sensing an opportunity, Jacob offers Esau a trade: lunch for a birthright.  Of course, we can all see that this is a bad deal for Esau.  The right of the first born son is the right to double the inheritance amount.  Only a fool would trade that away for the momentary satisfaction of some lentil soup.  And yet that is exactly what Esau does, he swears away his birthright to Jacob, eats his stew and bread, and goes on his way.
          The Biblical narrative offers nothing in way of commentary on this troubling family scene.  As modern readers we are offended by the actions of both of these brothers.  How could Esau trade away his fate, and as the author suggests, “despise” his birthright?  How could Jacob be so cruel and greedy, as to trick his brother out of such a precious and valuable thing, just because the guy was hungry?  Our moral barometers are left reeling.  “How can this be?” we cry, “Where is God in this story?”
          But of course, like with any good Biblical narrative, we don’t get any answer to that question.  At least not any satisfactory answer.  The only sign of God we have in the story so far is the miracle pregnancy and the offering of the oracle “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.”  “Is this how that comes about?” we ask ourselves.  Does God’s promise really come to life through the questionable actions of Jacob? 
          Found out more next week as our sermon series continues . . .   

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