Different Twins

By Pastor Don Elmore

The last time I preached here, I talked about the genealogy of Judah:

Judah

By wife – Bathshua daughter of Shuah (Canannite)

1. Er – Killed by our God
2. Onan – Killed by our God
3. Shelah – Married an Canaanite woman

By Tamar – the grandaughter of Shem

1. Pharez
2. Zerah

Approximately 27,000 errors are present in our Bibles.

One example: Deuteronomy 23:7

“Thou shall not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother:  thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.”—KJV

From this verse it would appear that we should welcome all Edomites into our congregation with open arms and with no questions asked, and that we are somehow guilty of some dire contemptible sin from even thinking an evil thought against them. I ask you:Is this not the impression which seized upon you when you read this passage for the first time? Remember the guilty, dirty, condemning feeling which came over you for even giving the Edomites the slightest hint of disparaging thought, that somehow God might suddenly kill you in your very tracks for even blinking your eye? If this h as been your reaction when reading this passage in the past, forget it, for that is not what this verse is saying – not even remotely.

Strong’s: #130 Edomite or descendant from (or inhabitant of) Edom – Edomite. See 726

#726 A clerical error for 130; an Edomite (as in the margin): -- Syrian

So, if the proper rendering was “Syrian” instead of “Edomite”, it would make all the difference in the world: “Thou shalt not abhor a Syrian; for he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.”

Syrians were Abraham’s relatives

2 Kings 16:6: At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.” -- KJV

Modern Language Bible, The New Berkeley Version in Modern English: “At that time Rezin king of Syria regained Elath for Edom, clearing the House of Judah completely out of Elath. So the Edomites came back to Elath and lived there to this day.”

2 Chronicles 20:2 “Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, there cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side of Syria and behold they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.” -- KJV

Revised Standard Version: “Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and behold they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is, En-gendi).”

You can see very readily, from the translation on each of these three verses, how great an error can come from a slight change in Hebrew letters. If we are truly interested in Bible history, these passages can really be confusing if we didn’t know someone had made an error and how the text should really read. Now we know something that is absolutely not true about Esau-Edom. If Yahweh says that He hates Esau, and all of his progeny, we being kinsman to Him, have the same right. As a matter of fact, to hold back this hatred and keep it within us, can and will make us mentally and physically ill.

Genesis 36 lists fourteen Dukes of Edom. All of the fourteen Dukes can be traced back to three of the women Esau took for his wives: Adah (Hittite)—1son— Eliphaz (married Timna the Hivite = Amalek) + 6 grandsons; Aholibamah (Hivite) – 3 sons; Bashemath –4 sons of daughter of Ishmael

Before Esau and his brother Jacob were ever born, there was a war going on between them in their mother’s (Rebekah’s) womb. Before their birth GOD had informed their mother that the older should serve the younger (Gen. 25:23), and that two national groups would be separated from her inward parts. Rebekah, knowing this, never deviated from this goal. At the critical necessary points in their son’s lives, she was always there doing what she knew to be the will of Almighty GOD even though it didn’t conform to the normal protocol of her day. Before their conception, for Rebekah had remained childless for about nineteen years, Isaac entreated GOD, and she became pregnant. Let by peculiar feelings to inquire of GOD, Rebekah was informed that she should give birth to twins whose destiny would be as diverse as their character, and what was in those days even stranger still, that the elder should serve the younger.

Esau was the firstborn, thus the eldest of the twin brothers; sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob was his twin. His father, Isaac being the son of Abraham, and Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, and also, sister to Laban the Syrian. [Remember, Syrians are our brothers.]

We have no account of the early life of Esau beyond an incident or two connected with his birth, approximately 1980 BC. As he grew up, his natural tendencies and inbred characteristics began to surface. In the process of time, the different natural endowments of the two boys began to display their effects in dissimilar aptitudes and pursuits. Quite unlike his brother Jacob who was led by his less robust makeup and quiet disposition to fulfill the duties of a shepherd’s life and occupy his time in and around his tent, Esau became a skillful and adventurous hunter, man of the field, a thorough son of the desert, a wild man who was worldly minded and materialistic, only being concerned about his immediate desires and needs..

The first born of Isaac and Rebekah, and the twin brother of Jacob, Esau became the forefathers of the Edomites. He was given the name Esau because of his unusual “red” appearance at birth, but got the name Edom (meaning “red”) from the red lentil stew for which he sold his birthright. The color “red”, the descendants of Esau were destined to carry thorough time immemorial. The color red has followed Esau right down to the Communism of this very day. There is more to be said about the color red; red star of Communism; the flag of Communist China, the symbol of Macy’s Department Store, etc.

In a hunter’s life there is much uncertainty as well as hardship; many days pass in which the greatest and most strenuous exertions are required to stalk the game. Hunters in the days of Esau had little in the way of the equipment known to us today. Much more expertise was required in order to get close enough to get off a deadly shot with their primitive bows and arrows.

When they were 15 years old, Abraham died (175 years old). After his death, Esau went hunting. Nimrod (215 years) was jealous of Esau. Nimrod was hunting in the same place that Esau was hunting. Nimrod had many mighty men with him but they were a distance from him. He had two body guards with him; when Esau surprised them and cut off Nimrod’s head. He had a deadly fight with his two body guards who he also murdered, but not after they had screamed. After hearing their scream, the mighty men came running. They found the 3 dead bodies and then came after Esau.

Esau had also taken the valuable garments of Nimrod [Garments of skin which God had made for Adam and Eve – Enoch – Methuselah – Noah –Ham stole them from Noah his father, and he took them and hid them from his brothers – Cush his firstborn was given them in secret who also concealed them from his sons and brothers – Nimrod was given them because of the love his father had for him and when he was 20 yrs. old he put them on – Esau stole them from Nimrod].

Esau took those garments and ran into the city on account of Nimrod’s men, and he came unto his father’s house wearied and exhausted from the fight, and he was ready to die through grief when he approached his brother Jacob and sat before him.

What is the significance of the garments that he stole? Where are they today?

And he said unto his brother Jacob, behold I shall die this day, and wherefore then do I want the Birthright? And Jacob acted wisely with Esau in this matter, and Esau sold his birthright to Jacob. Esau also sold to Jacob his portion of the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham had bought from the children of Heth for a possession of a burial ground.

What is the importance of this selling of the birthright?

When they (the twins) were 18 yrs. old, Jacob was sent to the home of SHEM (son of Noah) AND EBER (son of Shem) and he learned the instructions of the LORD and Jacob remained in the house of SHEM and EBER for 32 years; (50 yrs. old). This causes us to remember how his grandfather, Abraham, stayed at Noah's and Shem's house for 39 years in the past.

At the time SHEM died (600 years old) then Jacob returned to his father’s house in Hebron. When Jacob was 56 years old, people came and told of the blessing received by Rebekah brother, Laban, who was told that Laban’s wife, Adinah, had given birth to two TWIN girls; the elder: Leah; the younger: Rachel.

Esau hunted in the fields. When he was forty, after hunting for over a year in the land of Seir, he found and took for a wife a daughter of a Hittite. He took her to his father’s house in Hebron. When they were fifty, Jacob also returned to his father’s house in Hebron. So, the entire family was living there: Esau and his first wife, Jacob, Isaac and Rebekah. After Jacob lived there for 6 years, he was 56 years old; people came and told them of the blessing received by Rebekah’s brother, Laban, who was told that Laban’s wife, Adinah, had given birth to TWINS.

Isaac was over 123 yrs. old and was blind. He instructed Esau to get his hunting weapons and to go get him some venison—and then he would bless him. Rebekah overhears him and instructs his twin brother Jacob to get a couple of kids from the goats and bring them to her and she would fix his father the savory meat that he requested of Esau; so he could bless him instead.

Isaac blessed Jacob, but he thought he was blessing Esau. After the blessing, Esau came in with his meat and took it to his father. Jacob was confused and he asked Esau, “Who did I bless?” Esau knew it was his brother—Jacob.

Jacob was very much afraid of his brother Esau, so he fled to the house of EBER, the son of SHEM, where he lived for 14 years—till he was 77 years old. Esau grieved exceedingly and was also vexed at his father and mother; so he left their house and went back to the land of Seir and dwelt there. While there, he saw another woman, a Hivite, who he took to be his second wife. He called her name Adah. After six months, he returned to his father’s house in Hebron.

The two wives of Esau vexed Isaac and Rebekah. They worshipped their own gods and lived their lives according to how they served their gods. Isaac and Rebekah were grieved and Rebekah then made the statement: “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good then is life unto me.”

What is the importance of Rebekah’s statement today?

When the twins were 64 years old, Ishmael died (137 years old).

When Esau was 65 years old he had his first child by his wife Adah—a boy by the name of Eliphaz.

After 14 years, Jacob desired to see his father and mother again and he came to their house in Hebron. Esau still remembered what Jacob had done to him the two times (bought the birthright and deceived to get the blessing). Esau reasoned that since his father was close to death, he would wait until after his father passed away and then he would slay his twin brother Jacob.

This was told to Rebekah and she informed Jacob to leave the house and go to her brother’s in Syria; and stay there until the anger of his brother had lessened. Isaac called unto Jacob and said unto him, Take not a wife from the daughters of Canaan, for thus did our father Abraham command us according to the word of the Lord which he had commanded him, saying, unto thy seed will I give this land; if thy children keep my COVENANT that I have made with thee, then will I also perform to thy children that which I have spoken unto thee and I will not forsake them. And Isaac gave to Jacob many gifts which included silver and gold. He was 77 years old when he went to Syria to find a good wife.

Esau then quickly put into affect a new plan. He sent his 13 year old son, Eliphaz who took with him his 10 Canaanite uncles to go and kill Jacob in the mountains. They catch up with Jacob and he stops to see what they want. They approach with swords and Jacob knows that they plan on killing him. He then says to the men, Take all that was given me by my father and do not kill me. The LORD gave to Jacob the favor of Eliphaz and his men and they take all the gifts and the silver and gold that was given Jacob by his father and return to Esau. Esau was mad at what Eliphaz failed to do, but he put the silver and gold by his house.

Have you ever stopped and considered that if Eliphaz had carried out his father's desire and killed Jacob, would any of us who are descended from Jacob be alive?

Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and had commanded him, saying, thou shalt not take a wife from amongst the daughters of Canaan, and that the daughters of Canaan were bad in the sight of Isaac and Rebekah. Then he went to the house of Ishmael his uncle, and in addition to his other wives he took Ishmael’s daughter for his third wife.

After the incident with Eliphaz, Jacob had a meeting with the God of his fathers; Abraham and Isaac. God committed the covenant that he had made with Abraham and Isaac to him. It was a nightly vision—a dream outside the city of Bethel.

Jacob traveled to Syria and met Rachel who was also a shepherdess. He was embarrassed that he had nothing to give to Laban as a gift because he had been robbed. But Jacob served seven years for his wife – Rachel, but was tricked and was given Leah as his wife. He was also given her handmaid, Zilpah. He was told that that was the custom in the land—that the older had to be given before the younger in marriage. So, he served seven more years and received Rachel as his wife, and her handmaid, Bilhah. God saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah so he closed up her womb for 19 years.

In the third year Jacob was in Haran, Esau got a second wife who gave birth to a son named Reuel. In the fifth year, his first wife died: she had given birth to only daughters; Marzith and Puith. In the sixth year, Esau took another wife and she bore him 3 sons: Yeush, Yaalan and Korah. Esau got into a fight with the Canaanites over the land and Esau moved to Seir.

Does this message have any importance in our lives today?

Every person who has been chairman of the Federal Reserve System since its founding in 1913 has been Jewish.

Who is chairman of the Federal Reserve? Ben Shalom Bernanke

Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve? Donald L. Kohn

Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve? Randall S. Kroszner

Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve? Frederic S. Mishkin

Advisor to Board of Governors. Former chairman? Alan Greeshpan

Who is Secretary of the Treasury? Timothy Geirthner

Who is the Economic Czar? Larry Summers

Who is regulatory Czar? Cass Sunstein

Who is Pay Czar? Kenneth Feinberg

Guantanamo/Military Jails Czar? Daniel Fried

Car Czar? Steven Rattner

Border Czar? Alan Bersin

Climate Czar? Todd Stern

Global Warming Czar—Carol Browner

On and on it goes.  The Jews are only about 3% of our population but what kind of jobs do they have?  How many are pro football, basketball, or baseball players?  College football, basketball or baseball players?  Not many. 

But how many are physicians, educators, bankers, financial institution members and politicians; Supreme Court members, Senators, House of Representatives.... very many. 

Esau sold his birthright and lost his blessing; his descendants want it back.  They are the enemy of the Christian.