VERY DIFFERENT TWINS - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

by Linda Sue Pochodzay Edwards

"Come on . . . just this once . . . I need
somebody to throw the ball so I can practice hitting it.
Please come outside and play with me." Zach begged his
brother, to no avail.

Zeke was curled up on the big overstuffed
chair with a book in his hand. "You always interrupt me
right in the middle of the good part!" Zeke complained.

Their older sister, Ann, came into the room
when she heard the two boys squabbling. "It's all right
Zach," she said. "I'll go outside and pitch a few balls for
you."

"I just don't understand Zeke," Zach
complained to Ann as he picked up his bat. "I just don't
know why he has to stay inside reading those dumb books all
the time. He just doesn't know how to have fun is all I can
say."

"Well, Zach doesn't think those books are so
dumb, and he's the one making the good grades in this
family." Ann replied. "You two boys are so different, it's
hard for me to believe that you are twins, and I've lived
with you all your life!"

"I know." Zach said. "Sometimes I even have
a hard time believing it myself. Somebody at assembly said we
are a lot like Jacob and Esau! . . . Hey! Let's quit
talking. Pitch that ball!"

Ann picked up the ball and threw a perfect
pitch. Zach gave it a good whack with the bat and sent it
sailing over Ann's head and beyond second base. Ann went
running after the ball while Zach made his way around all
the bases and onto home plate.

Meanwhile, Zeke was still curled up with his
book anxiously awaiting the discovery of the hidden
treasure.

* * *

Isaac dearly loved his wife Rebekah and
provided very well for her. He had inherited everything
that belonged to his father Abraham, and he was a very
wealthy man. There wasn't anything he wouldn't give her,
and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Isaac and
Rebekah lived very happily together, except for one thing .
. .

Rebekah was sad because she didn't have any
children. Every time one of her friends had a new baby,
Rebekah would be glad for her friend, but inside, her heart
ached. "Why, oh why, can't I have a child?" She wondered.
"If only I had a child . . . I would love him so much and
would never let anything bad happen to him."

Her loving husband Isaac, saw her sadness.
He would put his arms around Rebekah and try to comfort
her. "You know I will give you anything you could ever
want," he said to her. "I don't know why we can't have a
family like the rest of our friends, but I will pray for
you." After he was sure Rebekah was feeling a little bit
better, Isaac would go to his special place to pray.

"Lord, Please comfort my wife
Rebekah. Help her to feel better and take her sadness away.
You know how badly Rebekah and I want children. You
promised to bless us and make us a blessing. You promised
my father Abraham that he would have many grandchildren.
How can that be if Rebekah and I don't have any children?"

Months and years went by, but nothing
changed. Isaac kept praying to the Lord and trusting him to
keep his promise. He kept praying that Rebekah would be
happy. He kept praying that they would have children.
Sometimes it seemed that Yahweh just wasn't going to answer
his prayers, but Isaac never gave up. For twenty long years
Isaac continued to love Yahweh and pray to him.

Rebekah started feeling sick and was in much
pain. She went to her special place to pray. She cried out
to Yahweh. "Why is this happening? Why am I so sick and
in so much pain? What's happening to me?"

Yahweh had compassion on Rebekah and spoke
directly to her. "You are going to have twins. Even though
they are twins, they are going to be totally opposite of
each other. They won't look alike, they won't talk alike,
and they won't like the same things. There will be a
struggle between them and that struggle has already
started. One will be stronger than the other, and the
younger one will rule over the older one."

"Isaac! ISAAC! Come quick! I have great
news!" Rebekah shouted.

Isaac could tell from the sound of her voice
that it was something extremely important and came running
as quickly as he could. "What? What is it?" He asked as
soon as he could catch his breath.

"Isaac! OH, ISAAC! We are going to have
children!" She was so excited she could barely get the
words to come out of her mouth. "Yahweh has finally heard and
answered our prayers. We are not going to have just one
baby! We are going to have two ! OH, Isaac! I can hardly
believe it!"

As they reached out and hugged one another,
big tears of joy streaked down both of their faces. They
thanked Yahweh that even though they were quite old, they were
finally going to be parents. Yahweh had heard the cry of their
hearts and was going to bless them with two little baby
boys.

Rebekah didn't remember ever being so happy.
Her face was radiant as she went about her daily chores and
made special preparations for her tiny new babies. Even
though she was in a great deal of pain, nothing could take
away her joy about finally being able to be a mother.

The joyous day finally arrived. The first
baby boy that was born was reddish in color and had a lot
of hair all over his body. Isaac and Rebekah named him
Esau. The second baby boy was a light skinned and gentle in
nature. As soon as he was born, he reached out and grabbed
his brother's heal. His parents named him Jacob.

As the boys began to grow, the parents
noticed great differences in the two children just as Yahweh
had told Rebekah. Esau was a rough and tumbly little guy.
He loved to be outdoors. He liked getting dirty, climbing
rocks, and hiking. When he grew older he became a fantastic
hunter. Isaac loved Esau's rambunctious ways, and enjoyed
the wonderful meat he would bring home from his hunting
trips. Esau was definitely his father's favorite child.

Jacob was totally different. Jacob was a
quieter little boy who liked to stay around home. He
enjoyed cooking and knew how to make a most delicious stew
out of the vegetables he grew. Even though he stayed around
home, he grew to be very strong and did an excellent job
taking care of the farm animals. Rebekah could always count
on Jacob to help her anytime she needed him. He never
ventured too far away. Although she loved both of her
children, Jacob was definitely Rebekah's favorite child.

* * *

THINK!

Why was Rebekah sad?
How long did Isaac wait for his prayer to be
answered?
What did Yahweh tell Rebekah?
What were the names of the two babies?
How were the twins different?

REMEMBER:

Yahweh answered Isaac and Rebekah's prayers
and he will answer yours too.

A VERSE TO LEARN

"And Isaac intreated Yahweh for his wife ..."
(Genesis 25:21a).

LET'S PRAY

****************************************************
Dear Yahweh, thank You for all the good things
You have sent our way. Help us to remember
to pray and know that You will answer our
prayers. In Yah'shua's Name. Amen.

****************************************************

CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?

Genesis 25:20-28

You can view this Bible story in full color with pictures and resources
to go along with the story at
http://www.childrenschapel.org/biblestories/jacob1.html

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