Genesis 48:8 -22

We know our rights. We want what is rightfully ours. This is not just an American thing. This is a human thing. It is within our nature. We naturally want everything we can rightfully get. I am not talking about stealing, or grabbing what is not ours. I am talking about what the law allows. In the time, and culture of the patriarchs human nature was the same as it is today. The rules and customs of that day said that the eldest son received a double inheritance. It was his right. It was his due. There is no historical record of anyone breaking this custom for arbitrarily reasons. The story of the Israelites is the lone exception.

Ishmael was older than Isaac was. Isaac receives the blessing from Abraham. Esau was older than Jacob was. Jacob received the blessing from Isaac. Jacob’s three oldest sons had forfeited their birthright by sinful behavior. Reuben had slept with his father’s concubine. Simon and Levi were guilty of using their faith as a means of slaughtering an entire village. By custom, Judah was now in line for the double inheritance. Joseph received the double inheritance when Jacob gave each of his two sons an equal portion with the other original brothers. Manasseh was older than Ephraim. Jacob gave Ephraim the double blessing.

Abraham Isaac and Jacob did not do this on their own initiative. They were following the instructions of God. God was not showing favoritism. God does not love younger brothers more than he loves older brothers. God is providing a living object lesson. Four times in a row, he has illustrated that inheriting your father’s blessing is not a right. Fathers do not owe their sons an inheritance. God wants the Israelites to know that an inheritance from their earthly father is a gift, not a right. The same is true of our heavenly inheritance. We do not receive salvation because it is our right. Salvation is a gift from God. We receive it because he loves us.