The Passing of Isaac

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise Galatians four twenty eight. Dear Lord, we thank you for reminding us that we, like Isaac, are children of promise, born not of striving, but of your grace. Isaac's story is a testament to your power and faithfulness, a reminder that your word never fails. Help us to live in the freedom of this truth. Teach us to rest in your promises, knowing that our identity is found not in the world, but in you. Strengthen our faith as we wait for your timing to unfold. When doubts arise, remind us that every promise you make is sure and unshakable. Fill our hearts with hope and joy as we walk in your plan. Let our lives reflect the confidence that comes from being your chosen children. May we trust you completely, Lord, believing that what you begin you will always bring to completion. Thank you for making us airs of your eternal promise. Amen, Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Chosen People. Remain here for a dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Share this podcast to spread God's hope and truth. Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to The Chosen People, Remain here for a dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Be sure to follow this podcast so you can stay encouraged each week. 00:01:42 Speaker 2: Previously on The Chosen People, My loved Isaac me, Oh God, bless you and keep you. 00:01:55 Speaker 3: May you walk in His ways all the days of your life, and may you be the blessing to all nations. As God promised to me. 00:02:08 Speaker 4: Isaac, son of my servant Abraham, you have spent a lifetime following your father as he followed me. I come now to bless you, to carry out the promise I made to your father. Through your lifetime, your family's name will be great, and I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. Through your lineage, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 00:02:42 Speaker 2: And so Isaac walked confidently with his God in the peace and prosperity he had been granted in the land promised to his father. 00:02:54 Speaker 5: No, no, no matter the opposition we face, we will wait on our God. 00:03:01 Speaker 2: Jacob leaned forward and kiss'd his father on the head. 00:03:05 Speaker 5: May God give you the doo of heaven, the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. May people and nations bow down to you and serve you. You will be lord over your brothers, and your mother's son will bend a knee to you. 00:03:31 Speaker 2: His world was one of truth and trust. It was a simple world, one of blessings and gratitude. 00:03:39 Speaker 5: No matter what comes, I trust to God most High will provide. He always provides. Sometimes in the final hour, irresponds to our our silent prayers. Have faith, my little dove, just as I have. 00:04:04 Speaker 2: Jacob shifted uncomfortably on his feet. The old wound in his hid pained him terribly if he leaned on it for too long. Despite the ache of his leg, his keen eyes never left the small force approaching on the horizon from the south, his twin brother, Esau. In fact, the injury was a reminder of the last time they met. He had prepared for the worst, but fortunately their showdown ended with Esau embracing Jacob. The two men reduced to tears, reconciliation found at last. Ultimately, they went their separate ways again, but Jacob knew that a similar reunion awaited them today. For the purpose of Esaus, Sir John North from his desert home in sea was the death of their father, Isaac. 00:04:54 Speaker 5: Master Jacob, your brother has arrived. 00:05:00 Speaker 3: Send him directly to our father's tent. He'll want to see him and close his eyes before the bodies prepared for burial. 00:05:09 Speaker 2: It was customary for the eldest to close the parent's eyes upon death. Jacob had stolen so much from Esau already, this at least he could give him. 00:05:20 Speaker 5: Master Jacob, Master Esau brother brother. 00:05:24 Speaker 2: The two Wayward brothers embraced and wept before their father's deathbed. Despite the strife and rivalry that had been between them for the vast majority of their lives, they were united in their grief for their father, their last remaining parent. Their mother had passed before Jacob had even returned to Canaan. Jacob's final words to his mother were in a hurried escape. She had not seen him marry, nor have children, nor build a fortune of his own making, nor become a clan leader in his own right. Jacob had also recently buried her maid Borough, who had been like a grandmother to him. Her death preceded the death of his beloved wife Rachel, and before even that, the death of his beloved son Joseph. Though well over a decade ago, still cast a long shadow over his life. The thought of their losses piled onto the grief of his father's and threatened to consume him. Jacob wordlessly gestured for Esau to step forward and do this final task for their father, to close his unseeing eyes so he could rest at last. When it was done, the two men sat at the foot of his death bed and added their keening to that of the mourners outside their father's tent. Jacob and Esau had waded through hundreds of said mourners on their way to their father's tent. The commotion of the ceremony was a star contrast to the emptiness Jacob felt inside under the weight of all his loss. Their scene of public mourning was a far cry from the private moment Jacob had for his dear Deborah, the woman who nursed and raised his own mother, Rebecca, when Jacob came home to Canaan and was devastated by the news of her loss, Deborah entered his service, less to take care of his children, now mostly grown, and more to bring him comfort. He loved the woman, and he in turn wanted her to be comfortable in her advanced years. She was not a noble woman of his house or even a blood relation, so he knew she would not have a place in their cave tomb at Macpella, but he still wanted to have a place where he could honor her memory and mourn her all the same. Jacob found an oak tree to the south of Bethel, where his caravan had been established. He named the oak Alan Barkout, the Oak of weeping. When he buried her there, that was exactly what he did. He mourned both the women who raised him. At the grave of woe. There was a finality to lose the last of one's parents. Jacob had twelve children of his own, the beginnings of a nation, But it wasn't until now that he truly felt the weight of what it was to steward their God's promise as the leader of their family. Despite the birthright, despite the blessing, despite the dreams, despite the provision and the protection, despite even the renaming from Jacob to Israel, it was not until he watched his father's eyes closed for the last time that he knew it was now up to him to take up his father's mantle of guardian of the promise and their legacy. 00:08:38 Speaker 6: Tell me, brother, I have heard strange tales about you since I saw you last. 00:08:43 Speaker 5: What have you heard? 00:08:45 Speaker 6: People of Kannan now fear you your son sacked a whole town. 00:08:50 Speaker 3: Unfortunately that is true. 00:08:53 Speaker 6: I also hear you have new name. 00:08:57 Speaker 3: Nah Yes, a new name, a new people, the beginnings of a great nation established here in Canaan. 00:09:06 Speaker 6: Ha ha ha. I understand name change. I also have a new name, Edam. 00:09:14 Speaker 3: I suppose that is a strange coincidence. The twins of our great father have in turned father to nations. 00:09:23 Speaker 6: Like our uncles sons of grandfather Abraham. 00:09:28 Speaker 3: You were never one forgiving the promises of our God much weight. 00:09:32 Speaker 6: And you never honor laws of our land. You never honor me. Well, what's past has passed. I have land and family, I have game and wives, I have sons. I do not need a birthright. 00:09:49 Speaker 3: You know. I used to think you are stupid for despising father's birthright. But I feel you knew something I didn't, Brother, till give simply is a gift. The responsibilities of this family legacy take its toll. 00:10:10 Speaker 6: Yes, yes, I am simple man with simple desires. Father's birthright not simple, Far from simple. Distracting. You're irritating speaking of birthrights. I heard your firstborn has lost his Why what happened? Did a younger take it from him? 00:10:31 Speaker 3: Not quite, but yes, I have had my share of strife amongst my sons. 00:10:40 Speaker 2: Esau looked eager for Jacob to share more, but Jacob declined. The simmering anger he felt toward his son's, especially with Reuben, was always just under the surface. They were responsible for the disappearance and presumed death of his favorite son all those years ago, and when his beloved wife, Rachel died in childbirth after finally conceiving again, Reuben committed an unforgivable crime against him. Jacob recalled the betrayal as if it was yesterday, despite the events taking place several years ago. Jacob had returned to his tent to find the bedding of his concubine, Billa in disarray, the woman nowhere to be found. Her absence was surely a sign of her deep shame and disgrace of being defiled by another man. Jacob's fury ignited as he realized only one man could be responsible for such a heenous act, an act of aggression against not only his beloved wife's handmaiden, but also his very seat as a clan leader. For to take a clan leader's wife was tantamount to an act of treason. Jacob could still recall their heated argument when he found Reuben and confronted him for this crime. 00:11:56 Speaker 7: Ititreya defiler, discriminot disrespector you will not even deny what I'm accusing you of. Would you deny your preference for a concubine over your first wife? You would replace her rightful place is your primary wife with a mere servant. 00:12:15 Speaker 6: It's your hate. 00:12:15 Speaker 7: Truth my mother, truly, so plain what we beare this disrespect? Even when the second wife is dead and buried. 00:12:25 Speaker 3: You would mask your own ambition for my seat by claiming the slight of your mother, who will defend her honor when her husband clearly will not. Here you go too far, Oh, don't go far enough. 00:12:37 Speaker 7: You weren't even able to protect your concubine from me. 00:12:41 Speaker 2: If Arkansas take one of your. 00:12:43 Speaker 7: Wives, perhaps you were not fit to lead us? What no response to that? I thought as much? Would you also seek to replace me? Would Rachel's second son with Benjamin? 00:12:59 Speaker 3: Do you think his namesake. 00:13:00 Speaker 8: Is some mystery to the rest of us, son of my right hand, your designs to replace me, your obvious. 00:13:07 Speaker 7: You so clearly favored Rachel. 00:13:09 Speaker 9: And her sons. That's no secret to any of us. Do not speak his name. I can speak it if it's so please. You will not, and you are no son of mine. It was only your watch that we lost one of our own. I hold you responsible for Joseph's death. 00:13:28 Speaker 6: I always have. 00:13:29 Speaker 8: I should have stripped you of your birthright then that I will not make that mistake twice, Reuben, I deny you your birthright. 00:13:40 Speaker 3: What you heard me, your actions have shown me you despise it. Why should I stand in your way? This is your own doing. 00:13:50 Speaker 7: Oh my brothers, Simeon and Leroy, would you pass over them as well? 00:13:56 Speaker 3: Would you discriminate against all your sons? Your favoritism of Rachel and her sons was always so apparent. 00:14:04 Speaker 8: You were upsetting our every order, your mark, of every customs. 00:14:10 Speaker 3: You have reaped what you have sown. I will not change my mind. 00:14:14 Speaker 8: I withhold my blessing from you and your brothers. Your corruption stays all of us. 00:14:21 Speaker 3: I am ashamed of you. 00:14:24 Speaker 2: Jacob's face still flushed in anger at the thought of his firstborn's actions, and though the conflicts of his youth with his brother Esau were buried in behind them, he still felt as resolute as he ever did that the birthright should not go to one who is so easily swayed into despising it. And he knew his father Isaac, despite his love and preference for Esau, agreed the birthright and the blessing remained with Jacob, the second born. Even all these years later, Jacob's thoughts returned to Esau and the present, and the two men prepared themselves for the bar of their father. Jacob and Esau buried their father Isaac, next to their mother Rebecca and their grandparents Abraham and Sarah, in their family tomb in Hebrew. Many shared their fond memories of Isaac and spoke of his kindness and his faith. He had lived a long and full life in the land promised to Abraham by their God. Isaac never saw the land of his ancestors, and lived all his years as an alien in the land of Canaan. But yet their God had prospered and sustained him. The favor in his life was undeniable amongst his family and their neighbors. Long after everyone had gone back to their tents, Jacob stayed by the entrance of the cave tomb at the end of that field his grandfather Abraham had purchased all those years ago in the wake of the death of his grandmother Sarah. Though the memory was a distant from the days of his youth, Jacob could still recall his father Eyesac, remaining in this very place hours after his own father's death to mourn alone. The memory brought a faint smile to his lips. Such a tender memory in the midst of such sadness, Jacob wished he could have brought this beautiful and beloved Rachel here to this place to rest alongside his family. He wished she could have met his mother Rebecca and spent more time with his father in life. Jacob did the best he could do for her. When she died, he buried her with honor and marked the grave so no one would disturb it. He returned there as often as he could, but he also had his beloved son, Benjamin to comfort him. Rachel had given him a beautiful final gift by bearing him a second son, the only one to be born here in the land promised to his forbearers. It was a fitting notion that his last son be born here. The death of Rachel and the birth of Benjamin marked the start of his sons inheriting his family's legacy. For his God had told him that his sons would possess this land. 00:17:09 Speaker 4: Some day, I will give you and your offspring the land on which you are lying. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out towards the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. 00:17:46 Speaker 2: Jacob was indeed back in this land, and he sat at the foot of his father's and grandfather's graves. His God had done all he said he would do, and now there was nothing for Jacob to do sit back and watch the promise unfold. Despite the death around him, he knew that there would be life, and in the life around him, the promise would continue. This prey dot com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People. Narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. 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