Re: Jacob: Was Evolution & Identity of the ID designer

From: Robert Schneider (rjschn39@bellsouth.net)
Date: Tue Dec 03 2002 - 20:17:07 EST

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    See my comment on the "recent post," below, after Howard's comment.

    Bob Schneider

    > Excerpt from a recent post:
    >
    > > Jacob is not simply regarded as a good con artist. Jacob stole his
    birthright
    > > from his older brother through cunning and his brother's failure to
    value it.
    > > Jacob is not condemned by the Lord. In fact the Lord has already
    predicted
    > > that the older will serve the younger. Isaac himself is agitated over
    Jacob's
    > > trickery but does not reassign the birthright to Esau. That suggests to
    me
    > > that cunning is favored in God's eyes.
    >
    > Here's another hypothesis to consider: Human nature -- especially as it
    is
    > expressed within a zealous religious community -- is inclined toward
    making
    > unwarranted and boastful claims of divine approval (or divine instruction)
    > for its own lust for power and control.
    >
    > When we saw that in the 9/11 episode, we were repulsed. Should we be any
    > less repulsed when we see it incorporated in canonical text?
    >
    > Howard Van Till
    >
    Bob:
    And further, it is not clear that "In fact the Lord has already predicted
    that the older will serve the younger." The Hebrew of the oracle (Gen.
    27:40) is ambiguous (as ancient oracles often are): it can read either,
    "the older shall serve the younger" or "the older, the younger shall serve."
    And when did Esau in fact serve Jacob? Even if one thinks that the Lord did
    not condemn Jacob, it is certainly clear from his tragic and unhappy story
    that Jacob paid plenty for his trickery, which suggests to me that cunning
    is not favored in God's eyes. Isaac could not reassign the birthright,
    because once the blessing was given it could not be retracted. If you read
    carefully the episode of Jacob's return and meeting with Esau, Jacob
    repeatedly addresses Esau as "my lord" and himself as "your servant;" and he
    bestows upon Esau his blessing (Gen. 33:1-17). The oracle is fullfilled in
    unexpected ways.

    Unfortunately, there is a widespread tendency to read these stories in
    Genesis superficially and not give close attention to the complexities and
    nuances of the narratives.

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