Four Kinds of People

Messiah mentioned four kinds of soil in a parable.  Judaism teaches that Torah explains there are four kinds of people.  I've always seen Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Esau as very good examples of the four kinds of people, but today I'm going to "retire" Abraham from the line-up and include Ishmael, as his presence continues to be influential even today.  

In addressing an Isaac type individual, he really doesn't get the Bible coverage that Abraham and Jacob received, but he was the son of promise.  Isaac is a prototype of the servant who knows he was created with a purpose and for a plan.  He was born to be a blessing, be blessed, and in all that, not really be the main "attraction."  We read many times over in Scripture about the G-d of Abraham, or the G-d of Israel [Jacob], but never do we read about the G-d of Isaac.  Isaac is sometimes mentioned between Abraham and Jacob, but never singly.  Yet it was Isaac who was the child of promise, and through whom the whole world would be blessed.

Jacob was a wheeler dealers in his younger days.  Many in ministry today seem to fit his pre-Israel days.  There are many who are trying to obtain blessings by their own devices, and more than willing to take advantage of someone who is not necessarily eternity minded.  The "send money to me for your increase" ministries often bring to mind the of Jacob's offer of instant gratification at the cost of his birth rite.  We also know there was a great deal of deception in Jacob's effort to obtain his father's blessing, and little conscience in cheating his brother.  Clearly YHWH forgave him and brought him out of that 'by hook or by crook" dealings, but Jacob's method of operation in the early years were that of deception and he was quite the opportunist.  Perhaps some of these modern ministries will have their time of being face to face with G-d and be grafted into Israel.

Esau was the embodiment of what we now term instant gratification.  As the oldest, he felt entitled, while gratitude wasn't really a part of his mindset.  He wanted what he wanted immediately.  Not unlike a great portion of the American population.  Our country has operated with an attitude of, "I'll take this now, and worry about the consequences later, since the Depression of the 1930's.  That attitude has only spiraled downward since.  The cost is irrelevant, how it will be paid for is irrelevant, and even who will pay for it is irrelevant, as long as "I have it now!"

Realizing Ishmael is credited with being the father of Islam, I'm obviously telling this from the perspective of the house of Israel.  In Genesis 21 we read that Ishmael was mocking Isaac.  While all eyes are on Islam as the enemy, it could be the secular mockery and rebellion are being underestimated.  This past week, was a debated celebration of what it determined right, by one's own ideas.  Our Creator may well call that rebellion, then presumptuously add His Son to the reason of the event and He may see that as mockery as well.

When it comes to people, the first recorded book of the Bible, certainly indicates, there is in fact, "no thing new under the sun."