Jacob Series

June 18, 2022

Every story has a beginning – today we find ourselves in Genesis 25.

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. 20 years later, after much prayer, Rebekah was finally “with children”. My Jewish Bible gives us an early insight of things to come:

“The children fought with each other inside her so much that she said, ‘If it’s going to be like this, why go on living?” So, she went and inquired of Adonai.”

• Genesis 25:23-26 - The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." 24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

These boys could not have been more different.

• Esau was a man’s man. He was rugged and outdoorsy, “a skillful hunter, a man of the open country” – He was daddy’s favorite - Isaac loved him best.

• Jacob, on the other hand, was a quiet, stay-at-home type, who preferred to look after the sheep – He was mamma’s favorite – Rebekah loved him best.

So, we have Esau, the hairy hunter, Jacob the manipulative home body and blatant favoritism ……. This can only end well!!

Jacob finally began to live up to his name, “heel grabber”, when one day, Esau came into camp, “starving” after a long day of hunting:

• Genesis 25:30-34 - He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So, he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So, Esau despised his birthright.

Jacob was a manipulator, no doubt, but by selling his birthright, Esau showed how little he valued it = one bowl of soup.

When Esau was 40 yrs. old, he married 2 Hittite women – this was a source of much grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

37 years went by ---- Isaac was now 137 years old. He was blind and thinking he was about to die, decided the time had come to bestow the birthright blessing – on Esau.

Isaac knew what God had told Rebekah, that the younger would rule over the older, but he loved Esau more, so he sent Esau out – on the QT – to bring home the birthright meal – intending to go around the express will of God.

Rebekah overheard and put her own plan into action {Genesis 27:6-30} – Cook up a good meal and conceal Jacob’s identity, thereby, “helping” God by making sure the prophecy would come true.

Jacob, for his part, did as his mother instructed – actively participating in the great deception – stealing what rightfully belonged to his brother.

He deceived his father 4 times:

• By dressing as Esau

• By claiming to be Esau

• By concealing his identity with goat hair

• By confirming that he was, indeed, Esau when Isaac asked him point blank, “Are you really Esau?”.

Well, it worked. Isaac was completely deceived and bestowed the birthright blessing on Jacob.

What did Esau get? Nothing…. Bupkis…. Zippo…. Nada.

• Genesis 27:34-37 - When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me too, my father!" 35 But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing." 36 Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?" 37 Isaac answered Esau, "I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?"

The Result

Esau hated Jacob and planned to kill him.

Jacob ran away “to find a wife from among his mother’s people” and would not return for 20 years – he would not see his beloved mother again.

In those 20 years Jacob – the manipulator and deceiver – would, himself, be deceived, manipulated and taken advantage of.