Have you ever heard this statement?
Every family is dysfunctional! Do you really know any family who is perfect? Because we all have a tendency to sin, no matter who we are, we are going to have family problems. Today we will read about problems in Isaac’s family. Let us note that this was God’s Chosen Family, but there was grief, Isaac was bedridden and dying, there was faction, there was envy and hate, there was weeping, there was a plan for murder, and eventually, family separation!
As you are read Genesis 27, list the reasons for the problems in Isaac’s family. Also, think about one single reason for all the problems of the family.
Let me summarize the “soap opera” story of Isaac’s family.
Isaac had the promise of God to bless him and his family. Isaac’s family was God’s Chosen People! And so, because, Isaac thought he was dying, he called his favorite son Esau. Isaac asked for food before blessing Esau.
Mother Rebekah overheard Isaac’s plan and so she called her favorite son Jacob and asked Jacob to pretend he is Esau so that he would get the blessing instead.
Rebekah and Jacob schemed together to fool Isaac.
Isaac actually had doubts about the person asking for the blessing but he was fooled. Esau finds out that he lost the blessing and pleads for a blessing anyway. Isaac predicted hardship for Esau but also predicted reconciliation.
Esau was so angry, he decided to kill Jacob.
Rebekah tells Jacob, whom she loved, to leave home.
Here are the problems I noted in Isaac’s family:
Isaac and Rebekah continued with their favoritisms!
Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob. Rebekah loved Jacob more than Esau! Both Isaac and Rebekah made bad decisions because of their favoritisms.
Rebekah eavesdropped for selfish reasons!
Rebekah could have left alone what she heard OR she could have talked to Isaac about it, couldn’t she? This is another problem in the family isn’t it?
There was a lack of communications! (especially between husband and wife)
No one called sin, sin!
Rebekah actually encouraged her son to sin!
Jacob did not rebuke her mom about the sin.
Jacob agreed with the sin and acted on it.
We note in v13, Rebekah was willing to receive the penalty for sinning!
In v20, Jacob lied about God!
Isaac had an uneasy feeling but did not pursue it!
Why do you think Esau got so emotional when he couldn’t get the blessing and plotted to kill his brother??
Esau was greedy. There was greed which caused deep emotional strain!
What other problems did you note??
There were many problems in Isaac’s family. But there’s a common denominator to all these problems.
What would you say is the main problem??
Besides Isaac, we don’t read anyone else considering God do we? And yes, we can note Isaac citing God as witness to his blessing of his son; but we don’t read Isaac seeking counsel from God! This is the main problem of this family. No one in the family sought God’s counsel!
We don’t read Isaac praying about his planned blessing to Esau. Isaac didn’t take time to seek God’s counsel when he had doubts about the person coming to him for blessing. We don’t read Isaac seeking counsel from God when he found out that he mistakenly gave the blessing to Jacob!
How about Isaac’s wife Rebekah? We don’t read any hint of Rebekah asking God for any guidance. Rebekah didn’t like what she heard from her husband. What do you think she should have done??
Rebekah should have talked to her husband and talked to God about her concerns!
Rebekah didn’t even think about God at all in this story!
What about Esau and Jacob? No where in this story do we see either man consulting with God!
In this story from Genesis 27, because they did not consult with God:
Isaac depended on his feelings and appetite!
Rebekah also depended on her feelings and her own wisdom!
Jacob followed an ungodly person! Yes Jacob obeyed his mother, but God never tells anyone to obey in sinning!
Jacob lied! He even lied about God!
Esau’s greed led to hate!
What about us today? If disaster can happen to God’s Chosen Family, it can happen to any family, whether Christian or not! Problems will definitely happen in our families. But, can we prevent family disasters?
The answer to preventing disasters in the family is to always seek God’s counsel. Of course if the family does not believe in Jesus Christ, they are really not listening to God’s counsel and disaster is not far behind! Problems (with a capital P) always await Non-Christian homes.
If you are not a believer of Jesus Christ, you are part of the formula for troubles in the home. If you have never accepted the forgiveness of sins through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, do it today. God’s counsel to every living person is to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and God. Believe in Christ and start being part of the solution to troubled homes.
Now, just because we are Christians doesn’t mean we will not lead our families to problems.
Two guys met at church. One guy was complaining about his family problems. The new guy said, "You think you have family problems? Listen to my situation."
"A few years ago, I met a young widow with a grown-up daughter. We got married and got myself a stepdaughter. Later, my father married my stepdaughter. That made my stepdaughter, my step-mother. And my father became my stepson. Also, my wife became mother-in-law of her father-in-law".
"Much later the daughter of my wife, my stepmother, had a son. This boy was my half-brother because he was my father’s son. But he was also the son of my wife’s daughter which made him my wife’s grand-son. That made me the grand-father of my half-brother."
"This was nothing until my wife and I had a Baby. Now the half-sister of my son, my stepmother, is also the Grandmother. This makes my father, the brother-in-law of my child, whose stepsister is my father’s wife, I am my stepmother’s brother-in-law, my wife is her own child’s aunt, my son is my father’s nephew and I am my OWN GRANDFATHER!"
"And you think you have FAMILY PROBLEMS!!!"
I hope that never happens to any of you!
All joking aside, how can we prevent major problems in our families? We need to listen to the counsel from Jesus Christ. Please open your Bibles to Revelation 3. Read along with me verses 14b – 20…….
God knows all our deeds and our attitudes!
The counsel of Jesus Christ to His followers is to be rich in Christ, to put on Christ, see as Jesus sees, and to bring Christ in our lives, especially in our homes!
We should not be like Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau, who played games with God!
Instead of playing games with your life and family, as Christians, commit to F-L-Y!
Fellowship, Learn, and Yield!
Fellowship with Jesus and enjoy His richness!
Learn about Christ and see things as He would.
Yield your feelings, appetites, and wisdom to Jesus!
And remember what fellowship means? Fellowship is like 2 fellows in a ship. Each one of us has a ship; it is called life on earth. Is Jesus in your ship, wherever you go? And with Jesus Christ, you and I can fly this ship of life!
