Sometimes we are blessed, not because we deserve it, but because God has a greater purpose than our sins. A native American once said that European settlers did not deserve the land they stole, but they brought an even more valuable gift, the Gospel. Can God use people who must repent of lies and theft to spread the Good News? Let’s look at Genesis 27.
Not only had Esau sold his birthright, he was also going to have his blessing stolen.
Eventually, Isaac grew so old that he could not see. One day, he called his eldest son Esau. “My son,” he called out to him. “Look how old I am! I could die any day now, so go find your weapons, take your bow and arrows, go outside, and hunt some game for me. Then prepare some food, just the way I like it, and bring it to me so that I can eat and bless you before I die.” (Genesis 27:1-4 ISV)
What was Rebekah’s plot? Did she need to lie and steal for God’s prophecy about Jacob to be fulfilled, or does this reveal a lack of trust in God?
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. (Genesis 27:5-10 KJV)
How did Jacob contribute to his mother’s plot? Did he wear a disguise?
But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will touch me, then I will be like a deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get the goats for me.” So he went and got them, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made a delicious meal such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. And she put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. She also gave the delicious meal and the bread which she had made to her son Jacob. (Genesis 27:11-17 NASB)
Did Jacob go above and beyond the deception of a disguise, and also lie to his father?
He went to his father and said, “My father.” “Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.” Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” “The Lord your God gave me success,” he replied. (Genesis 27:18-20 NIV)
Did Jacob’s disguised hands deceive his father? Did Isaac therefore bless him?
Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” (Genesis 27:21-24 NKJV)
Did Jacob also deceive his father with the smell of his clothes?
Then Isaac said, “Now, my son, bring me the wild game. Let me eat it, and then I will give you my blessing.” So Jacob took the food to his father, and Isaac ate it. He also drank the wine that Jacob served him. Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come a little closer and kiss me, my son.” So Jacob went over and kissed him. And when Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he was finally convinced, and he blessed his son. He said, “Ah! The smell of my son is like the smell of the outdoors, which the Lord has blessed! (Genesis 27:25-27 NLT)
How did Isaac bless Jacob? Was this a prophecy?
God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.” (Genesis 27:28-29 WEB)
Could this have been reversed because it was obtained under false pretenses? Did Isaac realize that he was trying to reverse a prophecy God had earlier made, and that despite the sin of Jacob, God’s purposes will stand?
After Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and just as Jacob left his father Isaac, his brother Esau came back from his hunt. He too made some delicious food, brought it to his father, and said, “Let my father sit up and eat from his son’s game so that you may bless me.” His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I’m your son, your oldest son, Esau.” Isaac was so shocked that he trembled violently. He said, “Who was the hunter just here with game? He brought me food, and I ate all of it before you came. I blessed him, and he will stay blessed!” (Genesis 27:30-33 CEB)
Did Isaac realize that he could not reverse the blessing, despite the sinful deception of Jacob, because it was fulfilling an earlier prophecy from God?
Esau cried out in great distress, “Father, give me a blessing too!” Isaac answered, “Your brother tricked me and stole your blessing.” Esau replied, “My brother deserves the name Jacob, because he has already cheated me twice. The first time he cheated me out of my rights as the first-born son, and now he has cheated me out of my blessing.” Then Esau asked his father, “Don't you have any blessing left for me?” “My son,” Isaac answered, “I have made Jacob the ruler over you and your brothers, and all of you will be his servants. I have also promised him all the grain and grapes that he needs. There's nothing left that I can do for you.” (Genesis 27:34-37 CEV)
Did Isaac have another blessing to give? What did he prophesy for Esau?
“Father,” Esau asked, “don't you have more than one blessing? You can surely give me a blessing too!” Then Esau started crying again. So his father said: “Your home will be far from that fertile land, where dew comes down from the heavens. You will live by the power of your sword and be your brother's slave. But when you decide to be free, you will break loose.” (Genesis 27:38-40 CEV)
Did Esau want to kill Jacob? Did Jacob flee? Have we witnessed similar sibling rivalry in our day and age?
Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran and stay with him a while, until your brother's fury turns away— until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?” (Genesis 27:41-45 ESV)
Was there something else bothering Rebekah? Had Esau married pagan Hittite wives?
So Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m sick of my life because of these Hittite women. If Jacob marries a Hittite woman like one of them, what good is my life?” (Genesis 27:46 HCSB)
Sometimes we are blessed, not because we deserve it, but because God has a greater purpose than our sins. European settlers in various places did not deserve the land they stole, but they brought an even more valuable gift, the Gospel. Can God use people who still must repent of lies and theft to spread the Good News? You decide!
