Sermon # 26 - The True Blessings Of God Series

Let’s take a quick look at the background to these verses. Isaac and Rebekah are blessed with twin sons; the older one is Esau and the younger one Jacob. Isaac was very old, his eye sight was really dim, and he was aware that his day of death was drawing near. Isaac wished to bless his elder son Esau before he passed away. If we observe the words mentioned in these verses, we understand that though Isaac desired to bless his son, the real source of the blessing originated from God Himself.

Esau the older son was a wild man, a hunter who loved the outdoor life, and probably never stayed at home much. His brother Jacob on the other hand, was the homely type who never ventured out much, but was content to stay indoors. Isaac longed to bless his elder son, Esau, whom he favored, and in order to do that he expected him to hunt some game, cook a delicious meal, which Isaac could relish before he blessed Esau. As Isaac spoke to Esau, his mother Rebekah overheard the conversation. Rebekah favored Jacob over Esau as he stayed home all the time, and most probably was a big help around the house.

We might have noticed this of our children too. While one may be the extrovert who always wants to go out, the other may be quite the introvert, who prefers to stay home the whole time. Many parents take lightly the rebellion and indiscipline of their children, hoping they will get better with time. If we desire to do good for our children, then disciplining them is the best way we can show them that we truly love them, and care for them.

Sometimes like Isaac and Rebekah, when parents play favoritism among their children, it will most certainly end up with several issues in the future. Our children should grow up knowing that both Dad and Mom love them equally and without partiality. When parents favor one child over the other, showing disparity in various ways, unknowingly they become instruments in instilling ill feelings among children, which later shows up in various ways and remain as permanent scars in their lives. If God has blessed us with two children, we must treat them like we would our two eyes, showing no differentiation whatsoever.

When Rebekah knew that Isaac planned to bless Esau, she knew instantly that these blessings were not from Isaac, but were blessings that commenced from God. In Genesis 27:4, Isaac said, bring me the delicious food so that ‘my soul may bless you before I die’. Isaac’s body would relish the food, but the blessings would come from his soul as they proceeded from God Himself.

If we wish to see the connection between the body and soul we must look at Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and (LORD GOD) breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Though God created man from the dust of the ground, man became a living soul only because the Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. That is why Isaac desired food for his body, but planned to bless from his soul. No wonder David said in Psalm 103:1, ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul.’ Our worship of God therefore, must also not be merely from our lips, but from the very depths of our soul.