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GENESIS 27
Jacob stole Esau’s blessing at his mother’s behest. -- (DATE: Around 1714 before Christ)
DISCOVER Genesis 27: When Isaac grew old and his death approached, he asked his eldest Esau to go hunt game for him, so he might eat the food he loved so much and then give him the blessing of his firstborn. -- Overhearing this conversation, Rebekah told her preferred son, Jacob, to take from the flocks among the tents two young goats so she can prepare the favorite meal of her husband, that he might bless him instead of his older brother. Uncertain about this, since he was nothing like his brother even if his father’s eyesight had diminished, Rebekah urged him to do as she told him and leave everything to her. She was willing to take the curse on herself should their ploy fail. -- In the end she disguised the smooth skinned Jacob as his hairy skinned brother, using Esau’s clothes and the animal skins of the goats on the hands and neck of Jacob and sent Jacob to his father. -- While Isaac wondered at his son’s quick return, he believed the lies of his second born and took him to be his firstborn, because his eyesight had become dimmed due to old age. -- Isaac then blessed Jacob, promising him from the LORD fruitful fields, heaven’s dew, plenty of wine and grain and that his brothers and their offspring would serve him. Also anyone who would curse him would be cursed and anyone who blessed him would be blessed. -- As soon as Jacob had left his father, Esau returned to the camp, prepared the meal his father had asked for and brought it to him, but Isaac’s blessing had already been given. -- Pleading with his father for anything he might bless him with, Isaac told Esau instead that he would live in unfruitful land, live by the sword and serve his brother; however when he becomes restless he would break free of his brother’s rule over him. -- Enraged by not only losing his right as the firstborn to his younger brother, but now having been deceived of his rightful blessing as his father’s favorite, Esau decided to kill Jacob during the nearing mourning period for their father. But again Rebekah heard of this and told Jacob to live far away from them with her brother Laban until his brother’s anger had died down, hoping not to lose two of her loved ones in such close succession. She also hoped that Jacob would return with a wife from her relatives, because the Hittite wives of Esau made her hate her life, as she confessed to her husband. -- (EXPLANATION: By planning to bless Esau as his firstborn son, Jacob wanted to gloss over the previous sin of Esau, who had sold his right as the firstborn son for a meal of lentil stew. And by tricking her husband, Rebekah wanted to uphold the irrevocable act of Esau having sold his right as the firstborn son to Jacob for a meal. By allowing Rebekah to prevail over her husband Isaac, the LORD took serious the consequences of Esau’s former sin of having sold the LORD’s making of having him be the firstborn of Isaac and caring instead for his bodily needs by preferring a meal of lentil stew over his being the firstborn by God’s providence.)
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the power of blessings. Thank you that you fulfilled the blessing of Isaac on his son Jacob in the course of history. It is difficult for us to understand, why you allowed the deceit of Rebekah and Jacob against Isaac and Esau to prevail, but we trust you that in your divine wisdom you acted in righteousness in spite of these crooked machinations. We today benefit from this blessing of Isaac on Jacob, because in and through Jacob’s descendant Jesus Christ you gave us foreign people access to heavenly blessings beyond our imagination. Help us not to despise your deeds in our lives for our fleshly cravings, but remain faithful to what you have done in our lives. Also do not let us curse Jacob for his deceit, but accept your blessing on him as a sinner, even as we sinners are blessed by faith in your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
QUESTION 27: How did Jacob sin against his father Jacob and his brother Esau? Why did the LORD allow this to happen?