Jacob Tricks Isaac In To Blessing Him
May 7, 2024
Commentary
In today’s passage, all participants were at fault:
1. Isaac knew that it was God’s plan for the elder Esau to serve the younger Jacob, but he chose to ignore it. Esau was his favorite son and he intended to give him his blessing.
2. Jacob had already tricked Esau by taking his birthright and now he wanted the blessing. He tricked his blind father by impersonating his brother.
3. Rebekah showed favoritism toward Jacob and stopped Esau from receiving the blessing.
Some of the results of this trickery are:
1. Rebekah never saw her son again.
2. Jacob’s brother wanted to kill him.
3. The family became torn by strife.
4. Esau became the founder of an enemy nation.
5. Jacob was exiled from his family for years.
However, despite all of that, God’s will was achieved. Jacob received the blessing. It’s amazing how God chooses to act through sinful people like us. This is also a picture of grace. Jacob did not receive the blessing because he was the better brother. Both Jacob and Esau had their faults. But God chose Jacob. We will see Jacob grappling with that reality in the chapters going forward.
Application
I need to be very careful about favoritism in my family. This example of Isaac and Rebecca showing favoritism with their two sons shows what it will do to a family.
Genesis 27:18– 33 (NET)
18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” 20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world did you find it so quickly, my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” he replied. 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you, my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.” 22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob. 24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob replied. 25 Isaac said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son. Then I will bless you.” So Jacob brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27 So Jacob went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent of his clothing, he blessed him, saying, “Yes, my son smells like the scent of an open field which the Lord has blessed.
28 May God give you the dew of the sky and the richness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.
29 May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. You will be lord over your brothers, and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. 31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau said to him, “My father, get up and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.” 32 His father Isaac asked, “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,” he replied, “Esau!” 33 Isaac began to shake violently and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him. He will indeed be blessed!”
Illustration: A Blind Begger Went to Watch The Movies on His Day Off
A pitiable creature, with dark glasses and his little tin cup was standing on the street corner, patiently waiting for some small contribution. A man passed by and generously dropped a dime in the poor old fellow’s cup. Then for some reason he turned around, and to his surprise saw the blind man’s glasses pushed up on his forehead, and his eager eyes closely examining the recent gift. “I thought you were a blind man,” said the disgruntled donor. “Oh, no,” was the answer, “I am only substituting for the regular blind man today. I’m not really blind at all.” “Where is the regular blind man?” asked the other. “Oh, he’s gone to the movies; it’s his afternoon off.” (Encyclopedia of Illustrations).