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NOT MY BLESSING TOO

Genesis 27

Victor M. Eskew

 

I.          The Title of Genesis 27

 

A.   Jacob Deceives Isaac to Get Esau’s Blessing

B.   A Blessing Taken through Deceit

C.   Not My Blessing Too

D.   Hast Thou But One Blessing, My Father (Gen. 27:38)

 

II.        Key Verse of Genesis 27:  Genesis 27:35

 

And he (Isaac) said, Thy brother (Jacob) came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy (Esau’s) blessing.

 

Why this verse?   All that happens in this chapter centers upon this one action.  The main characters are included, along with the deception involved.

 

III.      Outline of Genesis 27

 

i.             THE DECEPTION (Gen. 27:1-40)

ii.            THE DISGUST (Gen. 27:41-46)

 

IV.       Lessons from Genesis 27

 

A.   With old age comes various difficulties (Gen. 27:1)

 

And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see…

 

1.     Moses was a “unique” old man (Duet. 34:7).

2.    Most elderly people deal with one or more of the following:  heart conditions, dementia, including Alzheimer’s, depression, incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, breathing problems, frequent falls, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and eye problems.

 

B.   Even in old age, a child should be respectful to his/her parents (Gen. 27:1b).

 

…he called Esau his oldest son, and said unto him, My son:  and he said unto him, Behold, here I am.

 

1.     This respect is shown in words and deeds.

2.    It may involve caring for one’s parents in old age (Matt. 15:1-9; I Tim. 5:4, 8).

 

But if any widow have children or nephew, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents:  for that is good and acceptable before God…But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

 

C.   Isaac expresses a fact about all the living:  I know not the day of my death (Gen. 27:2).

 

D.   The “blessing” a father pronounced upon his children involved something relative to the future of the child.  The blessing pertained to him and him alone.  It could be something good, or, it might involve something evil (Gen. 27:4).

 

…that my soul may bless thee before I die.

 

E.   Others are often hearers of the conversations we have with others (Gen. 27:3).

 

And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son…

 

F.    Rebekah devised a plan that involved Jacob’s stealing of Esau’s blessing (Gen. 27:6-10).

 

…And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

 

                        Question:  Why would Rebekah want to do this to her eldest son?

1.     Rebekah may have feared that Jacob would die without blessing Isaac (Gen. 27:10).

2.    Rebekah was very close to Isaac (Gen. 26: 28).

3.     Rebekah knew that Isaac had Esau’s birthright.  Thus, she reasoned he should have the blessing of the firstborn also (Gen. 26:33-34).

4.    Rebekah was not pleased with Esau’s choice of wives and thought he did not deserve the blessing his father would give him (Gen. 26:34-35).

 

G.   Deception of others can come with a high price tag if the deception is found out (Gen. 26:12).

 

My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

 

H.   There are times when individuals go to great lengths in order to deceive others (Gen. 27:13-17).

1.     Killed two kids of the goats

2.    The making of savory meat

3.     Esau’s raiment put on Jacob

4.    Skins of the goats put on Jacob’s hands and neck

 

I.     Look at all of the deception performed upon Isaac by Jacob.

1.     I am Esau thy firstborn (Gen. 27:19)

2.    I have done according as thou biddest me (Gen. 27:19).

3.     Because the Lord thy God brought it to me (Gen. 27:20).

4.    Because his hands were hairy (Gen. 27:23).

5.    Art thou my very son Esau?  And he said, I am (Gen. 27:24).

6.    He smelled the smell of his raiment…See the smell of my son is the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed (Gen. 27:27).

 

J.    Isaac had one indication that Jacob was lying to him (Gen. 27:22).

 

And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and felt, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but then hands are the hands of Esau.

 

If there were any doubts in Isaac’s mind, he could have called both sons into his presence.

 

K.   The blessing given to Jacob (Gen. 27:28-29)

 

Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fullness of the earth and plenty of corn and wine:  let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee:  be lord over thy brother, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee:  cursed be every one that curse thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

 

L.   The results of one deception can be extremely disastrous, hurting many, and lasting for years (Gen. 27:31-43).

1.     Emotional hurts (Gen. 27:33)

a.    Isaac (Gen. 27:33)

 

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who?

 

b.    Esau (Gen. 27:34, 38)

 

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry…And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

 

2.    Jacob got for himself a name (Gen. 27:36a).

 

And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob?  For he hath supplanted me these two times:  he took away my birthright; and, behold, he hath taken away my blessing.

 

3.     A lesser blessing (Gen. 27:39-40)

 

And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the dew of heaven from above; and by the sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

 

4.    Hatred toward the deceiver (Gen. 27:41a)

 

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him…

 

5.    The desire for revenge by some who have been hurt by the deceiver (Gen. 27:41b)

 

…and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

 

6.    Separation between family members (Gen. 27:43)

 

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran.

 

a.    Rebekah knew their actions had caused her to lose one son.  She did not want to lose Joseph also (Gen. 27:45).

b.    She thought Jacob would be gone only “a few days,” and after a while she could “send, and fetch thee from thence” (Gen. 27:44-45).

c.    What Rebekah thought did not come to pass. 

1)     Jacob remained with Laban for many, many years.  In fact, he says he was there for 20 years (Gen. 31:38).

2)    He does, however, get to return before the death of his father (Gen. 31:38).

3)     Rebekah, however, is mentioned only once more in Genesis (Gen. 49:31).  Apparently, she died before Jacob’s return.

 

There (Machpelah) they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

 

M.  Rebekah definitely desired for Jacob to have a good wife, not like those taken by Esau.  However, were her words to Isaac still a part of her deception? (Gen. 27:46).

 

And Rebekah said unto Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth:  if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as those which are of the daughters of the land, what shall my life do me?