JACOB SERIES: THE DECEPTORS AND THE BLESSINGS

Genesis chapter twenty-seven can be divided into two themes: the deceptors and the blessings. Verses one through twenty-seven reveal the actions of the mother-son duo who are both deceptors, and verses twenty-eight through forty-six describe the patriarchal blessing.

Thirty-seven years have passed between Genesis 25 and Genesis 27, and commentators believed Issac was now around 137 years old. Believing his death would occur shortly, Isaac, who suffered with vision issues, requested Esau to hunt for him some venison, cook it as he loved, bring it to him to eat, and then he would bless him.

Hearing Isaac request and desiring to procure the blessing for her beloved Jacob, Rebekah conversed with Jacob and told him what she heard. Then she instructed him to bring her two goats, and she would prepare them as Isaac loved, and he could bring the food to his father and obtain the blessing before Esau returned from the field.

At first, Jacob was reluctant to deceive his father and spoke to his mom about his and Esau’s physical differences. Jacob voiced, “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,” but Rebekah responded, “Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.” Encouraging Jacob to continue this act of deception, Rebekah not only prepared the meal but also provided him with Esau’s garment to wear and the skin of a goat to cover his hands and neck.

Jacob took the meal to his father’s bedchamber and spoke to him. His father questioned how he was able to hunt and prepare the meal so quickly. Jacob lied and said, “The Lord thy God brought it to me”. Feeling uncertain about his identity, Isaac had Jacob come close so he might feel his hands. When they felt like Esau, Isaac blessed him, and then he smelt him as Jacob kissed him. Because Jacob smelled like Esau, he bestowed on Jacob a blessing of political dominance, fertility of the ground, position, and protection. He ended the blessing saying, “let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.”

Shortly after Jacob left Isaac, Esau came to Isaac with the venison meal, only to find that his brother had tricked their father and received the blessing that could not be reversed, causing both Isaac and Esau to experience great anguish. Isaac revealed the blessing he had given to Jacob, and weeping Esau begged Isaac to give him a blessing. Isaac responded by saying that his lineage would be fierce, with a warrior disposition, would serve Israel, and would live in desert areas.

After hearing of Esau’s retaliatory plan to kill Jacob after the death of Isaac, Rebekah instructed Jacob to flee to her family in Haran until Esau no longer felt revengeful. Additionally, Rebekah, concealing the real reason for Jacob’s departure to Haran from Isaac, gave him the excuse that she did not want Jacob to marry a Hittite, as Esau had previously done.  

Additional information and nuggets from Genesis twenty-seven:

In the Asiatic culture, eating and drinking were done prior to making covenant blessings, thus Isaac requested the venison meal.

There is a division in a family when a parent and a child plot against the other parent and child.

The garment Joseph wore to deceive Issac was considered the sacerdotal robe of the family’s firstborn, which was kept in a chest.

In his actions and judgment, Jacob permitted his senses of taste, touch, and smell to override his sense of hearing.

Similar to the signing of a contract today, the spoken father’s blessing is irrevocable.

Isaac’s words in verse forty were confirmed later in scripture: Esau’s lineage was tributary to Israel during the reign of King David to the reign of Joram, when they revolted.

Had Rebekah known that her plan would end with her never seeing her son again, she may not have acted so deceptively.

The impersonation of Esau by Jacob caused him to deceive, lie, and fabricate.

Jacob obtained both the birthright and testamentary blessings of his father, Isaac, using deception tactics.

The outcome of Rebekah’s action brought permanent separation from the son she loved. After Jacob’s departure, Rebekah did not live to see him again when he returned home,

Though you may feel like you will die soon, our time of death is unknown to all of us.

Though your body may feel infirm and old, it does not mean your death is near.

You don’t have to plot to get what God has for you.

Some people will take advantage of a person’s blindness

There are family traits that are carried down from one generation to the next.

Lying is often interwoven in deception.

Listen carefully and trust your instincts.

Some spoken words cannot be altered.

There are repercussions for the deceptive things you do.

Deceiving others to achieve your goal may lead to greater problems.

Some of your hurtful experiences will cause you to retaliate.

Some actions are considered so horrendous that they ignite the spirit of revenge and murder.

Misconduct can separate you from your loved ones.