Genesis 27
Bible Passage: Genesis 27
Have you ever had the strong urge that you just want things to go your way; that your choice or decision must surely be THE right one? In wanting to get things done your way, would you scheme, cheat, or steal?
In this continuation of a family soap opera, issues of deception and trust-breaching are prominent features in Gen 27. We have a trusting father but a lying son who betrays that confidence. At the same time we have a partial mother and another wild son. Put them all together in the mix and we get the cluttered family that is surely a nightmare to manage.
No one would be surprised if other events of Jacob and Esau’s lives were revealed and we find that the younger son was periodically sneaking upon his older brother. We would possibly find Jacob spilling Esau’s secrets, betraying his confidence, and devising some mean trick, all very much in the same manner in which he had cheated him on the lentil stew incident.
Just a Family’s Dirty Linen?
While all of it may seem like just another family feud, the consequences of Jacob’s tricks would go a very long way. This would come upon himself where he is psychologically tormented by his brother’s wrath years down the road (cf. Gen 32:11) and also upon Esau through the pronouncement of Isaac’s blessings (Gen 27:40).
We have to remember that Jacob was party to the schemes of his mother, Rebekah. Though she conceived of the great trick, it was the agreement and blind obedience of Jacob that speedily led from one lie to another.
First, he lied that he was Esau (Gen 27:18). Second he profaned the name of God through a false witness (Gen 27:20). Third, he lied once again through his teeth that he was Esau (Gen 27:24).
Does all of this have any real relevance to us? Pretty much, yes.
We ought to ask ourselves whether we allow ourselves to become the schemer who lacks faith in God’s time?
Or perhaps, have we plunged ourselves into the quicksand by telling one lie after another? And indeed, all of these occurred within the family, and can occur within our families (both home and church) if we are not careful.
Godly Wisdom Needed
Gen 27 brings to mind the need for godly wisdom in how we handle matters, whether family-wise, or otherwise.
Are we self-seeking? Do we want things done our way?
Do we go all out to pave our own paths, neglecting the promises and timing of God?
Are we bitter with envy of others in the family (home and church)?
This ought not to be!
Rather we must have the wisdom that comes from God. Only then can we really handle matters peacefully, gently, and putting others before ourselves. (cf. James 3:14-17).
It isn’t easy, as we see from Jacob and Esau but may God help us be more like Him.
3 Comments
treasureinearthernvessel
I have read this story a couple of times before, but this time as I was reading it, something really shocked me.
But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?”
And he said, “Because the LORD your God brought it to me.”
(Genesis 27:20)
It is bad enough that Jacob lied, but here, he lied using the name of God! Did he think that God wouldn’t be hearing, or that God wouldn’t know?
It actually spooks me to see the extent that Jacob would go in his schemes to get what he wanted. Would you use the name of God today in your lies? I doubt that we dare!
I still cannot imagine how Jacob could actually bring himself to use the name of God blatantly in his lies! I mean, God was so evidently with the family right? One reason I can think of is that God, despite being so close to this family, had not been Jacob’s personal God. This is seen by his own words.
And he said, “Because the LORD your God brought it to me.”
(Genesis 27:20b)
He said it was the LORD, Issac’s God, that had brought the game to him, not his own God.
That immediately brought to mind a distance between him and God, and with God being so far away, why wouldn’t I dare to tell a “little” lie?
But we all know that isn’t true. God is near to each one of us; it is only whether we have allowed Him into our lives, our hearts. I wonder how God felt at the instance when Jacob was lying through his teeth with the name of God.
Another lesson we all must learn is to recognise that being in a Christian family is not enough to build up our children’s faith. Each must establish his/her own personal relationship with God. Each must be able to declare, “Jesus is MY Lord, and MY God.”
But one thing I still do not fully understand is Rebekah’s partiality. Why was she seemingly partial to Jacob? Did i miss out any previous event that might have happened to have cause this?
biblereadingcompanion
Partiality is not the perogative of Rebekah only. In fact, for most of us, we do demonstrate some form of partiality, in one way or another?
The reasons for partiality are many. Some are common like showing partiality between rich and poor, or giving preferential treatment to those who are more beautiful. But in some cases, and we may not know exactly why, we are just partial to some people who ‘fits’ us better.
It may be the way he looks. Or the mischievous streak in him. Or the way he behaves etc.
In Rebekah’s case, she obviously preferred the smooth skin homebody Jacob to the hairy hunter Esau. I cannot find any other recording (correct me if I wrong) of why she was partial to Jacob. But it just happened this way.
But the fact of the matter is, partiality can bring about terrible consequences and today’s passage shows yet another example of why we must not be partial.
When talking about partiality, I am always reminded of this true story….
One of my favourite famous violinist, Joshua Bell, was busking in a busy subway in Washington DC, dressed in jeans and a baseball cap. He was playing on his $5.0M Stradivarius and if you have every heard him playing before, you know that he plays beautifully.
You would think that a large crowd will gather around and watch … as well as throw money into his case. After all, many people pay up to $500 to just watch him perform in the concert halls. And here he was…performing for free!
But… only a handful of people stopped to listen briefly and to leave money in his case, a total of $32 in 45 minutes. Not many people bothered to even give him the time of day.
What is up with this? Why did this happen?
It is very important that we do not fall into the same trap in church. The church is made up of members from all walks of life. And sometimes, we are partial and some do not feel welcome because of they way they dress, talk, or behave.
James 2:1-4 warns us against favouritism.
It is a good lesson to learn … and one that we tend to forget if we are not careful.
May God help us all.
PS
May be Rebekah was partial to Jacob bec of God’s word to her in Gen 25:23
“Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.”
It was not recorded what was her understanding of the above. It may be like:
Two nations are in your womb: Esau and Jacob, the twin was born.
Two people shall be separated from your body: Esau and Jacob were as distinctive as two people any twins could be.
One people shall be stronger than the other: Esau was indeed stronger, while Jacob was the “homely one”.
And the older shall serve the younger: A servant told me that Esau sold his birth right to his younger brother. “God’s word to me is indeed coming to pass”….”Oh no, Daddy is going to bless Esau, then the younger one will serve the older one!”
If Rebakah had just gone in and clarify with Isaac, would the event roll out the same way?
Eph 4:15-16 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow in all things into Him who is the head-Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
In one of the previous posting, Shalom says sth like “we grow through trials”, may be there were not many trials in Isaac’s, Rebekah’s, Esau’s and Jacob’s lives for them to develop their own faith and also joined and knit together.
As time passes, If we are not growing integrally, we are growing apart.