GENESIS 27 GOD’S PROMISES vs HUMAN SCHEMES Abraham was a man of faith who followed God even when he didn’t know where God would lead him. When we follow the Lord’s leading in earthly things, we will find ourselves following Him in spiritual things. Isaac lived within the borders of Canaan in peace by wells of water, as a son who had a great heritage passed on to him by a great father. We as sons and daughters of God are heirs of promises that can keep us true and loyal to our Lord Jesus Christ as we live ordinary lives.
Jacob’s life was very different from the life of Isaac his father. He claimed the right of the first-born by crafty acts and taking advantage of his brother’s careless attitude toward his privileges. Esau’s self- centered fleshly ways were quite different from Jacob’s self-centered subtle ways. Isaac was not unaware of all that was happening in his household, and he knew well the differences in his two sons. His own personal inclination was to give Esau the right of the first-born, even if he had to by-pass what God had said. Esau lived for the momentary gratification of his flesh without considering the long-term results of his choices.
Even though we are sons and daughters of God, we often choose to do things our own way. We know what God’s word says, but think this situation calls for us to take action without waiting on God. Some people think there are unique situations in which we need to act on our own immediately without considering the consequences of the action. God has His own way of foiling our intentions to do His will our way, but it may result in costly results because of our sin and willfulness.
Jacob was young and eager to have the blessing of God, but none of the family seemed willing to wait for God to act according to his divine plans. Isaac failed in his plot. Rebekah succeeded in her scheme, but the cost was so great that she never saw Jacob again. Esau missed out on the blessing he wanted and Jacob had to flee for his life. In our service for God, it is possible for us to let our zeal override or even ignore God’s directions. Chastening of one kind or another follows the sin of willfulness. Yet, in spite of all the failures, schemes and crafty plans, Jacob was blessed. The actions of the flesh have long-lasting effects, and those who sin will experience the discipline of God.
Carnal ways to serve God, have serious and lasting negative results. God is going to carry out His own good will, and He doesn’t ask for us to insert our plans and opinions into what He does. The outcome of a matter will always be what God wants, but the effects of our interference may follow us and affect us for our lifetime.
The whole point of the biblical record of history and of human need and failure, is consolidated in this one chapter. This is not a pretty picture. Four different people in one family with different ways and personalities, are shown in a simple open portrayal of their character traits. It is a very sad picture of a family’s life where there is deceit, partiality and jealousy.
This narrative does not make some moral point or particular lesson to us, because in the different scenes there are a lot of lessons for everyone. In particular, when jealousy, partiality and envy are allowed among those who profess to have faith in God, there will be sin and failure in life and testimony. The attitudes we have soon leads us to take actions. Those very actions can be a terrible exposer of failure in believers.
Isaac, the father, plots, v.1-4. There didn’t seem to be any sign of Isaac’s approaching death, and he lived forty more years after this scene took place. It seems like Isaac hurried and secretly decided to confer on Esau the blessing God had said would be on Jacob. Physical blindness may have had something to do with his reasoning behind what he wanted to do. It is not becoming to an older person to act hastily, let alone privately feast for personal gratification and take action in self-will. It leads us to sin and the consequences that follow. Isaac knew God intended Jacob to be the leader of the tribe. It appears that Isaac trying to somehow get around what God had planned and to follow the way of the world by the oldest son receiving the first-born’s blessing.
Partiality and the desires of the flesh can lead us to sin. That in turn starts a whole chain of events that can’t be stopped. Self-will is like setting a small fire that soon becomes a raging inferno that quickly gets bigger and then out of control. One thing follows another and goes beyond what was ever intended.
Esau, the worldly man, wanted later what he had despised earlier. He had treated the birthright with distain and casually turned it over to Jacob to satisfy his immediate hunger. Involved with that casual rejection was an obvious disinterest, and distain, for divine purposes. He knew what God had said, and even to marry an idolatrous woman, disqualified him from spiritual leadership. He just wanted to have what he wanted, in his own way and in his own time. He realized the value of what he had lost when it was too late to get it back.
We can never regain what we lose by self-will and self-centeredness. There are consequences to every action we take that cannot be avoided. Plotting and scheming to try to get around divine principles and practices are foolish endeavors. It is incumbent on a child of God to know what the Bible says about a matter, to pray specifically about the circumstances surrounding it, to accept wise counsel concerning it, and to take the necessary time to evaluate the potential outcome, before taking any action. The decisions we make and the actions we take, may have an effect for good or bad on other people beside ourselves.
Rebekah, the mother, plots, v.5-17. Obviously, Isaac did not think Rebekah overheard his conversation with Esau when he asked for the savory meal that he liked so well. Blindness limited his natural vision and his secretive actions limited his spiritual vision. Rebekah knew God’s intention was for Jacob to he the one through whom the promises of God to the world would be fulfilled. Her understanding of the issue was clear but for some reason she believed God was not able to do what He had promised without her help and interference. She believed something had to be done to prevent a wrong from being done.
Crisis times arise in our lives and we will have to risk being misunderstood and opposed by some people who do not have the understanding to know what God intends to be done. In those times we may think we need to take some action, and that may be, but we must be sure it is what God wants us to do. God has His own way to accomplish His purposes and if we are privileged to have a part in that, we can certainly be thankful. There is no justification in taking things into our own hands and doing things our own way without considering the divine guidance that God gives.
Rebekah’s sin in this plot, was to think that God couldn’t carry out His own plans without her. She knew what the Lord had said years before when the twins were born, but thought there was an emergency situation about which God knew nothing. God’s will, is not dependent on the actions of an old man or his crafty wife. He does not require us to take things over to suit our will, but rather expects us to wait in patience for Him to act in His time. Rebekah was just as subtle and clever as Isaac and Esau.
Jacob on the other hand, wasn’t immediately acquiescent to his mother’s wishes because he knew his brother, and the risks that were involved. He also knew God has His way of dealing with deception. Rebekah thought the end justified the means so pushed ahead with her plans. Jacob was just afraid of the trouble that would result and he didn’t want to get caught for carrying out a dishonest plan.
Sin has a way of controlling our minds and actions if we allow ourselves to doubt God. We lose the capacity to think clearly and get wrapped up in what we think should be done. It is important that we go to God and seek divine guidance in tense times or when we think things are going out of control. Guidance from the word of God will include the principles and practices of faith. The Holy Spirit will reveal truth to us that fits the need, and will instruct us in the way of truth. The “peace of God” will then assure us when we are in the right way doing the right thing.
Jacob, the younger son’s deception, v.18-29. When Jacob’s hesitancy to do what was wrong was overcome by the scheming objective, it didn’t take long to do what was planned. The lie came easily to his lips and another one quickly followed. The deception promoted by lies was soon accomplished. Jacob was a victim of his mother’s favoritism and love, but he was a guilty man in his own right.
We all have a conscience and know what is wrong when we choose to go our own way. Deception silences our conscience at times and a silent conscience doesn’t keep us from going farther and farther astray from God’s revealed will. We can usually find some excuse to justify doing what we know is wrong. The father’s misguided plans, the mother’s interference with God’s work, and Jacob’s willingness to go ahead and deceive his father with lies makes this whole family scene very dark.
Jacob received the blessing that God intended, but the circumstances around getting it cost everyone involved moral consequences. Jacob never saw Rebekah again. Esau wanted to kill Jacob. Jacob ended up being deceived by another deceiver who was more skilled at deception than he. The whole family was divided and were potentially at enmity with each other. Someone wrote: “Oh! what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
Esau, the oldest son’s defeat, v.30-40. Isaac overreached his right by trying to divert God’s will to suit his will. Rebekah was grieved by the women Esau married. Esau was a bitter, angry and defeated man. His willfulness and distain for divine things, caught up with him. More than that, he had gone so far away from the ways of God, that he found no place of repentance in spite of his tears. His true character was exposed and he had gone beyond the point of no return.
The past is not able to be relived or the consequences changed. Some valuable things that are lost by carelessness or indifference, are never able to be recovered. The “what ifs” of life that we didn’t take care of at the time, are lost permanently. There are lessons we can learn from our failures and the failures of others. Do not do evil, thinking that good might come from it. There are right ways and wrong ways to deal with the choices that are before us. Deception and fraud are always wrong. God doesn’t come when we try to convert people to the truth by telling untruth ourselves. Righteousness of life and words should never be set aside for expediency.
Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau, all found out that the words of the Bible are true: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” The problem is also that one act of sin can follow you all of your life. To walk in the light of holy desire in the presence of God is our delight. To walk by the crafty devices of our own making, is sin and can bring long-lasting difficulties. When we give the Lord His right place in our lives, we will find out what life is supposed to be like. “A man’s heart devises his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.” Faith, prayer, confidence in God and obedience to God, will allow us to be in fellowship with Him when He carries out His divine purposes. That will enable us to live our lives for His glory.