Thursday, February 18, 2010

God Doesn't Need Our Help(Genesis 27:1-29 ) -Bob Caldwell

God Doesn’t Need Our Help

 “‘Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.’ But his mother said to him, ‘Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.’” -Genesis 27:12-13

We see Jacob and his mother using deception to take into their own hands something that God already promised to do. Before the birth of the twins Jacob and Esau, God promised that the normal cultural approach to leadership in the family would be reversed. The second born, Jacob, would rule over the firstborn. But nothing had happened to bring this about. In fact, their father Isaac preferred Esau above Jacob. Esau was a man among men; Jacob was more comfortable in the kitchen with his mother.

Furthermore, Isaac seemed to be nearing death and was about to command the patriarchal blessing upon Esau, which would cement Esau as the rightful heir of all of Isaac’s wealth and the headship of the family. It seemed to Jacob and his mother that there was nothing left to do but “help God” get done what He seemed to have forgotten to do. The consequence of trying to force God’s hand by deceit would propel Jacob into several years of trials and testing in a distant land under the force of a man who would prove to be equal in deception to Jacob. Jacob would reap what he had sown.

We have all struggled with the strong temptation to take into our own hands what God has promised to do, but what seems to be moving too slowly or what He may have even forgotten He promised. He hasn’t. God is faithful to keep His word. The fact is that God can do in a moment what we cannot do in a lifetime of self-effort and self-promotion. It is in times like these when we would do well to heed the often-repeated exhortation to “stand still and see the salvation of God” (2 Chron. 20:17).

Genesis 27:1-29

 Isaac Blesses Jacob

1 Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.”

And he answered him, “Here I am.”

2 Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. 4 And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it. 6 So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7 ‘Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. 9 Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. 10 Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.”

11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”

Jacob Steals The Blessing Due Esau (Verses 1-40)

v. 1 Isaac Was Old – It is estimated that he was approximately 137 years old.

v. 4 May Bless – The blessing given by the father is a distinct and different blessing from the blessings of the birthright. Normally the birthright referred to the firstborn as the one who was given the title to the family name and his father’s wealth. The blessing referred to here is for the father to personally validate his decision of who will be the patriarch and holder of the family’s wealth and leadership.

v. 6 I Heard – Isaac sought to override the declared will of God that was revealed during the pregnancy of Esau and Jacob (Gen. 25:22-23). Rebekah sought through deception to overrule her husband’s rebellion to God’s prophetic word.

v. 8 Obey My Voice – Rebekah used her authority in a way that led her to foster Jacob’s deceptive tendencies. In this account, we see the sin of all four members of the family.

1.       Isaac was not willing to obey God’s declared will but let his personal favoritism of Esau rule his choice.

2.       Rebekah did not trust God to bring His declared will to pass in a way that would be honorable to the character of God.

3.       Jacob, through deception and lying, sought to bring about good by doing evil.

4.       Esau showed a life that was not worthy of carrying on the call on Abraham’s line when he disregards his birthright and when he marries Canaanite women.

13 But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.” 14 And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 So he went to his father and said, “My father.”

And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”

19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.”

20 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.”

21 Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him.

24 Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?”

He said, “I am.”

25 He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.” 27 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said:

“Surely, the smell of my son
Is like the smell of a field
Which the LORD has blessed.

28 Therefore may God give you
Of the dew of heaven,
Of the fatness of the earth,
And plenty of grain and wine.

29 Let peoples serve you,
And nations bow down to you.
Be master over your brethren,
And let your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
And blessed be those who bless you!”

v. 20 God Brought It – Isaac knew normally wild game could not be hunted, killed, butchered, and cooked this quickly. Thus Jacob’s lying grew to the point where he used God’s name in vain when seeking to strengthen his case.

v. 23 Hairy – This goat hair that Jacob used was not like that of European goats but a mid-eastern goat whose hair was similar in texture and looks to human hair. The Romans later used this same goat hair as a substitute for human hair on bald scalps.

v. 24 Whether You Be – Isaac could tell the voice was different (v. 22).

v. 27 Smelled – The scent of the outdoors and game was on Esau’s clothes.

v. 28 God Give You – Isaac speaks the blessing that would give Jacob the validation of the birthright and authority over the wealth of Isaac.

Michael James Stone

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