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January 21st
Our Bible reading today is Genesis chapters 27,28,29.
These three chapters are full of “Important Characters” in the story of God’s work of redemption for a world of people who would believe God...until they didnt...until they did again.
There’s old Isaac. There’s zealous Rebecca. There’s careless Esau. There’s wimpy Jacob. There’s deceptive Laban. There’s selfish Leah. And there’s patient Rachel.
I want us to think back a couple of chapters (and 20 years) where pregnant Rebecca converses with God and more importantly, God talks to her. She was having twins. Rebecca told God that the twins seemed to be fighting in her womb. God said in a prophecy, “The two boys represent two competing nations.
“And the older will serve the younger.”
Now back to today’s reading... (when the twins were in their early twenties)...where we listen to a conversation between Isaac and his firstborn, Esau. Dad told the “son he loved” to go hunting...then prepare my favorite meal...bring it to me...we will feast together...and then I will bless you before I die.
Over the years, I've wondered if Rebecca was more in tuned to God’s will than her husband, Isaac. It was certainly a possibility.
We could all tell the story of a wife and mother who proved to be wiser in spirit than her husband. I'm not so sure that’s the case here.
But Isaac was the “son of promise” to his parents and a coming great nation that God would raise up through his descendants.
Surely he was aware and spiritually alert to God’s will for one of his sons to be the “son of the promise”
that God had given Abraham for a great blessing....on a great nation...that would prove to bless all the families of the world...which was and is Jesus Christ, Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
Apparently, from our story today, Rebecca was worried that her husband was about to make a big mistake. So she took things into her own hands.
“She” would make sure that God’s prophesy came true...that the older would serve the younger and not the other way around.
That would mean (to Rebecca) that Isaac’s intention to bless his oldest had to be changed...even if Jacob had to lie.
So she convinced Jacob to go along with her deceptive scheme. Together they would trick Isaac into blessing Jacob instead of his firstborn, Esau.
**By the way, young Jacob did voice a concern to his mother before her plan was put into action. “But mom, what if dad recognizes that I'm not really Esau...then instead of him blessing me, he will curse me.” Rebecca answered, “if that happens then the curse is on me...don't worry...everything is going to be fine...do what your mother says.”
Rebecca’s plan worked...she and Jacob deceived Isaac into giving firstborn blessing to Jacob instead...both averted the curse.
Or did they?
The son Rebecca loved had to run and hide from Esau for 20 years. Esau had vowed to kill his brother for stealing his birthright blessing. Rebecca never saw Jacob again. The curse was upon her, at least partly.
And the son that Rebecca loved, did he get away scot-free? Not hardly. He had to leave his home and parents. He had to hide in a foreign land. ...Every day, wondering if his angry brother and his friends would find and kill him. And most of all, he had to leave the promised land that was tied to his achieved blessing.
Hearing Rebecca say “The curse is on me”...” everything is going to be fine”...she couldn't pull that off. Jacob had to bear his own. This is where Jesus is completely better. He bore the curse of our sin upon Himself and died on the cross so we wouldn't have to pay for our sins and have eternal life instead.
Friends, there is so much more to the story. Enjoy the rest of it.
