Genesis Chapter 27

The Blessing

Once again, this scripture is very important for our understanding of how one must persevere  for a lifetime to be obedient to God: 1 Corinthians 9:27 “But, I discipline my flesh, and bring it into subjection; lest when I preach the Gospel to others, I myself will become disqualified.” Keep in mind the figures of speech to help you as you do this study.  SIMILE: Resemblance; ALLEGORY: comparison by representation; METAPHOR: Representation; HYPOCATASTASIS: An implied resemblance or representation; TYPE: A figure or example of something future; ANALOGY: Resemblance in some particulars between things otherwise unlike.

27:1-4

Isaac is now very old, scripture indicates that he is now 137 years old.  This would also mean that Esau and Jacob are now about 75-76 years old.  Notice that Isaac is telling Esau that he will give him the Patriarchal Blessing IF he goes out and brings back his favorite dish made from venison.  Keep in mind that the family has plenty of meat from the herds they own; there is no reason for Esau to go out and hunt.   Yet, it appears that Isaac likes the “speciality” food, and probably the thrill of hearing about Esau’s physical exploits.  Whatever the underlying reasons, they all were based on fleshly desires; desires that were outside of self discipline.  Isaac, in his old age, was ignoring the command God had clearly given to him through the revelation to Rebekah regarding the Patriarchal Blessing.  The Blessing was to go to the son who would be the one to carry on the Spiritual and Physical Blessings needed to bring about the promised Messiah.  Esau clearly did not have the spiritual heart to obey God and discipline himself to be obedient in both physical and spiritual matters.  Jacob was the son chosen by God to be the recipient of the Patriarchal Blessing because he would have the heart and mind to obey God and seek His Will in his life.

27:5

Rebekah overhears what Isaac tells Esau.  Isaac, instead of openly declaring that he was ready to give the blessing to his oldest son, was trying to manipulate the situation and offer the blessing secretly to Esau when, and IF, he provides his favorite dish to satisfy his fleshly appetite.  The blessing should ALWAYS have been given before the family so that all could hear and participate in the giving of the Patriarchal Blessing.  This attempt to secretly give it to Esau was in direct disobedience to God’s clear command.

27:6-7

Rebekah immediately calls Jacob and reveals the conversation she has overheard.  She emphasizes that the Blessing is to be given to Esau BEFORE THE LORD.  This would indicate that she clearly understands that this would cause the blessing to be irrevocable.  Rebekah knows that this would violate God’s clear command to both she and Isaac, that the Blessing was to be given to Jacob, not Esau.  Rebekah knows that the Divine Inheritance is at stake here.  Not only that, but the future Messiah must come from the line of the one blessed and she is painfully aware that Esau has ignored God’s directives and flagrantly lived a life that is not pleasing to God.  Why do you believe she did not confront Isaac immediately about his attempt to thwart God’s commands?  Are there times that we fear confronting someone about their attempts to go against God’s Word, and instead try to use a different strategy of our own methods?  The problem is usually FEAR.  We fail to pray about a situation, and instead panic, and try to figure out a human resolution of our own.  Obviously, she would have had a good relationship with Jacob, and perhaps she and Isaac had unspoken hard feelings regarding the rebellious Esau.

27:8-10

Rebekah immediately begins to plot a human solution to the problem of the Blessing being given to the wrong son.  She uses her authority over Jacob to tell him that he is to obey her commands.  This would put Jacob in a position of dishonoring his mother if he refuses to go along with her plans.  Rebekah is certain that she can cook and prepare young kids to duplicate the flavors that her husband likes so much.  So she involves Jacob in her scheme to deceive Isaac so that he will give his Patriarchal Blessing to Jacob.

27:11-12

Jacob does not object to the deceptive plan, but instead points out the flaws in his mother’s scheme.  He and his brother are not identical twins, but rather fraternal twins.  Esau is quite hairy and a simple touch would let the blind Isaac know who he is dealing with. Not only that, but a blind person becomes very attuned to a person’s voice.  A blind friend could identify everyone in a group simply by hearing them speak only a word.  Jacob’s ultimate concern is that his father would perceive him as a cheat and an imposter, thereby receiving a horrible curse from his father instead of the desired Blessing.  Notice that Jacob did not indicate any guilt about the plot, only fear of the possibility of a curse.

27:13

Rebekah is so determined that God’s command regarding the Blessing will not be thwarted, that she willingly tells Jacob that she will take upon herself whatever curse is given by Isaac to Jacob.  Rebekah apparently believed that God’s wrathful judgment upon Isaac and her eldest son would be worse than any curse Isaac would give, if they disobeyed God’s command regarding His solemn commandment regarding the Blessing.

27:14

Now Jacob is forced to make a decision, a choice, between two God given commandments: Obedience to his mother, (Genesis 27:8) or Truthfulness.  Jacob chose the course he believed was more in line with God’s ultimate purpose.  Notice that neither of them showed any indication that they had prayed and asked God for HIS solution.  Do we ever do that?  Oh, I can handle this, I don’t need to ‘bother’ God about this situation. Jacob gets the kids and Rebekah prepares the meat dish exactly the way Isaac loves it.

27:15-17

Rebekah continues with more deceitfulness by taking Esau’s clothing and insists Jacob wear them; knowing the odor would help convince Isaac that Jacob is Esau.  She places the skins of the goats, like gloves, over Jacob’s hands; as well as a covering over his neck, so he will feel hairy like Esau, should Isaac touch him.  She then gives him the delicious meat dish to take to Isaac.

27:18-19

Jacob immediately goes into Isaac’s presence saying “My father.”  Isaac answers, “Here am  I, who are you, my son?”  Jacob immediately continues the deception with an outright lie: “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done what you commanded. Eat my game so that you may bless me.”  Jacob directly addresses the issue of the Blessing for the food.

27:20

Isaac is very suspicious and asks how he could have hunted, killed and prepared the game so quickly.  Jacob states that the Lord, your God, caused it to come to him.  Jacob is now telling  another lie to his father.

27:21

“But…”  We see that word that let’s us know Isaac is very suspicious and doesn’t believe it is Esau, but no doubt suspects that it is Jacob; remember he clearly hears Jacob’s voice.  Isaac demands that his son come close to him so that he can feel him to verify that he is Esau.  It is amazing that Jacob does not fear being exposed as a fraud at this point!

27:22-24

Jacob comes close to Isaac and he carefully feels him.  Isaac states that his voice is the voice of Jacob, yet his hands are like Esau’s.  Then Isaac confront Jacob by asking him outright: “Are you really my son, Esau?”  Jacob lies again and says “I am”. Then Isaac blesses him.  This would be the first of the blessings.  During all of this Jacob must be feeling miserable, knowing he is lying and deceiving his beloved father.

27:25-26

Isaac is probably still not convinced as he requests the ‘venison’ to eat it and then give the blessing.  So Jacob gives him the delicious meat and some wine.  Isaac eats the meat and drinks the wine, apparently being convinced that it is the ‘venison’.  (26.)  When Isaac finishing eating the meal and drinking the wine, then he requests that his son come and kiss him.  Isaac is still not convinced that the son is Esau, and probably intends to expose the fraud by smelling him and touching him on his neck during their hug.

27:27

As Isaac receives his son’s kiss, he smells his clothing and touches his neck.  He comments that the smell of his son Esau is as the field which the Lord has blessed.  Isaac is deceived by his senses: The touch, smell and taste override the hearing of Jacob’s voice.  We must be very careful, as we often allow ourselves to be convinced by some physical ‘proofs’ that are deceitful, when deep down, we have a spiritual sense that something is not Right and Truthful.  Jacob must have been terrified that not only would Isaac verify who he was, but that Esau would show up and the entire plot would be revealed and he would be cursed.

27:28-29

Now Isaac gives the Patriarchal Blessing to Jacob: “May God give you dew of the heavens, fatness of the earth, abundance of grain and wine; may people serve you and nations bow down to you, be master over your brothers and let your mother’s sons bow down to you.  Let everyone be cursed who curses you and favored with blessings who blesses you.”

This is the crucial Blessing God gave to Abraham that was to be for all generations for the chosen line of Abraham. Notice the simile, metaphor and hypocatastasis?  Jacob received the unconditional blessing by hiding behind the name and covering of his Fathers beloved firstborn son!  So do WE! We claim the name of Jesus and take the covering of His blood so that our sins are forgiven and we may receive the unconditional blessings of God forever!  However, we must be honest and truthful in claiming God’s Blessings.

27:30-31

God obviously intervened by allowing Jacob to receive the blessing and leave before Esau showed up with his game all prepared and ready to eat.  Esau immediately announces his presence and that Isaac should arise and eat and then bless him.  The ultimate consequences of our actions have long-term repercussions, even when it appears we have gotten away with some sort of deception or scheme.  Surely both Rebekah and Jacob realized that as soon as Esau showed up the deception would be revealed and both Esau and Isaac would be furious!

27:32-33

Isaac immediately asks “Who are YOU?”  Esau identifies himself as his “firstborn son, Esau.”  Isaac trembles and shakes violently from both anger and fear, realizing God had intervened, and he was deceived by Jacob into giving him the Blessing.  He tells Esau that someone else has come with ‘hunted game’ and he ate it and blessed him.  Once the Blessing is given it cannot be changed or revoked, it is permanent.

27:34

Esau cries with a great and bitter cry demanding that his father bless him also!  Yet only one Blessing may be given.  Read Hebrews 12: 16 – 17.

27:35

Isaac finally reveals that is was Jacob who came and took the Blessing he had promised Esau.  He correctly says he came with crafty cunning and treacherous deceit.  Yet now Isaac knew that God’s Will had prevailed regarding His Prophecy for both of his sons.

27:36

Esau then becomes enraged and states that Jacob took both his birthright and his Blessing.  He begs Isaac to still give him a blessing.  The blessing that Esau wants is NOT the spiritual blessing, but rather the material blessings of inheriting all his wealth.

27:37-38

Isaac then tells Esau that Jacob is his lord and master and that he has given all the people to him as servants and that all the material blessings are for Jacob.  He asks him, what can I do for you, my son?  Esau now breaks down crying, begging for some kind of a blessing.

27:39-40

Isaac gives the blessing for Esau which is a prophecy for his lineage: See Hebrews 11:20 “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.”   Isaac’s blessing: “Your dwelling shall always come from the fruitfulness of the earth and the dew of the heavens.  By your sword you shall live and serve your brother until such time that you shall break his yoke from your neck.”  Esau had chosen to become a hunter and live off the land, rather than work the land.  He was unconcerned about spiritual matters and ignored his father and mother regarding honoring and following God. These prophecies for Esau’s decedents, the Edomites, will be fulfilled in 2 Kings 8:20 and 2 Chron. 21:8-10.

27:41-42

Esau now realizes that as long as Jacob is alive he cannot receive the material blessings and he is determined to kill his brother in order to get his hands on his father’s wealth.  Esau is so furious that he must be telling others of his anger, and threatens to kill Jacob; as his words and threats are told to Rebekah.  She sends for Jacob and warns him that Esau is proposing to kill him.

27:43-45

Rebekah again must use her authority to command her beloved son Jacob to leave their home and flee to her homeland in Haran; going to her brother Laban.  She tells him to stay there a ‘few days’ until Esau’s fury has turned away and he forgets what was done to him.  We know very well that Esau is NOT going to forget or forgive Jacob for anything.  Esau is selfish and self centered and has the character traits that will cause him to NOT forgive Jacob.  Rebekah is fearful that she may lose both her sons if Esau kills Jacob.  She tells Jacob that she will send for him when it is safe to return.  Yet, once Jacob leaves, she will never see her beloved son again.

27:46

Rebekah again complains to Isaac about the misery the wives of Esau (the daughters of Heth) are causing her.  She states that if Jacob takes one of the daughters of Heth for a wife, her life will not be worth living.  Rebekah is setting up the situation so that Isaac will send Jacob to Haran to obtain a wife, thereby removing him from the possibility of being murdered by Esau.

Deceit, Lies, Manipulation, Schemes, Plots, and everything else we contrive, always comes to some sort of a disaster in one way or another.  All parties were at fault in this separation and splitting of the family.  Isaac ignored God’s command; Esau ignored God; Rebekah chose deceit; and Jacob again became the deceiver.  The entire family was torn apart.  When our earthly families are torn apart we grieve, yet we must trust that God is using these situations to bring believers into a stronger relationship with Him.  Our Eternal Families are carefully chosen by God, for our very best interests and for all Believers.  Both Rebekah and Jacob should have prayed for God’s Will to be fulfilled.  Praying and seeking God’s Will in EVERY SITUATION is key to having a life that is peaceful, fulfilling and fruitful.  Sometimes trials and tribulations come our way despite our obedience to God.  Yet in many cases when we have failed to be in God’s Will, we have then caused our own suffering and heartache.  When any decision becomes necessary, FIRST always ask God for His wisdom, direction and guidance.