Gods sovereign will cannot be stopped.
Genesis 27:1-4 One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older son, and said, “My son.” “Yes, Father?” Esau replied. 2 “I am an old man now,” Isaac said, “and I don’t know when I may die. 3 Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.”
Hold on, did you see what just happened? In chapter 25 of Genesis God said that the older son, Esau would serve the younger son, Jacob and then over in chapter 27 Isaac is attempting to turn all of that around.
Even before he was born, God made it clear that Jacob would be the heir of the covenant promises made to Abraham but suddenly Isaac calls in his son Esau to try and give him the inheritance. But Isaac doesn't realize that his wife is going to step in and "help" God with his will so that Jacob will get what has been promised.
All four of the characters in this family drama are working outside of God's will, Isaac and Esau conspired together to go against God but Rebekah and Jacob were also outside of God's will even though they were trying to accomplish God's will.
The Deception
- Blessing the oldest son was usually done with the rest of the family present but Isaac and Esau didn't want anyone reminding them of what God told them. Isaac was more concerned about what his wife thought than he was about God.
- This is probably not the first time that Rebekah has been eavesdropping on the conversations between Isaac and Esau. That's why the props needed to make the deception work were so accessible.
- Jacob didn't refuse to go along with the deception for the right reasons, he was more concerned with getting caught than doing the right thing, he is a grown man that could have easily stood up to his mom. (40 years old)
- Isaac intended to give all of his blessings to Esau without anything being left to give to Isaac. That's why there wasn't anything left when Esau begged to have something after it was all given to Jacob.
- Jacob must have been anxious to get the blessing done before Esau returns. He had to keep telling more lies as he answered his father's questions. Jacob had the nerve to say that God helped him.
The consequences
- Isaac set his heart on that which was contrary to the will of God, this is the same man that got on the altar when God told his dad to sacrifice him, he has gone from huge faith and obedience to one of the biggest examples of rebellion in the Bible.
- Esau wants to kill Jacob so that the blessings can then come back to him. But instead Esau would father the nation of Edom which would bring trouble to the descendants of Jacob.
- Jacob was forced to leave home and leave behind all of the inheritance that would someday be his. He had gained everything but he temporarily lost it all.
- Rebekah lost her awesome relationship with Jacob and her relationship with Esau become strained even more that before. Esau purposely annoyed her by marrying more of the local Canaanite women.
- Esau and Jacob will have a strained relationship, it will be 20 years later when the two meet and settle their differences.
Attempting to help God accomplish his will and purposes is a crazy idea, we can't even guarantee the outcomes of the events that happen in our lives, how can we believe that God needs our help.
God has always had a people, he chooses whoever he wants and makes his sovereign will come to pass, even the rule about the firstborn son doesn't matter to God. The first born doesn't always win:
- Abel over Cain
- Isaac over Ishmael
- Jacob over Esau
- Ephraim over Manasseh
- Judah over Reuben
God didn't need Rebekah to deceive her husband to thwart his plan to rebel against God, even if Isaac's plan to pass the blessings on to Esau had been successful, God could have killed Esau and the rights as the oldest son would have gone to Jacob.
The most unnecessary job in the world is trying to help make God's will come to pass. Worse yet is lying and cheating to make his will come to pass. God has a long history of working out his will without my help.
Keep me in the center of your will Lord.
