Before the birth of her twin sons, Esau and Jacob, the Lord revealed to Rebekah that the eldest brother would serve his younger brother (Genesis 25:23). Isaac must have ignored the words of the Lord to Rebekah concerning their sons because he insisted on giving the blessing to Esau even though Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob (25:29-34) and brought disappointment to his parents by marrying pagan women (26:34). Isaac’s intent on bestowing the blessing on Esau was ruined when Rebekah and Jacob deceived him into blessing Jacob instead of Esau. After Jacob had been blessed by his father and left his presence, Esau returned from hunting and brought a meal to his father in anticipation of his blessing (27:30-31). Thinking that he had already blessed Esau, Isaac was surprised when Esau asked for his blessing (27:32-33). Esau cried out for Isaac to also bless him, but Isaac responded saying, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing” (27:34-35, NLT). Not satisfied with his father’s response, Esau begged Isaac to bless him also (27:36-38), but Isaac could only promise that Esau would not enjoy the earth’s fertility and that his descendants (the Edomites) would strive against Jacob’s descendants, Israel (27:39-40).
“From that time on, Esau hated Jacob because their father had given Jacob the blessing. And Esau began to scheme: ’I will soon be mourning my father’s death. Then I will kill my brother, Jacob’” (27:41, NLT). When Rebekah learned of Esau’s plan to kill his brother, she warned Jacob and sent him to live with her brother, Laban, who lived in Haran (27:42-45). Rebekah covered over the fact of why Jacob was leaving and told Isaac that she was sending him to her people so that he could find a wife, unlike the local pagan women he would find nearby (27:46). Isaac commanded Jacob not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan, but demanded that he go and take a wife from the daughters of Laban (28:1-2). Although much deceit and lying had taken place within the family, Isaac was finally realizing that the promises of the Abrahamic covenant would be fulfilled through Jacob rather than Esau. Isaac then passed on to Jacob the blessing God had given to himself and Abraham (28:3-4). Jacob departed to the house of Laban (28:5) and when Esau knew that Isaac had blessed Jacob he attempted to gain favor with his father by marrying back into the line of Abraham by taking wives from the daughters of Ishmael; however, his foolish attempts only took him further into sin (28:6-9).
Dear God, remind me often of the consequences of lying and deceit that I may live my life in obedience to Your ways.
