Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Disagreement in Parenting can be disastrous, do you agree? We see it all around us and maybe you’ve even experienced it in your own family. As we’re following the story of God’s “Grand Narrative”, yesterday the mantle was passed as Abraham, the patriarch of God’s Covenant family had died, and was buried by his sons Isaac and Ishmael.
Isaac and his wife Rebekah, like Abraham and Sarah, faced 20 years of heartbreaking inability to bear children, until God intervened and blessed Isaac and Rebekah with twin boys, Esau and Jacob. (Gen.25:19-26) Yesterday we saw Isaac preferred his outdoor loving son Esau; and Rebekah was partial to her home loving son Jacob. Did you notice any parental preferences when you were growing up in your family? If so, what damage resulted?
As Isaac aged, he evidently had an eye problem, perhaps something like Macular Degeneration which so many people have in our day. Genesis 27:1 says: “When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son…”
Isaac told Esau the time had come for him to give his son his firstborn inheritance and blessing before Isaac died, and Isaac wanted to do so enjoying something that was special in their relationship…a fresh cooked meal of freshly hunted wild game. So, Esau headed off with his bow and arrows in hand, in search of fresh game and excited the moment had finally come to have this long awaited, eldest son inheritance conversation with his father Isaac, whom he loved.
When you think about your family relationships, are there some very significant conversations which you will be soon having? Are you prepared for them? And what will you say that will make a significant difference in the lives of those who hear your words?
Sadly, in Isaac’s family the parental dysfunction exploded as Esau headed out the door to hunt. Rebekah had overheard the conversation, and she actually plotted with her son Jacob to deceive old Isaac and have Isaac give Esau’s rightful firstborn inheritance to Jacob. Gen. 27:5-17 explains the details of how Rebekah and Jacob conspired together in this ruse.
After every detail of the deception had been accomplished Jacob entered his father Isaac’s presence with the food his father loved which his mother had prepared! Jacob was dressed in his brother Esau’s clothes, attempting to steal his brother’s inheritance. Oh of course both mother and son knew this deception was very wrong and would shatter their family, but Rebekah had said to her son Jacob: “My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say…” (Gen. 27:13)
Do you remember another time about 2 millennia later in history, when descendants of Isaac and Rebekah shouted something very similar when Governor Pilate asked what should be done with Jesus? ‘Crucify Him’ the crowd angrily shouted! Pilate responded that he found no guilt in Jesus and the people screamed it again. As Pilate handed Jesus over to the crowd he shouted, “I am innocent of this man’s blood, it is your responsibility’. All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:22-25)
My friends, what damage has deception, lying, manipulation done to your family? Are you living in the shadow of similar dysfunctional family deception in your family history? And what will be the pathway your family might take toward repentance, reconciliation and restoration made possible by Jesus?
Perhaps you remember Jesus once said that when a person is lying or using truth distortions, they are aligning themselves with the dark kingdom: “You belong to your father the devil and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in the devil. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies…” (John 8:44) Oh my that is very strong language isn’t it my friends? Yet we all know the devastating effects of lies and deception, don’t we?
Jacob, urged on by his mother, went to his father with his favorite hot meal in hand, and while Isaac suspected something wasn’t right, Isaac ate the delicious meal and poured out upon his son Jacob, the firstborn blessing & inheritance which was rightfully Esau’s. (Gen. 27:18-29) The deception was successful. While no legal papers were signed, in that era Isaac’s inheritance words spoken could not be revoked and deceiver Jacob left his father’s presence quickly. The damage was done.
The Biblical record says Esau, about that time, arrived back from his hunt, prepared his father’s favorite meal and went in to see Isaac, excited for this long-awaited inheritance blessing, and totally unaware of his mother’s work to deceive her husband and cheat her son Esau out of his firstborn blessing. Genesis 27:30-41 describes in great detail the horrific, confusing encounter between deceived old Isaac and his angry son Esau. This verse summarizes the damage done that day: “Esau held a grudge against his brother Jacob…He said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” (Gen. 27:41)
History has often shown us that one lie often requires a cover-up plan of many lies and when Rebekah heard what Esau was thinking, she devised another plan to protect her favorite son Jacob. She said to Jacob: “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you. Now then, my son, do as I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran. Stay with him until your brother’s fury subsides…” (Gen. 27:42-45)
And then Rebekah went to her husband Isaac with another ruse claiming she was going to send her son Jacob to live with her brother in Harran so he might find a good wife there as Isaac did! Isaac agreed, remembering how God had provided Rebekah for him, and Isaac sent Jacob off with this blessing: “Go at once to your mother’s brother in Harran. Take a wife for yourself there from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of people. May God give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so you may take possession of this land…” (Gen. 28:1-4) Quickly Jacob packed a bag, kissed his mother goodbye, and was on his way… running from the family discord he had caused by his deceptions.
A grudge can breed bitterness, anger, revenge and a whole host of major family problems and that is exactly what happened to Esau. As Jacob left, Esau realized how distasteful local women were to his parents and to hurt them the record says: “Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalah, daughter of Ishmael…in addition to the wives he already had.” Oh, the damage of deception!
Jacob traveled as far as he could that day, away from his family, and slept that night out in a field, under the stars. He had a dream in which he saw a ladder reaching from heaven to him and angels going up and down the ladder with the LORD God standing at the top.
Jacob heard the LORD say these words: “I am the LORD, the God of your fathers Abraham and Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying…All people on earth will be blessed by you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and I will bring you back to this land.” (Gen. 28:10-15) That encounter was a historic, defining moment in God’s “GRAND NARRATIVE”!
Despite his being a deceiver and his actions having shattered his family, God was selecting Jacob to be the continuation of the great Covenant God had established with his grandfather Abraham. In days to come we’ll look at this more closely to understand why.
For today, are you and I prepared to let God act in ways that may not seem logical to us, yet do we trust God’s Holiness, His Sovereignty, His Wisdom to fulfill His Purposes in our world? Let’s pause right here and reflect on what was happening here with God and Covenant son Isaac’s family, and especially Jacob, and tomorrow we’ll see what happened next!
I found a great song of wisdom worship, so let’s worship…
Today’s Scripture: Genesis 27 & 28.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Genesis 28
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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