Jacob's Deception
Gen 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.
Gen 27:2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
Isaac was old and could not see. This may have been true spiritually as well, for he favored Esau, who had already given his birthright to Jacob.
Gen 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
Gen 25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
Gen 25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
Gen 25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Esau was a rugged, hairy man and a hunter. He was like his father Isaac in that he liked to eat his food, maybe too much. Jacob was a conniver, a trickster, and he manipulated the birthright from Esau.
Gen 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; Gen 27:4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.
He was wanting his venison; then he planned to give the birthright blessing to Esau. Was this family a close loving family? I don't think so. Isaac loved Esau and Rebecca favored Jacob. Had they not heard from God as Rebecca did at the birth of the two son's?
Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
The LORD had promised the blessing to be through Jacob.
Gen 27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Gen 27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
Gen 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.
Gen 27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
Gen 27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
Gen 27:10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
Rebecca was a schemer like her son. Perhaps he learned this behavior from Rebecca? Isaac could not tell the difference in taste between a goat and venison. Maybe they used a lot of garlic?
Gen 27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
Gen 27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
Gen 27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
Do what I say and let the curse be upon me if we fail.
We should not do things by craftiness. The promise was given to Jacob by the LORD, he doesn't need clever people to do things by deceit. Does the end justify the means? Can we not trust God and obey him and leave the results to him? Do we trust his promises? Or do we manipulate things to get what we want. The Holy Spirit better be in control of the church and in oue lives, or we have a form of godliness, but it is manipulation of people and plans for a persons own desires.
Gen 27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
Rebekah cooked meat, to deceive her husband Isaac and Jacob had earlier cooked pottage to deceive his brother. Eating together is a form of fellowship. Jesus wants to eat with us.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
There are times when we need to keep our eyes open atthe dinner table. There may be a sinister motive behind the offer of food or other favors. A woman who was saved from the life of a prostitute said that she never trusted someone with a free meal, for there was a price to pay for any favor. There is no free lunch. Let's take this thought into the scriptures.
2 Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
Prov 23:1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Prov 23:2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Prov 23:3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
Gen 27:15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
Rebecca put Esau's best clothes on Jacob.
Gen 27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
Esau must truly have been hairy, if he resemble goat hair. The newly killed goat's skins with hair were wrapped around Jacobs hands and neck, to fool Isaac when he touched him. I can picture the blood of the goat on the inside of the fur pieces, applied to Jacob's flesh.
Animal sacrifices only worked until the next sin. Jesus died for all of our sins.
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Gen 27:17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
Rebecca was very much involved in this deception. She had said, upon me be thy curse; an idle statement. When Jesus was crucified the Jews spoke similar words.
Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
The sin nature is in all mankind, only Jesus was without sin.
Gen 27:18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?
Gen 27:19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
Gen 27:20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.
Gen 27:21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.
Gen 27:22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
Gen 27:23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
Gen 27:24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
Jacob had a chance to tell the truth, but he continued his deception. Will a liar tell us the truth? Can you trust them?
I do think we can assume that Jacob knew that he was supposed to end up with the birthright eventually. I'm sure his mother told him what the Lord had told her. What this event shows us is that Jacob was not willing to wait on the Lord. He would manipulate events to get his way.
Gen 27:25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.
Gen 27:26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
Gen 27:27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:
Gen 27:28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
Gen 27:29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
Jacob received the birthright blessings. He had the promise of the fatness of the earth, authority over people and nations and over his brothers. A promise of curses returned to those who curse him, and blessings for those who bless him and through him all nations would be blessed by Jesus.
Let's look at this word Jacob. It means heel holder or supplanter. To supplant is to take the place of (another), as through force, scheming, strategy, or the like. It is close to the word guile; treacherous cunning; skillful deceit.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
1 Th 2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
1 Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
1 Pet 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1 Pet 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
1 Pet 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
1 Pet 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1 Pet 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Pet 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1 Pet 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1 Pet 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 Pet 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
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