The Book of Genesis
Part 52
The Stolen Blessing — Chapter 27:18-40
We cannot approve the stealth with which Rebekah and Jacob acted, in spite of what has been revealed as to Isaac’s attitude in this matter. We sympathize with a man with greatly impaired vision being made the victim of such a plot.
Let us study more deeply the reaction in the case, first, of Isaac, and, then of Esau.
Isaac
Isaac’s suspicion (Vv. 18-22): It is a mistake to consider Isaac, as some of us have done for years, a decrepit old man in need of help to sit up in bed. Obviously Jacob did not offer such assistance for he did not go near until asked to do so. Moreover, when told, “Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison” (J.N.D.), he did just that.
Since Jacob and Esau were twins there may have been some similarity in the sound and tone of their voices. Had this not been, we would have expected Rebekah to attempt deception in the accent. Notwithstanding, there was something about the voice of Jacob that aroused suspicion in the mind of Isaac. Furthermore, Jacob’s reply to Isaac’s question, “How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son?” may have deepened this suspicion. Esau was not the type of man to make references to God and His help.
Deprived of his vision, Isaac relied upon the sense of feeling, and in this he was deceived, although some suspicion seemed to linger, “The voice is the voice of Jacob (Isaac, in spite of the similarity to Esau’s voice had detected some peculiarities in Jacob’s), but the hands are the hands of Esau.”
Surely, the lesson to be learned from this part of the story is when in doubt do not act, wait.
Isaac’s blessing (Vv. 26-29): Isaac first bids Jacob to “come near now, and kiss me.” It is understood that this kiss was in preparation for the patriarchal blessing, and was considered solemn and sacred. The deception of Jacob in this intimacy brings to mind the kiss of Judas centuries later.
The pastures of Palestine are unusually fragrant because of the great abundance of aromatic herbs. The scent of these overcame completely the suspicion lurking in Isaac’s mind and he proceded to bless his son. Did he feel at last the strength of the human will? Did a sense of satisfaction possess him in the accomplishment of his own purpose? Poor Isaac!
Many years later in blessing the two sons of Joseph, Jacob was most careful lest human interference mar the blessing he had to pronounce upon them (Gen. 48:14-20). It may have been that he recalled the circumstances of his father’s giving of the patriarchal blessing to him.
The blessing of Isaac was; first, a wish for divine blessing, “God give thee”; second, for material wealth, “The dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth”; third, for national superiority, “Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee”; in fourth place, for racial pre-eminence, “Let thy mother’s sons bow to thee.” This latter part of the blessing embraced all the nations which have sprung from Abraham. Finally, this blessing was traditional; it is the same in part as the blessing of God upon Abraham (Gen. 12:3), but does not bestow the spiritual aspect of Abraham’s, “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Later, Jacob was to receive this far more extensive blessing directly from the Lord, and in that blessing this spiritual element and others were promised (Gen. 28:13-15).
Isaac’s surprise (Vv. 30-33): Just as Jacob left Isaac’s presence, Esau entered. Then Isaac discovered the deception and trembled exceedingly. Was this trembling an expression of anger? One cannot think so. It was rather a trembling from shock and weakness. Isaac had thought his will supreme and his plan successful. He thought that he had blessed his firstborn in spite of God’s assertion, “The elder shall serve the younger.” The impact of disillusion caused him to shake. The entire matter was a shock to a self-contented man.
Isaac’s steadfastness (V. 33): There is one thing certain, the shock of being deceived caused Isaac to realize that the Supreme Mind directed the affairs of life, and that it was impossible for him to thwart divine determination. To this fact he now submitted, and from it refused to deviate, declaring, “I … have blessed him; yea, and he shall be blessed.” This is the pivotal point in the entire story; so fixed was Isaac’s intention that instead of cursing Jacob, as that son at first feared, he left the blessing.
We must now direct our attention to
Esau
There was deep remorse in the heart of Esau, but not an expression of true repentance for his own careless act of folly. In fact, he merely blames Jacob, “Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times.”
With tears and pleadings he sought to change Isaac’s mind, but all to no avail. The Spirit of God records, “Afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Heb. 12:17).
The meaning here becomes clearer if the clause, “for he found no place of repentance,” is placed with brackets. It was the blessing of Isaac he sought with tears, but in this matter he could not change his father’s mind; there was no repentance in Isaac’s heart.
Esau becomes the example of the husbandry of life, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). He sowed carnal gratification and reaped the full harvest.
Since Esau found no repentance in the heart of his father, he allowed revenge to fill his own heart: “Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.” His behaviour was similar to that of Cain, and even worse, for he made no secret of his evil purpose. In this he added sin to sin.
Isaac’s unreasonable partiality toward Esau resulted partly from his fondness for venison. He apparently ignored Esau’s action in bringing into the family the heathen “daughters of Heth.” Notwithstanding this weakness of true spiritual character, there is no justification for the evil committed by Jacob and his mother. Jacob, as did Esau, reaped a harvest from his own sowing. For his deception, he in turn was deceived again and again. The sins of youth frequently follow throughout the years of maturity.
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How poor are they that have no patience. — Shakespeare.