Coachlight Bible
Study – Genesis Lesson 36
Genesis Chapter 27 –
The Persistent Long Distance Race
Life can be compared to a long
distance runner. Coaches have found out
that in preparation for a race, the runner’s mental conditioning is, at least
as important if not more important, than
the conditioning of the physical body.
Both are important because only the winner receives the prize.
The more I study the Book of
Genesis, I realize more and more that the main question for man kind is not,
“Where have I been?”, or “How can I get over that hurdle in front of me?”, but
rather, “Where am I going?”. In the race
of life, we often are aware of the obstacles that can entangle us along the
way, but many times lack the mental endurance it takes to win the race and
receive the incorruptible crown.
Paul often compares man’s pursuit on this earth to a race,
in speaking about the ministry:
1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians
Paul, then demonstrates his own mental conditioning for
finishing the race:
1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians
And then Paul instructs us that there will be obstacles
along the race that has the possibility to ensnare us by giving a Biblical
example:
1 Corinthians 10:1
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our
fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1 Corinthians 10:2
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1 Corinthians 10:3
And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1 Corinthians 10:4
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. {followed…: or, went with
them}
1 Corinthians 10:5
But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the
wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10:6
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil
things, as they also lusted.
The fathers in the wilderness, lusted, or “had wrong
desires” while running the race set before them. This wrong mindset and the
resulting sin ensnared them to where they could no longer see the finish line,
and collapsed, lacking the persistence and endurance so that they could not receive
the prize.
The Bible abounds with lessons teaching us how to condition
our minds in order to finish the race:
Colossians 3:2 Set
your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
{affection: or, mind}
Romans 8:4 That the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:5 For they
that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are
after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:6 For to be
carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. {to
be carnally…: Gr. the minding of the flesh} {to be spiritually…: Gr. the
minding of the Spirit}
In this study comparing Esau and Jacob, we will see another example of God teaching us the importance of endurance and persistence in the race that is set before us. We will see a father attempting to thwart God’s plan because of temporal appetites. We will see two brothers entering the race, but only one will receive the blessing. We have already been given an example showing us where Esau’s mindset was centered. Earlier Esau sold his birthright, which he despised, to his brother for a bowl of soup. Now, after the painstaking efforts of Abraham to secure a bride for Esau’s father, we can see again that Esau’s mindset was not on his family’s values or his own inheritance:
Genesis 26:34 And
Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the
Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
Genesis 26:35 Which
were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. {a grief…: Heb. bitterness of
spirit}
Easu was 40 years old
when he married these two Hittites. This
was not an example of youthful indiscretion.
It was deliberate and must have been against the teaching of his
parents, and of course, was against God’s will.
This is just another example of what alienated Esau from God’s holiness,
God’s plan, and God’s purpose.
I. Esau’s Commission
From His Father
Genesis 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.
Genesis 27:2 And he
said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
Genesis 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; {take: Heb. hunt}
Genesis 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.
Genesis 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.
A. Evidently, Isaac’s intention was to go against God’s prophecy
B. Isaac evidently was motivated by his personal love for Esau
C. Isaac wanted to give the Jacob’s God promised blessing to Esau
D. It was undoubtedly a custom to mark an occasion like this with a
feast
1. This occasion was to be marked
by the fruits of Esau’s hunting ability
2. This occasion was to be marked by Esau’s cooking ability
3. This occasion was to be marked
by Isaac’s appetite, disregarding God’s will
E. Isaac’s desire for savory meat was outweighing God’s plan in Isaac’s
mind.
# Thwarting
God’s purpose is always the result of a “lust” or “wrong desire”, or as Paul
called it “walking in the flesh” which he later defined as “minding the things
of the flesh”
G. The result of Isaac and Esau walking in the flesh was not going to
get in the way of God’s plan, but caused separation between them and God, and
had repercussions now with Rebekah.,
II. Jacob’s
Commission From His Mother
Genesis 27:6 And
Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto
Esau thy brother, saying,
Genesis 27:7 Bring me
venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the
LORD before my death.
Genesis 27:8 Now
therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
Genesis 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:
Genesis 27:10 And
thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee
before his death.
A. Rebekah’s Plan – to Cause Isaac to Pronounce the Blessing on Jacob
B. Jacob is to get two kid goats from the flock
C. Rebekah would make savory meat for Isaac from the goats
D. Jacob was to
1. Take the meat to his father
2. Inducing Isaac to pronounce the blessing intended for Esau on Jacob
E. Rebekah is undoubtedly attempting to call to make Isaac realize he
was thwarting God’s will and prophecy:
Genesis 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.
# When a person is walking in the flesh, he can not be
mindful of God’s purpose, his mind is clouded over with his own desires.
III. Jacob’s First
Response to Rebekah’s Plan
Genesis 27:11 And
Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I
am a smooth man:
Genesis 27:12 My
father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver[08591];
and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
08591 eet
ta‘a‘ taw-ah’ - a primitive root; TWOT-2532; v
deceiver 1, misused
1; 2
1) to deceive, misuse
1a) (Pilpel) - 1a1) to be a mocker,
mock - 1a2) mocker (subst)
1b) (Hithpalpel) - 1b1) to ridicule
- 1b2) mocking (participle)
A. Jacob first mentions the physical differences between himself and
Esau
1. Isaac may be blind but he could
feel the physical difference
2. Esau was covered with hair
3. Jacob was smooth
B. Jacob is then concerned about Isaac figuring it all out
1. Jacob was afraid that Isaac
would think of him as a “deceiver”
2. tawah – or “deceiver” literally meant “mocker”
3. Jacob was afraid that Isaac would think that Jacob was mocking his blindness
IV. Rebekah Assures
Jacob
Genesis 27:13 And his
mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go
fetch me them.
V. Rebekah And Jacob
Prepare The Deception
Genesis 27:14 And he
went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury
meat, such as his father loved.
Genesis 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: {goodly: Heb. desirable}
Genesis 27:16 And she
put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of
his neck:
Genesis 27:17 And she
gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of
her son Jacob.
VI. Rebekah’s Plan
Carried Out – Does God Bless A Lie?
Genesis 27:18 And he
came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art
thou, my son?
Genesis 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.
Genesis 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. {to me: Heb. before me}
Genesis 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.
Genesis 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.
Genesis 27:23 And he
discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands:
so he blessed him.
Genesis 27:24 And he
said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
Genesis 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.
A. Some of Jacob’s statements to Isaac were blatantly false
1. “I am Esau thy firstborn” (Verse 19)
2. “Because the Lord thy God brought it to me” (Verse 20)
B. But God never rebuked Jacob for this act of deception
C. Why is it that God later confirmed the blessing?
Genesis 28:13 And,
behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy
father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give
it, and to thy seed;
Genesis 28:14 And thy
seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the
west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in
thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. {spread…: Heb. break
forth}
Genesis 28:15 And,
behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest,
and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I
have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
D. God Blessing A Lie Is Also Found In Exodus concerning the Hebrew
midwives:
Exodus 1:15 And the
king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was
Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
Exodus 1:16 And he
said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon
the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter,
then she shall live.
Exodus 1:17 But the
midwives feared God, and did not as the king of
Exodus 1:18 And the
king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done
this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
Exodus 1:19 And the
midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian
women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto
them.
Exodus
E. Again God Blesses A Lie – Rahab preserved after hiding two spies
Joshua 2:3 And the
king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to
thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all
the country.
Joshua 2:4 And the
woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me,
but I wist not whence they were:
Joshua 2:5 And it
came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the
men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye
shall overtake them.
Joshua 2:6 But she
had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of
flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
Joshua 6:25 And
Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that
she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the
messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out
F. This Is Not Meant To Condone Sin
1. These examples are rare exceptions
to the rule
2. None of these Scriptural examples show the desire for some temporal advantage
a. The midwives risked their lives by their deceptions
b. Rahab risked her life by her deception
c. Both would seem to have been better off, temporally speaking, to tell the truth
G. In the Same Way, Jacob And Rebekah Performed Their Deception
1. Jacob and Rebekah risked the
wrath and hatred of loved ones
2. This was in no means a temporal
advantage – In fact caused much anguish
3. This did accomplish God’s purpose
4. This did save Esau and Isaac for going against God’s judgment
VII. The Blessing
Genesis 27:26 And his
father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
Genesis 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:
Genesis 27:28
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and
plenty of corn and wine:
Genesis 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.
A. Isaac Pronounced the Blessing by the Inspiration of God – While
Intending to Thwart God’s Will
B. Later, Balaam was forced to bless
Numbers 23:11 And
Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine
enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
Numbers
C. The High Priest Spoke of the importance of Christ’s death, even
though he did not know the entire impact
John 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the
high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
John 11:50 Nor
consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people,
and that the whole nation perish not.
John 11:51 And this
spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that
Jesus should die for that nation;
John
VII. The Trembling
And The Tears
Genesis 27:30 And it
came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was
yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his
brother came in from his hunting.
Genesis 27:31 And he
also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his
father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may
bless me.
Genesis 27:32 And
Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy
firstborn Esau.
Genesis 27:33 And
Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken
venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and
have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. {trembled…: Heb. trembled with
a great trembling greatly} {taken: Heb. hunted}
Genesis 27:34 And
when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding
bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
Genesis 27:35 And he
said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.
Genesis 27:36 And he
said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times:
he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing.
And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? {Jacob: that is, A
supplanter}
Genesis 27:37 And
Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all
his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I
sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
Genesis 27:38 And
Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me,
even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
Genesis 27:39 And
Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the
fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; Genesis 27:40 And by
thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to
pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off
thy neck.
Genesis 27:41 And
Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and
Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then
will I slay my brother Jacob.
A. The Relevance of Jacob’s Name To The Story – Esau’s Play on Words
03290 bqey Ya‘aqob yah-ak-obe’ - from 06117, Greek
2384 Iakwb; ; n pr m
Jacob 349; 349 - Jacob =" heel holder" or
"supplanter" - son of Isaac,
grandson of Abraham, and father of the 12 patriarchs of the tribes of
06117 bqe ‘aqab aw-kab’ - a primitive root;
TWOT-1676; v
supplant 2, take by the heel 1, stay, utterly 1; 5
1) to supplant, circumvent, take by the heel, follow at the heel,
assail insidiously, overreach
1a) (Qal) to supplant, overreach, attack at the heel - 1b) (Piel) to
hold back
1. Jacob’s name means “heel
catcher” because of his act at the birth of Esau and himself.
2. The root of the name Jacob is
awkab, meaning supplanter.
3. A person in a race who trips another by the heel, will by the act supplant that person in the race.
4. By this bit of extension of etymology, Jacob became known as supplanter
5. Esau noted that this fit Jacob because he supplanted him twice.
B. Esau’s Blessing
1. Esau’s descendants (Edomites)
would live in a region away from the fertile and well watered places of the
earth
2. You shall live by your sword
3. You will serve thy brother when they win
4. There will be times when you shake off their dominion - IIKings 8:20-22.
C. Esau’s Biggest Desire (Political Superiority) Was Given To Jacob
1. All Esau’s crying could not change this
2. Paul refers to Esau’s plea this
way:
Hebrews 12:16 Lest
there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat
sold his birthright.
Hebrews 12:17 For ye
know how that 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
3. Esau wept in seeking the
blessings, but was unable to change God’s mind.
VIII. Running The
Race Set Before Us With Endurance
Hebrews 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:2 Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. {author: or, beginner}
Hebrews 12:3 For
consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest
ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Hebrews 12:4 Ye have
not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Hebrews 12:5 And ye
have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My
son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art
rebuked of him:
Hebrews 12:6 For whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Hebrews 12:7 If ye
endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom
the father chasteneth not?
Hebrews 12:8 But if
ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards,
and not sons.
Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave
them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of
spirits, and live?
Hebrews 12:10 For
they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for
our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Hebrews
Hebrews 12:12
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Hebrews 12:13 And
make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the
way; but let it rather be healed. {straight: or, even}
Hebrews 12:14 Follow
peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Hebrews 12:15 Looking
diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; {fail…: or, fall from}