Genesis 27

God is writing his story in you. In our study of Genesis, we have seen that God is powerful and mighty in his actions and will always accomplish what he promises. And we know he works directly in our lives to write our story. We also know there are times when we want to write our own story in our own timing. When we do, well, we make a mess of things. That’s what happens in Genesis 27.

Before we get into this chapter, here is a quick review of the outline we are using for Genesis.

God’s Work in Creation (1-2)

God’s Work with Humanity (3-11)

• Adam (3-5)
• Noah (6-10)
• Nations (11)

God’s Work with His Covenant People (12-50)

• Abraham (12-25)
• Isaac (25-26)
• Jacob (27-36)
• Joseph (37-50)

When we begin reading Genesis 27, Isaac is 137 years old. He is weak and barely able to see. He thinks he is close to death, but he will live another forty-three years! Remember those trips you used to take to see your great aunt and your parents said, “This will be the last time we see her.”? Then you realized later that you had years of trips in your childhood and teenage years going to see her for “the last time!” In today’s passage, Isaac called for his favorite son, Esau, and made his request.

Genesis 27:2-4
He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. ³ Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, ⁴ and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

Esau was a skilled hunter and loved the outdoors. He took off to bag some wild game for his dad.

Rebekah heard the exchange between Isaac and Esau and decided on a deceitful plan of action. Remember, when Esau and Jacob were struggling in Rebekah’s womb, God told her that the older would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23). Perhaps she felt it was time to help God seal the deal, or perhaps her actions are simply because Jacob is her favorite. Whatever the reason, her plan was filled with lies. One lesson we learn from this story is that disobedience to ensure God’s plan is never the right course of action.

The scheme Rebekah devised was clever, and she had to act quickly.  She told Jacob to go to the flock and get two young goats so she could prepare them just the way Isaac preferred. Since Esau was hairy, they attached goat skin on Jacob’s hands and neck, and Rebekah had Jacob wear Esau’s best clothes. Then she “put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob” (Gen. 27:17).

When Jacob, pretending to be Esau, took the food to his father, Isaac was surprised at how quickly he had killed and prepared the wild game. Jacob deceitfully credited God, saying that God had “granted [him] success” in securing the wild game (Gen. 27:21). Isaac was still not sure things were on the up and up. The voice did not sound like Esau, but the hands were hairy, and his clothes had the “smell of a field.” He asked directly, “Are you really my son Esau?” Jacob lied directly and said, “I am.” So, Isaac pronounced the blessing.

Genesis 27:28-29
“May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. ²⁹ Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

Jacob was barely out of Isaac’s presence when Esau arrived from his hunting trip and prepared the game just the way his dad liked it.  Isaac asked, “Who are you?” Esau replied, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

Genesis 27:33
Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.”

The Hebrew text literally says that Isaac “trembled with great trembling to excess.” Isaac’s body shook, knowing that he had pronounced an irrevocable blessing. Esau begged for the blessing, but it was too late. Esau pleaded again to receive a blessing from his father. Isaac responded.

Genesis 27:39-40
“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. ⁴⁰ By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

Esau and his descendants, the Edomites, would not enjoy the richness of the fertile promised land. They would be a warring and restless people. As you can imagine, Esau was furious.

Genesis 27:36, 41
Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” . . . Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Rebekah heard about what Esau said and feared for Jacob’s life. She reasoned with Isaac that she couldn’t stand the idea of Jacob marrying a Hittite woman like Esau had done. She instructed Jacob to leave for a while and go stay with her brother Laban in Haran.    

Rebekah and Jacob got what they wanted through lies and deceitfulness, but everything they received God would have provided in due time. It’s true that God worked through their sinful actions as he always accomplishes his will, but it’s also true that sin always has consequences (Num. 32:23; Gal. 6:7). Thankfully, God’s grace covers our sin!

Both Rebekah and Jacob lost much. Jacob, the man who loved to live a settled life, was now on his own on a long journey to Haran. And Rebekah would never again see the son she loved.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Genesis 27. Observe the deceit and lies throughout the story by two people unwilling to wait on God’s timing.

Talking to God
God is writing his story in your life. Are you following his lead? Are you taking any shortcuts? Ask him to protect you from the consequences of deceit and sin. Thank him for his unlimited grace.

Have Questions?
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