In Response to our Survey, some requested that we return to our study in Genesis, so at least for a time, we will return to Genesis 27:

 The sad story of Jacob and Esau.

 

 

Last Sunday morning in our Bible class, we concluded with this statement:

 

(Gen 27:33 NKJV)  "Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, "Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him; and indeed he shall be blessed.""

 

That sounds like the end of the story, right?  Wrong!  Things won’t be settled for a long time.

Notice the next verse:

 

(Gen 27:34 NKJV)  "When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me; me also, O my father!"

 

It was a cry that gets recognized in the New Testament:

(Heb 12:14-17 NKJV)  "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: {15} looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; {16} lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. {17} For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears."

 

“for he found no place for repentance:”  “for he found no place for a change of mind in his father”

 

“or profane person like Esau,

[what made him “profane”?]

who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.”

 

2) profane

2a) unhallowed, common, public place

2b) of men, ungodly

Why was this so serious?

 

It was serious because his birthright included a special spiritual blessing as well as physical land promises.  He looked upon spiritual things as:

2a) unhallowed, common, public place

 

Could he be called:  2b) of men, ungodly

 

Ungodly really caries the idea of not having a proper reverence and respect for God.  Esau is guilty of not having a proper respect for spiritual values.

 

The Bible is clear, that we have two natures:

Physical and Spiritual.

It is also clear that at any time the physical becomes our number one concern, we are in trouble.

 

(Gen 6:3 NKJV)  "And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.""

Let’s continue with Isaac’s Statement:

 

(Gen 27:35 NKJV)  "But he said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.""

 

My question is:  If it is with deceit, with fraud, why does Isaac refuse to correct matters?

 

We’ve talked about this before.  Isaac knew what had been said about his two sons:

 

(Gen 25:23 NKJV)  "And the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.""

 

Question:  Why didn’t Isaac tell that to Esau?

Isaac loved peace.  He hated to confront anyone.  Sometimes we need to confront, but we need a lot of wisdom to know the times we need to confront.  There is one more thing: Isaac did not want to admit that he had made a mistake.

(Gen 27:36-40 NKJV)  {36} And Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"

 

“He took away my birthright,”

Let’s review the story

 

(Gen 25:29-33 NKJV)  "Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. {30} And Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary." Therefore his name was called Edom. {31} But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day." {32} And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" {33} Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob."

 

Yes, Esau was in distress, but where is his resistance to this outlandish deal?

 

(Gen 27:37)  Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?"

(Gen 27:35) But he said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing."

 

There is still no offer on Isaac’s part to do anything to correct this matter.

 

(Gen 27:36) And Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"

 

Where is parental counseling?  Why does Isaac not remind Esau of his spiritual weaknesses?

 

·                 Why did he not put up an argument with Jacob over the price of the red stew?

·                 Why has Esau married the women of the land where they dwell?

(Gen 27:46 NKJV)  "And Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?""

 

What women were involved?

 

(Gen 36:2-3 NKJV)  "Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; {3} and Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth."

 

Count them:  Three!  Two definitely pagan, and then Ishmael’s daughter is added to the harem.

Yet, there is no word of correction of Esau by Isaac.

 

(Gen 27:37) Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?""

(Gen 27:38) And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me; me also, O my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. {39} Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: "Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above. {40} By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.""

 

Did it ever happen?

 

(2 Chr 21:5-8 NKJV)  "Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. . . . {8} In his days the Edomites revolted against Judah's authority, and made a king over themselves."

 

Isaac fails as a father, and Esau decides to take matters into his own hands.  It’s not good.

 

 

(Gen 27:41-46 NKJV)  "So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob." {42} And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, "Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you. {43} "Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran. {44} "And stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away, {45} "until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?"

 

Nothing happened as planned:

 

Isaac didn’t die in a few days, so Esau would have had many years to wait.

"And stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away,”  -- the “few days” were twenty years.

“then I will send and bring you from there” – It never happened, as far as we know, she died and never saw her son again.

Their plans did not work out too well.

But then comes more deception:

 

(Gen 27:46) And Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the

land, what good will my life be to me?""

 

Isaac goes along with the plan, not even knowing the purpose of what is happening.

 

(Gen 28:1 NKJV)  "Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan."

 

I must believe it could have ended much better!

 

My Sunday Evening Lessons  Bible Study Home Page

Hit Counter