Grace

5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.”

Genesis 27:5-10

The Jacob deception (sounds like a political thriller) is a perplexing episode in Genesis and in the unfolding of God’s promises. Just a quick summary of the story as a whole:

• Isaac is the promised offspring of Abraham - he marries Rebekah
• Rebekah (after a long wait) becomes pregnant with twins.
• Rebekah receives a prophecy that the older twin (Esau) will serve the younger (Jacob).
• Isaac loves Esau. Rebekah loves Jacob.
• Jacob manipulates his brother into giving up his ‘birthright’ for a single meal.
• Esau despises his birthright by giving it up for a single meal.
• Isaac promises to give Esau his final blessing.

But now, Jacob is in the process of ‘stealing’ that blessing. Now, there’s a few things that feel very foreign to us. Why doesn’t Isaac bless both his kids? It’s actually possible that he should - this may be an insight into Isaac’s sin.

But what bothers us most of all. Is that Jacob seems to be rewarded for his deception. He does steal the blessing through some pretty nefarious trickery of his father. How can God honor this sort of behaviour?

Well, I think the first thing to see is that God doesn’t ‘honor’ this behaviour. The passage is steeped in a kind of literary repugnance for what’s going on. It’s like the whole episode smells of rotten cheese. The writer is not approving and neither should we be.

However, we shouldn’t be surprised that God works His promises through the sins of people. Because this is the very grace that we have received. If God were unwilling to do so then what hope could we have? We may not be as manipulative or ambitious as Jacob, but none of us deserve God’s blessing.

So don’t approve of Jacob’s behaviour. But neither allow yourself to think that you are any better. We are all sinners who by God’s grace have been welcomed into His family through the fulfilment of God’s promises - Jesus Christ.

For Today:

• What did you make of Genesis 27?
• Are you saddened or angered by sin?
• Reflect on God’s grace to you today in spite of your sin?

Pray:
Praise the Father for His mercy and grace to sinners. Give thanks that Jesus Christ was without sin. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others rejoice in God’s grace and turn from your sins.