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41 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?" 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?" ~ Genesis 27:41-46
Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 27 where we have witnessed the passing of the blessing from Isaac to his son, Jacob. The events recorded in Genesis 27 took place when the twins, Jacob and Esau, were 77 years old and their father Isaac was 136 years old. That means the events of this chapter took place in the year 2245 BC about 61 years after Abraham had died.
In v.41-42 of today's passage we read, "41 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.'"
Esau was naturally upset when Jacob stole his blessing. Their dad, Isaac, sent Esau out to go hunting, to kill a deer and to make a meal for him. The plan was that Isaac would bless Esau after eating his meal. As you know, while Esau was obeying his father, Jacob deceived their dad and stole the blessing. There is room for anger in every person, particularly at sin. But there is no room for anger if we allow the devil a foothold in our lives. This is where Esau went wrong.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:26-27, "26 Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil."
In his anger, Esau thought hard about regaining the birthright and the blessing by killing Jacob. Esau had married at the age of 40, but Jacob was 77 and still unmarried. If Jacob died before he married, Esau knew that the birthright and the blessing would have reverted back to him. This is why their mother Rebekah moved so fast to get Jacob to leave and go to live with her brother in Haran. Once Jacob discovered Esau's intent, he fled for his life. Sadly, his father would live another 40 more years, to the age of 180. During this time, Jacob married two wives, and they had 12 sons, and at least one daughter. Even though evil was on the march, the divine will of God prevailed as it has always and it always will.
In v.43-45 of today's passage we read, "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?"
Rebekah told Jacob to flee for his life and she sent him to her brother Laban in "Haran" which means "mountainous." At the same time that Jacob went to the mountains, Esau remained in Canaan and later married two more women who were daughters of Ishmael who represented bondage to the law according to Paul in the book of Galatians. Esau went from the bondage of idolatry to the bondage of legalism and works-based religion. What alternatives to the life of freedom that God offers.
The "few days" that Jacob spent with Laban in Haran turned into 20 years. There is no record in the Bible of Jacob ever seeing his mother again. This was a high cost for Rebekah, but it was in fulfillment of God’s word and His plan. Blessed are those who bear the word of God who have left home and family to carry the message of Christ around the world. Many have never returned home again. When they went, they went with God’s blessing and His word, and when they returned it was in a state of victory over the death that consumed them.
In v.46 of today's passage we read, "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?'"
The phrase used by Rebekah, "I am weary of my life" means to feel a loathing, abhorrence, or sickening dread. In Psalm 19:6 we read, "Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat." The word weary is the same word translated circuit in this verse. Rebekah was at that never-ending cycle of life where weariness had been brought on by the influence of the "daughters of Heth" upon her son Esau. The same word that she used for "weary" is used in Leviticus 20:23 which reads, "And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them." The word "abhor" is the same word that Rebekah used when she said "I am weary." Pictured for us here is the result of a life not defined by God.
According to Paul, we’re not to be unevenly yoked with non believers because they will pull us away from following the Lord with all our heart. This is what Rebekah was implying to Jacob before sending him away to her brother's place. God warns us about mingling our faith with false teachings and false practices, such as idol worship, tarot cards, rosary beads, praying to saints or to Mary, horoscopes, or any other false religious practice.
Interestingly, despite the turmoil between the descendants of Jacob and those of Esau, the line of Esau eventually was assimilated into the Israelite people and they became extinct as an individual group. However, even until today, the people of Israel survive. This was the result of the inculcation of the culture of God into their lives. This is why we enjoy eternal life, even now.
As we will see, Jacob spent the better part of his remaining life running from his brother Esau. But, in reality, he wasn't running from Esau, he was running from God. The fear of Esau led Jacob to an all night wrestling match with God where Jacob was forced by God to come face to face with his loser of a life. God ended up giving Jacob another blessing, the blessing of a limp, a reminder that he needed God more than anything in this life.
When we think we're strong, we're at our weakest. Our weaknesses enable us to find our way home to our loving Father, if we let them. This is why the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12, "I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
