Genesis 29:7-14

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7 Then he said, "Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them." 8 But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep." 9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father. 13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month. ~ Genesis 29:7-14

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 29 where Jacob has just met his future wife Rachel at a well near Rachel's hometown of Haran. After inquiring of the shepherds at the well that if they knew his uncle Laban, Jacob was told by the shepherds that Laban's daughter Rachel just so happened to be arriving at the well where they had all gathered.

Earlier we were informed that in order for the sheep to be hydrated the stone above the well had to be rolled away. We will see these words repeated in today's passage. This is the only place in the entire Old Testament where these two words, "rolled away" are combined. These two words are combined 4 times in the New Testament, and every instance concerns the "rolling away" of the stone in front of Christ’s tomb.

In v.7-8 of today's passage we read, "7 Then he said, 'Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.' 8 But they said, 'We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.'"

The flocks could not be watered until the stone was rolled away sounds a lot like a spiritual truth that we have learned from the resurrection of Christ. At the cross, the Lord Jesus paid the penalty that was earned by mankind's sinfulness. And, it was early on Sunday morning after He had been crucified that He rose from the dead. The stone was rolled away from the tomb of the Good Shepherd of the sheep so that the well of living water might be accessed by all humble enough to believe the gospel and to receive the gift of forgiveness of sin earned for us by the Lord Jesus. That Easter morning the stone was rolled away not to allow the Lord Jesus the opportunity to exit the tomb but that sinful man might have access to God.

Jacob was a shepherd and so he knew what was normal for tending sheep, but he didn’t know the customs of this well in the fields just outside of Haran. Normally in the middle of the day when it was the hottest, the shepherds would take a break and relax in the shade and let the animals enjoy a drink of water. But, once the hottest part of the day was behind them, the animals would be taken back out into the fields to eat further. It was the middle of the day and Jacob did not understand why they were just sitting around. This is why he suggested they drink. Jacob did not understand the local agreement which meant that only when all the flocks were gathered together would they roll the stone from the mouth of the well. 

In v.9-10 of today's passage we read, "9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother."

When Rachel, the beautiful cousin of Jacob arrived, it was obvious she was a shepherdess tending to her father's sheep. In that moment 77 year old Jacob was overwhelmed in such a way that he moved the rather large stone off the well by himself and watered the flock for Rachel. Jacob's journey to Haran was marked by three stones: The first stone was covered with oil at Luz to mark the place where God gave to Jacob the dream of the ladder. The second stone was this huge well cap that Jacob removed to gather the water for Laban’s flocks. The third stone will come later, in fact, it will be a pile of stones which will be a monument to Jacob's reconciliation with his brother, Esau.

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept." 

This is the second recorded kiss in the Bible. The first was when Jacob kissed Isaac before being blessed and now Jacob, the one who was blessed, kissed his cousin and future wife. Then he lifted up his voice in praise of God over meeting Rachel. And, for whatever reason, the emotions that went along with the voice resulted in weeping.

In the background of Jacob's outburst was his deepest longings. Jacob was a man who was forever in searched of that which would fill his heart. His story is our story. We are like the woman the Lord Jesus met at Jacob's well in John 4 who had six different men whom she had hoped would fulfill her dreams but to no avail. To her the Lord Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." Jacob, like the woman in John 4, was really in search of the One who would fulfill all of his longings, he just didn't know it yet.

In v.12-14 of today's passage we read, "12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father. 13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month."

It was at that moment that Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative or brother. The Hebrew word translated "relative" is translated in other translations of the Bible as "brother." This is confusing to us, but in their culture, it was not meant in a literal sense. Brother, in this sense is extended to remote degrees of family relationships such as a nephew, a cousin, or an uncle. 

Laban certainly remembered the 10 camels full of goods bearing the servant of Abraham who came to find a wife for his son Isaac. He probably knew through communicating with Rebekah that Isaac had prospered greatly and had become great and that this blessing would flow down to his own son as well. Like he did about 100 years before, Laban ran out to a man by a well to become a part of God’s story, the story of mankind moving from the fall to his restoration in Christ. There at the well, Laban embraced Jacob, and for the third time in the Bible it notes another kiss. Then they went into Laban's house.

While in the house, Laban discerned what Jacob was proposing. This is why Laban announced Jacob was his bone and his flesh. This meant that they were family. Because of this, Jacob was now allowed to stay and be a part of Laban's family life. Jacob gladly stayed there for a month.

This true story of Jacob meeting Rachel pictures the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The stone over the well pictures the Lord Jesus while the water pictures the Holy Spirit. Jacob pictures Christ and Rachel and the sheep picture people who are coming to the Lord Jesus in faith. Everything here points to fallen man and his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is clear from today's narrative is that Jacob was growing in grace and in his relationship with the Lord. Of course like you and me, Jacob was not all that godly when he was young, but as the years passed and as he experienced the Lord’s faithfulness God began to capture more of Jacob's heart. All of this just underscores the fact that God cares about our hearts most. And He will never be in as much of a hurry as we are to change us from the heart outward. 

Since God displayed so much patience with Jacob, we should be more patient with God, ourselves and others. God cares most that we are holy which means to be complete. This is why our lives are so full of troubles, pains, and sorrows because troubles, pains, and sorrows are useful tools that soften our sin soaked hearts toward God. The world does not understand this process because it has no concept of just how unholy it is and how far it has been removed from the heart of the Lord Jesus. But we get it because our eyes have been opened to the goodness of our wonderful God who sent His Shepherd Son who has been known to run after just one lost sheep.

Genesis 29:1-6

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1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth. 4 And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran." 5 Then he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him." 6 So he said to them, "Is he well?" And they said, "He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep." ~ Genesis 29:1-6

Today, we transition into Genesis 29 which is about Jacob the son of Isaac. The stories about Jacob contain pictures within pictures. As always, Bible stories are meant to show us what really happened in those days and what God desires to do in our lives today. Although the narratives of the Old Testament teach us really good lessons about life, eventually, everything points us to the Lord Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth."

Within these two verses is a journey of 400 plus miles. After traveling for weeks, probably three weeks on foot, we find Jacob nearing Haran. It was then that he saw a well in the field. This was not the same well where Abraham’s servant met Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, many years before; That well was close enough to Rebekah's house so that she could carry a jar for use by the family. Also, the description of the two separate wells is quite  different in how the water was obtained from each of them. This was a well in the open field which was used by the shepherds specifically to refresh their flocks. When Jacob came to this well, there were three flocks already there and there was a large stone covering the well.

This was actually a spring well which flowed underground and bubbled up to the surface. Because of shifting sands and evaporation, the well was covered with a giant flat stone that had a hole cut in the middle of it. On top of that hole was a big heavy stone which had been placed over the mouth of the well, the pressure of the stone kept the water from coming up and being wasted on the ground.  

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth."

The shepherds waited for enough flocks to arrive and then they removed the stone so that all the animals could drink. They did it this way so that there would be no wasted water. The watering of the animals involved a process and Jacob was a man in process. God wasn’t done with him yet; He was slowly, but surely, molding Jacob into the servant leader He desired him to be. In just a few more chapters God will have his full attention and he will be far more developed than he was in today's narrative.

We don’t like slow processes, but God loves them! God values processes not just finished products. He created the universe in six days when He could’ve done it so much more faster. God changes His people "from one degree of glory to another" through the lifelong process of sanctification. Whereas justification is our ticket into heaven, sanctification is our ticket to get heaven in us now.

We don’t like processes because they’re slow and we are always in a hurry. We prefer rapid download speeds, fast food, and instant gratification. But not God, He is not in a hurry. He prefers steady growth whereby we are learning to trust in Him so much that we are in the habit of giving to Him our hearts.

In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 And Jacob said to them, 'My brethren, where are you from?' And they said, 'We are from Haran.' 5 Then he said to them, 'Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?' And they said, 'We know him.'"

Here, Jacob was in a foreign land and he certainly didn’t want to appear as a stranger and so he referenced the shepherds as his brothers and then he inquired where they were from. Their answer to him undoubtedly peaked his spiritual senses for Haran was the land that his dad had told him to visit. After inquiring if they knew Laban and they responded in the affirmative, Jacob was undoubtedly blown away by the sovereignty of God. 

In v.6 of today's passage we read, "So he said to them, 'Is he well?' And they said, 'He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.'"

No sooner did Jacob inquire about Laban than the shepherds identified the daughter of Laban, Rachel. This was no coincidence. In fact, God’s hand and His timing were all over this story and it shows He is in complete control over whatever is happening in this world right now. Rachel, the daughter of Laban, came with her sheep at the perfect time.

Everyday we wake up to the grand idea of what will God do in and through our lives today. Looking for God to lead and to guide even through those disappointments that come into our lives. With the changing of just one letter, we will go from disappointment to His appointment.

Despite the sorted past of Jacob, God led him providentially to the girl who would eventually be his wife. Providence does not mean that God has predetermined everything and He pushes it into our lives. Rather, God's providence means that there is a creative and saving possibility implied in every situation of our lives, which cannot be destroyed by any event. What is required of us is that we welcome the will of God into our lives and we trust Him to work out all things in accordance with what is best for us and that is His will for our lives.

Genesis 28:16-22

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16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it." 17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" 18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You." ~ Genesis 28:16-22

Today, we close out our study of Genesis 28 where Jacob has just experienced his first encounter with the God of the Bible. Jacob's encounter with God came through a dream of a ladder reaching from heaven to the earth. As we pointed out in our last study, the Lord Jesus identified Himself as the ladder. Through his dream Jacob learned that the greatest antidote for our fear is our worship of God.

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.'"

When Jacob awakened from his dream, he was fully aware that he had been in the presence of the Lord. God is everywhere at all times, but His presence can be, and is, more expressed in some places than in others. He dwelt between the cherubim above the ark and His glory was seen by many prophets. Every believer in the Lord Jesus has been sealed by the Holy Spirit. The believer has all of the Spirit that he will ever receive at that moment. However, the Spirit can obtain more of the believer. His presence fills the obedient soul in a passive way which is displayed in an active presentation of His revealed glory. 

In v.17 of today's passage we read, "And he was afraid and said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!'"

There are two types of fear: one drives us away from God and the other drives us to Him. There is a fear that God commands and a fear that God forbids, a fear that builds up and a fear that tears down, a fear to gain and a fear to lose. Jacob's fear was the result of him seeing the Lord and His holiness. Jacob saw himself differently that day because he saw God in a way that he had never seen Him before. Overwhelmed by God's power and holiness and a deep awareness of his own sinfulness and fragility, a worshipful fear emerged in Jacob. Jacob's fear provoked him to worship God. According to Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom." 

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it."

As soon as Jacob awakened, he took the stone that he had used as a pillow during the night and he made of it an altar and then poured oil on it as an act of consecration. We are not told that he understood that this was the same spot where Abraham many years earlier had also built an altar. His anointing the stone was a demonstration of his faith in the vision he had seen and the promises the Lord had given him. Just as the ladder did, the altar points us to the Lord Jesus. The words for "the stone that he had put at his head" are also found in the Psalm 118 speaking also of the Lord Jesus as the rejected cornerstone.

Jacob poured oil on the stone to consecrate it as the entry point to the House of God. The High Priest of Israel, the prophets, and the King of Israel were all anointed with oil on their heads. Like them, the Lord Jesus is our High Priest, our Prophet, and our King. The Lord Jesus was the long prophesied Messiah who would die for our sin and He would be raised from the dead as a clear sign that His death was enough to conquer sin and death.

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously."

Jacob named the place "Bethel" which means "the House of God." The name of the city had been previously "Luz" which means "to turn away" such as turning away from what is really real. Luz had been named after a "crooked and perverse people" who had lived there. This is the reason Jacob didn’t enter the city because of it was wicked.

This Stone had been rejected by this wicked city and yet it became the cornerstone of Bethel, the House of God, picturing the Lord Jesus who is the doorway to heaven. Instead of entering Luz Jacob slept in the field and he had a vision of the glory of the Lord who would come to this wicked earth, leaving the glory of the House of God, to redeem all humble enough to received His free gift of rightness with God.

In v.20-22 of today's passage we read, "20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.'" 

This was the second time someone gave a tenth of his possessions, the first was in Genesis 14 after Abraham defeated the 4 kings of the east and he gave a tithe to Melchizedek. The concept of tithing is mentioned in only two contexts in the New Testament. The first was the Lord Jesus speaking about the wrong intent of the scribes and Pharisees in the giving of their tithes. The second is found in Hebrews 7 which informs us that the giving of tithes under the Law was to demonstrate the greatness of Melchizedek, not as any sort of a requirement for the believer in Christ.

As a result of being defined by the Lord, Jacob worshipped God. Worship is treasuring God above all things. In John 4, the Lord Jesus said, "The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 

Worshiping in spirit is not contrasted with worshiping in the body, instead, it is put alongside worshiping in truth. Truth fuels worship, and Jacob recognized the truth about God and he therefore worshipped Him. Jacob's fear rendered worship. And, it was at that point in his life that Jacob became determined to be defined by the Lord.

Genesis 28:10-15

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10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: "I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." ~ Genesis 28:10-15

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 28 which is an intense study of a man whose name means deceiver. His story gives us all hope because in a very real way his story is our story. In today's passage we find Jacob on his own for the first time in his life. It had come time for him to find himself apart from his family. His situation required a change in his understanding of God, a change in his relationship with God. For all of his life, YHWH had been the family God but not Jacob's God. This was about to change as God chose to initiate a relationship with the deceiver pretender.

In v.10 of today's passage we read, "Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran."

Jacob obeyed his parents and he left Beersheba which means "well of the promise." Jacob went out on a promise toward "Haran" which means "to ignite." After Jacob left the presence of his family, he stumbled into the presence of God. Jacob left Beersheba headed to Haran looking for a wife, he was not looking for God but God was looking for him! That was my story and I bet it was yours as well.

The God of the Bible is a God who goes after sinners, not waiting for us to come to Him. While traveling to Haran, God ignited Jacob's world, not because of Jacob's virtues, although Jacob appeared to be virtuous, he had none. For the first time in his life, Jacob was on his own. He was a pretending and scheming, thief of a man. On that night that Jacob went to sleep he for the first time was truly blessed because he learned that night that God has never been defined by fallen man. Think of how small such a God would be, to be at the mercy of man's performance. In time, Jacob would be God’s man only by God's grace.

In v.11-12 of today's passage we read, "11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it."

While Jacob was sleeping, a great ladder appeared between heaven and earth. Angels were going up and down the ladder. Before this night Jacob had been dreaming that if only he could climb the ladder of success, he would make certain wonderful things happen in his life. So he climbed and he climbed but his dreams always remained beyond his reach. 

In John 1:51 we read, "And He said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.'" 

The Lord Jesus was speaking with a man named Nathanael. The moment the Lord Jesus met Nathanael, He alluded to Jacob and the story of the ladder. It was probable that Nathanael was reading the story of Jacob’s ladder when the Lord Jesus saw him under the fig tree. When the Lord Jesus described Nathanael as an "Israelite in whom there is no deceit,"  he was distinguishing Jacob and Nathanael. It was then that the Lord Jesus revealed that He was the ladder that Jacob saw in his dream. It is the Lord Jesus who is the divine connection between heaven and earth and Jacob's dream was a shadow of the Christ who came.

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: 'I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.'"

In this dream, Jacob was below God and he wasn't even on the ladder. Jacob was not climbing the ladder. The angels were the ones going back and forth on the ladder. And, in this dream from God Jacob experienced something he had never experienced before, he received from God. It is hard for deceptive pretenders who strive for all they get to just receive. It is only by humbling ourselves before the Lord that we receive His grace. We can spend our fleeting years trying to achieve a life and exhaust ourselves to death. Or we can receive the life of blessing that the Lord desires to give us. If we make achieving our goal, our constant companion will be complaint because we will never achieve enough. But if we make receiving our goal, our constant companion will be gratitude. God has already made the choice to bless us. Now it is our time to receive from Him His definition for our lives. 

In v.14-15 of today's passage we read, "14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

When God first showed up in the life of this deceiver, this pretender, He didn't reprimand him. It was then that God made to Jacob three promises: a promise of His promised land, a promise of His presence, and a promise of His protection. This would be the first time that God defined Jacob and Jacob had a decision because all of his life he had been defined by his wayward ideas about life.

Like Jacob, we all have a twin who has defined us more than we ever knew. From the day we were born we were measuring ourselves against some Esau, some standard of what we thought we should be. Esau wasn't just Jacob's older brother, he was the person Jacob thought he had to become before he would reach a meaningful life. For Jacob, this meant he was constantly evaluating his life by Esau's standards. And, even though we do not literally have a twin, we struggle with the same psychological issues as Jacob. No matter what we do, it will never be good enough because we believe our Esau would have done it better. So we knock ourselves out trying to become some other person's definition for our lives. From this posture, no wonder Jacob was as deceptive and pretentious as he was. And, we are no different than he. Our problem is that we do not really know what the blessing truly is. 

As a result of Jacob's deception, he had to run away from home because his brother was so angry that he wanted to kill him. But, of course, Jacob had been hustling and pretending his whole life. And now as he ran away from the inheritance he hustled from his brother, he was led to the place of this dream. This was different from any other dream that Jacob had ever had because this dream revealed God to Jacob. And, in his first real encounter with God, God came down to Jacob's level, and He said to Jacob, "I am with you."

At that moment God enrolled Jacob into His course on grace. Grace is always uncaused by the recipient. Its cause lies totally in the Giver. Grace is always sovereign. Not having debts to pay or fulfilled conditions to wait for, it can act toward whom and how it pleases. Grace can, and often does, place the worst in its highest of favor. Grace cannot act where there is ability. Grace does not help, it is absolute. Grace measures up on the behalf of its humbled recipient. Grace does all that is required. There being no cause in the creature why grace should be shown, the creature must be brought down from trying to give cause to God for His grace. Grace, once bestowed upon us, is not withdrawn. The posture of the man being bolstered by God's grace is that of faith, to believe and to consent to be loved even though he knows for sure that he is unworthy of it.  

Genesis 28:5-9

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5 So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau. 6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram. 8 Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had. ~ Genesis 28:5-9

Today, we return to our study of the life of Jacob in Genesis 28. When Jacob's father blessed Jacob at the expense of Esau, Isaac left out the spiritual aspects of the covenant that God had given to Abraham. He had done this earlier in Genesis 27 where he had mentioned the land, the seed, and the blessing that was promised to Abraham, but he said nothing about how God would bless the whole world through His Seed. This was a serious oversight on the behalf of Isaac and this may well explain why Esau went the way he did.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau."

In this verse, Rebekah was referred to as "the mother of Jacob and Esau." This is the first time in the Bible that Jacob is mentioned first before Esau. The prophecy given to Rebekah back in Genesis 25 when the children were still in her womb was fully realized right here in today's passage. The older shall serve the younger was the result of who would be defined by God in the end and who wouldn't.

We don’t know how many people traveled with Jacob to Padan Aram, but we do know that Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, went with him back to her home. Deborah was the one who delivered Rebekah’s children, including Jacob. For a woman who is only mentioned by name once in the Bible, she played a very important role in the history leading to the coming of the Lord Jesus. We know that she traveled back to Padan Aram with Jacob because according to Genesis 35 she was with him when he arrived there.

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, 'You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,' 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram."

God instructs us to obey our parents for a reason. Parents were given to their children so that they could lead their children to faith in the God of the Bible. God desires to be the Heavenly Father to all of our children, but this can only happen through our faith in Him. It is through our faith in Him and trust that we decide to be defined by God through our obedience to Him. In the New Testament book of Philippians we learn that because of the obedience of the Lord Jesus to His Father, God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name.

In the mind of Jacob, I am sure that this idea to be obedient to his parents was a no brainer because he trusted his parents. In addition, Jacob knew that going to Padan Aram was a great idea because there he would be safe from the violent overtures of his brother Esau. So, Jacob made the long arduous journey to Padan Aram where he would meet his wife. The distance from Canaan to Padan Aram was about 480 miles. For Esau to go there would meant a long journey; It would have meant a long time away from his family and he would have been unable to try to regain Isaac’s favor during the time he was gone. 

In v.8-9 of today's passage we read, "8 Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had."

When Esau saw that his father was not pleased with his Canaanite wives to whom he had been wed for 40 years, he set out to change it. Unlike Jacob who set out in faith to obey his dad, Esau looked in the wrong direction for answers. Esau did this because he never entered into a personal relationship with the Lord. Foreign to Esau was a life lived by faith in the God of the Bible, even though it was modeled for him by his mother and father. Esau stood at the door of the Lord, but he never invited the Lord into his life. Instead, he lived in accordance with his works-based religion and his faith was essentially in himself.

Since Padan Aram was so far away, Esau, instead of doing what would have been pleasing to his dad, he went to marry a daughter of Ishmael. Again, he did this because Ishmael was a son of Abraham and Esau thought that this would make Isaac happy with him once again. But, Ishmael had been removed from Abraham's house and it was Isaac who became the son of the promise. Esau was not even aware that Ishmael was a picture of the law for the narrative that God was bringing about never included either Ishmael or Esau because they never came to faith in God.

No descendant of Ishmael is found in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus because the law is of works. It is faith, not works, which pleases God. Ishmael and Esau were both pictures of fallen man. Instead of exercising faith and traveling to Padan Aram to obtain a wife to make his father happy, Esau went to Ishmael, picturing for us a man who tried to earn his father's favor through his supposed good works.

The girl Esau married was named Mahalath which means "sad song." That day, Esau did what religions all around the world do every day, he performed in order to please God instead of exercising faith in Him which is the only thing that pleases Him. This was the stumbling block that Esau stumbled over again and again. Esau trusted in his goodness to please his father instead of doing what would have pleased his father.

We can spend our whole lives just like Esau making the wrong choices and continuing on down the wrong path, or we can make the choice to cry out to the Lord. When we trust in something other than the Lord's mercy and grace, we are actually trusting in ourselves. This is self-idolatry. The answer to this is as simple as A,B,C. The "A" stands for admit that you are a fallen sinner in need of God's help. The "B" stands for believe in the Lord Jesus as your Savior. The "C" stands for calling out to the Lord and inviting Him into your life to be your God and Savior.

Genesis 28:1-4

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1 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. 2 Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be an assembly of peoples; 4 And give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham." ~ Genesis 28:1-4

In today's study there is a switch in the narrative from Isaac to Jacob. As we look back to Genesis 12 when Abraham first met the God of the Bible, he reflected God the Father, especially after Isaac was born. Isaac predominantly represented God the Son. These two great men of faith learned over time to walk with God, although their walk with the Lord never was perfect. Of course, this is why God sent us the Lord Jesus because we could not save ourselves. In today's passage, we hear the last words of Isaac in the Scriptures.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 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. 2 Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother."

Again, Isaac, blessed his 77 year old son, but this time it was different than before when Jacob had deceived his dad. Here, Isaac charged Jacob to go to Padan Aram to find a wife. Isaac knew that if Jacob did not keep his most key alliance faithful to his faith in the God of the Bible, the will of God could have been jeopardized in his life. The primary motivation in the mind of Isaac as he gave this charge to Jacob was to keep the Messianic line in tact.

Isaac took the same care of Jacob that Abraham did for him so many years earlier. However, unlike Isaac, who stayed in the land of Canaan while a wife was chosen for him by Abraham’s servant, Jacob was sent to Mesopotamia to find a wife for himself. Whereas the story of Abraham’s servant finding a bride for Isaac pointed us to the role the Holy Spirit plays in leading us into God's will, when Jacob left the Promised Land to find a wife, he pictured the Lord Jesus Christ who came to this earth to find a bride for Himself. 

Padan Aram was the name of a city in Mesopotamia which to this day has a profound meaning to those who entertain the serious questions about life and truth and meaning. Aram comes from a word that means "to be high" or "to rise up." Padan means "to rescue" or "to ransom." Padan Aram means "Elevated Ransom." Only the Lord Jesus Christ could pay the high wages that our sin earned for us. In fact, it was the Apostle Paul who told us that "the wages of sin is death." The Lord Jesus was the only one who could ever measure up to the truth because He was the only one without sin. The price for our sin was a high price indeed. It was truly an elevated ransom, just as the name Padan Aram subtly spells out for us. Padan Aram points us to the one who procured His bride by paying our ransom on His cross nearly 2000 years ago. His calling involved Him leaving heaven similar to how Jacob left the Promised Land to go to Mesopotamia. The Lord Jesus came to earth to live among us to win our hearts to Himself, just as Jacob went to Padan Aram to take unto himself a wife from the house of Bethuel.

Interestingly, Bethuel means "daughter of God." What a picture that was painted for us by God through this narrative. When the Lord Jesus paid our ransom, He made the willing and the believing His Bride. Notice that Jacob was told to take a wife from the daughters of Laban whose name means "white" which in the Bible is a symbol of purity. In procuring a bride from this family, Isaac pictured for us those who are purified and who become a part of God’s people for eternity. 

In John 4:35 we read, "Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest?' Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" 

There has been a harvest being gathered throughout time from among the people of the world and this harvest is still coming in right now. Those who call on the Lord Jesus will be purified and made spotless and as white as the snow in the eyes of God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be an assembly of peoples; 4 And give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham."

You will remember that back in Genesis 17 Abraham saw the Lord who revealed Himself as El Shaddai, the Almighty God. In today's passage, Isaac invoked the same name of God in order to bless Jacob. Isaac called for El Shaddai to deliver His blessing upon his son Jacob because El Shaddai is the eternal, absolute, all powerful God. Isaac prayed for the very same blessing that Abraham had prayed upon him, that He would bless him, and make him fruitful and multiply him, that he would be an assembly of peoples.

The Hebrew words translated "assembly of peoples" has a Greek counterpart which is ecclesia which means "the called out ones." This is the Greek word used in the New Testament to describe those who come to faith in the Lord Jesus. This blessing then points us to those who have heard and will hear the call of God the Father to place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and our God. This message is the central point of all of the Bible and it was procured for all willing enough and humble enough to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and God.

Genesis 27:41-46

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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." 

Genesis 27:39-40

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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." ~ Genesis 27:39-40

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 27 where Jacob has yet again deceived Esau. This time Jacob stole Esau's blessing and he has just learned from his dad of Jacob's deception. Interestingly, never are we told that Isaac ate the meal brought to him by Esau. To Isaac, the meal was as important as the intended blessing. It was only after Isaac ate and drank that Jacob was blessed. Esau sold his birthright for a meal, but he received a blessing without there being a meal. And, his blessing was a watered down version of the one that Jacob received. 

With the issuing of these blessings I am reminded as parents we either bless our children with the truth from God or we curse them with the lies of Lucifer. The word "blessing" is one of the most important words in the Bible. It connotes special favor from a greater to a lesser being. From the very beginning of time, God has always desired to bless humanity, and the way a father blesses his children echoes this. The blessing of the father involves several key elements, including meaningful contact with his children, and spoken affirmations to his children. Parents do well to evaluate what we say to our children on a moment by moment basis because our children will view themselves accordingly. 

In v.39 of today's passage we read, "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.'"

So, Isaac did bless Esau, but it was not in accordance with the birthright. There was a clear contrast between the words Isaac spoke to Jacob in comparison to those spoken to Esau. Jacob was blessed beginning with the dew of heaven and then the fatness of the earth. On the other hand, Isaac began his blessing to Esau with the fatness of the earth and then the dew of heaven. Jacob got the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth which resulted in "plenty of grain and wine." And, Isaac told Esau that he would live out in the deserted spaces and he would have to fight for everything he got. And, he would serve his brother, Jacob. This was primarily due to the fact that Jacob would ultimately be defined by God's truth and Esau would not be. The difference was determined by their choices.

In v.40 of today's passage we read, "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."

The descendants of Esau were the Edomites and they were subjected to Israel. The Edomites were continually at war with the descendants of Jacob, they chose every occasion to be in a coalition with Israel's enemies, and they never succeeded at overthrowing them. According to 1 Samuel 14, King Saul subjugated the Edomites, making them a vassal state which meant that they were ruled by the descendants of Jacob. The Edomites also rebelled against King Solomon, but to no avail. As a result of their rebellion, Solomon put a tighter squeeze on the descendants of Esau and he exacted taxes from them. As time went on they successfully rebelled against King Joram but under King Amaziah they were once again subjugated to Israel. So back and forth, always under the thumb of Israel were these descendants of Esau. 

The words, "It shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck" points us to the time when the descendants of Esau, settled in Judah, once again under Jewish rule. While they lived in Judah they were forced to convert to Judaism by a Maccabean ruler, John Hercanes who forced them to live like Jewish people even though they still had the lineage of Esau. Still under the thumb of the Jewish people, until Herod Antipater was favored by Rome and the territory was given to him to rule over. It was his son, Herod the Great who was called the King of the Jews by the Roman government. It was this Herod the Great who killed all the babies in Bethlehem two years old and younger during the time the Lord Jesus was born. His goal was to kill the Christ child, having learned from the wise men from the east of His birth.  

The breaking of Jacob’s yoke from their neck points us directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. We all have yokes on us and we are all in bondage to sin in some fashion. Some of us are enslaved to money while others are enslaved to fame and notoriety. Edom was subjected to Israel who was the steward of the law which has always held all men in bondage. There is only one way to be freed from the constraints of the law and sin and it is found in the Lord Jesus Christ who said in Matthew 11:28-29, "28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

God created us to be free by being enslaved to Him. Most find these words difficult to accept; That is until we realize that we inevitably are enslaved to something. So why not make that something to which we are enslaved the One who made us. When we are enslaved to Him, we return to our original created settings. Through Christ's death on the cross we have been freed from the slavery of sin. 

As the Lord Jesus said in Luke 4:18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." 

Perhaps this is what makes the long time loved quote true from Thornton Wilder who once said, "In love’s service only wounded soldiers can serve." It is through our brokenness that we are truly convinced that we need the Lord Jesus at the helm of our lives. It was Brennan Manning who once said, "Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is an illusion." 

Genesis 27:30-38

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30 Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, "Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me." 32 And his father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?" So he said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau." 33 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." 34 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!" 35 But he said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing." 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?" 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?" 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. ~ Genesis 27:30-38

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 27. Before Jacob and Esau were born, God knew the outcome of their narrative. As with all things in the Bible, faith in the God of the Bible is the key. God in His wisdom gave twins to Rebekah and determined that one would serve the other. That prophecy has come to pass just like everything in the Bible. 

In our last study, we saw that the Lord came as a Man and prevailed over Adam’s transgression and this was pictured in the blessing of Jacob instead of Esau, even though what Jacob did was deceptive. God recorded this narrative in order to point us in the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ who came as the God-Man. 

In v.30-33 of today's passage we read, "30 Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, 'Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.' 32 And his father Isaac said to him, 'Who are you?' So he said, 'I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.' 33 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.'"

No sooner had Jacob left Isaac’s tent that his brother Esau entered. Esau was hunting and God provided an animal at the exact spot and time where he would be back, have it prepared, and brought in at this exact moment. There is no chance in this account, but the deliberate timing and foreknowledge of God. Jacob, who is Israel in unbelief, was to receive the blessing and through him and his people would come their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. This would have never work with Esau because Esau never embraced the culture of God.

Lost in this story is the fact that years before this day, Esau had sold his birthright to his brother Jacob. Picturing fallen man, Esau chose to be defined by a lesser culture than that of God. Once he realized that he had lost the firstborn blessing to Jacob, Isaac literally "trembled with a great trembling greatly." He was so confused and so overwrought that he literally shook violently. This is the same word used to describe the trembling of the people at the foot of Mount Sinai and even the quaking of the mountain itself.

With sudden clarity, Isaac saw completely what had just happened. The people at the foot of Sinai received no greater insight into the work of God than Isaac did that day. The food was received, the blessing was given, and indeed Jacob was blessed. God opened Isaac’s dead eyes to the fulfillment of His plan which was prophesied while the two boys were still in Rebekah’s womb. What his physical eyes missed because of blindness, his spiritual eyes had now comprehended.

It was at that point that Isaac embraced the truth and God looked at his words and credited them to him in His own word for all time as righteousness as we read in Hebrews. As Adam made his choice and gave up paradise, Esau had long ago done the same. But, the good news is that the Lord Jesus came to this earth and earned our paradise back. Now Adam’s children can receive what the Lord Jesus has done or they can remain in Adam.

In v.34-37 of today's passage we read, "34 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!' 35 But he said, 'Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.' 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?' 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?'"

Esau had lost his blessing but that did not mean that his life was done. The problem that Esau had was his disregard for God. In his broken state Esau did not turn to the Lord but he turn to blaming. Blaming is the way of the enemy. Esau did exactly what his father Isaac had ordered but he did it without faith in what the promise signified. God is not pleased with the person who follows every detail of the Bible scrupulously, but doesn’t believe what the Bible says. No, what pleases the Lord is the one who reads his Bible in order to perpetuate his relationship with the Lord Jesus. It is faith in the God of the Bible that offers an obedient heart that God desires rather than religious duty.

The fact that Jacob received the birthright and he was blessed did not mean that God approved of his deception. The unfolding narrative will show that Rebekah and Jacob didn’t benefit from their deception in the short term. In fact, Jacob had to run for his life and his mother never saw her favorite son again. And, once Jacob stopped running, Rebekah's brother Laban later gave Jacob a taste of his own medicine.  And Jacob’s sons will deceive him by claiming that his favorite son Joseph had been killed.

In v.38 of today's passage we read, "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."

In Hebrews 12:14-17 we read, "14 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."

Esau's problem was his unwillingness to repent. Repentance is not the ability to stop doing something. We can’t measure repentance based on our behavior. In fact, since repentance means "to stop sinning," no one has ever repented. We don’t measure repentance based on performance, we repent based on God’s truth. We are all needy beggars who rely on Christ alone. Hence, the purpose of repentance is not us; it’s God.

When we have a performance-based mindset we will typically see repentance as turning from sin. It will be something that we do as a result of something that we have done. This approach is us fixing that which we broke, it is atoning for our sin. It was seen in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to try to hide their shame. In contrast, biblical repentance is always a response to what God has done. It is when our hearts recognize His grace and mercy and we therefore desire to be defined by Him.

In the end the will of God will always come to pass. In addition, we will be defined by the Savior or we will be defined by the self. Esau chose the ungodly way and in the end, it cost him. Esau made his choices and God knew what they would be. Likewise, God gives us freewill to make our own choices. Even though Jacob was not prefect at being convinced that the God of the Bible was the One who should define him, he yet was defined by the God of the Bible. The totality of his life bore that out. This was not the case with Esau for he continued down the road of not being defined by God. He rather chose the way of the self. 

Genesis 27:27-29

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27 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said "Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. 28 Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let people's serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!" ~ Genesis 27:27-29

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 27 where the wife of Isaac, Rebekah, and their son Jacob has deceived Issac into blessing Jacob instead of his firstborn son Esau. Even though the will of God was brought forward through today's narrative, Rebekah’s knowledge of the prophecy that "the older would serve the younger" does not excuse her sin which was judged in the body of the Lord Jesus when He hung on the cross for everyone who trusts in Him. It is such sin that necessitated the cross in the first place.

In v.27-28 of today's passage we read, "27 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said, 'Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. 28 Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine.'"

In our last study we learned that Rebekah put the choice clothes belonging to Esau on Jacob in order to deceive their father. The word "choice" used to describe those garments means "precious." These clothes were special because they were garments for ministry. Since Esau was the oldest son, he was responsible to perform the priestly functions in the home of Isaac. Especially because Isaac, being blind, could no longer perform them. Confirming this, we read, "he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him." 

Then Isaac said, "Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed." The smell of priestly incense would cling to these special garments. The sweet of incense reminds us of the goodness the Lord provides whether it is grass, or flowers, or fruit. A field which the Lord has blessed is vibrant and alive and this is the intent behind incense. The picture here is of the blessings of a priest being passed down from father to son. All of this was designed by the Lord to show that we find our true fulfillment in life in our true High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaac's blessing included that the true God would "give of the dew of heaven" which spoke of the rains that God gives to provide increase to crops. Without the rain the land would dry up and die, but with the rain comes abundance. "The fatness of the earth" speaks of the richness of the soil which produces the crops. It is the nutrients which give life to the seed and bring them up in a harvest that is overflowing. Just as there was physical blessings from the soil and the rain, so there would be spiritual blessings: primarily a personal relationship with the Lord Himself. Isaac’s blessing is upon the son of promise and God’s blessing is upon His Son who was promised. 

In v.29 of today's passage we read, "Let people's serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!"

Isaac, who was the son of promise through Abraham, passed on the blessing of authority over the people groups they would encounter. This blessing is stated in anticipation of the fulfillment of the prophecy given to Rebekah before Jacob and Esau were born. Jacob and Esau would separate into different nations and the older would serve the younger. Isaac’s words now confirm that Jacob will fulfill the role as prophesied. But more than just his brother, all people who they would encounter would be subject to them. Of course, the spiritual fulfillment of this is found in the Lord Jesus Christ who will rule the nations as prophesied in the Bible. 

In Philippians 2:9-11 we read, "9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The final part of Isaac’s blessing was the same promise that God made to Abraham in Genesis 12. It passed through his son Isaac and now it is passed on to Jacob. And once again we see its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus. In Galatians 3:8-9 we read, 

"8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed.' 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham."

Isaac’s intentions were to bless Esau, just as it was God’s design for man to rule the earth. But Esau was out in the field looking for food when the blessing came. Adam still had the taste of the forbidden fruit in his mouth when his curse came. But God’s plan, in the end, will right every wrong. This is the ultimate point of the blessing. The Bible isn’t just a group of disconnected stories without regard to an overall point and purpose. Instead, it is a demonstration of the wisdom of God as He works out His immensely beautiful plan of reconciling the world to Himself. Throughout time He has used real people to picture an overall story of fallen man in reference to Himself. Esau represents Adam and Jacob the Lord Jesus. We are all sons of Adam by birth, but the Lord Jesus took on a human body and He came in the likeness of Adam to restore that which was fallen.

In this story, as throughout the Bible, God allowed the sin of man to come into existence. He had to, otherwise there would be no love and trust. God used "allowed human sin" to be useful at fulfilling His promises. Rebekah and Jacob’s deceptive plan was the means by which God fulfilled His promise to Abraham. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is the clearest culmination of this truth found in the Bible. When the Lord Jesus died, God didn’t just overcome evil. With the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, God made evil serve the overcoming of evil.

Genesis 27:21-26

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21 Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not." 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. 24 Then he said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am." 25 He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you." So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near now and kiss me, my son." ~ Genesis 27:21-26

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 27 where we discover a story of deceit and intrigue which points us to the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Long ago God chose Abraham to deliver the Messiah to the world. In response, He has given us a choice of participating in this story or to be eternally separated from the story and Himself. This story continues today in the tent of Isaac as he prepared to pronounce his blessing upon his son, Esau. 

In v.21-23 of today's passage we read, "21 Isaac said to Jacob, 'Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.' 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, 'The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.' 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him."

Previously, Isaac had called his son Esau into his tent asking him to make him some stew which he would eat. It would have been at that time that he would have passed the blessing of the Lord to him. But, Rebekah, Isaac's wife overheard Isaac's conversation with Esau and she schemed to have Jacob, Esau's twin brother, go into the tent posing to be Esau so that he would received the blessing. 

When Jacob went into his father's tent and near his father in order to show that he met the requirements for the blessing, he pictured for us the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus came to this earth in the flesh in order to receive the blessing of the promise which He Himself had promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And then, miraculously He shared His blessing or inheritance with anyone humble enough to believe in Him as the Messiah. All of human story, past, present and future finds its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the end of all of our substantive searches in this life.

We read in II Timothy 3, "But know this, in the last days perilous times will come." This means that in the last days, terrible, difficult, hard and violent times will come. That sounds like the day we are living in right now. Given our current condition, everyone today is searching for three things: direction (the way), what is real (the truth), and something that will last forever (the life). The Lord Jesus Christ summed it up in John 14:6 when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." All of our questions are answered in a personal relationship with Him.

Like everyone on this earth today, Isaac sought the truth. So, in order to ensure that it was Esau that he was speaking to, Isaac touched Jacob. Isaac already had questioned how the venison was obtained so quickly, so he was already skeptical of his son's identity. He even felt him to make sure he was hairy. We all wrestle with our doubts regarding the identity of the Lord Jesus. This is good because doubt is what creates the questions that puts on the hunt to discover what is really real. We can't have faith without our doubts because it is our faith which casts the shadow of our doubts which create our questions.

In Hebrews 2:14-18 we read, "14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

Esau pictured for us Adam who was the first fallen man of the earth. His hair brought with it biblical symbolism of awareness of his helpless condition. The writer of the book of Hebrews reminds us that the Lord Jesus had to be made like us and that He himself had to suffer and He had to endure temptation. The symbolism of Isaac touching Jacob points us to the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had hair like Adam, He had flesh like Adam, and to Him belongs the ultimate birthright and blessing. As Isaac desired to know the identity of his son, we must also strive to know that the Lord Jesus really is the Son of God, the One through whom we are blessed with eternal life.

Isaac felt Jacob's hands. Similarly, while on the cross, it was the hands of the Lord Jesus that were accentuated, confirming Him as the God who died for His people. In John 20:25-28 the Apostle Thomas said, "25 Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 

Interestingly, the number eight in the Bible represents new life or resurrection. Even though the Lord made Thomas wait eight days, He yet placated to his request to verify His nail prints by seeing them and touching them. The Lord always responds affirmatively to honest questions. 

In v.24-25 of today's passage we read, "24 Then he said, 'Are you really my son Esau?' He said, 'I am.' 25 He said, 'Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.' So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank."

Isaac could have given the blessing to Esau at any time in his life. At this point in the narrative Esau was 77 years of age, and Isaac was 136. Isaac planned to give the blessing to Esau when his eyesight had dimmed to the point that he thought he was about to die, even though he would live another 44 years. Due to his eyesight, Isaac simply couldn’t tell the difference between his two sons. Had he given the blessing at an earlier stage of life, this event would have never happened. So that we could see how this story points us to the coming of the Lord Jesus, it came when it did. Before Esau could shoot his game and cook it and bring it to his father, Jacob brought to him his meal and wine. 

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "Then his father Isaac said to him, 'Come near now and kiss me, my son.'"

This is the first time in the Bible that someone kisses another. The kiss was tied to the son’s blessing. This word for kiss will only be used 35 times in 35 different verses of the Old Testament and another word will be used twice. This means there are only 37 mentions of kissing in the Old Testament. The father kisses the son and he receives the blessing. In Psalm 2 we read, "10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him." Just as Jacob received the blessing with a kiss, we too participate in the blessing when we kiss the Son.