Genesis 27 - Stealing a blessing or fulfilling God's will?

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Jacob "steals" Esau's blessing? One mothers part is fulfilling God's plan.

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Motherhood fail moments that God used

And one Mother’s involvement in making it happen
Some background here:
God said the older would serve the younger ()
Genesis 25:23 ESV
And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”
There Would Be Favorites ()
Genesis 25:28 ESV
Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Malachi says that Jacob was love by God but Esau was hated by God ()
Malachi 1:2–3 ESV
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”
Romans states that God had chosen before the boys were born that the younger would serve the older ()
Romans 9:9–15 ESV
For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Gen 2
So lets read the story now and as we read, ask was this Stealing a blessing or fulfilling God’s will?
()
Genesis 27 ESV
When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed! May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.” Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away— 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 bereft of you both in one day?” Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”
Definition of dysfunction (Merriam-Webster)
1: impaired or abnormal functioning
impaired or abnormal functioning
impaired or abnormal functioning
2: abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group family dysfunction
abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group family dysfunction
Definition of false dichotomy (www.philosophy-index.com)
A false dichotomy or false dilemma occurs when an argument presents two options and ignores, either purposefully or out of ignorance, other alternatives.
Knows God has chosen Esau to serve Jacob
Loves Esau over Jacob (Favorites)
Has not taken action against Esau for marrying outside the family line and taking multiple wives

He was in his hundred thirty-seventh year;

He was in his hundred thirty-seventh year;

He was in his hundred thirty-seventh year; and apprehending death to be near, Isaac prepared to make his last will—an act of the gravest importance, especially as it included the conveyance through a prophetic spirit of the patriarchal blessing

Isaac:
Knows God has chosen Esau to serve Jacob and that the patriarchal blessing is to be given to Jacob
Loves Esau over Jacob (Favorites) (Gen 25:28)
Has not taken action against Esau for marrying outside the family line and taking multiple wives
Senses that he is going to die but only calls one son to him instead of the tradition of all sons
Plans to sneak the blessing to Esau, give Jacob nothing
In an adversarial relationship with his wife
Rebekah:
Knows God has chosen Esau to serve Jacob and that the patriarchal blessing is to be given to Jacob
Loves Jacob over Esau (Favorites)
Plans and executes deception and manipulation of her husband to get him to give the blessing to the right son
Leads her son Jacob into participating in the deception and will cover for him
Lies to her husband about the reason Jacob is being sent away
Does not confront her husband for his choices or try to talk to him about it
Esau:
Focused on hunting and his physical desires.
Married outside the family line in opposition to what Abraham and Isaac and Rebekah wanted.
Breaks his word to his brother about giving him his birthright
He gave his birthright away coming back from the hunt because he was hungry
Lost his blessing during a hunt to get the food necessary to have his father sneak the blessing in
Plans to kill his brother
Does not care how his actions affect his mother
He will never have a brotherly relationship with his brother again.
Jacob:
Track recording of taking advantage of his brother
Complicit with his mom in deceiving his father
His biggest concern is getting caught, not the sin he is committing
He lies to his fathers face “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 27:19). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
He uses God’s name in vain (
He drags God into the lie by using God’s name in vain. “Because the LORD your God granted me success.”
Steals his brothers blessing
Destroys his relationship with his brother and will live in fear of him for the rest of his life
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society
The Jerry Springer Show B.C. would be making casting calls
But there are some serious consequences
Just look at the consequences of their actions
Isaac:

6. Rebekah spake unto Jacob—She prized the blessing as invaluable; she knew that God intended it for the younger son [Ge 25:23]; and in her anxiety to secure its being conferred on the right object—on one who cared for religion—she acted in the sincerity of faith; but in crooked policy—with unenlightened zeal; on the false principle that the end would sanctify the means.

Realizes he has been caught and subverted in trying to thwart God’s will: “Then Isaac trembled very violently”
Ironically must be the one to tell his son Esau he will have to serve his brother Jacob after they attempted to avoid it.
Must crush his son by giving him a meager blessing.
Betrayed is youngest by trying to deceive him into losing his granted birthright
Rebekah:
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Rebekah:
Destroys her relationship with her sons
Will never see Jacob again in her life
Does not appear to ever reconcile with her husband before he dies
Suddenly may lose both of her sons to death in a short period as well as her husband due to the law of Goelism (which the nearest of kin would be obliged to avenge the death of Jacob upon his brother)
Esau:

11. Jacob said, Esau my brother is a hairy man—It is remarkable that his scruples were founded, not on the evil of the act, but on the risk and consequences of deception.

Unreconciled to his brother
Unreconciled to his mother
Left with more of a curse than any blessing (less than he would have gotten)
Left to remember forever his poorly thought through choices regarding is birthright
Jacob:
Jacob:
Has to run for his life

third, of the long white robe—the vestment of the first-born, which, transmitted from father to son and kept in a chest among fragrant herbs and perfumed flowers used much in the East to keep away moths—his mother provided for him

Go live with an uncle that will lie to him and treat him deceitfully for 14 years
Get stuck with a wife he has no love for

27:15 best garments This may refer to special clothing worn for festivals and important ceremonies. This would heighten the credulity of Isaac, since he would naturally assume that only Esau would know what was transpiring.

Will never see his parents again

27:29 Be lord of your brothers This wording describes the vast scope of the recipient’s predominance. Since Isaac was passing on a divinely ordained covenant relationship with Yahweh, this phrase is appropriate. Compare note on v. 4.

those blessing you The covenant promise of 12:3 is reiterated here.

Will always live in fear of his brother
Will never get to reconcile with his father

42. these words of Esau were told Rebekah—Poor woman! she now early begins to reap the bitter fruits of her fraudulent device; she is obliged to part with her son, for whom she planned it, never, probably, seeing him again; and he felt the retributive justice of heaven fall upon him heavily in his own future family.

45. Why should I be deprived of you both?—This refers to the law of Goelism, by which the nearest of kin would be obliged to avenge the death of Jacob upon his brother.

46. Rebekah said to Isaac—Another pretext Rebekah’s cunning had to devise to obtain her husband’s consent to Jacob’s journey to Mesopotamia; and she succeeded by touching the aged patriarch in a tender point, afflicting to his pious heart—the proper marriage of their younger son.

So what just happened there?
The book Commentary on the Old Testament says:
Commentary on the Old Testament Isaac’s Blessing.—Ch. 27

Thus the words of Isaac to his two sons were fulfilled,—words which are justly said to have been spoken “in faith concerning things to come” (Heb. 11:20). For the blessing was a prophecy, and that not merely in the case of Esau, but in that of Jacob also; although Isaac was deceived with regard to the person of the latter. Jacob remained blessed, therefore, because, according to the predetermination of God, the elder was to serve the younger; but the deceit by which his mother prompted him to secure the blessing was never approved. On the contrary, the sin was followed by immediate punishment. Rebekah was obliged to send her pet son into a foreign land, away from his father’s house, and in an utterly destitute condition. She did not see him for twenty years, even if she lived till his return, and possibly never saw again. Jacob had to atone for his sin against both brother and father by a long and painful exile, in the midst of privation, anxiety, fraud, and want. Isaac was punished for retaining his preference for Esau, in opposition to the revealed will of Jehovah, by the success of Jacob’s stratagem; and Esau for his contempt of the birthright, by the loss of the blessing of the first-born. In this way a higher hand prevailed above the acts of sinful men, bringing the counsel and will of Jehovah to eventual triumph, in opposition to human thought and will.

I. The end was good, for she was directed in this intention by the oracle of God, by which she had been governed in dispensing her affections. God had said it should be so, that the elder should serve the younger; and therefore Rebekah resolves it shall be so, and cannot bear to see her husband designing to thwart the oracle of God. But,

II. The means were bad, and no way justifiable. If it was not a wrong to Esau to deprive him of the blessing (he himself having forfeited it by selling the birthright), yet it was a wrong to Isaac, taking advantage of his infirmity, to impose upon him; it was a wrong to Jacob too, whom she taught to deceive, by putting a lie into his mouth, or at least by putting one into his right hand. It would likewise expose him to endless scruples about the blessing, if he should obtain it thus fraudulently, whether it would stand him or his in any stead, especially if his father should revoke it, upon the discovery of the cheat, and plead, as he might, that it was nulled by an error personae—a mistake of the person. He himself also was aware of the danger, lest (v. 12), if he should miss of the blessing, as he might probably have done, he should bring upon himself his father’s curse, which he dreaded above any thing; besides, he laid himself open to that divine curse which is pronounced upon him that causeth the blind to wander out of the way, Deu. 27:18. If Rebekah, when she heard Isaac promise the blessing to Esau, had gone, at his return from hunting, to Isaac, and, with humility and seriousness, put him in remembrance of that which God had said concerning their sons,—if she further had shown him how Esau had forfeited the blessing both by selling his birthright and by marrying strange wives, it is probable that Isaac would have been prevailed upon knowingly and wittingly to confer the blessing upon Jacob, and needed not thus to have been cheated into it. This would have been honourable and laudable, and would have looked well in the history; but God left her to herself, to take this indirect course, that he might have the glory of bringing good out of evil, and of serving his own purposes by the sins and follies of men, and that we might have the satisfaction of knowing that, though there is so much wickedness and deceit in the world, God governs it according to his will, to his own praise. See Job 12:16, With him are strength and wisdom, the deceived and the deceiver are his. Isaac had lost the sense of seeing, which, in this case, could not have been imposed upon, Providence having so admirably well ordered the difference of features that no two faces are exactly alike: conversation and commerce could scarcely be maintained if there were not such a variety. Therefore she endeavours to deceive, 1. His sense of tasting, by dressing some choice pieces of kid, seasoning them, serving them up, so as to make him believe they were venison: this it was no hard matter to do. See the folly of those that are nice and curious in their appetite, and take a pride in humouring it. It is easy to impose upon them with that which they pretend to despise and dislike, so little perhaps does it differ from that to which they give a decided preference. Solomon tells us that dainties are deceitful meat; for it is possible for us to be deceived by them in more ways than one, Prov. 23:32. 2. His sense of feeling and smelling. She put Esau’s clothes upon Jacob, his best clothes, which, it might be supposed, Esau would put on, in token of joy and respect to his father, when he was to receive the blessing. Isaac knew these, by the stuff, shape, and smell, to be Esau’s. If we would obtain a blessing from our heavenly Father, we must come for it in the garments of our elder brother, clothed with his righteousness, who is the first-born among many brethren. Lest the smoothness and softness of Jacob’s hands and neck should betray him, she covered them, and probably part of his face, with the skins of the kids that were newly killed, v. 16. Esau was rough indeed when nothing less than these would serve to make Jacob like him. Those that affect to seem rough and rugged in their carriage put the beast upon the man, and really shame themselves, by thus disguising themselves. And, lastly, it was a very rash word which Rebekah spoke, when Jacob objected the danger of a curse: Upon me be thy curse, my son, v. 13. Christ indeed, who is mighty to save, because mighty to bear, has said, Upon me be the curse, only obey my voice; he has borne the burden of the curse, the curse of the law, for all those that will take upon them the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel. But it is too daring for any creature to say, Upon me be the curse, unless it be that curse causeless which we are sure shall not come, Prov. 26:2.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary e. The Deception of Jacob for the Blessing (27:1–40)

All participants were at fault. Isaac knew of God’s oracle to Rebekah (25:23) that the elder would serve the younger; yet he set out to thwart it by blessing Esau! Esau, agreeing to the plan, broke the oath he had made with Jacob (25:33). Rebekah and Jacob, with a just cause, each tried to achieve God’s blessing by deception, without faith or love. Theirs would be the victory, but they would reap hatred and separation for Rebekah never saw Jacob again! So the conflict between Jacob and Esau was greatly deepened by Jacob’s pursuit—he wanted what belonged to the firstborn, the blessing. Yet the story is not just about Jacob. He alone did not destroy the family; parental preference did.

The New Bible Commentary 26:34–28:9 Jacob Cheats Esau of His Blessing

Worse still, Isaac on his deathbed flouted convention and showed total bias towards Esau. When patriarchs knew their death was near, they were expected to summon all their sons and give them each a blessing (cf. chs. 48–50). Now, lamely pretending he does not know the day of his death (2), Isaac summoned only his favourite, Esau. No wonder Rebekah, who had long preferred Jacob (25:28), was incensed.

The New Bible Commentary 26:34–28:9 Jacob Cheats Esau of His Blessing

Yet in the longer term it is apparent that Jacob’s deceit caught up with him and Rebekah. Esau’s anger at Jacob’s deed forced the latter to leave home, so that despite Rebekah’s hope that he would only be away a few days (a while, v 44) she never saw him again. Jacob, who cheated his father, would soon be cheated by his father-in-law Laban, who would force him to marry Leah as well as Rachel. This would be a cause of perpetual distress to Jacob for the rest of his days. In their turn, Leah’s sons would deceive Jacob with a kid about Joseph’s fate, just as Jacob deceived his father with a kid (37:31–35; 27:9, 16). Later too, Jacob acknowledged his fault. When he returned to Canaan, he gave flocks and herds to Esau and invited him to accept them with the words ‘Please accept my blessing [the NIV’s ‘the present’ is inexact] that was brought to you’ (33:11). With this gesture he was trying to give back the blessing he had cheated Esau out of.

The New Manners and Customs of the Bible 27:30–38 Deathbed Bequest

“Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:28)

The New Manners and Customs of the Bible 27:30–38 Deathbed Bequest

God had declared that it was His will that the second-born son take the inheritance position of the first son, yet Jacob went against all of this because he favored Esau who brought him fresh meat to eat. Deathbed bequests were legally binding, and if Isaac had blessed Esau instead of Jacob, then God’s will would have been overthrown and the Messianic line would have been cut.

Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary 27:1–45 God Allows the Right Man to Be Blessed: Jacob

The key actor in this story was God, not Jacob, Isaac or Esau. God was forging ahead with his redemptive plan. Since he was accomplishing his goals through real humans, his perfect plan was worked through sinful and error-ridden people.

Evangelical Commentary on the Bible C. Jacob’s Deceit (27:1–46)

. It is paradoxical that Esau lost his birthright after he returned from a hunt, and he is about to lose the blessing after he leaves for a hunt.

So is about Stealing a blessing or fulfilling God's will?
Yes!
The question is a false dichotomy because the story is about God using broken peoples actions to perform his will.
God can work through any shortcoming a mother might have
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