This chapter took place between the years 1816-1757 BC and Isaac prepares to bless Esau before his death. Now Isaac doesn’t actually die for another 40 plus years. Jacob and Esau are about 75 years old in this chapter. Remember Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew.
Verses 1-4
Isaac was old and thought his death was near. He asked Esau to go hunting and prepare a meal.
Isaac wanted to give his blessing to his firstborn, Esau. Remember Esau was Isaacs favorite child.
Verses 5-17
Rebekah heard their conversation and begin making a deceitful plan to make sure Jacob got that blessing instead of Esau. Jacob was her favorite child.
She cooked the meat of 2 young goats, Isaac’s favorite, and put the skin of those goats on Jacob’s hands and neck so he would appear hairy like his brother Esau.
Verses 18-30
Isaac was tricked into giving Jacob the blessing instead.
Isaac thought he sounded like Jacob and so he felt the hair on his body.
Verses 31-40
When Jacob left, Esau returned with the meat he hunted to Isaac.
Isaac “trembled very violently” when he realized he had been lied to.
He told Esau he had already given Jacob the greater blessing.
Esau cried out and asked his father if he had any blessing for him.
Isaac blessed Esau but told him he would be his brothers servant. Esau had given his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew when he was younger. Now Jacob had taken his blessing too.
A birthright is an inheritance and being the older son, Esau would get a double portion. This chapter is not about the birthright but instead about Jacobs blessing and the older son would receive a greater blessing.
Verses 41-46
Esau planned to kill Jacob after his father’s death.
Rebekah sent Jacob to the house of her brother, Laban in Haran.
What Jacob did was a disgraceful thing to do to his father. Rebekah and Isaac’s family must not have been in a good place if she was willing to betray her husband and older son like this.
God can still use someone with a disgraceful past for something good in their future. Which is exactly what God does in Jacob’s life!
Rebekah will never see her son again because Jacob had to run for his life. A terrible consequence of her manipulation.
All through the Bible we read about family dramas, manipulation and betrayal. We should be encouraged that God continues using these flawed people. Flawed like us! No matter what happens in our life God can still use us for His greater good. We don’t have to believe that our own family dramas should keep us from serving God or that God can’t use us. These scriptures show that God continued to bless in spite of the family dramas of life. We need to keep moving forward for God no matter what is going on around us. God will take care of the mess around us as we continue following and serving.
