Jacob and Esau seem to have been in constant conflict since before they were even born, when scripture records that they struggled with each other in Rebekah’s womb. Later Jacob took Esau’s birthright, and now he sneakily takes his blessing from their father.

Is Jacob something of a villain? He had no need to cheat Esau out of his birthright or his blessing. Before the twins were even born, God had ordained that the older brother would serve the younger one. In reality, none of the family members come out of this story well.

Isaac and Rebekah were both guilty of favouring one of their sons over the other. Isaac was determined to bless Esau, despite what God had declared before the boys were even born. In the end, his own human senses failed him, and he did not recognise his own son. Rebekah was prepared to deceive her husband, plotting and scheming to get her favoured son blessed. We already know that Esau thought little enough of his birthright that he swapped it for a bowl of stew. His outrage at being denied a blessing comes a little late in the game. And Jacob went wholeheartedly along with Rebekah’s plan. His only concern was for himself if he got caught.

The words God spoke over the twins before they were born showed that he intended Jacob to have both the blessing and the birthright. God’s plans were accomplished. But the sins of those involved would not be ignored. Isaac ended his days in frailty and weakness. Rebekah had to send her beloved son away and scripture does not record that she ever saw him again. Esau’s descendants would be overcome in battle by the Israelites many times. And Jacob, the deceiver, would go on to taste his own medicine, being deceived by Laban, and even by his own sons.

Like Abraham and Sarah, Rebekah and Jacob tried to manipulate God’s purposes into existence. If they had trusted in the Lord to fulfil his word instead of trying to bring it about by human means, they would have saved themselves a lot of heartache.

next devotional >>

 

 

NEWBOLD COMMUNITY CHURCH