The Twins (Part II)

 To recap Part I of The Twins. Isaac and Rebekah had twin boys who were physically and emotionally different from each other. Esau, the first born, was a man of the field and talented hunter. Jacob, the second, was a homebody better at staying near the women. Isaac loved Esau most of all. Rebekah loved Jacob over Esau.

God had revealed to Rebekah that Jacob would rule over Esau. Instead of waiting for God to work on the relationship between Esau and Jacob, Rebekah helped Jacob use his skills to get Esau to sell his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentils.

Esau was not interested in control of the family and leading them in the way of the LORD. Esau was only interested in short term physical gratification.

And now for Part II.

Isaac was old and blind. Esau, Jacob and Rebekah knew Isaac’s time was short. The race was on to receive Isaac’s blessing. A Blessing is more than a transfer of physical wealth from a father to a son. It is a spiritual transfer of God’s blessings to Abraham to the future leadership of the family. It was a transfer of the Birthright. Although Isaac could give a blessing to everyone in the family. The first blessing is the most important.

Isaac called Esau to him and told him that he wanted Esau to go hunting and bring him venison, and receive his blessing. Rebekah had overheard Isaac’s commands to Esau.

Rebekah told Jacob to follow her instructions closely, “Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.” (Genesis 27:9-10)

Jacob told his mother that in order to deceive his father, that his brother Esau was a hairy man and Jacob is smooth. Jacob brought his mother the goats and Rebekah used the skins of the goats to make Jacob appear to be hairy. She also took Esau’s good clothes and put them on Jacob. The deception had been set.

Jacob worried that if his father caught him in this deception he would be cursed instead of blessed. Rebekah put his fears to rest by saying she would take the curse instead of Jacob.

Jacob went in to see his father, bringing the savory meat and dressed as his brother Esau. Jacob told his father he was Esau.

Isaac is puzzled. Isaac didn’t think he sounded like Esau’s voice, and it seemed as if Esau had not taken very long to hunt and prepare venison for him. Isaac did his best to make sure. He touched Jacob’s hands and they felt hairy. He smelled Jacob’s clothes and they smelled like Esau. Isaac was convinced.

Isaac gave Jacob this blessing, “Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.” (Genesis 27:28-29)

As soon as Isaac had finished giving Jacob the blessing, Jacob left the room and returned to his mother.

Jacob not only had Esau’s birthright, but he had the blessing from Isaac. No matter what happened next Jacob is the rightful leader of the family and servants of Isaac.

Stay tuned for part III