One of the most confusing exchanges in Genesis is the life of Jacob and Esau. When in the womb, there was friction. In fact, Rebekah was told that there were two nations within her. When born Esau came first, but Jacob came out hanging onto his heel. That would seem to be the story of their whole lives.
Esau taking things for granted; Jacob always plotting.
Esau became a hunter; Jacob felt more at home, well…at home. Isaac loved Esau. Rebekah loved Jacob. If that doesn’t spell disaster I don’t know what does! I’ve seen the whole divided favoritism thing play out in real life and it NEVER turns out well.
Esau takes off hunting. Jacob stays home and makes a red stew. Esau has a lousy day hunting and comes home famished. So famished he thought he would die. Jacob, always the conniver, gets his brother to give up his birthright for a pot of stew. Perhaps Esau never thought much about it again but Jacob didn’t forget. You can bet your bottom dollar on that!
Fast forward a few years and Isaac is blind. He senses the end is near so he commissions Esau to go out and kill some game, cook it, bring it to him, and he will bless him as his firstborn son. Enter Rebekah who overhears the conversation. She calls Jacob and they set up a scheme. To his credit, Jacob doesn’t seem to be totally into the scheme of tricking his father that he is Esau. But he follows through with it and while Isaac questions who is in front of him, Jacob is complicit in the lie. He receives the blessing reserved for Esau, the firstborn. When Esau returned with the game, he found out Jacob was up to his old tricks again. This time he vows revenge so Rebekah convinces Jacob to run to her brother’s. Jacob does that and if there is such a thing as “turn about is fair play” Jacob was the recipient. After working 7 years to marry Rachel, Laban tricked him into marrying Leah instead. He worked another seven years to marry Rachel. The con got conned. (A retelling of Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-29:35)
Did you ever wonder why some stories are in the Bible? Well…I don’t really wonder why on this. God definitely shows us through the story of Jacob that imperfect people can still fulfill His purpose. Just think about it: that is all He has anyway. 🙂 But Jacob? WOW!!
There is hope for me. True, I never cheated anyone out of a birthright or stole a blessing intended for the firstborn. (BTW: I am the oldest, but not firstborn). But I have cheated. I have connived. I have lied. I have pretended to be someone I’m not. I’ve taken advantage of people. And the list goes on. BUT I’M ALSO REDEEMED. I’m also a new creation. I’m also a child of the King. I’m also proof God is in the restoration business.
I’m thankful for the story of Jacob. It is quite revealing.
