Lesson 19~ A division in the family

Genesis 27

Last week, we saw where Jacob tricked Isaac into giving his older brother, Esau's inheritance and blessing. This angered Esau so much that he talked of killing Jacob for such a evil deed. Their mother, Rebekah heard about it and warned Jacob of the plan. Then she told Issac that she wanted Jacob to go find a wife in her brother, Laban's family. For she knew that this would protect Jacob from being killed by Esau.

Isaac heeded his wife's words and sent Jacob away from them into another land to find a wife. It would be many years before Jacob and Esau would meet again. So this deed, divided the family.

Lesson 18~ Jacob steals Esau's blessing from him through trickery

Genesis 27:1-40

When Isaac was old, he decided that it was time to give his blessing to his eldest son, Esau. so he called him and told him to go hunt and fix venison for them both and bring it to him when he was done, then Isaac would give Esau his final blessing. Esau did so.

While Esau was out hunting, Rebekah who had overheard the whole thing told her favorite son, Jacob, how to go about getting the blessing from his father before his brother could get it. Jacob did exactly what his mother told him to do. In doing so, he tricked his father into giving him the blessing that Esau was to have received. Now Jacob had taken both Esau's inheritance and blessing.

Let me explain why this was so important. It was custom for the Father to pronounce a blessing over his children before he died. The oldest son often was given the bigger share of the material inheritance, as well as a better blessing. In fact, the eldest son was often set up to control the lives of his brothers. That is what happened here. Isaac blessed Jacob with the power over all the material good and the power to control it all.

When Esau came back with the meat to get his blessing, he had lost the blessing. Isaac was upset, but could not take the blessing away from Jacob.  This also upset Esau. We will see how this divides this family for many years next week.