I am definitely slowing down in my reading. I was so excited to get going that I blazed through the first part of Genesis. Maybe because it wasn't as complicated...but boy, now, these chapters. We are a hot mess. It is a wonder God continues to put up with us.
Day 7 I read Genesis 27-28. Isaac is now old and his eyes too "dim" to see. Isaac knows his days are numbered and this may be the only chance to take care of some family business. He calls in Esau and makes a private plan to bless him.
Back two chapters we read that the Lord told Rebekah she would have twins and that the older would serve the younger. In the same chapter we see Esau sell his birthright to Jacob. We also see that Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game. And now here we are, Isaac isn't sure the time of his death and he wants to override Gods plan with a savory meal to boot.
You know what happens next, Rebekah overhears this plan and comes up with her own act of deception. She tells Jacob to pretend to be Esau and receive the blessing that even God Himself said was his. Jacob doesn't think this is a good idea and is fearful of receiving a curse instead of the blessing. In Genesis 27:13 she says, "....Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice..."
What I noticed in this chapter were all the opportunities for Isaac to figure out this was Jacob not Esau. Jacob comes into his dad's room and says, "My father" his dad answers, "Who is it?" Jacob of course lies and says he is Esau and he is here with the food and ready for the blessing.
Isaac also wonders how the food was prepared so quickly. He asks to touch his son's skin to make sure it is hairy - since Esau was so hairy and Jacob was not. Isaac even says, the voice is not Esau. He asks him again directly, "Are you really my son Esau?". And finally he asks for a kiss so he will lean in and Isaac can smell him. He had all of these doubts, all of these signs that this was trickery. Yet I think Isaac was so caught up in trying to get the blessing secretly to Esau that he continued down his slippery slope.
The irony? Isaac and Rebekah, even Esau and Jacob were secretive, deceitful, selfishly trying to get their own way. Yet God's plan was not thwarted.
I am trying to figure out why they just didn't do it God's way. Why did they allow in the sin crouching at their door? Their joy was stolen and a web of lies was woven. But then if I take a look at my own life, my own circumstances, maybe I am not so different.
Is there a situation that I feel the need to control? Do I trust God with my future? Is fear directing my steps into deceit? How easy it is to move our eyes away from God's beautiful, faithful promises and onto our less than desirable circumstances.
God gave Isaac several chances to change his mind and repent. Not only were his eyes dim, but his view of God was dim also. And this is part of the legacy he was leaving to Jacob. We all sin, we all fall short, we all need a redeemer. Thankfully One is on the way.
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Day 8 I read and reread Chapter 28-29. I think I was still reeling a little from all the grief from chapter 27. And now we see more bad choices. Jacob is sent away, Esau takes a 3rd wife. Jacob falls in love with Rachel and is deceived (here we go again) and is given Leah as a wife instead. See, I told you we are a hot mess! This is a beautiful and heartbreaking story. My favorite verse is from Genesis 29:31
Now the LORD saw that Leah was unloved and He opened her womb...
Can you imagine being Leah? The older sister, looked over for her younger sister. Her dad had to deceive a man into marrying her and she was still unloved though married. But the LORD saw...and then He did something beautiful. He brought new life. She conceived and would have a son.
God brings new life to where there was once despair. Hope in the midst of hurt. He saw. And then He did something. Not only do we have a God who sees, but One who acts on our behalf. Praise Him.
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