GET SERIOUS
Genesis 32:24: “So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.”
Jacob was deadly serious.
Sweating tomorrow when he was due to meet his twin older brother, Jacob was remembering. … The house smelled like stew simmering in a pot. Esau stormed inside sniffing the air and demanded, “Give me some food, I’m about to die!”
“There’s some lentil stew,” Jacob said. Thinking quickly, he filled a bowl with stew from the pot and held it out. “Sell me your birthright for this stew.”
“Sold!” Esau said, reaching for the bowl.
“Swear to me, first!” Jacob added, pulling the bowl away.
“I swear to you that I sell my birthright for this stew!” Esau said while licking his lips. “What good is a birthright to me, anyway, when I’m about to die?”
Gulping down his food, Esau finished, then left the house.
Jacob smiled. That worked out well! he thought. Then he remembered another time: Dad called for Esau, who had gone out hunting.
Jacob answered, “Here I am!”
Dad was old. Almost blind, he was near the end of his life. He said, “Get your quiver and bow and hunt some wild game for me to eat. Prepare tasty food that I like and bring it to me. I want to bless you before I die.”
Mom planned the deception and took full responsibility for tricking her husband. “Here Jacob, take this goat that I prepared for your dad. I want you to receive Esau’s blessing!”
“But Mom, Esau is hairier than me and smells outdoorsy,” Jacob pointed out. Rebekah brought Jacob Esau’s clothes to change into and covered his hands with goatskin. She brought food prepared exactly the way that Isaac enjoyed.
Jacob approached Isaac ready to lie, “Father, here’s your food.”
Isaac sat up. “That was fast!” he said.
“God gave me fast success!” Jacob replied.
“Come closer, son. Your voice sounds like Jacob.” He touched Jacob’s hand. “These are hairy, like Esau’s! Are you really Esau?”
“I am,” Jacob crossed his fingers.
“Good! Now I’m ready for some of your game. Afterwards, I’ll give you my blessing.” Isaac said.
When Jacob brought dad food and wine, Isaac smelled him. “Humph. You smell like Esau.” Isaac ate leisurely, savoring the taste. “Now son, receive my blessing!”
Esau returned home and wanted dad’s blessing. Isaac told him what happened. Esau became enraged, yelling, “The days for mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
Genesis 25:23-26, 29-34, 27:1-29, 30-41.
Take Home Nugget
When life gets deadly, people’s faith in God gets serious. Check out the lesson linked below to see God’s admiration for Jacob’s determination.
Jacob schemed for Esau’s blessing, but resolved himself to obtain God’s too.
J.D. Griffith
For a personal, private lesson experience with our staff
Latest Christmas book by J.D. Griffith:
Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment