GENESIS LESSON 40


     We will begin this lesson in Genesis 27:30  "And it came to pass, 
as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet 
scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his 
brother came in from his hunting."
     Genesis 27:31 "And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it
unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and
eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me."

     There are many things in all of this to see. We must still
remember that God told Rebekah at the beginning; the younger would rule
over the older. We, also, must remember that Esau sold his birthright
to Jacob for a bowl of soup.

     God had to help Rebekah and Jacob in this, or Esau would have
returned earlier, before Isaac blessed Jacob. You see, Jacob had just
shortly before left the presence of Isaac. It is difficult to
understand the seemingly underhanded scheme that Rebekah and Jacob
performed to get the birthright, but it seemed God allowed them to
complete it before the return of Esau. We must remember, God was
angry with Esau for taking his birthright so lightly.

     This incident gets into the old argument of predestination ,or
foreknowledge. I believe foreknowledge, or else we would not have the
opportunity to exercise our free will.

     At any rate, here was Esau back from the hunt with the food,
standing before his father with the meat prepared. Why did Easu, by
his own words, go after the venison and prepare it? It was so Isaac
would bless him, not because he wanted to see to the needs of Isaac,
his father. He had a very selfish reason.

     Genesis 27:32 "And Isaac his father said unto him, Who [art]
thou?  And he said, I [am] thy son, thy firstborn Esau."

     You see, Esau, here, reminded Isaac that he was the first-born.

     Genesis 27:33 "And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said,
Who?  where [is] he that hath taken venison, and brought [it] me, and
I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea,
[and] he shall be blessed."

     You remember, that Jacob was Rebekah's favorite, and Esau was
Isaac's favorite. Isaac was saying here, I have blessed him and there
is no taking it back. "Jacob", which means the trickster, had the
blessing.

     Isaac trembled because he realized he blessed the one he had not
intended to bless with an oath. The best blessings was gone. Isaac was
telling this son, I was not aware that it wasn't you, and I gave
your blessing to someone else.

     Somewhere in here, Easu had to be remembering back to the
terrible thing that he did, when he traded his birthright to Jacob.

     Genesis 27:34 "And when Esau heard the words of his father, he
cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father,
Bless me, [even] me also, O my father."

     There was no repentance seen here, by Easu. He was bitter at someone
else for his own sins. He knew his father loved him best. He wanted what
did not belong to him. He pled for his father to bless him.
Suddenly, the birthright (blessing) was important to him. Not the
obligation of the birthright was important, only the blessing.

     Genesis 27:35 "And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and
hath taken away thy blessing."
     Genesis 27:36 "And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he
hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and,
behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not
reserved a blessing for me?"

     Esau was feeling sorry for himself. He even began to call Jacob
names. "Supplanter" means take by the heel, or restrain, or an
extended word, "trick". You see, Esau, as I said, was trying to blame
someone else for his downfall. He was not tricked, he knew full well
what he was doing, when he sold his birthright. The blessing he missed
was an extension of the birthright. He, was still petitioning his father
to bless him, in spite of what he had done.

     Genesis 27:37 "And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I
have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for
servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall
I do now unto thee, my son?"

     It is very important to see all of this. Had Isaac not been blind,
Esau would have obtained the best blessing. In the flesh he was his
father's favorite. The blessing was his until he refused it by
counting it as nothing when he traded it to Jacob.

     We can see, here, symbolisms of God having a favorite. (the Israelites)
They, also, took their heritage too lightly, and refused the blessing
that would come through Jesus Christ. The firstborn refused to
accept, and the Gentiles got the blessing. Note though, that after the
fact, Esau wanted to be blessed.

     Genesis 27:38 "And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one
blessing, my father? bless me, [even] me also, O my father. And Esau
lifted up his voice, and wept."

     Never, in all of this, did Esau say, I am sorry I traded my
birthright away, and I deserve this punishment. His tears were for
himself, feeling sorry for self, not repentant tears.

     Genesis 27:39 "And Isaac his father answered and said unto him,
Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew
of heaven from above;"
     Genesis 27:40 "And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve
thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the
dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck."

     You see, Esau's blessing had to do with the flesh. God would
prosper his work. In the spirit  realm, he would be subject to his
 brother.  He did say that sometime later this yoke would be removed, but
 for then he was subject to his brother.

     Genesis 27:41  "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing
wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days
of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother
Jacob."

     Esau had murder in his heart. Esau knew that Isaac would not
approve of him killing his brother. Esau was assuming a quick death
for Isaac. And then he would seek Jacob and kill him.

     Genesis 27:42 "And these words of Esau her elder son were told to
Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto
him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself,
[purposing] to kill thee."
     Genesis 27:43 "Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise,
flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;"
     Genesis 27:44 "And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's
fury turn away;"
     Genesis 27:45 "Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and
he forget [that] which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and
fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in
one day?"

     This mother had one thing in mind. She wanted to save her son's
life and to keep her other son from committing a terrible crime. She
knew he would be safe in her family home. After a long while Esau's
anger would be gone, and Jacob could return safely.

     Genesis 27:46 "And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life
because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the
daughters of Heth, such as these [which are] of the daughters of the
land, what good shall my life do me?"

     God did not want His people to marry heathens.

     Rebekah needed a very good reason for Jacob to leave home to
avoid being killed by his brother. The father, Isaac, knew that his
father, Abraham, had sent to another land for a wife. Isaac was aware
that God would not be pleased with the boys marrying heathen women.
This plan would certainly be acceptable to Isaac.

     Study chapter 28 for the next lesson.

                              Questions 40

1.  When did Esau come in from the hunt?
2.  What did he bring his father?
3.  Why?
4.  What three things must we remember in all of this?
5.  It seemed as if, who helped Jacob and Rebekah?
6.  Why was God angry with Esau?
7.  What two ways of thought arise in this?
8.  What question did Isaac ask Esau?
9.  What did Esau remind Isaac of?
10. What effect did this news have on Isaac?
11. What was one meaning of Jacob?
12. Why could Isaac not change the blessing?
13. What emotion came over Esau when he heard Isaac had blessed Jacob?
14. What, about the blessing, was not important to Esau?
15. What did Easu claim that Jacob did to him twice?
16. Give several meanings of supplanter.
17. Who would be Jacob's servants?
18. What else would he be blessed with?
19. How does all this relate to Christianity?
20. As a last effort to get blessed, what emotion did Esau show?
21. Did Esau ever repent?
22. What type of blessing did Easu get?
23. What evil thing did Easu plan in his heart to do to Jacob?
24. When this word came to Rebekah, what did she tell Jacob to do?
25. Where did she want him to go?
26. When did she promise to send for Jacob?
27. For what two reasons did Rebekah do this?