Friday, March 27, 2020

Thoughts on Genesis 27

About last year, a friend of mine asked me to hold her accountable to memorize Scripture.  So I started doing that again.  Years ago I had been doing that and then stopped for some reason.  I don't remember why, but I had been surfing in different passages.  I had stopped at Genesis 26, Psalm 10, Proverbs 2, and Matthew 5. 

Normally in memorizing Scripture, I'll memorize a passage, but don't rehearse it once I move on to other passages.  But I finished Genesis 27, the long passage where Jacob officially swindles Isaac into giving him the blessing, stealing the chance from Esau.  Rebekah, his mother, conspires in this.  It's a major ordeal that God still used for his glory.  Here are my ideas from it.

1. God wanted to bless Jacob, the younger twin anyway.  Just because Isaac was deadset on disobeying the Lord and blessing his favorite older son, did not mean Jacob and Rebekah had to help God keep his promise.  God would have given Jacob the blessing one way or another.  He did that for Judah even though Jacob liked Joseph the best of all his sons.  He became the ancestor of Jesus.  In fact he did that for Leah, Judah's mother, even though Rachel was Jacob's favorite wife.  In the end Jacob was only claiming what was already his, but he doubted that God would come through for him, and he did a despicable thing to his father in doing so.

2. At the end of the passage, when Rebekah sends Jacob off to her brother in Haran, she says she'll send word to him when Esau is no longer angry and forgets what Jacob did.  Notice, she never sent for him.  Esau kept being angry.  How would you forget something like that?  That is why we should never praise Esau for not retaliating at Jacob when they met again and embraced each other and wept.  That happened because God intervened, not because Esau finally learned to forgive.  Ultimately Esau was like Cain who never followed through on killing his brother.  Unlike Cain, he actually was a better guy than Jacob.  But in God's election, God wanted to bless Jacob, and we see that Esau willingly through away his blessing for a pot of stew, caring nothing for the future of him and his children.

3. No matter who is right or who is wrong, we all sin because we are sinners.  We all need redemption from our flagrant errors.  We cannot come to God on our own initiative.  Our sins need to be covered by the Blessing that God would send through Jacob.  That is Jesus.  Jesus must die for our sins so that we can have peace with God.  And that peace is meant to be shared with others.  Do not throw away eternity for one bowl of stew or one night with somebody or a relationship that you know is wrong.  Love Jesus more than this world and know his invitation is always open until you die or until he returns. 

1 comment:

  1. HELLO Meghan and Tim. I am a Pastor from Mumbai India. I am once again glad to stop by your profile on the blogger and the blog post. I am also blessed and feel privileged and honoured to get reconnected with you and your husband. I did come across your profile and the blog post earlier too and I may have posted my comment on your blog post then but do not remember now but I think God has purpose in bringing back to your profile and the blog post. I get so encouraged when I happen to get connected with the Pastors. You have served the Lord as Pastor for three years and now helping the church with your husband Tim in Children ministry. I am encouraged by your blog post on "Thoughts On Genesis 27"I did get good insights and more over reminded to continue memorizing the seriptures which I had discontinued. I love getting connected with the people of God around the globe to be encouraged strengthened and praying for one another. I have been in the Pastoral ministry for last 40 yrs in this great contrast where richset of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the brokeneharted. We also encourage young and the adults from the west to coem to Mumbai to work with us during their vacation time. We would love to have you and your husband come to work with us during your vacation time or encourage young people from your church to go on a short missions trio to Mumbai to work with us during their vacation time. I AM SURE they will have a life changing experience. Looking forward to hear from you very soon. God's richest blessings on you your family and friends also wishing you and your family a blessed and a Christ centered rest of the year 2020. My email id is:dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede

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