13. Jacob’s Deception of His Father and Brother: In This Act of Deceit, Who Gained and Who Lost?

“Be careful, lest someone be as immoral and ungodly as Esau. For a momentary appetite, he sold his status as the eldest son. “[Hebrews 12:16]

At forty years old, Isaac met Rebekah in the dusk wilderness and married her. But Rebekah was infertile after marriage. Isaac’s half-brother Ishmael had twelve sons, making the family a prominent clan.

Isaac remembered the promise God had told him to his father Abraham, and seeing that he had no son, he prayed to God. God answered his prayer.

Twenty years after his marriage, when Isaac was 60, Rebekah gave birth to twin sons. The eldest was covered in red hair and was named Yisao [meaning decisive]. When the second child was born, he grabbed his older brother’s heel and called him Jacob [meaning to replace]. When Isaac was 75, his father Abraham, who was 175, passed away.

Before Abraham died, he left all his possessions to Isaac and again entrusted his son to hold onto God’s promise.

Although he labored all his life without seeing God’s promises fulfilled, he returned with faith in God.

Isaac and his brother Ishmael buried their father beside their mother, who had died thirty-eight years earlier, in the cave of Mabilah in Hebron, which their father had bought from the Hittites at the time of their mother’s death. Esau and Jacob grew up, and their personalities were as distinctly different as their appearances.

Issao was reckless and reckless, fond of hunting.

Jacob is shrewd and prefers to be quiet at home. One day, the older brother returned from hunting, exhausted, hot, and hungry. Seeing his brother at home cooking red bean soup, he begged him to share some with him. Jacob said calmly, “If you trade the birthright for me, then eat as much as you want.”

“Brother didn’t hesitate. Since they were twins, the eldest son was only about fifteen minutes old, so he agreed without hesitation.

Time slips away like an hourglass, passing silently. Isaac grew old, his eyes blurred, nearly blind, lying in bed, spending the rest of his life. Though his eyes were blind, his mind became sharper. Looking back on the years gone by, he remembered that the first major event was when he walked with his father for three days to the summit of Mount Moriah, where he met angels and witnessed God’s preparation with his own eyes.

Married at 40, had a child at 60. Later, when famine struck, God instructed him to flee to Geral, several hundred miles northwest, where his wife was nearly taken by the locals. But God blessed him there, and his crops multiplied a hundredfold, his cattle and sheep multiplied, and he became wealthy.

The locals resented him and filled in the well his father had dug in his early years, forcing him to migrate southeast.

Four times in a row, his wells were filled or occupied, and finally he was driven back to Bethsheba, where he had first left, where God appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.” You need not be afraid, for I am with you. For the sake of my servant Abraham, I will bless you so that your descendants may multiply.

“Though it was morning outside, it was as quiet as late night. Lying in bed, thinking of God’s promise, Isaac couldn’t help but be alert. He knew his days were numbered, and it was time to entrust his two children with their funeral arrangements.

The two children had very different personalities, but he favored Esau because Esau was strong-willed, the exact opposite of his own frail self. Moreover, Esau was skilled at hunting, and the game he made was delicious. God’s blessing should be reserved for the eldest. (Isaac did not know that Esau had given his position as the eldest son to his brother Jacob.) Isaac called Esau to his bedside, instructed him to go hunting in the wild, prepare game for him, and then give Esau the blessing reserved for the eldest son. Yi Sao took his bow and arrows and hurried off.

Less than half an hour later, Isaac heard someone enter the tent and call him “Father.” “I’m here, my son, who are you?” “I am Yisao, returning from hunting, and the game is ready. Father, please eat.”

After eating, bless me. Isaac was puzzled, because the voice was clearly Jacob’s, and how could he return so quickly? Hunting plus cooking would take at least an hour. “Child, come here, let me feel and see if you are my son Isao.” Isaac touched his son’s arm, which was indeed furry, thick like a lamb’s wool. Isaac ate the prepared game, which indeed tasted like Esau, and had his son come forward and kiss his cheek. During the kiss, he smelled the special scent on Esau’s clothes and felt the hair on his son’s neck, so he no longer doubted and blessed him: “The fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of the field blessed by the Lord.

May God grant you heavenly rain, fertile land, and abundant grains and new wine. May all nations bow to you, and all nations bow before you.

May you be master to your brothers, may the son of your mother bow down to you. Cursed is the one who curses you; May he be blessed by you. After the blessing, the son left. Isaac was satisfied and was about to sleep when suddenly someone entered the tent and said, “Father, please eat the game your son has prepared.” After eating, bless me. ”

Isaac was greatly astonished, because he heard Esau’s deep voice, smelled the aroma of the game Esau had prepared, and touched Esau’s arm.

Isaac hurriedly asked, “Who are you?” “Father, I am your eldest son, Esau!” Isaac was shocked and speechless. After a moment, he sighed deeply: “Your brother Jacob just came in, pretending to be you, and took away your blessings. I have already sent him my blessings. God will also fulfill that blessing in the future. Isaac heard Esau cry out loud: “No wonder his name is Jacob. He has deceived me twice—first to gain the birthright, and now to take away my blessing!”

Father, didn’t you leave me any other blessings? Issau wept bitterly.

Isaac pondered silently, recalling God’s prophecy to his wife’s two unborn children years ago: “The older will serve the younger,” and then recalling everything that had happened today. He sighed inwardly, and after Esau’s crying had calmed down a little, he called Esau to his bedside and blessed him, saying, “The place where you live will be far from fertile land, and there will be no rain from heaven.”

You will live by the sword and serve your brother. When you can no longer endure it, you will break free from the yoke of your neck. “Just as he finished speaking, he heard Esao stop crying and rush out the door. When he stepped outside, he saw his mother Rebekah hiding behind the door eavesdropping. Esau glared at his mother with hatred. He knew she favored her brother Jacob and suspected she must have helped him set up today’s scam. He strode away, leaving behind a bold remark: “Sooner or later, I’ll kill him!” Rebekah heard it, his body stiff like a stone. After a moment, tears quietly streamed down.