Isaac, Jacob and Esau

Genesis 27
I've read this through a couple of times, and there seems to be something going on that we don't quite see. Something more than the words on the page. Why does Rebekah have Jacob impersonate Esau?

Isaac is now an old man and can be fooled because his eye-sight has failed him. But still we must ask why? Why do it at all? What is this blessing that Rebekah desires for her son-her one son over her other son? Is there something about Esau that makes her think he won't be a good leader for God's people?

What does this passage say? Jacob is obedient to his mother, and does as she says. He does get his father's blessing. What is this blessing? This is what Isaac says:
May God give you of the dew of heaven
and of the fatness of the earth
and plenty of grain and wine.Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother's sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"

Now perhaps Isaac remembers the words of the Lord to Abraham, when God said he would make him a great nation and that everyone who blesses Abraham will be blessed, and that anyone who curses Abraham will be cursed; it sounds something like that blessing. Is this important, is it why Rebekah wanted Jacob rather than Esau to get the blessing?

Next, we see that Esau is very sorry not to have his father's blessing and cries aloud. Isaac tells him you will live by the sword, but when you grow restless, you will break his yoke from your neck. I'm still pondering this. But it seems there is reason to wait and watch to see what happens next.

Genesis 28: 1-22
Isaac, who knows he has been deceived, graciously hears the plea of his wife Rebekah, and sends Jacob to find a wife from among her people (His people-God's people, in the land of Canaan-but to an Aramean). Is it that he isn't angry? Does he see what this something else is that I am wondering about? Isaac says to Jacob; "God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!"

This makes me think perhaps there is something Isaac knows that we do not read here.

The first thing Esau does is go about doing something to spite his father; he says to himself, if Isaac doesn't like these women here, I'll go get me one for a wife. Huh? I can see how this knee-jerk reaction is one I might think about. But would I go and do that spiteful thing? I don't know. I pray that I would stop and ask the questions before taking this course. Is this what God would want? Was Esau thinking from his hurt? Did he consider the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, his own God? I don't hear Esau considering or consulting God at all. Is this a clue for us?

Jacob on the other hand, finds himself cast out and going on a journey fearing for his life, and yet when he has a dream his first thought is of God. Jacob wakes from the dream and says: "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it."And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

His prayer is to come again to his father's house in peace. This is the prayer of a man who knows his plight. That he is at the mercy of his brother that he has wronged, and yet it is a prayer of hope. This is a forward-looking prayer. May I come to my father's house in peace.

This is a prayer we all could pray. May we all come to our father's house in peace.
The Peace of the Lord be with you, and me. Amen.

See you tomorrow
-maggie