Deceptive Blessing

Genesis 26:34-27:40

Last week we covered Chapter 25 of the Book of Genesis this chapter is packed. First, Abraham’s story comes to a close. He remarries, has more kids (yes, the man was still going strong), but the covenant promise stays with Isaac. Abraham dies, full of years, and is buried next to Sarah.

Then we get a quick genealogy of Ishmael—God kept His promise to make him a great nation, but he’s not the chosen line.

Then comes the real tension: Isaac and Rebekah can’t have kids—again, a barren wife in the covenant line. But Isaac prays, and boom—God answers with twins.

And not just any twins, but two who will be at war from the womb.

Esau comes out first, red and hairy, and Jacob follows, gripping his brother’s heel (foreshadowing much?).

God tells Rebekah straight up: “The older will serve the younger.” Meaning, God is flipping cultural expectations on their head—this won’t be about birth order, but about His sovereign choice.

Fast forward, and Esau—big, strong, outdoorsy, probably smells like a Bass Pro Shop—comes back starving after a hunt. Jacob, always scheming, sees his moment and trades a bowl of stew for Esau’s birthright.

And here’s the tragedy: Esau gives it up without a fight, despising what was meant to be his. He chooses immediate satisfaction over long-term blessing. And that’s the warning—how often do we trade what’s eternal for what’s easy?

Genesis 25 reminds us that God is sovereign, His plans don’t fit our expectations, and we need to treasure what He’s given us instead of settling for what feels good in the moment.

Jacob’s deception of his father Isaac involves another indulgence of human appetites over the promises of God. At the behest of their mother, scheming Jacob steals the blessing from his older brother, Esau.

There is nothing about Jacob that merits the blessing. Yet once again, the faithfulness of God is shown as God continues to uphold his word despite Jacob’s deceitfulness. In this, God makes clear that even the sinful acts of his creatures will not thwart his plans to bring about the promise.

Genesis 26:34–27:25 ESV

34 When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah. 1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” 5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” 14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

Jacob’s Deception

Isaac is old now, and his eyes have failed him. He knows his time is short, and in what he believes to be his final act as patriarch, he prepares to pass on the family blessing (27:1). And, of course, in his mind, that blessing belongs to Esau—his firstborn, his favorite, the hunter, the man’s man. But while Isaac is preparing for a moment of legacy, Rebekah is scheming. She has her own favorite—Jacob. And she’s not about to let Isaac’s plan play out unchecked (vv. 5–10).

Now, let’s be clear—this deception doesn’t start with Jacob. This isn’t some case of a conniving trickster hatching a scheme all on his own. This starts with his mother. It’s Rebekah who hears Isaac’s intentions, and it’s Rebekah who sets the whole thing in motion. Sound familiar? It should. It’s the garden all over again. Just as Eve took and gave the fruit to Adam, here Rebekah takes the plan of deception and hands it over to Jacob. And just like Adam, Jacob listens. He follows. He steps right into sin.

But we can’t let Jacob off the hook. He’s no innocent bystander. He doesn’t resist. He doesn’t push back. In fact, he’s all in. Sure, at first, he’s worried—not about the morality of it, but about getting caught (vv. 11–12). But when Rebekah reassures him, he’s ready to go. And together, mother and son go all in on this lie. They don’t just deceive with words—they use every possible sense to fool Isaac. They cover Jacob’s arms with goat skins to mimic Esau’s rough, hairy skin. They dress him in Esau’s clothes so that he smells like the hunter. They prepare a meal just the way Isaac likes it, using meat from their own flock instead of Esau’s game. Every possible detail is accounted for. Every possible weakness of Isaac is exploited.

And then Jacob takes it even further. When Isaac questions how he returned so quickly with the food, Jacob doesn’t just lie—he invokes the name of God. “Because the Lord your God granted me success” (v. 20), he says. Do you see that? He’s using God’s name to sell his deception. This isn’t just trickery—this is blasphemy. This is manipulation at the highest level.

But let’s step back for a moment and see the bigger picture. This isn’t the first time Jacob has used deception to get ahead.

Back in chapter 25, he took advantage of Esau’s hunger, getting him to sell his birthright for a bowl of stew. And now, here he is again—grasping, scheming, doing whatever it takes to secure what he wants. That’s been his pattern. That’s been his way. But what Jacob doesn’t understand yet—what he will learn the hard way—is that God’s blessing isn’t something that can be taken by force. It’s not something that can be stolen or manipulated into being. God’s plan will come to pass, but not through human cunning or deceit.

And yet, here’s the crazy part: despite all of Jacob’s striving, despite all of his grasping and scheming, God still works through it. He still fulfills His promise. Not because of Jacob, but in spite of him. Because that’s who God is. He takes broken, sinful people—people who lie, people who manipulate, people who try to force their own way—and He weaves their mess into His plan. Jacob will carry the blessing, but not without consequences. His deception will cost him. And yet, through it all, God’s faithfulness remains.

That’s the beauty of grace. That’s the hope of the gospel. God doesn’t abandon His people, even when they fail. Even when they grasp and scheme and sin, His plan doesn’t derail. And that’s good news—not just for Jacob, but for you and me.

Genesis 27:26–29 ESV

26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed! 28 May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. 29 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!”

Isaac’s Blessing of Jacob

Alright, here’s what’s happening—Isaac, old and blind, smells the clothes of his visitor, thinks Esau is in front of him, and speaks a blessing that reaches back to Abraham. This isn’t just a nice word of encouragement; it’s covenantal. He’s giving what was promised—abundance, victory, and a name that will be blessed among the nations (Gen. 27:28–29). And despite all the deception—Rebekah scheming, Jacob lying—God’s plan does not derail.

Because here’s the thing: this blessing isn’t ultimately about Jacob.

Yes, Jacob gets the blessing. But this is where we need to zoom out. Because this blessing? It’s not ultimately about Jacob. He’s a piece of the puzzle, but he’s not the final Son of promise. The real fulfillment is found in Jesus Christ.

The blessing that passed from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob wasn’t about making them rich or powerful in their lifetimes—it was about setting the stage for the One who would bring salvation to the world. The promise wasn’t just about a nation; it was about a King. The prophet Isaiah would later declare:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

The blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob finds its true fulfillment in Christ, the One who will reign forever. Luke confirms this when the angel tells Mary:

“And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” – Luke 1:32–33 (ESV)

This is where the story has been heading all along. Not to Jacob, not to his twelve sons, not to the nation of Israel as a political entity, but to Jesus—the true and final Son of the Promise.

And Luke 1:33 makes it clear—this promise doesn’t stop in Genesis. The angel tells Mary that her Son will reign over the house of Jacob forever in a kingdom with no end. So, while Jacob gets the blessing, the true blessing is given to Jesus. And because God is faithful to keep His promise, that blessing extends to us in Christ.

Genesis 27:30–40 ESV

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. 40 By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

Isaac’s “Blessing” for Esau

When Esau comes back and realizes what’s happened, the weight of his loss hits him hard. He pleads for a blessing, but Isaac, unable to reverse what’s already been done, tells him that he will have to live with the consequences of his choices. Esau wanted to live by his physical strength, to lean on his sword, and that’s exactly what he’ll get—a life defined by his own pride and power, but ultimately a life of futility. He despised his inheritance, and now, God makes it clear that the promise is going through Jacob’s line, not his.

Here’s the deeper issue: The promise matters more than anything. Esau is a cautionary tale for us—he traded his birthright, his inheritance, for a fleeting moment of satisfaction.

How often do we, too, get pulled into living for what feels good now, forsaking the eternal blessing we’ve been given in Christ?

1. Seeking Comfort Over Calling

It’s easy to choose comfort over the calling God has placed on our lives.

We have all been praying for one more- let me say this- we all should have been praying for one person we know that does not know the Lord or no longer has a relationship with the Lord for opportunities to share the gospel.

How many of us- stopped pursuing those opportunities- how many of us even stopped praying for those opportunities? If we are being honest- and church is a great place to be honest- the majority of us have stopped.

How do I know? Seen any new faces lately?

This isn’t a country club. If you want a place to hangout- go to an arcade or something. This isn’t the place. This is the place to make much of Christ Jesus and to do the work of the ministry.

And we aren’t here to be comfortable. Let me rephrase that- I don’t know about you but I’m not here to be comfortable.

We are here to be equipped to do the work of the ministry- and if we aren’t engaging the Lost with people who we see on a regular basis- zero chance you are going to do that to someone you just met.

Well, they aren’t lost- they are just not going to church. They were saved and baptized when they were 12. There in their 30s now, havent been to church in 15 years but there kids got saved and baptized at VBS.

That’s what you think Christianity is? Christianity is a prayer and a bath?

You think the thief on the cross would have gotten down from the cross, he still would have been stealing and living just like he did that got him up there?

Or do you think it would have changed everything about everything.

Show me one example in scripture of that. Where someone said a prayer, got baptized, and nothing changed in their life. So me where a believer was not in the body of Christ.

Or maybe just maybe- you should have those conversations that you know you should be having.

Well, I just want them to let them make their own decisions when it comes to religion.

I hear this a lot—“I just want to let them make their own decisions about religion.” And I get the sentiment. You don’t want to force anything on them. You want their faith to be real, not something they feel pressured into. But let’s be honest—we don’t take that approach anywhere else in life.

You don’t say, “I’m just gonna let my kids decide for themselves whether they want to brush their teeth.” No, because rotting teeth are a real consequence. You don’t say, “I’m gonna let them figure out for themselves if they want to go to school.” No, because ignorance has real consequences.

And yet, when it comes to the **single most important thing in the universe—their eternity, their soul, their purpose in life—**we suddenly go hands-off? That’s not neutrality. That’s neglect.

Scripture is clear:

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one

He is supposed to be the one thing that drives everything in our life. He isn’t just number 1 on a list or priorities but he is the paper we would write our priorities on.

That’s why in verse 7 it says.

“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” – Deuteronomy 6:7 (ESV)

You are called to teach, lead, guide.

Not in a way that’s legalistic but in a way that shows them the beauty and truth of Jesus.

Because here’s the deal—the world is already discipling them. Everyone is being discipled into something. Culture is shaping their beliefs every single day through entertainment, social media, and friends. It doesn’t matter if they are 40, 24, or 4 years old. Its just true.

If you’re not leading them toward Christ, something else is leading them away from Him.

So no, you can’t force faith. But you can make Jesus so compelling, so central to your home, that your kids see Him as the only thing worth building their lives on. Because at the end of the day, they will make a decision—but that decision will be shaped by what they’ve been shown matters most.

So stop seeking the comfortable and start seeking the Lord’s calling in your life and it starts with making disciples.

2. Instant Gratification Over Spiritual Growth

How often do we turn to social media, entertainment, or other distractions when we’re weary, instead of taking time to pray or read Scripture? The lure of a quick escape—scrolling, binge-watching, or indulging in temporary pleasures—often wins out over moments of spiritual growth and renewal. This may feel good in the moment, but it pulls us away from the more significant, eternal growth we need.

3. Choosing Sin Over Repentance

Maybe it’s the temptation to gossip, to hold on to bitterness, or to engage in secret sin. In the moment, sin can feel satisfying, but it’s always fleeting. We may justify it, but in the end, we’re sacrificing our peace with God and our witness for Christ for something that doesn’t last. Repentance, on the other hand, leads to restoration and a deeper relationship with Him.

4. Immediate Pleasures of the Flesh

Like Esau, sometimes we choose the pleasures of the flesh—whether it's indulging in food, drink, lust, or even success and approval from others—over the lasting satisfaction we find in Christ. The momentary high or relief of indulgence is fleeting, but true fulfillment is found in living for Him, not our own desires.

In each of these cases, we’re faced with a choice: pursue what feels good right now, or trust that what God offers—whether it’s the calling He’s placed on our life, spiritual growth, or His eternal promises—is worth so much more than the temporary things we often chase. When we make the right choice, we’re embracing the eternal blessings God has in store for us, which far outweigh any immediate satisfaction.

The call of the gospel is to resist the flesh and fix our eyes on Jesus, the true offspring of Abraham, who fulfills the promise that Esau, in his foolishness, rejected. If we don't, we risk ending up like Esau—seeking restoration for something we’ve already despised. But even in our failures, we see that God’s sovereignty will not be thwarted. The promise will move forward, through His chosen line, until it reaches its fulfillment in Christ.

So here’s where we land with Genesis 27—God’s plan is not dependent on perfect people.

Because let’s be honest, nobody in this story comes out looking great. Isaac is spiritually dull, Esau is reckless, Rebekah is scheming, and Jacob? Well, Jacob is straight-up deceptive. But even in the middle of all this brokenness, God’s promise is still moving forward.

That should encourage us.

Why? Because if God's plan can survive this mess, then surely His grace is big enough for our failures too.

Maybe you've blown it. Maybe you've made choices that have led you to a place where you feel like you’ve forfeited God’s blessing. But listen—God is bigger than your worst moment. The promise didn’t stop with Jacob, and it doesn’t stop with you.

The blessing that passed from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob wasn’t about them—it was always pointing to Jesus, the final and perfect Son of promise. And in Christ, we are invited into that same blessing—not by our effort, not by our scheming, but by grace alone.

So what do we do? We trust Him. We surrender to His plan instead of trying to manipulate the outcome. We stop chasing after temporary things like Esau, trading away what is eternal for what feels good right now. We fix our eyes on Christ, because He is the fulfillment of every promise.

And the good news? God is faithful to finish what He starts. He was faithful to His promise in Genesis 27, and He will be faithful to the work He is doing in you.