Stolen Honors

Intro.

Sometimes in life, we find ourselves in situations that do not turn out the way we thought that they would. For example, as I’ve likely said before, I never planned on moving to Alaska or having the particular people on my team who were there. I had planned on moving to Miami, or maybe Phoenix as a back-up. Then I got called into the Director’s office, and he tells me they have decided I should go the opposite direction and with a person who was on my list of nightmare teammates!

Similarly, after I got home from Alaska I had planned on inheriting my grandmother’s car and moving to Lubbock with my license in about six months. Seeing as my grandmother stopped driving her car partly with the intent of giving it to me, I thought it would be a no-brainer that I would get it quickly! However, it didn’t happen that way. Someone else was always using it, and then COVID happened, causing me to stay in Mineral Wells a whole year longer than I intended. After all that, I still moved to Lubbock for SIBI without a car.

Life just doesn’t always work the way we expect it to!

How has life worked out like this for you at times?

What sort of difference was made by how things worked out? Would it have been different if it went how you’d expected?

Sometimes, it seems that things in the Bible also do not really go the way you’d expect them to!

Remembering the Promise

What did God say regarding Jacob and Esau when they were still in the womb of Rebekah?

The younger would rule over the older

God’s people and promise were going to come from Jacob, not Esau (Israel, not Edom)

Genesis 25:23–26 LSB

23 And Yahweh said to her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.” 24 And her days to give birth were fulfilled, and behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

When did we say this began to be fulfilled in some way?

Esau selling his birthright

Genesis 25:27–34 LSB

27 And the boys grew up; Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he had an appetite for hunted game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 And Jacob had cooked stew. And Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Then Esau said to Jacob, “Please give me a swallow from the red stuff—this red stuff, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 And Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” 33 And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 So Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank and rose and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Stolen Blessings

Genesis 27:1–29 LSB

1 Now it happened that when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 2 And Isaac said, “Behold now, I am old, and I do not know the day of my death. 3 “So now, please take up your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me; 4 and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die.” 5 Now Rebekah was listening while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. Then Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring to Isaac. 6 But Rebekah spoke to her son Jacob, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speaking to your brother Esau, saying, 7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat and bless you in the presence of Yahweh before my death.’ 8 “So now, my son, listen to my voice as I command you. 9 “Go now to the flock and get for me two choice young goats from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves. 10 “Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.” 11 Then Jacob answered his mother Rebekah, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 “Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a mocker in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” 13 But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only listen to my voice, and go, get them for me.” 14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother made a savory dish such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and she put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 She also gave the savory dish and the bread, which she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob. 18 Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 And Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. Rise up, please, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 Then Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because Yahweh your God caused it to happen to me.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob came near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, 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 And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” 25 So he said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, that my soul may bless you.” And he brought it near to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine, and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and then he blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed; 28 Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, And of the fatness of the earth, And an abundance of grain and new wine; 29 May peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you; Be master of your brothers, And may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you, And blessed be those who bless you.”

What do you make of this situation?

Who was originally going to receive the given blessings?

Esau

Did Isaac not remember the promise to Rebekah? Did he not know?

Romans 8:28 LSB

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

God turned the deceitfulness of Jacob and Rebekah (whether or not anyone’s motives were in the right place, the actions were evil/sinful) into the fulfillment of the Seed Promise; God turned their lie into the nation of Israel, the first covenant people!

I am reminded of what Paul wrote to the Romans in regard to God using the disobedience of Israel to call the Gentiles, that He may use the calling of the Gentiles to bring the Jews to Christ:

Romans 11:28–33 LSB

28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

Conclusion

The great wisdom of God is a deep and marvelous thing! The sovereignty of God and the way He works all things to the fulfillment of His purpose and to the good of His people is a beautiful thing!

The way certain things came about in the history of God’s people, such as the lie told to Isaac, are not good things and the sins are inexcusable. Yet, through these poor decisions God has brought about immeasurable grace and mercy.

Perhaps one thing we can learn is this: God’s foreknowledge, grace, and sovereignty are far more capable in bringing about the good than our bad decisions are to thwart it! We must walk always in humble submission to Christ the Lord, however, we will make mistakes and stumble in that walk — let us remember that God is not knocked off balance by our imperfections. We have not ruined everything by being imperfect. Rather, we have come to a point where we can be shown grace and mercy by God in His, and therein repent and grow!