Genesis 27:1-46: How Do I Live A Blessed Life?

Introduction

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/couple-converted-hearse-road-trip

What's your idea of a blessed life? Freedom to travel? Having what you want? Good health?

“You’re so blessed...” You’ve said that to someone, or someone has said that to you. Blessed = the opportunity to live out our dreams. Getting the job you want… Living in the neighborhood you want to live in… To be in the relationship you want to be in - to have the spouse you want to have…

BUT what if you never live out your dreams? What if you never get the job you want? Marry that perfect person you dreamed of? Have children that love you and call you every day? What if your body is stricken with disease? Are you still blessed?

What is blessing? How do you get it? How can you live a blessed life? We’ll get to that at the end, but first, I need to show you how NOT to live a blessed life.

Gen. 27 is the story of how NOT to live a blessed life. Jacob and Esau both want something from their father: blessing. Jacob wants the blessing of his father so bad that he is willing to go to extremes to get the blessing he so desperately craves.

Three warnings from this story that you need to heed if you are going to live a blessed life.

Story

Gen. 26 - an interlude that describes Isaac’s faith before we pick up where we left off in Jacob and Esau’s story.

Years after Esau sold Jacob his birthright.

Difference between blessing and birthright:

Birthright = double portion of inheritance and position of influence in the family. Jacob had the birthright, but he didn’t have his father’s blessing.

Blessing = a prophetic word spoken over a child where the father would speak the child’s destiny over him. Odd, but we do the same thing. You’ve said to your kids: “I see God doing this in your life...” To have the blessing of your father is a big deal.

Jacob not only wants the birthright. He wants the blessing of his father… He wants to hear his father speak over him: “You’re going to lead the family. God is going to build his great nation through your descendants.” Jacob had stolen the birthright from Esau, but he hadn’t heard his father speak words of blessing over him. Rebekah wanted this for her son.

Isaac loves Esau - his firstborn. Isaac wants to bless Esau even though Esau continues to live foolishly (Gen. 26:34-35). From his life choices, it’s evident Esau wants nothing to do with the promises of God. He wants to live his own life his own way. Isaac, however, wants to speak over Esau, “You’re the one God has chosen to carry on the family name,” although that’s not at all what God planned. God promised Rebekah that Jacob would be the child that carried on the promise.

Isaac’s quite a few years from death, but his age is taking a toil. He can’t see. Thinking his years are limited, he’s determined to bless Esau and maybe undo some of the damage Jacob had done through stealing Esau’s birthright.

Jacob to Esau: “Go hunt for me and make me a meal…” His dying request… “And I’ll bless you...”

vs. 5 - Rebekah listening… She doesn’t want Esau to have the blessing… She knows what God told her. Isaac refused to believe it. She can’t have Esau get the blessing she knows belongs to Jacob.

Two adult men being manipulated by their parents. Jacob listening to what his momma says… This is her plan. “Go get goats. I’ll make a meal for you to take to your dad.”

Jacob hesitates. Plan will never work. “I know he’s hard of seeing, but he’ll know. I have no hair.” (The momma’s boy can’t grow a beard.)

Jacob: “Daddy finds out, I’ll be cursed.” Rebekah: “I’ll take the curse/blame. Just do what I say.”

This middle-aged man does what his momma says. He lets his mom dress him up to look his brother. He felt like a fool, but he went along, because he wanted it too.

The moment of truth: walks to his father’s bedside. “Dad...”

Isaac: “Who are you?” Jacob: “I am Esau…” His voice shakes. He’s trying to sound like his older brother.

Isaac suspicious: “That didn’t take you long.” Jacob: “It was God.”

Isaac: “Come here.” vs. 22-24. Confused about who this is. Jacob is trying to stay calm. Trying to play the part. He can’t mess this up.

Finally, Isaac seems convinced. He eats. Jacob leans in and kisses his father - a kiss of betrayal (Judas). But... it works. Isaac blesses Jacob (vs.27-29). (May God give you the land. May God make you a great nation. May our family recognize you as the leader.)

What Jacob longed for his whole life: the approval of his father. But the emptiness... The words were intended for Esau.

Imagine the smile on Rebekah’s face when Jacob told her what happened.

Then… Esau returns. Isaac and Esau stunned when they figure out what had happened. Esau cries out: “Bless me too!” Isaac can’t reverse what’s been done. vs. 33 - trembles violently - the old blind man sees… Jacob is the one God has chosen. Isaac gives in… He finally accepts it. What Rebekah had been telling him for years, he’s finally accepts.

Isaac gives Esau an anti-blessing (vs 29-40) - a blessing that substantiated the blessing given to Jacob.

Rebekah and Jacob got what they wanted. Isaac finally gave in and accepted the promise of God. But, everyone sinned, and the results are disastrous. Esau vowed to kill his brother (vs. 41). Jacob is forced to leave home, and he wouldn’t see his mother again.

How would the story be different if everyone in the story chose to believe God and trust Him? Everyone in the family wanted the blessings of God without bending the knee to God. Instead of God reigning over this home ambition, jealousy, lying, envy, manipulation, coveting, and deceit reigned in this home.

We all want blessing, but we don’t want to live in a way that shows that we understand God’s blessings.

What’s amazing is that GOD blessed Jacob and fulfilled His promise in spite of Jacob’s deceptive ways.

Three warnings from this passage that you need to heed if you are going to live in the blessing of God.

Quit trying to be someone you’re not.

Rebekah and Jacob playing dress up to get what they wanted out of life instead of trusting God be faithful to His promise in His time and His way.

Jacob so badly wanted to hear the words “You’re blessed” that he was willing to play dress up in order to hear those words.

You do the same thing. You want to hear words of blessing, so you pretend. You lie. You even manipulate so people will think well of you.

You want to show people you have a life that’s deserving of blessing.

You brag or even exaggerate about your accomplishments.

You live beyond your means to have a lifestyle that looks impressive to others so people will say, “He’s blessed.”

You get really religious, but those closest to you know that your religious exterior doesn’t match the inside.

You get involved in church, but the truth is your shallow.

You want people to say… “Now that’s a real Christian...” all the while, what people don’t see is how shallow your relationship with God really is.

Blessing is not found in being someone you’re not!

Any approval you gain from pretending to be someone your not will be empty. That person saying, “You’re blessed…” rings hollow because you know the truth about you. You know how empty you are.

Real blessing is found in authentic relationships that point you to the blessing of God. Instead of trying to impress each other, let’s be honest with each other. We’re all a mess, and we all need each other’s help. Blessing is found when you are honest about who you are: a sinner in need of grace. AND, when you put yourself in Christ-centered relationships that help you become who God wants you to be. (LCG, discipleship)

Hudson doesn’t want to be batman anymore… He’s growing up...

Quit trying to get God to approve of your life.

Everyone in the story wanted blessing, but no one in the story wanted to live God’s way.

You want your way, and you want God to bless your way.

Your way is self-focused.

Your way is destructive.

Yet, you want God to approve of your way.

You want the blessing of God without bending the knee to God.

This is what Jacob wants, and he gets his way. But, what does he really get? A broken relationship with his dad and his brother. He gets abandonment from his mom. He’s a man on the run.

Jacob will receive the blessing of God, but Jacob’s not going to get to live his way. His conniving ways will eventually catch up to him. He will eventually realize what he has in God. He’ll eventually stop fighting and he’ll look back and see what he wasted.

What have you wasted? What will you waste if you keep insisting on your own way?

Waste in the garden...

Repent of your stubbornness! Your stubbornness has not led to living out the blessing. It’s led to frustration.

When you realize you already have the blessing of God, you will willingly bend your knee to God.

How do you receive the blessing of God? You already have it if you are a Christ follower. He has already approved of you. He doesn’t approve of you because of your good works, or what you’ve done. He approves of you because of His Son. The Son of God lived the only life that was worthy of being blessed. The Father spoke words of blessing over His Son (baptism and transfiguration).

Then, Jesus went to the cross, and the One who was worthy of the blessing took our curse upon Himself so that we could receive His blessing. The words spoken over Jesus are spoken over us: “This is my beloved child in whom I am well pleased.”

If you’re a Christian, you’re always blessed! No matter the circumstances. So, bend you knee to God in worship.

Quit resisting God’s way to blessing.

God’s way to blessing is to give up your life not to fight for your life. For Abe… It was to leave everything. For Isaac… It was to go where God told him. Jacob had to learn the same lesson. Fighting for your will is never the way to blessing.

Ultimately the way to blessing is the cross - the place where Jesus gave up His life. He has made a way for you to experience the blessing of knowing Him as your heavenly Father.

God’s way to blessing is for you to take up your cross. (Luke 9:23) - Daily surrender - (Galatians 2:20)

Why resist? At every turn God is reminding you of His grace, and for some of us, at every turn, we’re resisting His grace. How’s that working out for you?

Today, turn to Him by faith and experience the blessing of God.

Believer, live like you know you’re blessed. How do you live like you know you’re blessed?

You’re quick to praise and slow to complain.

You’re quick to be a blessing and don’t curse.

You’re quick to trust and obey and stop conniving and manipulating.

You’re quick to repent and die to sin (Galatians 2:20). You are NOT living as someone who’s blessed when you keep embracing what God has saved you from.