Isaac Plans to Give Esau His Blessing

Genesis 27:1–10
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Chapter 27 is one of the saddest chapters in Genesis. Everyone is doing the wrong thing and this is especially true of Isaac. It all began when Esau and Jacob were born and when Isaac and Rebekah each chose a favorite son. This is a special warning to believing parents who are living a carnal life.

1. The unspiritual father (vv. 1-4). The story all begins with the head of the home who was once a Christlike man that was obedient unto death on Mount Moriah. But that was a long time ago and he has now become sadly unspiritual. He was thinking about death and the giving of his patriarchal blessing which involved not just a property settlement but the right to stand in direct line as an ancestor of the coming Christ. This blessing had to be given in accordance with the revealed mind and will of God. Isaac was right in what he wanted to do, but absolutely wrong in deciding to give the blessing to his favorite son Esau. God had said this blessing was for Jacob and not Esau.

2. The unsurrendered wife (vv. 5-10). Rebecca was a clear minded, practical, strong-willed type of woman. Isaac, on the other hand was a mild, submissive kind of person who had grown carnal with age. Rebecca decides to help her husband out. It could well be argued that Isaac had forfeited all right to her respect when he denied her down in Gerar. When she overheard her husband speak to Esau she decided to “outsmart” her husband and called Jacob to share with him what she had heard. She suggested they trick Isaac by killing two goats and preparing it like venison. He was blind and his taste and feeling had failed him so the goat skin would feel like Esau’s hairy arm. Then he would give his blessing to Jacob.

Application

I need to be very careful not to ever play favoritism in our family. It has the potential of bringing permanent division in our home.