Genesis 27:1-10: a reflection

1When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, “My son?” He said to him, “Here I am.” 2He said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death. 3Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me venison. 4Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.” 5Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7‘Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before the LORD before my death.’ 8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. 9Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves. 10You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.”

Isaac, old and blind, prepares to give his blessing to his elder son Esau. But Rebekah overhears, and devises a scheme: she will disguise her favored son Jacob as Esau, and have him take the blessing by deceit. It is a plan born of favoritism and carried out by deception, a mother and son conspiring to seize by trickery a blessing meant for another. And though God had indeed purposed that the elder would serve the younger, Rebekah and Jacob do not wait on God, but grasp for the blessing through deceit.

Notice the scheming here, and what it reveals. God had already indicated that Jacob would have the greater place; the blessing, in a sense, was to be his by God's purpose. But rather than trusting God to bring that about, Rebekah and Jacob resort to deception, scheming and lying to grasp it for themselves. They did not trust God to give what he had purposed; they took matters into their own hands, seizing by deceit what they might have received by trusting him. And their scheming would bring years of bitter consequences.

That is a caution about trying to secure by scheming what God has purposed to give. Even when what we want is something God intends for us, we can be tempted, like Rebekah and Jacob, to grasp it by our own scheming and manipulation rather than trusting God to bring it about in his way. But such grasping, even for a real blessing, is a failure of trust, and it often brings bitter consequences, as it did for Jacob. When you long for something, even something you believe God intends for you, do not resort to scheming and manipulation to seize it. Trust God to give what he has purposed, in his way and time, rather than grasping for it by deceit. What God purposes to give is best received from his hand, not seized by our scheming; wait on him, and do not, like Rebekah and Jacob, grasp by trickery what trusting God would have given you rightly.

Lord, Isaac prepared to bless Esau, but Rebekah devised a scheme to have Jacob take the blessing by deceit; and though you had purposed that the elder would serve the younger, they did not wait on you, but grasped the blessing through trickery, and it brought bitter consequences. Caution me by that against trying to secure by scheming what you have purposed to give. Even when what I want is something you intend for me, I can be tempted, like Rebekah and Jacob, to grasp it by my own scheming and manipulation rather than trusting you to bring it about in your way. But such grasping, even for a real blessing, is a failure of trust, and it often brings bitter consequences. When I long for something, even something I believe you intend for me, keep me from resorting to scheming and manipulation to seize it. Help me trust you to give what you have purposed, in your way and time, rather than grasping for it by deceit. What you purpose to give is best received from your hand, not seized by my scheming; help me wait on you, and not, like Rebekah and Jacob, grasp by trickery what trusting you would have given me rightly. Help me wait on you, Lord, and not scheme.