Genesis 27:18-25

2008.Aug.29 18:00

The Lie

Read Genesis 27:18-25 | Full Chapter

Jacob went to his father and said, "Father, here I am." "Which one of my sons are you?" his father asked. Jacob replied, "I am Esau, your first-born, and I have done what you told me. Please sit up and eat the meat I have brought. Then you can give me your blessing." Isaac asked, "My son, how did you find an animal so quickly?" "The LORD your God was kind to me," Jacob answered. "My son," Isaac said, "come closer, where I can touch you and find out if you really are Esau." Jacob went closer. His father touched him and said, "You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like Esau's." And so Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau. Isaac asked, "Are you really my son Esau?" "Yes, I am," Jacob answered. So Isaac told him, "Serve me the wild meat, and I can give you my blessing." Jacob gave him some meat, and he ate it. He also gave him some wine, and he drank it.
(Genesis 27:18-25, CEV)

Me, I would’ve given up at “Which of my sons are you?” Not Jacob. No, he’s a persistant deceiver. Sort of a politician in training, right? Jacob’s repetition of the lie gives the idea that he almost believes it himself. There’s nothing honorable in this, just a lie for a blessing. If he wanted a blessing so bad, why not just ask God?

There’s the rub. If I really believe in an all-powerful and involved God, there’s no reason for me to seek gain by deceiving and/or hurting others. Either Yahweh will supply my need or he will give me an honest way to achieve whatever goal. Or, perhaps often, I overestimated my need.

But what’s up with Isaac? He keeps getting so close to figuring this out. I half want to think that he’s actually in on this deception too, perhaps that he and Rebekah planned it because neither wanted to give Esau the blessing. But again, there’s got to be a better way. It’s a “What does God need with a spaceship?” question. I’m happy for Yahweh to give me productive roles to play, but I don’t honestly believe it’s because he needs me to accomplish those things. Instead, I believe he gives me such roles because ultimately those activities make me more likable to him. If, in accomplishing a role, I do something that is contrary to Yahweh’s character, I’ve missed the boat.

Genesis 27:5-10

2008.Aug.15 18:00

Rebekah’s Plan

Read Genesis 27:5-10 | Full Chapter

Rebekah had been listening, and as soon as Esau left to go hunting, she said to Jacob, "I heard your father tell Esau to kill a wild animal and cook some tasty food for your father before he dies. Your father said this because he wants to bless your brother with the LORD as his witness. Now, my son, listen carefully to what I want you to do. Go and kill two of your best young goats and bring them to me. I'll cook the tasty food that your father loves so much. Then you can take it to him, so he can eat it and give you his blessing before he dies."
(Genesis 27:5-10, CEV)

I don’t get why Rebekah so seems to favor Jacob. Is this just because God had told her that Esau would be subservient to Jacob? Does she feel it’s her responsibility to make that happen? I find that hard to believe. My guess is this is two parents playing favorites, each picking the child they get along better with as a tool to…well, fight whatever battles they have by proxy. Too bad for Esau and Jacob.

Rebekah and Jacob do appear to share a talent for strategy/scheming. Jacob has already managed to buy Esau’s birthright for a trifle, but the plan to get the first born blessing is launched by Rebekah. Indeed, she intends to actively participate. Now, I admire a good plan as much as the next person, but WTF?! This act seems purely spiteful or something of the sort. Or does Rebekah really think that God’s plans are going to be bound based on who receives this blessing?

It’s reassuring, I suppose, to know that the patriarchs and matriarchs would a good deal messed up.

These sort of situations lead to those questions of how does such deception fit in God’s plan? Did he desire this lie? I don’t think that’s in his character. I think it’s fair to say that God’s plans are not guaranteed to be understandle by humans, at least in this life. Although, I do feel comfortable proposing that he accepts the reality of human’s sinning and works his plan through that, while it’s also clear that the sin displeases him.

Somewhat off-topic: is part of this story a testament for herding instead of hunting? It would make sense, from what I know of Hebrew history (which, admittedly is not that much) that the ‘winner’ in their story would be one who cares for flocks, not a hunter-gatherer.

Genesis 20:11-13

2007.Nov.01 02:40

Abraham’s Response

Read Genesis 20:11-13 | Full Chapter

Note: This entry is particularly rambling. I’ve had a number of thoughts and not spent the time to really think them through. Hmph.

Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife; and it came about, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is the kindness which you will show to me: everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
(Genesis 20:11-13, NASB)

"The fear of the LORD,” states Proverbs, “is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7, NASB) . It’s not explicit that I’ve noticed, but my assumption is that Abimelech did not fear Yahweh, at least not when Abraham first showed up in his lands. Taking Sarah was a foolish act; it was not, however, a surprisingly foolish decision. While Abraham asking Sarah to lie was a decision not particularly informed by faith, his logic was, well, logical: Abemilech doesn’t fear God => Abemilech is likely to do stupid. (Note that regardless of his logic, I still vote that Abraham is treating his wife terribly in this situation.)

The specifics of Abraham’s explanation also follow a logic, but the details aren’t particularly interesting to me. More generally, I note that his overall response to Abemilech’s complaint is an explanation, not an attack. Recall, Abraham led an army successfully against King Chedorlaomer a few chapters back. Personally, I dislike that he was so active for the sake of his nephew, and so passive for the sake of his wife. But whatever Abraham’s reasoning for the more passive response, I am reminded that Yahweh takes care of those who worship and obey him:

No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;
And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.
(Isaiah 54:17, NASB)

I suppose what I find myself thinking is that Abraham shows faith here by not getting in the way of Yahweh sorting this out. However, he ought to have shown faith earlier by being honest that Sarah, in addition to being his half-sister, is also his wife. God could just as surely have protected Abraham and Sarah at that earlier point that at this later. It saddens me to find Christians, including myself at times, praying so desperately for a solution to a problem that shouldn’t be in the first place. Thankfully, while God often lets us receive the negative results of our own foolishness, his grace means that I can act in faith now even when I failed to just five minutes ago.