Isaac, Jacob, Esau, Blessings, and a Stairway to Heaven (Ge 25 - 28)
If you sneeze, I will politely respond, "Bless you." If you sneeze again... you are on your own as I adhere to a strict one blessings per sneezer rule. This is not negotiable.
But sneeze blessings are not the day's topic; instead, a Father’s Blessings, and ultimately, God’s blessings. These blessings I want, and like I say often in The Back Pew .. ‘BlESSED beyond my DREAMS.’ I like the Prayer of Jabez supersized blessings.
TWINS!
It seems like just a chapter ago, Isaac was a boy, but now, in Genesis 25, Isaac is all grown up and, with his wife Rebecca, has twin boys. The first to enter the world was Esau, and right on his heel literally (Ge. 25:25) was Jacob.
These boys were like so many brothers, as they were very different from each other. Esau grew up to be a scruffy/hairy outdoors type who loved to hunt. Jacob, on the other hand, was not scruffy and liked to hang out in the kitchen with maybe a reputation as a mamma's boy.
The Father's Blessing
Next, we are introduced to the power of the Father’s Blessing, especially the blessings set aside for the firstborn, in this case.. by beating brother Jacob in the 'birth canal dash' was scruffy/hairy Esau.
I am unsure how or why they worked the way they did in the Old Testament, but it seems like the 'Father’s blessing' had the power to make or break the future of the ‘blessed.’ It was like winning the family inheritance lottery.. and there were no TAKE BACKS.
But sneeze blessings are not the day's topic; instead, a Father’s Blessings, and ultimately, God’s blessings. These blessings I want, and like I say often in The Back Pew .. ‘BlESSED beyond my DREAMS.’ I like the Prayer of Jabez supersized blessings.
TWINS!
It seems like just a chapter ago, Isaac was a boy, but now, in Genesis 25, Isaac is all grown up and, with his wife Rebecca, has twin boys. The first to enter the world was Esau, and right on his heel literally (Ge. 25:25) was Jacob.
These boys were like so many brothers, as they were very different from each other. Esau grew up to be a scruffy/hairy outdoors type who loved to hunt. Jacob, on the other hand, was not scruffy and liked to hang out in the kitchen with maybe a reputation as a mamma's boy.
The Father's Blessing
Next, we are introduced to the power of the Father’s Blessing, especially the blessings set aside for the firstborn, in this case.. by beating brother Jacob in the 'birth canal dash' was scruffy/hairy Esau.
I am unsure how or why they worked the way they did in the Old Testament, but it seems like the 'Father’s blessing' had the power to make or break the future of the ‘blessed.’ It was like winning the family inheritance lottery.. and there were no TAKE BACKS.
The Blessing Plot Thickens
So one day, Esau comes in from hunting, famished, and is met by his brother Jacob. Esau is so desperate for food that Jacob talks Esau out of his birthright since Esau replies, "What good is my birthright if I die today from starvation."
Note: It appears Esau was a great hunter but a bit of a drama queen.
I don’t know precisely how the whole birthright and blessing stuff worked in those days, but I think this birthright transfer should have required a signed agreement witnessed and stamped by a notary public.
So one day, Esau comes in from hunting, famished, and is met by his brother Jacob. Esau is so desperate for food that Jacob talks Esau out of his birthright since Esau replies, "What good is my birthright if I die today from starvation."
Note: It appears Esau was a great hunter but a bit of a drama queen.
I don’t know precisely how the whole birthright and blessing stuff worked in those days, but I think this birthright transfer should have required a signed agreement witnessed and stamped by a notary public.
The first party (Esau) agrees to relinquish his future blessing reserved for the firstborn to the second party (Jacob) in exchange for one bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.
Esau sign here
Jacob sign here
Notary sign here
Date enter today's date
I am unsure if today, this birthright exchange for soup arrangement would hold up even in front of Judge Judy, but in Genesis 25, it set the stage for the Ol' Birthright SWITCHEROO.
Isaac is ancient! As the story continues, their father, Isaac, is getting very old; he is nearly blind, and his health is failing. Isaac recognizes his days on this earth are numbered and so wants to give his blessing to his firstborn son Esau before he hears Heaven's Angels singing 'Happy Trails to you.' and 'When the Roll is called up Yonder.'
Esau sign here
Jacob sign here
Notary sign here
Date enter today's date
I am unsure if today, this birthright exchange for soup arrangement would hold up even in front of Judge Judy, but in Genesis 25, it set the stage for the Ol' Birthright SWITCHEROO.
Isaac is ancient! As the story continues, their father, Isaac, is getting very old; he is nearly blind, and his health is failing. Isaac recognizes his days on this earth are numbered and so wants to give his blessing to his firstborn son Esau before he hears Heaven's Angels singing 'Happy Trails to you.' and 'When the Roll is called up Yonder.'
So Isaac asks Esau to hunt and then fix some wild game for him, and at that time, he will give Esau his blessing.
Well, Rebecca overhears this and wants this blessing to go to her favorite son (and kitchen apprentice), Jacob. So, while Esau is out hunting, she comes up with a plan so simple and ingenious, but with more than a hint of .. WHAT?
Mom schemes to put animal skins on Jake’s arms to appear hairy like his brother Esau.
As strange as this sounds.. this plan works, and Isaac, though he was suspicious, thought it was Esau and, in the end, gave Jacob THE BLESSING OF THE FIRSTBORN. The Ol' Birthright SWITCHEROO is complete!
Well, Rebecca overhears this and wants this blessing to go to her favorite son (and kitchen apprentice), Jacob. So, while Esau is out hunting, she comes up with a plan so simple and ingenious, but with more than a hint of .. WHAT?
Mom schemes to put animal skins on Jake’s arms to appear hairy like his brother Esau.
As strange as this sounds.. this plan works, and Isaac, though he was suspicious, thought it was Esau and, in the end, gave Jacob THE BLESSING OF THE FIRSTBORN. The Ol' Birthright SWITCHEROO is complete!
Of course, being a cartoonist and a dog owner, I ponder... WHAT IF the FAMILY DOG wanders onto the scene before the walking, talking/lying carpet remnant Jacob and receives the firstborn's blessing?
The Dog is hairy, Esau is hairy, and the gggruff voice could be Esau with a cold. Hmmm.. WHAT IF?
But I digress as no dog wanders in, and Jacob gets the blessing and skips town just before Esau returns from hunting. Esau fixes a fine dinner of wild game and a bottle of Desert Merlot. He walks in to see Dad ready to receive the blessing of the firstborn WHEN… It's like Déjà vu all over again for Dad. -The Prophet Yogi Berra
The Dog is hairy, Esau is hairy, and the gggruff voice could be Esau with a cold. Hmmm.. WHAT IF?
But I digress as no dog wanders in, and Jacob gets the blessing and skips town just before Esau returns from hunting. Esau fixes a fine dinner of wild game and a bottle of Desert Merlot. He walks in to see Dad ready to receive the blessing of the firstborn WHEN… It's like Déjà vu all over again for Dad. -The Prophet Yogi Berra
HEY, WHAT ABOUT ME?Isaac exclaims. “Hey, weren’t you just here?... er..aaaa.. didn’t you already come for your blessing?.. I mean... I mean... hey, WAIT A MINUTE!”
This is when the light bulb goes on enough for Isaac’s dim eyes to realize. HE GAVE THE BLESSING TO THE WRONG SON!
I hate it when that happens!
Esau is distraught and cries out .. “Bless me too!!.. what about me!!??” In response, Isaac holds out his right arm limply and says.
“It’s empty. No blessing for you, but we have some lovely parting gifts."
Ok, he did not say those exact words, but Isaac is evident.. the blessing of the firstborn has been given.. given to Jacob. Like a winning lottery ticket, THERE WAS ONLY ONE!
So, as you can imagine, Esau was mad enough to kill... and this made a ROAD TRIP for Jacob an easy decision… or in the words of King Arthur in Monty Python’s In Search of
the Holy Grail.. “RUN AWAY!”
.
So, while out on the run, one night, Jacob dreams of angels going up and down on a ladder to Heaven. Of course, in the Back Pew, we are privileged to have an up-close view of that ladder zoomed in on... ANGELS WITH VERTIGO. During this dream, the Lord promises to bless Jacob and his descendants.
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel (Ge 28:10-22)
Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a particular place, he stopped for the night using stones for his pillow (This was waaay before the My Pillow guy) and fell asleep.
As he sleeps, he dreams of a stairway from Earth to Heaven with the angels ascending and descending on it. (but not the Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven)
Above it stood the Lord, who said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father, Abraham and Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a particular place, he stopped for the night using stones for his pillow (This was waaay before the My Pillow guy) and fell asleep.
As he sleeps, he dreams of a stairway from Earth to Heaven with the angels ascending and descending on it. (but not the Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven)
Above it stood the Lord, who said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father, Abraham and Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
When Jacob awoke, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place.” ... This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
Without me understanding the blessings of Isaac, except the fact that there are no takebacks. The truth is God intended for Jacob to be blessed as he continues to bless the descendants of Abraham as promised, through Isaac, and now Jacob to continue the promise of a great nation.
Moral of the story for us today? Be faithful like Abraham so God can bless and use you in his plan. Whether you are the firstborn, that dreaded middle child (kidding), the baby, or you are adopted. God loves you and has a plan to bless & prosper all who love and obey Him.
Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
Without me understanding the blessings of Isaac, except the fact that there are no takebacks. The truth is God intended for Jacob to be blessed as he continues to bless the descendants of Abraham as promised, through Isaac, and now Jacob to continue the promise of a great nation.
Moral of the story for us today? Be faithful like Abraham so God can bless and use you in his plan. Whether you are the firstborn, that dreaded middle child (kidding), the baby, or you are adopted. God loves you and has a plan to bless & prosper all who love and obey Him.
