The Account of How Rebekah and Jacob Tricked Isaac in Giving Jacob the Blessing that Isaac Had Wrongly Intended to Bestow on Esau
Genesis 27:1-17

Lesson 61

background notes

doctrinal points

1. The will of God should be followed with submission.

2. The will of God should be followed without scheming.

 

practical applications
1. Parents, what do you really want for your children?

2. Don’t think that mature believers can’t make mistakes.

 

questions
1. God had clearly communicated to Isaac and Rebekah that the covenant line would be through one of their sons. Which son?

2. How and why did Isaac tried to circumvent the will of God?

3. How did Rebekah scheme to obtain the blessing for Jacob?

4. How did Rebekah manipulate her son, Jacob? What was the fall-out from this manipulation?

5. When and under what circumstances did Rebekah tell Jacob to obey her voice?

answers
1. Through Jacob.

2. Isaac planned to give the patriarchal blessing to Esau rather than Jacob by laying his hand on him as soon as he had brought him a meal of venison from the field. God had clearly indicated that the line of blessing was to be through Jacob. Why? Because he loved the venison procured by his hunting son, Esau.

3. She knew that Isaac wanted to give the blessing to Esau, so she told Jacob to get meat, she cooked it; and
she put animal skins on Jacob so he would feel hairy, like Esau. Since her husband was nearly blind, he could be more easily deceived into thinking that Jacob was Esau.

4. She told Jacob, her favorite son, to obey her voice, and manipulated him into lying and deceiving his father. She believed that the ends justified the means, but she was wrong. God had made known to her that Jacob would receive the blessing, but she didn’t trust God to work it out in His way and in His time. She took matters into her own hands. As a result, Esau hated his brother, so Rebekah sent Jacob away, supposedly for a short time. But she never saw him again.

5. Genesis 27:6-10, when she sent Jacob to the flock to bring kids for her to prepare for Isaac. Genesis 27:12-13, when Jacob was afraid that he might be caught by his father in this scheme, and Rebekah assured him that she would take the curse rather than letting it be on him.

 

discuss / consider
1. Rachael knew the will of God. All she had to do was to wait on God and watch Him accomplish His purposes. But she was unwilling to trust God, so she took matters into her own hands. Recall other times when this happened in the Bible.

2. Have you ever been guilty of taking things into your own hands rather than waiting on God? If so, have others been hurt because of your wilfulness?

 

challenge
As a parent, what do you really want for your children? Is the will of God more important than worldly gain? By word and example, are you teaching your children to know and follow the will of God?

memorize

• “Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son...’Obey my voice...” Genesis 27:6-13