Isaac Gives His Blessing

He assured him not only of God's blessing, but also of God's protection...”

Dr. Bruce Hitchcock

Prayer: O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home. Under the shadow of your throne, still may we dwell secure; sufficient is your arm alone, and our defense is sure.[1]  Amen.

Main Scripture: Read Hebrews 11:20.

By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

Associated Scriptures:

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1:20-22).

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit (Galatians 3:14).

We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:  "'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.  The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David. (Acts 13:32-34).

Correlative Quotes:

If we think God’s blessing is mainly of things in the material realm, we’ll pursue these things, spend our prayer time asking God for them, and when we don’t get them, wonder whether we’re blessed by God. Meanwhile, we’ll miss enjoying the broader, fuller, and more real blessing of God—Christ for our experience and enjoyment. By focusing on and pursuing Christ, we can enjoy the all-inclusive Spirit as the top blessing of God![2]

Isaac is the next example instanced in of the same Divine faith, described, Hebrews 11:1; only here exercised on the special revelation of God to him concerning his seed. By this faith he did not only wish and pray blessings, but prophetically applied them to his two sons, to Jacob and Israel his seed the covenant blessings, and to Esau and the Edomites his seed the temporary blessings, God designed them, Genesis 27:27,39. Both these were things to come, and to be communicated to their seeds hundreds of years after. As the things to come that concerned Jacob, which were not seen, but hoped for from God’s revelation of them, were, plenty, dominion over brethren, blessings above the power of a curse, even the spiritual and covenanted ones of Abraham and Isaac with him, Genesis 27:28,29. The things to come concerning Esau and his seed, were only earthly, temporal blessings, escape out of servitude in time, common good things at the highest, Genesis 27:39,40. By faith Isaac foresaw all these future events, foretold them, and applied their several portions to them from the mouth of God, and they were to a tittle fulfilled.[3] – Matthew Poole

The one bright spot in the somber picture which the Holy Spirit has so faithfully painted for us in Genesis 27, found in verse 33. Right after Isaac had pronounced the major blessing on Jacob, Esau entered the tent, bringing with him the savory meat which he had prepared for his father. Isaac now realized the deception which had been played upon him, and we are told that he "trembled very exceedingly."  …He now realized that he had been out of harmony with the Divine will, and that God had providentially intervened to affect His own counsels.  …Blessed indeed is it to behold how the spirit triumphed over the flesh. Instead of bursting out with an angry curse upon the head of Jacob, Isaac said, "I have blessed him, yea, and he shall be blessed." … It was the recognizing and acknowledging of the immutability and invincibility of the Divine decrees. He realized that God is in one mind, and none can turn Him: that though there are many devices in a man’s heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand (Prov. 19:21).[4] – Author W. Pink

Study:

There are those who would accuse Jacob of fraud and stealing when he pretended to be Esau.  However, at close scrutiny, we see that Isaac was actually carrying out the will of God when he gave the blessing to Jacob instead of Esau.

1. The Pronouncement: God knew before the foundation of the world that Jacob would be the one who would carry the line of Jesus to fruition. In Genesis 25 Rachael was in painful labor with the twins. Jacob and Esau fought in her womb.  She cried out to God asking why?  In Genesis 25:23, “The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb,and two peoples from within you will be separated;one people will be stronger than the other…”

God knew, before the foundation of the world (Romans 8:28-30), that Rachael would bear twins and that Jacob would be the one who would give birth to the nation of Israel.  Two nations would come out of her womb.  The one nation would be God’s eternal nation, Israel.  The other nation (the Edomites) would become farmers and merchants but that they would cease to be a people in and of themselves. 

This prophecy in Ezekiel 35:1-4 describes the fate of the Esau’s people the Edomites, “The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it, and say to it, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you, and I will make you a desolation and a waste.  I will lay your cities waste, and you shall become a desolation, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

2. The Prediction: It was God’s prediction that the older sibling would serve the younger. They were, after all, twins and born at the same time (Genesis 25:25). God said in Genesis 25:23, “…and the older will serve the younger."

The prediction began to take form in an encounter found in Genesis 25:29-33.  Jacob was cooking a stew and Esau came in from the fields hungry.  Verse 30 begins the verbal confrontation, “He (Esau) said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew!  I'm famished!"  (That is why he was also called Edom).  Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."  "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"  But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

3. The Plan: It was God’s plan that Rebecca, a woman of considerable faith herself, would execute rite of her son. This account is found in Genesis 27:2-10. “Isaac said (to Esau), "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death.  Now then, get your weapons, your quiver and bow, and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.  Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die."  Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau.  When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back,  Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau,  'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord  before I die.'  Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:  Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.  Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies."

She would orchestrate the deceptive act that would allow Jacob to be the heir to the blessing, the people of God, and the ultimate redemption of all mankind.  Even though the action itself would not be considered exemplary, she did in fact, by faith, carry out the will of God.  In doing so, Rebecca executed a plan that revealed Jacob as the rightful heir.

4. The Promise: Rebecca’s plan had worked, the promise of God was fulfilled in Jacob. In Genesis 27:28-29 we see that Isaac confused Jacob for Esau and mistakenly gave the promise or blessing in Jacob. The blessing is expressed in Genesis 27:28-29, “May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness an abundance of grain and new wine.  May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.  May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed."
5. The Pain: Esau entered the tent just after Jacob had left. When he was told what had happened, Esau reacted violently and with great anger, disappointment, and pain. Genesis 27:34-36 says, “When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, ‘Bless me too, my father!’"  But he (Isaac) said, ‘Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.'"  

At this point, Esau confesses that he had sold the birthright that guaranteed him the blessing.  Esau expresses the fact that he didn’t deserve that rite.  However, he doesn’t take responsibility for his own actions.  Esau said (vs. 36), "Isn't he rightly named Jacob?  He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!"  The name Jacob (Genesis 25:26) means “heal catcher or supplanted.”[5]

Summary Statement:

Abraham's seed would multiply. During the reigns of David and Solomon, other nations were subjected to the rule of Israel. He assured him not only of God's blessing, but also of God's protection, and he quoted the Lord's original promise to Abraham (12:3).  The deed was done. Isaac couldn't revoke the blessing, and nobody in the family could alter the consequences.[6] – Warren W. Wiersbe

When God’s plan is set in place.  Nothing can alter or modify it.  Mankind tries to change God’s plan.  This is because they are focused on themselves.  Isaac attempted to redirect the course of history all because he wanted one last great meal.  However, in that attempt he actually allowed God’s plan to be fulfilled.  For this action, he was credited with a position in faith’s hall of fame.  In the end, Isaac carried out God’s will and knew that he had done what was correct in the eyes of God.  Jacob received the blessing that God wanted him to have.

[1] Isaac Watts, Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past, The Uni, hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh117.shtted Methodist Hymnal Number 117, Music: Attr. to William Croft; harm. by W.H. Monk, Tune: ST. ANNE, Meter: CM.

[2] What does it Mean to be Blessing by God, © 2016 Bibles for American, All Rights Reserved, http://biblesforamerica.org/what-does-it-mean-to-be-blessed-by-god/

[3] Poole, Matthew, "Commentary on Hebrews 11:20". Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible. "//www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/hebrews-11.html". 1685.

[4] Arthur W. Pink, Chapter 65: The Faith of Abraham, An Exposition of Hebrews, davidcox.com.mx/library/P/Pink%20-%20Expositions%20in%20Hebrews.pdf.

[5] Jacob, © 2016 Christian Meaning of Names, christianmeaningofnames.com/jacob/.

[6] The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.