Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20000123.htm

GENESIS: THE SOURCES OF GOOD AND CALAMITY IN OUR ORIGINS
Part III - God's Ongoing Program Of Countering Man's Apostasy At Babel
S. Round Eighteen - Learning The GRIEF Of Living By The World's Lusts
(Genesis 27:1-46)
  1. Introduction
    1. Some of the best lessons in life are those gleaned from observing the failure of others: Solomon gained insight in what not to do by viewing a vineyard that was ill-kept, Proverbs 24:30-34.
    2. Genesis 27:1-46 provides such a valuable warning for us, a warning about the grievous price of living for this world's lusts of the flesh, the eyes and the pride of life. From it we gain a positive lesson as follows:
  2. Learning The GRIEF Of Living By The World's Lusts, Genesis 27:1-46.
    1. Each of the Bible characters in this chapter -- Isaac, Esau, Rebekkah and Jacob -- functioned in the chapter to fulfill their lusts of the flesh, the eyes or the pride of life which are revealed in 1 Jn. 2:15-16 as follows:
      1. Isaac operated according to the lusts of the flesh and the eyes as follows:
        1. Though he knew of God's prediction that the elder son, Esau would serve the younger son, Jacob from God's revelation at their birth in Genesis 25:23, Isaac wanted to "look good" before others in his culture by blessing his eldest son w ith dominance over Jacob, Genesis 27:1, 4b with 27:29.
        2. Isaac also lusted after the wild game Esau would acquire as a hunter, and so urged him to get this game in conjunction with the blessing to satisfy his lust of the flesh, Genesis 27:3-4.
      2. Esau operated according to the pride of this life as follows:
        1. Esau wanted the fame and significant portion of his father's estate as the father's eldest regardless of the divine promise of Jacob's dominance given at his birth, Genesis 25:23.
        2. Accordingly, he broke his deal with Jacob in having sold his birthright (Genesis 25:33-34) by agreeing to accept his father's blessing which normally went only to the one with the birthright, 27:5b (Bible Knowledge Com., O.T., p. 72).
      3. Rebekkah operated according to her pride of life as follows:
        1. She was already upset at the Canaanite wives Esau had married, and it irked her that Esau would gain the blessing and major inheritance that these women would also enjoy, cf. Genesis 26:34-35.
        2. Accordingly, not to be outdone by these contesting women, and out of anger at Esau and favoritism for the unwed Jacob, she hatched a plan to get Jacob to steal the blessing of Esau, Gen. 27:5-10.
      4. Jacob operated according to his pride of this life and the lust of the eyes as follows:
        1. By his pressuring Esau before under duress to sell Jacob his birthright, Jacob already had revealed his lust for the fame and fortune that went to the holder of the birthright, Gen. 25:29-34.
        2. Thus, when mother, Rebekkah hatched the plan for him to steal Esau's birthright blessing as well, Jacob went along with it, and actually helped the plan get refined, Genesis 27:11-17.
    2. By doing so, each of these people suffered loss, and the family splintered into pieces, Gen. 27:18-46:
      1. Esau lost his blessing anyway though he tried to keep it against God's will, Genesis 25:23; 27:33-37.
      2. Though Jacob stole Isaac's blessing (27:22, 27-29), he lost peace of mind as Esau promised to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac had died, Genesis 27:41. Thus, Jacob fled for his life from Esau, Genesis 27:42-45.
      3. Rebekkah never saw her favored son, Jacob again as she died while he was away, cf. Ryrie Study Bible, KJV ftn. to Gen. 27:46. Besides, her part with Jacob's deception did nothing to change Esau's behavior, for he later married a descendant of Ishmae l which further complicated the inheritance, Genesis 28:9.
      4. Isaac lost Jacob as well as saw his favored son, Esau taking another wife to the dismay of himself and his wife, Gen. 26:34-35. This event also would have seriously strained Isaac and Rebekkah's marriage !
Lesson: Selfishly seeking to fulfill the lusts of the eyes, the flesh and the pride of this earthly life got Isaac, Rebekkah, Esau and Jacob very horrible results in THIS life! It could only have been BETTER for ALL to have yielded to GOD'S will f or EACH of them, cf. 1 John 2:17 in light of 1 John 2:15-16!

Application: We should learn from this event the futility of seeking as a goal to fulfill our worldly lusts; it is to our benefit not ONLY in terms of ETERNAL reward, but often with TEMPORAL reward, to yield to God's will in place of living selfishly to fulfill this life's lusts!