OVERCOMING THE DYSFUNCTIONS OF ISRAEL’S PATRIARCHS

XIII. Avoiding The Cost Of Worldliness In Family Relations

(Genesis 27:1-28:9)

I. Introduction

A. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Israel’s patriarchs and their respective wives and families, though blessed of God, were imperfect people who at times made huge mistakes that led to serious marital and family dysfunction.

B. Thankfully, Romans 15:4 states that we can learn from whatsoever things were written in the Old Testament for our edification, and that includes our learning how to overcome the dysfunctions of Israel’s patriarchs.

C. We view Genesis 27:1-28:9 on the need to avoid the high cost of worldliness in family relationships:

II. Avoiding The Cost Of Worldliness In Family Relations, Genesis 27:1-28:9.

A. We previously learned from Genesis 25:27-28 that Isaac favored his oldest son Esau because of his love of wild game where Rebekkah favored her younger son Jacob because of his more cultured ways. Isaac let his lust of the flesh affect his favoritism of Esau where Rebekkah let her lust of the pride of life affect her favoritism of Jacob, lusts of worldliness condemned by the Apostle John in 1 John 2:15-16!

B. These lusts by these parents blossomed in full at the time of Isaac’s effort to bless his eldest son Esau, and it permanently fractured the family’s unity (as follows), Genesis 27:1-28:9:

1. When it was time for Isaac to give his blessing to his eldest son, Isaac asked Esau to hunt for some venison that he loved and to prepare a meal of it for him before he gave Esau the blessing, Genesis 27:1-4.

2. Rebekkah overheard her husband giving this directive to Esau, so when Esau had left for the country to hunt for deer, Rebekkah reported to Jacob the conversation of Isaac and Esau (Gen. 27:5-7). She then told Jacob to deceive Isaac into taking Esau’s place since Isaac’s eyesight was poor so that Jacob might obtain the eldest son’s blessing (Gen. 27:8-10).

3. Jacob expressed concern that Isaac might feel his arms and learn that they lacked the great amount of hair that covered Esau’s arms, and he would thus be cursed by his father for trying to steal Esau’s blessing, Gen. 27:11-12. Rebekkah replied that the curse might be on her, but that Jacob should obey her, v. 13.

4. Accordingly, Jacob heeded her by butchering a goat and bringing it to his mother, and she made a savory meal that Isaac loved, Gen. 27:9-10, 14. She took some of Esau’s clothing, she put it on Jacob, and she added the skins of the hairy kids of the goats on his hands and the smooth of his neck to make Isaac think he was blessing Esau. She then sent Jacob to Isaac for the blessing, Genesis 27:15-17.

5. Though Isaac first had doubts about whether Jacob was truly Esau since Jacob had so quickly acquired the food, and his voice sounded like Jacob’s voice, he was persuaded that he was Esau from feeling the hair on his hands and neck and the odor of Esau’s clothing, so he gave Jacob the blessing, Gen. 27:18-29.

6. As soon as Jacob had left Isaac, Esau came to get his father’s blessing, but Esau and Isaac then realized that Jacob had stolen the blessing, and Isaac could only give Esau a secondary blessing, Gen. 27:30-40.

7. Esau then hated Jacob and said that after Isaac had died, he would kill Jacob, Gen. 27:41.

8. Rebekkah heard of Esau’s statement, so she told Jacob to arise and flee to her brother Laban in Padam-Aram until Esau’s temper quieted down, that she would then send for him to return, Gen. 27:42-45a. Then she would send for Jacob again, for otherwise she might lose both sons in one day – losing Jacob in his being murdered by Esau and losing Esau by his being killed in punishment for killing Jacob, Gen. 27:45b.

9. Rebekkah again deceived Isaac by getting him to agree to send Jacob away to her brother with the excuse that Jacob needed to get a wife from Laban’s family and not marry a Canaanite girl like Esau had done, Gen. 27:46; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Gen. 27:46.

10. Isaac then sent Jacob away to Rebekka’s brother Laban (Gen. 28:1-5), and Esau, seeking to please his father Isaac, and hearing that he was unhappy that he had married Canaanite wives, acquired a wife from the Ishmaelites, descendants of Abraham through Hagar (Gen. 28:6-9). Esau’s evident lack of spiritual discernment and holiness, Rebekkah’s lust of the pride of life with its resulting deception and Isaac’s worldly lust of the flesh all led to the family’s fracture.

11. Significantly, Rebekkah died while Jacob was away, Esau and Jacob became cordial at best but distrusting of one another, so the family never dwelt together again! (Ibid., ftn. to Gen. 27:46; Gen. 35:27-29).

Lesson: The worldliness of Isaac and Rebekkah so fractured their family that it never dwelt together again!

Application: May we avoid worldly lusts as they can only do irreparable damage to our family relationships.