Continuing on this theme of people who have been used by God, despite their issues and troubles, we find ourselves with Jacob.
Backstory?
Jacob may not have been a murderer like Moses, but he was like a lot of us, a liar. He was deceiving. Conniving. He was willing to do whatever was necessary to get what he wants, whether that means tricking those he loved or not.
You know how they say that your name holds a lot of value. Well Jacob’s name is explained as meaning “to follow, to be behind” or “supplanter”, because he deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son, twice.
Supplanter? That means what exactly?
noun. The definition of a supplanter is something or someone who wrongfully takes the place of another. A person who takes someone else’s place in line is an example of a supplanter.
It’s pretty wild how much he lives up to his name.
Genesis 27.
In Genesis, we see one of Jacob’s goals: to inherit the family blessing which was the birth right that belonged to his older brother, Esau. But he wasn’t the oldest. He wasn’t Esau. So how could he inherit it?
Jacob resorted to conniving in order to trick his father, Isaac, into blessing him rather than Esau. The funny thing is that he didn’t do this alone. With the help and support of his mother, Rebekah, Jacob dressed up like Esau, talked like Esau, smelt like Esau, acted like Esau and even threw on some goatskin round his neck and arms so he could feel like Esau. I mean this was his brother. His blood. If anyone knew how to be like him, it’d be Jacob.
Surely that wouldn’t work though. How can you not recognise your son? Plot hole found!
Well no. As stated in verse 1, because of Isaac’s age, most of his senses had already been pretty much diminished. Sight? What’s that? Isaac had barely any of it, so he couldn’t be certain whether the son standing in front of him to receive the blessing was Esau or not.
Though, Isaac wasn’t a terrible Dad. He knew his sons. And so, he grew suspicious at the voice he heard. It didn’t sound like Esau, but rather Jacob.
21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.’
22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, ‘The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.’ 23 He did not recognise him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him. 24 ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ he asked.
‘I am,’ he replied.
So, Jacob lied, and Isaac blessed him, all the while thinking he was actually blessing Esau.
Damn, he really got away with that. I’m surprised he even went through with that. Tricking a family member like that.
The truth of the matter is that it wasn’t his first offense. He had done it earlier with Esau himself.
Here’s some more background knowledge from Genesis 25.
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skilful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
However, one day when Esau came home from the country, he found Jacob whipping it up in the kitchen. Okay maybe not the kitchen. But he was cooking. Jacob, being the great brother that he is, recognized his brother’s fatigue and hunger and saw the perfect opportunity to manipulate him.
I mean, with family like this, yikes.
What did he do?
30 [Esau] said to Jacob, ‘Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!’ (That is why he was also called Edom.)
31 Jacob replied, ‘First sell me your birthright.’
32 ‘Look, I am about to die,’ Esau said. ‘What good is the birthright to me?’
33 But Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
Not only did Jacob trick his father Isaac, out of Esau’s birthright, he manipulated Esau out of it as well.
Damn, so Jacob really got away with it, twice.
My Sunday Skl 