BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 24

The Supplanter at Work

Genesis 27:1-29

Me-

All of us have deceived someone at some point in our lives.  In my own life I have pretended to be what I was not.  To be hypocritical is a form of deceit.  In order to get a position I am sure that I have built myself up to impress the human resources person.  There have been a couple of times that I found myself in a situation over my head because I thought that I knew more than I actually did.  One time in particular I made such a move because the place I was working had a freeze on promotions and my family needed more money, because we wanted to send our children to private school.  Fortunately, because there was eventually a need for which I was more qualified I was able to move into another position.  The one person I have found that I cannot fool is God.  I will always be guilty before Him anytime I vary from what is true about my life.  The saying, “Your sins will find you out” is very true.  It certainly has been so in my life.

We-

Churches cannot escape this sin.  How often have we promoted ourselves by inflating the attendance or have given a false impression about the quality of what we do.  One of the biggest falsehoods of which many churches is guilty is the assumption that they are a friendly church when the only people with whom they are friendly are those already there and not a guest coming through the door. 

One of the aspects of church life that needs to be mentioned is how we present ourselves to a potential new church leader.  All too often it would appear that we totally have our act together when in reality we may be coming loose at the seams.  To keep from being like Abraham and his descendents, let us be a church full of integrity in the way we present ourselves to the world.

Genesis 27:1-4

Isaac had reached the age when he realized that he needed to turn the reigns over to a new generation.  He was blind and old and did not know how much longer that he might live.  With the reality of the finiteness of life before him he called Esau, his oldest son, to him.  It is interesting that before he would give the blessing to him, Esau was required to fix his father one of his favorite dishes of wild game. 

It may not be important but there is no indication that Isaac was aware of the deal that Esau had made with Jacob previously.  He had given the birthright to his brother and in that regard was not entitled to the blessing that he was about to receive.  He had given away the rights to two thirds of Isaac’s possessions. This is one of the areas in which Esau had disqualified himself from receiving God’s blessing.  One other has already been mentioned in the previous lesson.  He had married Canaanite women.  The third and probably the most important had to do with the prophecy given to Rebekah concerning the two boys before they were born.  Through those words God indicates that it was to be Jacob and not Esau who would receive His special blessing.

In spite of all these factors, Isaac was going to bless Esau anyway because of tradition and the fact that Esau was Isaac’s favorite son.

1. What are some of the driving forces in our lives that cause us to make decisions one way or another?
2. How much is age a factor in the way we make decisions?
3. What do you think of Isaac’s plan to bless Esau in spite of the fact that he had disqualified himself from receiving God’s blessing?
4. What do the verses show us about Isaac?
5. In what ways was Esau disqualified to be blessed?

Genesis 27:5-10

Rebekah heard the conversation between Isaac and Esau and set in motion a plan of her own to make sure that it was Jacob and not Esau that received the blessing.  Remember that Rebekah loved Jacob more than she loved Esau. For her to decide to deceive Isaac shows a lack of respect for her husband.  One has to wonder if there was ever the kind of love that was mentioned in Genesis 24:67 when it talked about Isaac’s love for Rebekah, but nothing of her love for him.

Because Jacob was complicit in the deception shows a lot about his character.  He had learned well from his parents the art of deception.  It is clear that he was a very ambitious or would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.  Although he went along with the plot it was completely Rebekah’s plan.  She had probably been looking for the right opportunity for her to advance Jacob’s position.  Isaac played right into her hands with his decision to have Esau go hunting.

To make her plan work she was going to prepare a meal for Isaac from the goats that Jacob was to bring her.  Her command to Jacob was to take it into his father and receive the blessing meant for Esau.

1. Why did Rebekah dream up the devious scheme to deceive Isaac?
2. Why was her plan so important to her?
3.  What would indicate that she was looking for just such an opportunity?
4. How did Isaac play right into her hands?
5. Why was Jacob in agreement with what she was doing?
6. What does this say about the relationship between Isaac and Rebekah?
7. What does this kind of favoritism do to a family?

Genesis 27:11-12

In all of the planning there arose one small problem.  Esau was a hairy man while the Scriptures say that Jacob was a smooth man. It is important to note that Jacob showed how unscrupulous he was by his response to Rebekah.  He was only worried about getting caught in their scheme, not by the fact that what they were doing was wrong.

1. Why was Jacob only worried about getting caught in the deception?
2. Why did he not have a problem with the deception he and Rebekah were planning?
3. What does this show about the relationship between he and his brother Esau?

Genesis 27:13

Little did she know at the time but her words would be prophetic to the events that were to occur.  It may be jumping ahead a bit but there is no indication that Rebekah ever saw Jacob again after the fallout from this episode. She called down a curse upon herself and a curse she got.

1. How far was Rebekah willing to go to promote Jacob’s future?
2. Why do we have to be careful about the words that come from our mouths?
3. How did what she said come true?

Genesis 27:14

Up to that time what the two were planning was just that, planning.  When Jacob went to get the goats he and Rebekah stepped over the line of being guilty of sinning against Isaac, Esau and God. 

1. At what point did the planning become sin?
2. What was the sin they committed?
3. When do we find ourselves guilty of sinning?

Genesis 27:15-17

Although Isaac could not see, Rebekah still made sure that Jacob was dressed for the part.  She provided him with Esau’s clothing. To compensate for his smooth skin she took the skins of the goats on his hands and at his neck.  To complete the deception she gave Jacob the meal to take into his father.

1. Why did Rebekah feel that it was necessary to dress Jacob as she did?
2. How did she try to fool Isaac since Esau was a hairy man and Jacob was not?
3. What are some of the ways we use to hide our true identity?
4. Why is it wrong to do so?

Genesis 27:18-19

With all of the preparations made, it was time for Jacob to go to his father and receive the blessing meant for Esau.  When he went into his father and gave notice that he was there, Isaac sensed something was not right by asking Jacob who he was.  Jacob told his first lie, identifying himself as Esau.

1. What was the final step to get Isaac to bless Jacob?
2. What did Isaac sense something was not right?
3. In what way did his lying show disrespect for his father?
4. In what ways have you lied to gain what you have wanted to happen?

Genesis 27:20-24

Isaac was still not certain of the identity of the person before him.  He first asked a question, wanting to know how his son had been able to complete the assignment of killing and preparing a meal of wild game.  When he answered his father he invoked God’s name by claiming that it was He who had give him success. Secondly, he commanded Jacob to come close to him, so he could determine the identity of his son by the smell of the outdoors on his clothing. He also felt the places that Rebekah and put the goat’s skins.

The trickery of the two worked.  Isaac was confused by what the two had done, for he said the clothing and hands are like Esau, but the voice belongs to Jacob.  The fact of the clothing was enough to convince him because he had no other way of identifying him.

Although Isaac blessed Jacob because he could not recognize him, after giving the blessing he asked one more time whether he truly was Esau.  Jacob’s answer at this point had to be that he was.  Otherwise he would have been unmasked as the deceiver and liar that he was.

1. Why was Isaac still uncertain about his son’s identity?
2. What were the ways by which he thought he could identify his son?
3. What was the lie that Jacob told? 
4. Why was it so offensive?
5. If he had known his children better, what would have been a dead give-away that the person before him was not Esau?
6. Why did Isaac finally bless Jacob?
7. Why did he wait until he had given him the blessing before asking him once more about his identity?
8. In what ways have you possibly taken advantage of someone that did not know that you were not telling the truth?

Genesis 27:25-28

At that point there was nothing else Isaac could do but have Jacob bring him the meal to receive the blessing as promised.  Jacob obeyed his father and brought it to him. It appears that Isaac still was not sure of what was going on.  He commanded Jacob to come close once again and give him a kiss.  Once again he obliged his father.  When he did Isaac assured himself that it was Esau because he again smelled the garments which carried in them the smell of outside world.  At that point his blessing included the mention of the fact of the clothing.  It was almost as if the blessing came to Jacob because of Isaac’s love of the outdoors.  As mentioned before he was living vicariously through Esau and blessed him for a life that did exist for him. 

1. Why did Isaac bless Jacob after he had brought the meal to him?
2. Why did he try once again to assure himself that it was indeed Esau before him?
3. Why did Jacob no longer speak?
4. In what ways was he living vicariously through Esau?
5. In what ways do we live vicariously through others?
6. What may be the end results of living this way?

Genesis 27:28-29

The blessing included both financial success but also leadership over the family from that point on.  The essence of what Isaac said applied to one in an agrarian society.  The one that carried with it more importance and would not really occur in Jacob’s life time was the second part of the blessing.  In the future through Jacob’s line, particularly in David and his descendent Jesus all nations and his people

• Serve him.
• Bow down to him
• Call him master

The final words were the same as given to Abraham earlier:

• Those who cursed him would be cursed
• Those  who blessed him would be blessed

Jacob had achieved what he desired.  He had both the birthright and the blessing. His ambition superseded his regard for his brother’s feelings and show disrespect for his father.  If the commandments had been in place he would violated the admonition to honor father and mother.  He obviously broke the ones about lying, stealing, coveting and dishonoring God.  Although, Isaac had given the blessing, would God honor it?  God was silent at this point.  This was a blessing of one man conferred upon another.  Although, Isaac referred to God, it was truly Isaac’s desire for his son Esau and not Jacob.

1. What were there two separate parts to the blessing?
2. What did each of them cover?
3. What was the difference between the blessing given by Isaac and the one received by Abraham?
4. What were the most important points of the blessing?
5. Why were they important?
6. Why was God silent while all of this was taking place?
7. When can we expect Him to be silent in our own lives?

You-

1. Think about an incident when you have tried to deceive someone.  If you have not done so, ask for forgiveness and make it right with that person.
2. Consider ways in which you have not regarded the well-being of others.  Ask for forgiveness if you have not done so.
3. Ask for forgiveness for the times that you have dishonored your parents.  Age is not a factor.
4. Remember the times when you let your ambitions bring about division between you and others.  As for forgiveness if you have not done so.
5. Always being a blessing to others in the integrity of your heart.

We-

We have not even come to the consequences of the actions of these two people and can already sense trouble ahead.  Let each of us give consideration to what the results will be of any decisions we might make as a follower of Christ or the church as a whole.  We must never do anything for the wrong motives that might bring disgrace on our Lord.  God really does expect for us to be totally above board in all of our action.  Remember the things we do have eternal consequences.  The way we act sometimes might indicate that others may think differently. Our thoughts and deeds should be those which will cause God to bless those things we do and are planning to do. He will be silent if we try to deceive ourselves or others to bring about the desires of our own hearts.  To wait on Him will carry with it much greater rewards

Additional notes:

Jacob began as a grabber or supplanter and had all of the attributes that at any time of history make one successful.  He had ambition, drive and did not mind using any means to achieve his goals.  In today’s society he would be considered a successful man when viewed by those outside the family.  He was a driven man who saw what he wanted and went after it with a vengeance.  Sometimes to achieve his end he had to overlook how his actions might advice he heeded was that which was in his best interest, even when his actions were detrimental to his relationship with others.  He deceived his father, stole his brother’s blessing and caused mistrust between his parents.  When Jacob met God at Bethel, his life slowly began to change into one who:

1. Feared God
2. Promised God his life and for God to have complete ownership of what he might acquire in the future.
3. Lead to his willingness to become a servant to gain Rachel and Leah to be his wives.
4. Developed patience to wait for results rather than forcing others to give in to his desires and ambitions.  The twenty years he served Laban was a prime example of this attitude shift.
5. Had communion with God in dreams, visions and face to face.
6. Followed God’s directives especially when it came to material gains.
7. Gave God credit for who he was and what he had been given.
8. Faced up to the consequences of his earlier actions.  He never forgot them as is seen with the real possibility of seeing his brother again.  To his credit he was not as much afraid of personal harm but what might happen to his family.  He put family above personal safety.
9. A man who had such a personal relationship with God that he could truly give thanks in even the most difficult times.                                                                  

BL- We studied Genesis chapter 27 (ALL OF IT!), as Isaac’s family continued their dysfunctional ways(boy, could they make a great soap out of these peoples’ lives, or what?).  This week, Rebekah overheard Isaac preparing to bless his eldest son, Esau, as soon as Esau returned from the hunt.  Rebekah, determined that her favorite son, Jacob, should receive the blessing, cooked up a scheme (couldn’t resist!) to deceive Isaac. She prepared Isaac’s favorite stew and dressed Jacob in Esau’s clothes and some hairy goatskins in order to pass him off as his brother. Isaac, who was now blind, fell for the trick and blessed Jacob instead of Esau with just about everything he could think of!  Now that patriarchal blessing might not seem significant to us, but in those days, great importance was attached to it–they believed that God’s hand was in it (and it WAS!) and that it directly affected the future of the individual who was blessed.  Evidence of the blessing’s importance can be seen in Rebekah’s and Jacob’s use of trickery to obtain it and in Esau’s and Isaac’s anguish over giving it to Jacob. Once Isaac realized his “mistake,” he blessed Esau, too, but Esau’s blessing was far less bountiful than the one that Jacob received.  This was all, of course, a part of God’s plan–He had prophesied that the older son would serve the younger before the boys were even born–but the way in which Jacob obtained the blessing was not in accordance with His ways. Rebekah and Jacob would end up paying a great price for manipulating God’s will, as we shall see in later chapters. Buddy pointed out that people today are often guilty of this same faulty thinking–we believe that if we are successful in reaching goals that we have set for ourselves, then God’s hand must be in it. While it is true that God DOES have a plan and a purpose for each of us, His plans may not be the same as ours!  Moreover, with God, the ends NEVER justify the means–He cares very much how we reach the go!
als He has planned for us.  If our methods are not in accordance with His (i.e., in keeping with His Word), then we, too, will suffer as Jacob and Rebekah did–with broken relationships to God and others, with worry, fear, even physical problems.  God loves us, and He will discipline those He loves in order to teach us to wait on Him!  Are the goals that you and I have set for ourselves in keeping with God’s goals for us?  Are the methods we are using to obtain them in accordance with His Word?  There is a lot we can learn from the life of Jacob–which is why the “Old” Testament is never really old!

C-Isaac’s physical condition comes into play as the next episodes of his family unfold.  With old age came blindness.  This fact played into the hands of Rebekah as she plotted to have Jacob receive the blessing due Esau.  How the relationship had changed over the years from the time Isaac and Rebekah loved the boys equally.  Now there was a competition and division between them.  Isaac loved Esau because he was a man’s man.  He lived vicariously through Esau’s love of the outdoors and his hunting skills, abilities Isaac had never possessed.  In lifestyle he was more like Jacob than Esau.  That is probably the reason he gravitated towards Esau.  We generally do not like to be around those completely like us because they always remind us of the attributes we do not like about ourselves. (Gen. 27:1, 12; Ps. 78:36; 144:11; Prov. 24:28; 26:19; 27:6; 30:8)

WM-Both Jacob and his mother Rebekah, lacked integrity.  To get what they both wanted for Jacob they were willing to deceive and lie to Isaac and even invoke the Lord’s name as part of the ruse.  They acquired the blessing for him, but at a great cost.  Rebekah lost her son because he had to flee for his life never to return during her lifetime.  Esau took  revenge on his family and married another Ishmaelite. (Gen. 27:

TM-Rebekah’s part in the deception of Isaac shows an attitude of anything goes.  Her actions provide us a glimpse of the personality trait that most likely had a profound influence throughout Jacob’s life.  God’s word tells that she loved Jacob more than Esau, so naturally she would look out for what she would have perceived as his best interest.    (Gen.27:5-29)

UE-Rebekah conspired with Jacob to deceive Isaac into blessing Jacob thus depriving Esau of his rightful blessing. (Gen. 27:5-29, 33-36)

TM-Deception brings heartache, anger, mistrust and division in families, churches and other organizations.  (Gen. 27:5-46)

M-Often the desire to excel overshadows what is right.  Jacob succumbed to his mother’s ambition for him and his own drive to succeed in carrying out the scheme to deceive his father. (Gen. 27:8-29)

DM-Rebekah’s part in the deception would change her life forever.  It was her defining moment.  She is probably remembered for this one act than anything else she did in her life. GC-Jacob should not have deceived his father, not because he was afraid of being caught but because it was wrong. She:

1. Influenced Jacob to take part in her scheme
2. Lost the trust of her husband.  Surely he would come to know that Jacob could not have accomplished the deception alone
3. Angered Esau to the point that he planned to murder his brother. He also married more heathen women as a way to retaliate against his parents
4. Never saw Jacob again that can be found in the Scriptures.  Later only Isaac is mentioned.

We have to wonder as she reflected on her actions was it truly worth it committing such an act of deception. (Gen.27:5-41)