Focal Passage: Genesis 27:18-30
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
These words of Isaiah have never been more true than when reading the account of Jacob, the heel-catcher, second-born, twin child of Isaac and Rebekah, who deceived his old and blind father, Isaac, with the help of his mother, and received the historic and binding blessing that moved him to the leader of the family and moved the firstborn son Esau to a footnote in history.
Much like the moment when God received Abel’s offering and not his brother Cain’s, when Jacob (and his mother) deceived Isaac of that which rightly belongs to Esau, one is confronted with the question of “why?”
Lloyd
Why was Esau denied his place as the next leader of the family? Why did his mother choose one son over the other? Why was this not rectified? Why? Deceitfulness, treachery and power could be reasons why. A strong case could be made for each. However, the haunting question is why this act was not condemned — condemned because it was wrong.
Yes, because of this action, Scripture will reveal the rich history of the accounts of Jacob. Jacob wrestles with God and should have died but doesn’t, though he walks with a limp for the rest of his life.
For those who have been hurt by the circumstances of life and “walk with a limp,” Jacob has provided great inspiration and hope. Or a great love story was found when Jacob worked for Laben all those years to marry the “love of his life.” Or when a reunion of brothers takes place, a time of forgiveness was found between Jacob and Esau. Or when the “deceiver is deceived” by his sons into believing that Joseph was dead, God brought Joseph through slavery to the highest position in all of Egypt so that while some thought it was evil, God used Jacob’s son Joseph to bring about good, saving all from the ravages of famine. A rich history indeed!
Yes, but! In this moment, treachery and deceit are found uncondemned. Why? It is a troubling question that must be addressed and not glossed over. The “why” question is not only found here, but why would God use drunk Noah, murderer and adulterer David or the prostitute Gomer? Why? Because God can and still does use unexpected people and ways to bring grace and hope into our world. But why deceit? Why Jacob and not Esau? Maybe because we are not God and do not have all the answers. As Isaiah says, “His ways are not our ways!”
Yet, we are still called on to believe. So, when one gets an undeserved promotion over you, or an event that makes no sense, like an unexpected divorce or even a horrible death, it leaves you overwhelmed and devastated that all you can do is cry out to God and ask, “Why?” Paul would say, “We walk by faith and not sight (or not knowing all the answers to the ‘why’ questions). And that is OK. We do know the One who holds all of our tomorrows even if we don’t know all the answers. We simply follow Thomas and say, “My Lord and my God!”. B&R
