City Life Starter

Written by Paul Lane

The Word

¹⁸ So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” ¹⁹ Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” ²⁰ But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” ²¹ Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” ²² So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³ And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. ²⁴ He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” ²⁵ Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” ²⁷ So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son
    is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!
²⁸ May God give you of the dew of heaven
    and of the fatness of the earth
    and plenty of grain and wine.
²⁹ Let peoples serve you,
    and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
    and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
    and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

Genesis 27:18-29

²² The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. ²³ And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
    the older shall serve the younger.”

Genesis 25:22-23

⁷ And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 

Genesis 22:7

Reflection

In this story, perhaps the first thing we need to understand is that there are at least two things going on here.  First there is the standard life of people.  A guy meets a girl.  They marry, have kids and then look to pass along their achievements in life to their progeny.  And in their culture, it was common for the oldest to get twice what the other children would get.  This is the standard struggle of life that people face every day. How shall I attend to the future of my children?

But then there is also the promise of God, by which all nations would be blessed.  Which child will be the keeper of this most precious promise?  How do we answer that question?  No fair peaking at the end of the story.  You must look at the situation each character is facing.  There is much to speak for Esau in this.  He is great with hunting and the ways of the world.  If an enemy were to consider the taking of the land, they would have to think twice before taking any actions if Esau were to be the keeper of the promise.  His father loved him deeply, and that speaks well for him.  But there is also the problem that he is not consequent.  Though he was in line to get two thirds of the land, he could think so little of it that he would sell it for a bowl of lentil soup.  This sits as a clear black mark on his record and his regard for the promise of God.

Now, there is the question of Jacob.  How could he be the one placed in charge of the land and the promise? He cheats, he does not hunt, and he only stays close to the tents.  How can he be trusted to protect such a valuable thing?  But then there is the word that God gave to Rebekah when she was pregnant with the two boys.  Just as when in the womb, they struggled and fought with each other all of their lives.  And now she remembers that God had said that the older will serve the younger.  And in God’s words (Genesis 25:23), it seems that there is a doublet.  God says, “the one shall be stronger than the other”, which is a clear reference to Esau being stronger than Jacob.  Then God says “the older shall serve the younger.”  This last statement makes it very clear that God intends for Jacob to be the keeper of the promise.  But we still have a problem.  How can it be that this cheater, this weak “momma’s boy” will be the one to watch over God’s promise of progeny and blessing to all nations?  I can only say that his character will have to change.  But it is interesting that Jacob’s current corruption is not enough to prevent God from using him for His purposes.

Coda

Final thought.  “Here I am.”  This is the phrase that Isaac uses when Jacob enters the room.  It is also the exact same phrase that Abraham uses on Mount Moriah when Isaac is being offered as a sacrifice.  It is an expression of surrender.  Here I am Lord, and no other place has my gaze.  It is a place most holy and focused.  The Lord is at work in his life and something is being sacrificed.  Hopes, dreams, preconceived notions of God are all to fade away.  All that must remain is trust in God.  Parting with such things is not easy, but it is the grace of God if such things should be stolen away from us.  For if they are not according to God’s will, they are a prison.  Was Jacob corrupt?  Was he a cheat?  Yes, of course.  But the more important question is whether or not he was desirous of the things of God.  And to answer that question, we have to keep reading.

Application

As Eric Stephens preached, God used the sinful lives of people to weave His purposes.  I think this is a great story for showing how that works.  I think one thing that distinguishes Jacob from Esau is that he had a desire for the things of God, even in his corrupted and twisted state.  It is the beauty of God that draws us to Him, though our sin my cause us to pull away.

Have you taken the time to slow down to see the beauty of God?  Is there anything in your life that causes you to pull away from it?  It is this tension that is the cross in your life.  Are you willing to let those things go and take up your cross? Having fought through the distractions of everything around you, press on to look for the beauty of the Lord.  Be willing to say to Him, “here I am.”  And then trust that He will work His will in your life.

Prayer

Dear Father in heaven, I turn my heart to Your promises and call them beautiful.  I turn my eyes to Your presence and I call it wonderful.  And I turn my steps to Jesus and call Him Lord.  Teach me Your ways, and establish them in my heart.  Boldly strip away those things that distract me and that keep me away from Your presence.  I pray that I might be faithful with Your promises and pass them on to this and the next generation.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.