May the mumbling commence!
People may scheme, but the will of the Lord always
happens… ALWAYS. Read from Peterson’s The Message:
When Isaac became
an old man
and was nearly blind, he called on his
eldest son, Esau, and said, “My son.”
“Yes,
Father?”
“I’m an
old man,” he said;
“I might die any day now. Do me a favor: Get your quiver of arrows and your bow and go out into the country and hunt me some
game. Then
fix me a hearty meal, the kind that you know I like, and bring it to me to eat so I can give you my personal
blessing before I die.”
Rebekah
was eavesdropping
as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. As soon as Esau had gone off to the
country to hunt game for his father, Rebekah spoke to her son Jacob, “I just overheard your father talking
with your brother, Esau. He said, ‘Bring me some game and fix
me a hearty meal so that I can eat and bless
you with God’s
blessing before I die.’
Now, my
son, listen to me. Do what I tell
you. Go
to the flock and get me two young goats. Pick the best; I’ll prepare them into a hearty meal, the kind your father
loves. Then
you’ll take it to your father, he’ll eat and bless you before he dies.”
“But
Mother,” Jacob said, “my brother Esau is a hairy man and I have smooth skin.
What happens
if my father touches me? He’ll think
I’m playing games with him. I’ll bring
down a curse on myself instead of a blessing.”
“If it comes
to that,” said his mother, “I’ll take the curse on myself. Now, just do what
I say. Go get the goats.” (Genesis 27:1-13)
Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:
When Isaac was
old and his eyes
were so weak that he could no longer see, he
called for Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.”
“Here I am,”
he answered.
Isaac said, “I
am now an old
man and don’t know the day of my death. Now then, get your weapons – your quiver and bow – and
go out to the open country to hunt some
wild game for me. Prepare me the kind
of tasty food I like and bring it to me to
eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”
Now
Rebekah was listening as Isaac
spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country
to hunt some game and bring it back, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your
father say to your
brother Esau, ‘Bring me some game and prepare me
some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence
of the Lord before I die.’
Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I
tell you: Go out to the flock and bring me
two choice goats,
so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just
the way he likes it. Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing
before he dies.”
Jacob said
to Rebekah his mother, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I’m a man with smooth skin. What if my father
touches me? I would appear to be tricking
him and would bring down a curse on myself
rather than a blessing.”
His
mother said to him, “My son, let the curse fall
on me. Just
do what I say; go and get them for me.” (Genesis
27:1-13)
Though there are differences between the NIV and
Peterson’s work, the heart is the same.
They chose to bring out the conniving and scheming and planning it
slightly different spots. But it amounts
to the same thing…
Isaac had his favorite son – Esau. He wanted to deed his blessing to Esau, so he
set a task that he thought only Esau could do.
And what blessing did Isaac have but the blessing of the Lord… the
blessing that Esau had traded away for a bowl of soup?
Rebekah had her favorite son – Jacob. She wanted him to have this blessing from
Isaac. She knew it would be the Lord’s
blessing. So she plotted to scheme as
well. She was going to set up Jacob with
the meal to give his father so that he might receive the blessing instead.
How would this positioning come out? It doesn’t matter. God had told Rebekah that the older would
serve the younger. God had already
decided that Jacob was to receive the blessing even before they were born.
Isaac and Rebekah may scheme. We may scheme. But the Lord’s will has always come to
pass. And time would not change that.
May we remember this important lesson and follow God’s
will. Stop trying to play
favorites. Follow God. Make room for Jesus this Christmas day… and
beyond. Merry Christmas!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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