A faithful God who uses even favored parents
“When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.” (Genesis 25:27-28)
Why do parents favor one child? Researchers at the University of California, Davis (UCD) conducted interviews with 768 individuals (384 sibling pairs) and their parents, and found that 70% of fathers and 65% of mothers admitted to having a preference for one of their children, with most of them favoring the eldest (Internet). Additionally, children who suffer emotional damage due to parental favoritism may have significant difficulties in recognizing themselves as independent individuals, and this can also negatively affect their relationships and marriage. They may excessively cling to relationships in an attempt to fill the emotional void caused by a lack of parental love, and they may live with anxiety and fear of being abandoned by others. Children who are hurt by favoritism may experience significant emotional challenges as well (Internet).
In today's passage, Genesis 25:28, the Korean Modern Bible states, "Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed the game that Esau brought home, and Rebekah loved Jacob." Why did Isaac, the father, and Rebekah, the mother, show favoritism to their children? Isaac loved his firstborn son Esau, a skilled hunter (v. 28), because Isaac enjoyed the game Esau hunted (v. 28). So, why did Rebekah love her younger son, Jacob? I believe the reason is that Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents (v. 27). This could explain why, in Genesis 25:29, it says, "One day Jacob was cooking a stew," implying that he was quietly preparing food at home. It seems that Jacob spent a lot of time with his mother, Rebekah, who managed the household, and perhaps he learned how to cook from her, which led him to prepare the stew. Then, starting from the second half of verse 29, Esau, after hunting, returns home starving and asks Jacob for some of the stew he was making, saying, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted" (v. 30, Korean Modern Bible). At that point, Jacob responds, "First sell me your birthright" (v. 31), and Esau answers, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" (v.32). Jacob then insists, "Swear to me first," and Esau swears to him and sells his birthright to Jacob (v. 33). This happened because Esau despised his birthright (v. 34). By despising his birthright and selling it to his younger brother Jacob for a bowl of stew, Esau later, in Genesis 27, loses the blessing that his father Isaac had intended for him. Esau says, "... He has deceived me these two times. He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing ..." (v. 36, Korean Modern Bible). Today, I would like to reflect on how Jacob, the younger son, took the blessing that Esau should have received from their father Isaac, as described in Genesis 27. Through this reflection, I hope to gain lessons, especially focusing on Isaac, the father, who showed favoritism toward his firstborn son Esau. Next Saturday, I plan to focus on Rebekah, the mother, who showed favoritism toward the younger son, Jacob.
When I think of Isaac, the father who favored his firstborn son Esau, I believe that Isaac lacked discernment and ended up blessing his younger son Jacob.
Look at Genesis 27:23: "His hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands, so he did not recognize him and blessed him." Isaac lacked discernment. In other words, he was deceived by his younger son Jacob, thinking he was blessing his beloved firstborn son Esau. He could not tell the difference between his beloved firstborn Esau and his younger son Jacob. Perhaps the reason was that Isaac was old and his eyes had become dim, making it hard for him to see well (v. 1). Additionally, since Esau and Jacob were "twins" (25:24), it may have been even more difficult for Isaac to distinguish between them. Moreover, I think that Isaac's inability to distinguish between Esau and Jacob was also due to the fact that Jacob had received considerable help from his mother Rebekah in deceiving Isaac. Isaac, who favored Esau, wanted to bless him before he died, as he was old and uncertain about when he would pass away (27:2). He had hoped that Esau would prepare his favorite dish one last time so that he could eat it and give Esau his blessing before he passed (vv. 2-3). However, in the end, he unknowingly blessed the one who deceived him, Jacob, instead of Esau (v. 23). Even so, when Jacob deceived Isaac, I believe that Isaac tried at least seven times to confirm whether Jacob was truly his beloved firstborn son, Esau.
(1) "My son, who are you?" (v. 18)
When Jacob brought the special food and bread to Isaac and called out, "Father," Isaac responded by asking, "My son, who are you?" (v. 18). Isaac was asking Jacob to identify himself. Clearly, Isaac had been expecting and waiting for Esau to come with the special food he loved. If Jacob’s voice had sounded like Esau’s, Isaac would not have asked, "My son, who are you?"
(2) "My son, how did you find it so quickly?" (v. 20)
When Isaac asked, "My son, who are you?" (v. 18), Jacob answered, "I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may bless me" (v. 19). At this, Isaac questioned him again, saying, "My son, how did you find it so quickly?" (v. 20). The reason for Isaac’s question was that he had told Esau, "Take your bow and go out into the field to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare the tasty food I love and bring it to me so that I may give you my blessing before I die" (vv. 3-4, Korean Modern Bible). But while Esau was still out hunting (v. 5), Rebekah overheard Isaac’s words to Esau (v. 5) and, because she loved Jacob, she quickly prepared Isaac’s favorite dish (v. 9). She then gave it to Jacob, along with some bread, so that he could take it to Isaac and receive the blessing in Esau’s place (v. 17). From Isaac’s perspective, it was unexpected that Esau would have caught game, prepared the food, and brought it to him so quickly. In response to Isaac’s question, Jacob answered, "The Lord your God helped me find it quickly" (v. 20, Korean Modern Bible). How could Jacob go so far as to invoke the name of "the Lord your God" to deceive his father Isaac?
(3) "Come near, my son, so I can touch you to know whether you are really my son Esau or not" (v. 21).
Isaac told Jacob, who had claimed, "I am Esau, your firstborn" (v. 19), to "come near" (v. 21) because he wanted to touch him and confirm whether he was truly Esau or not. This shows that Isaac did not fully trust that Jacob was Esau, so he attempted to verify it by touch. The reason for this was that Esau had a hairy body, whereas Jacob had smooth skin (v. 11).
(4) "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau" (v. 22).
When Jacob approached his father Isaac as instructed, Isaac touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau" (v. 22). This means that Isaac recognized that Jacob's voice did not sound like Esau's. However, since Isaac was old and his eyesight was poor (v. 1), he could not see well enough to identify him by sight, so he relied on touch. Because Esau had hairy hands (v. 11), Isaac reached out to feel Jacob’s hands. When he touched them, he concluded, "The hands are the hands of Esau" (v. 22). But how could Isaac say this when Jacob’s hands were naturally smooth (v. 11)? The reason was that Rebekah had taken the best clothes of her eldest son Esau, which she had kept in the house, and dressed Jacob in them (v. 15).
(5) "Are you really my son Esau?" (v. 24).
After first asking Jacob, "My son, who are you?" (v. 18), and then touching him, Isaac was still unsure. Though Jacob’s hands felt like Esau’s, Isaac remained uncertain. Before blessing him, Isaac questioned him once more, asking, "Are you really my son Esau?" (v. 24). This shows that Isaac still did not have complete confidence that Jacob was Esau. At that moment, Jacob replied, "Yes, I am" (v. 24, Korean Modern Bible).
(6) "Come here, my son, and kiss me" (v. 26).
Isaac said to Jacob, "Bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing" (v. 25). Jacob then brought the food to Isaac, who ate it and drank some wine. After that, Isaac said, "Come here, my son, and kiss me" (v. 26). The reason Isaac asked Jacob to come close and kiss him was likely because he wanted to confirm once more whether he was truly Esau.
(7) "So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes ..." (v. 27, Korean Modern Bible).
Jacob obeyed his father’s request, came close, and kissed him. At that moment, Isaac smelled Jacob’s clothes, making one last attempt to verify whether he was really his beloved firstborn son, Esau. However, because Rebekah had dressed Jacob in Esau’s best clothes, which she had kept in the house, Isaac naturally smelled Esau’s scent on them.
As a result, Isaac failed to discern the truth and, believing Jacob to be Esau, went on to bless him (vv. 23, 28-29).
As I meditate on this passage, I realize that no matter how much we try to verify things, without a mature level of spiritual discernment, we are bound to fall for Satan's deceptions. The reason is that when we are spiritually immature, our spiritual eyes are dim, and we lack discernment, making us vulnerable to Satan’s cunning schemes (see Ephesians 4:14). Who are spiritually immature Christians? They are those who do not love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Christians who do not love God’s truth are spiritually immature and lack discernment, making them unable to recognize Satan, who "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14), nor his servants, who disguise themselves as "servants of righteousness" (v.15, Korean Modern Bible). As a result, they are at great risk of falling for the cunning lies and deceptions of Satan and his followers. A prime example of this is the woman in Genesis 3. When the serpent, the most cunning of all the wild animals that God had made, came and deceived her (Genesis 3:1-5), she fell for his lies and deceit, disobeyed God's command (2:17), and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She then gave some to her husband, Adam, who was with her, and he ate it as well (3:6). If Adam had been spiritually mature and possessed discernment, he would not have eaten the forbidden fruit that his wife had given him. Furthermore, had he been spiritually discerning, he would have taken action to prevent his wife from falling for the serpent’s deception and temptation in the first place. However, Adam, who was with his wife (v.6), did nothing to stop her from eating the fruit, and worse, he ate it himself when she gave it to him. Reflecting on Adam’s lack of spiritual discernment, we must strive to love God’s truth and develop our ability to discern. We need to carefully examine everything and cultivate the ability to distinguish between good and evil. With this discernment, we should hold on to what is good and reject every form of evil (see 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). We must sharpen our minds with the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit, and with spiritual discernment, recognize Satan’s strategies. Through God's Word and constant prayer, we must fight against Satan moment by moment and walk in daily victory.
Last Monday, while I was having fellowship in the Lord with my university juniors—especially while listening to the testimony of a friend who nearly died from a heart attack last December—I received a KakaoTalk message from another junior. The message contained the news that his mother had peacefully departed from this world and was now resting in the loving arms of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I would like to share a part of that message: "May the Lord bless you to honor your mother by loving the Lord and others, just as she did during her earthly life. Through her daily life, she demonstrated an authentic love and faith in God the Father in heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ." In his heartfelt words, I saw the precious love of a child longing to honor his mother by loving God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ with genuine love, just as she had done. This reminded me of hymn, "Precious Love, the Lore of Mother": (Verse 1) Precious love, the love of mother, Broad and deep beyond all praise!
Precious love, it stirs my spirit Gives me gladness all my days. Mother pray'd when I was weeping, Made my sorrows all her own; And when I was glad and smiling Sang her praises at the Throne. (Verse 2) Precious Book, my mother's Bible, Which she read me morn and night. Still I see her read, and, pausing, Call some treasure to my sight: "Whosoever but believeth Shall receive eternal life." Precious words of her reciting, Still my strength in mortal strife! (Verse 3) When I lie alone and troubled, Restless with exhausting fears, Mother's voice, in hymns she sang me, Echoes living in my ears: "From the rock flow springs of water; In the desert flowers grow." "Those who walk the way with Jesus Need fear nothing here below." (Verse 4) Mother's life was sweet and humble, Strong and firm in doing right. I can make my life worth living With her ever in my sight. Mother, in a world of tempests, Fought the good fight all her days; Soon, by streams of living water, I shall live with her always.
Lastly, when I think of Rebekah, the mother who favored her younger son, Jacob, I see her as the mastermind behind all the events that led Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing.
In the latter part of Genesis 25:28, the Bible states, "Rebekah loved Jacob." Why did Rebekah love her younger son Jacob rather than her firstborn son Esau? I believe the reason is that Jacob was "a quiet man who preferred to stay at home" (Genesis 25:27, Koren Modern Bible). While Esau, being a skilled hunter, likely enjoyed going out into the fields, Jacob was a quiet man who preferred to stay at home. Naturally, this meant that he spent more time with his mother, Rebekah. Given that Jacob was seen cooking stew (v. 29), I also think he might have learned cooking from his mother. Another reason is that Rebekah was troubled by Esau’s marriage to two Hittite women. The Bible says that these two daughters-in-law were a source of grief to Rebekah (v. 35). In fact, she was so distressed by them that she told her husband, Isaac, "I am disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living" (27:46, Korean Modern Bible). It seems clear that there was a significant conflict between Rebekah and her two Hittite daughters-in-law. This strained relationship likely contributed to her stronger affection for Jacob over Esau.
I believe that mothers-in-law who have conflicts with their daughters-in-law today might relate to Rebekah’s feelings. If a mother-in-law has ongoing tension with her eldest son's wife, she may naturally develop a stronger affection for her younger son, especially if he is still unmarried. If her relationship with her eldest daughter-in-law is so difficult that she feels, like Rebekah, that life is unbearable because of her, it is understandable that she might feel closer to her younger son (v. 46). Furthermore, if the younger son has a quiet personality like Jacob and prefers to stay at home, wouldn't a mother be more inclined to favor him over the elder son, who is always out and about? And if her husband—whom she may not have the best relationship with—openly favors the eldest son, wouldn't she be even more likely to pour her love into the younger son?
Mother Rebekah loved her second son, Jacob, so she orchestrated a plan for him to receive the blessing that Isaac had intended to give to his beloved firstborn, Esau, before his death (v. 4). She essentially stole [or took away, as Esau later laments in verse 36] Esau’s blessing and ensured that Jacob would receive it instead. I believe Rebekah was the mastermind behind this deception because Jacob initially feared being exposed as a deceiver and worried that, rather than receiving a blessing, he might bring a curse upon himself (v. 12). However, when his mother told him, "My son, let the curse fall on me" (v. 13, Korean Modern Bible) and commanded him, "Just do what I say; go and get them for me" (v. 8, Korean Modern Bible), Jacob simply trusted and obeyed her. To put it in modern terms, Jacob seems to have been something of a mama’s boy. He did not act independently but rather relied on his mother’s guidance. Because of this, Rebekah likely found it easy to manipulate him into deceiving Isaac and taking Esau’s blessing. Before setting her plan in motion, the first thing Rebekah did was eavesdrop on her husband Isaac’s conversation with Esau. Genesis 27:5-6 (Korean Modern Bible) states: "Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, ‘Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau.’” The phrase "at that time” refers to the moment when Isaac, now old and nearly blind, acknowledged that he did not know when he would die (vv. 1-2). Because of this, he summoned his beloved firstborn son, Esau, and said, "Take your hunting gear, 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” (vv. 3-4, Korean Modern Bible). It was precisely at that moment that Rebekah overheard Isaac speaking to Esau and devised her plan.
One time, my wife told me, “I can hear everything you’re saying with the elder in your office from the next room. It would be good if you spoke a little more quietly.” At that time, she was probably in the room next to my office, possibly using the copier or doing some other work. If she had been in the fellowship hall, eating lunch with other church members after Sunday service, she wouldn’t have been able to hear my conversation with the elder. Moreover, she didn’t intentionally listen in on our conversation; rather, she happened to be in the adjacent room, where she couldn’t help but hear what was being said. The point I want to make here is this: When the Bible says Rebekah eavesdropped on Isaac’s conversation with Esau, it indicates that she was in close proximity to them. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to overhear their conversation. This raises an important question: Did Rebekah just happen to be near the location where Isaac was speaking with Esau, overhearing their conversation by coincidence? Or did she intentionally approach their location with the deliberate purpose of listening in on what Isaac was saying to Esau? The word “was listening” (v. 5, Korean Modern Bible) implies that Rebekah deliberately positioned herself close enough to overhear Isaac’s words. She did not just happen to be nearby; rather, she purposefully drew closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. For example, if my wife had wanted to listen in on my conversation with the elder, she could have intentionally moved from the fellowship hall to the room next to my office. By doing so, she would have been able to hear everything discussed between the pastor and the elder. Likewise, Rebekah must have deliberately moved closer to listen to Isaac’s words to Esau. After hearing everything her husband said to their firstborn son, she immediately called Jacob and told him, “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’” (vv. 6-7, Korean Modern Bible).
After overhearing what her husband had said to their firstborn son, Rebekah waited until Jacob received his father Isaac’s blessing and left. Shortly after, Esau returned from his hunt (v. 30) and discovered that his younger brother had deceived their father and stolen the blessing meant for him (vv. 35-36). Upon realizing this, Esau hated Jacob (v. 41) and was filled with rage (v. 44). In his anger, he muttered to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob” (v. 41, Korean Modern Bible). However, despite Esau muttering these words to himself, Rebekah somehow heard about it. The Modern Korean Bible translates Genesis 27:42 as “she heard about it”—implying that someone relayed this information to her. Upon learning of Esau’s murderous intent, she immediately called Jacob and warned him: "Your brother Esau is planning to kill you to get his revenge. Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides. When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I will send for you and bring you back. Why should I lose both of you in one day?” (vv. 42-45, Korean Modern Bible) How did Rebekah come to know about Esau’s private mutterings? Initially, I thought she must have been close enough to overhear him directly. However, it is more likely that someone else (perhaps a servant loyal to her) relayed Esau’s words to her. The key point here is that Rebekah was keenly attentive to everything concerning Jacob. She had already eavesdropped on Isaac’s conversation with Esau, and now she even heard about Esau’s private mutterings. This reveals her deep concern for her beloved younger son—so much so that she paid close attention not only to her husband’s words to Esau but also to Esau’s own secret thoughts.
When I think of the mother Rebecca, who favored her younger son Jacob, I believe Rebecca was the mastermind behind everything that led Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing. The first step in this process was that Rebecca heard, and heard again. She overheard her husband Isaac speaking to his beloved firstborn son Esau, and even the words that Esau muttered to himself. Her ears were attentive to the words of her husband Isaac and her firstborn son Esau. All this listening was for the sake of her beloved younger son, Jacob. She wanted Jacob, rather than Esau, to receive Isaac’s blessing. Therefore, she overheard what Isaac said when he called Esau. Then, she called her beloved second son Jacob and told him everything Isaac had said to Esau, making Jacob deceive his father and take the blessing meant for Esau. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob must have known all of this, but why did God allow Rebecca to manipulate things so that Jacob, her favored younger son, would take the blessing meant for Esau? What was God’s sovereign purpose in allowing Rebecca to secretly arrange for Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing? I believe the answer is in Genesis 25:23, which says: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger” (Korean Modern Bible). Since God’s sovereign will was for the older Esau to serve the younger Jacob, I believe God knew what Rebecca was doing and allowed it to happen. The purpose was that through Jacob’s descendants, God would send the Messiah, Christ Jesus, into the world to be crucified for us. Why did God the Father allow His only Son, Jesus Christ, to cry out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46), even though He heard it, while still loving Him and being pleased with Him? The reason is to forgive our sins and to save us.
This past Tuesday, I attended the funeral of a university friend’s mother and participated in the funeral service, offering a burial prayer to God. The friend, who had received God's authentic love through her mother during her lifetime, shared that even though her mother had passed, she wanted to honor her by loving others with the genuine love her mother had shown her. I thought this was truly a precious love from her mother. Starting from that afternoon, and continuing until Friday, I made some adjustments to the Scripture passage the pastor had preached during the burial service, focusing on 2 Corinthians 4:18–5:2, and wrote a reflection titled "Looking Forward to the Day We Will Put on God’s Body."
In today’s Scripture, Genesis 25:27-28, we see that Isaac, the father, loved his firstborn son Esau because he enjoyed the game Esau hunted, while his mother, Rebecca, loved her younger son Jacob. Isaac, who loved Esau, became troubled when Esau, at the age of 40, married two women from the Hittite people (I believe Esau married these foreign women without his parents’ approval). Even though these wives caused distress to his heart (26:35), Isaac, now old and nearly blind, still wanted to bless Esau one last time before he died (27:1-4). However, Rebecca, the mother, overheard the conversation Isaac had with his beloved Esau and, while Esau was out hunting (v. 5), secretly arranged for her beloved younger son Jacob (25:28) to receive Isaac’s blessing instead.
(1) The first step in this process was that Rebecca listened, and listened again.
Not only did she overhear the words Isaac spoke to his beloved Esau (27:5), but later, she also overheard Esau muttering to himself that he hated Jacob because Isaac had blessed him instead, saying, "Since my father’s time is near, after he dies, I will kill Jacob" (vv. 41-42). In this way, Rebecca’s ears were attentive to the words of her husband Isaac and her firstborn son Esau. All of this listening was for the sake of her beloved younger son Jacob. She wanted Jacob, whom she loved, to receive Isaac’s blessing rather than Esau.
(2) In the process of secretly arranging for her beloved younger son Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing, the second step was that Rebecca made sure Jacob listened to her and obeyed her instructions.
This is Genesis 27:8 from the Korean Modern Bible: "My son, listen carefully to what I say and do exactly as I tell you." Rebecca overheard the words Isaac spoke to Esau and, while Esau was out hunting, called Jacob and said: “I heard your father say to your brother Esau, ‘Bring me some game and prepare a dish for me to eat, that I may bless you before I die’” (vv. 5-7, Korean Modern Bible). Then she told Jacob to listen carefully and do exactly as she instructed (v. 8). As I meditate on this passage, I wonder, "Should children always do everything their mothers tell them?" The reason I question this is because, just as Rebecca instructed Jacob to deceive his father and take Esau’s blessing, if our mother were to tell us to deceive others, I don’t think we should follow her instruction. The Bible says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1), but it does not say we should obey our parents when it involves deceiving others. For example, if our parents were focused on fleeting, material wealth (which the Bible compares to mist that disappears—2 Corinthians 4:18) rather than on the eternal and unseen, and they continued to encourage us to succeed in the world by pursuing visible riches, I believe we should not obey such instructions. If we obey such words, we would be serving two masters. As Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24, Korean Modern Bible). I am reminded of Micah’s mother in Judges 17. Micah’s mother, after realizing her son had stolen 1,100 silver shekels from her, called down a curse upon him, but when Micah returned the money, she still wanted him to be blessed (17:2). How could a mother bless her son who had stolen from her without holding him accountable? This is an incomprehensible act of motherhood. What is even more baffling is that Micah’s mother, after receiving the 1,100 silver back from her son, declared she would dedicate it to the Lord, yet gave 200 silver to a silversmith to make an idol, which she then gave to her son (vv. 3-4). What an absurd action from a mother! As a result, Micah placed the idol his mother gave him in his house (v. 4). The surprising thing is that after receiving this blessing from his mother—“My son, I pray that the Lord bless you”—Micah even had a shrine (v. 5). Micah, living according to his mother’s worldly love and instructions, represents a son who followed his mother's worldly advice.
(3) In the process of secretly arranging for her beloved younger son Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing, the third step was that Rebecca made Jacob become a "deceiver" in the eyes of Isaac.
Here is Genesis 27:12 from the Korean Modern Bible: "What if my father touches me? I would appear to be deceiving him, and instead of receiving a blessing, I might be cursed." Jacob, after hearing his mother Rebecca say, "Listen carefully to what I say and do exactly as I tell you. Go out and bring me two young goats, and I will prepare a dish that your father loves. You will take it to your father so that he may eat before he dies and bless you" (vv. 8-10, Korean Modern Bible), responded, "My brother Esau is hairy, but I am smooth-skinned. What if my father touches me? I would seem to be deceiving him and would receive a curse instead of a blessing" (vv. 11-12, Korean Modern Bible). Looking at Jacob's words, it’s clear that if Jacob followed his mother Rebecca’s instructions, he knew that he would become a "deceiver" in the eyes of his father Isaac. As I meditate on this, I truly believe that "the deceiver" is Satan. Satan is the deceiver of the world and the accuser (Revelation 12:9-10). In John 8:44, Jesus says: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Satan speaks lies according to his nature because he is the father of lies. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and his servants are like wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). They appear as evil ones, showing false signs and wonders by Satan's power, using every form of deception to lead people to destruction (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). We must not be deceived by Satan and his servants’ cunning lies (2 Corinthians 11:3). Their words are distorted, twisting the truth to speak lies and deception. They twist God's Word to confuse us. One of their dangerous tactics is to get us to believe in a mixed truth. In other words, Satan and his servants work diligently to add lies to God's truth, leading us to believe in this mixed truth. We must remember that everything they say is a lie and a deceitful word (Proverbs 6:12, Walvoord). The reason for this is that their hearts are twisted, and from twisted hearts come twisted words. If we fall for their lies, our hearts will become corrupt, causing us to forsake the truth and purity of Christ (v. 3). We must have spiritual discernment and not be deceived by the cunning lies and tricks of Satan and his servants.
(4) In the process of secretly arranging for her beloved younger son Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing, the fourth step was that Rebecca was willing to receive a curse on behalf of her beloved younger son, Jacob.
Here is Genesis 27:12-13 from the Korean Modern Bible: "What if my father touches me? I would appear to be deceiving him, and instead of receiving a blessing, I might be cursed," Jacob said. His mother replied, "My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say and go get the goats for me." Jacob was afraid of being caught while deceiving his father Isaac, so he said to his mother, "What if I appear to be deceiving my father and receive a curse instead of a blessing?" (v. 12, Korean Modern Bible). At that moment, his mother Rebecca said, "My son, let the curse fall on me ..." (v. 13, Korean Modern Bible). Rebecca was willing to take the curse herself as long as Jacob could receive the blessing from Isaac. She loved Jacob that much. Is this kind of mother's love a healthy one? I believe it is a sick love, one that can make the child sick as well. This kind of sick, manipulative love from a mother, like when Rebecca told Jacob, “Listen carefully to what I say and do exactly as I tell you” (v. 8, Korean Modern Bible) and later, “Now, do exactly as I say” (v. 43, Korean Modern Bible), tries to control and manipulate the child under the guise of love. A child who is being manipulated in this way cannot emotionally or psychologically detach from their mother, causing their heart, emotions, and thoughts to become sick and in pain. Furthermore, if the child is already married, this kind of unhealthy influence can affect the marital relationship as well, leading to a sickening of that relationship too. The ripple effects of a mother's sick love for her child are vast. Nevertheless, a mother who is willing to take on a curse for her child may not fully realize the massive impact her sick love is having. Such a mother needs to confess her sins and repent, relying on the blood of Jesus, who bore our sins on the cross (Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13), and receive forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:9). She must then love her children with God's true love and release them in faith. She must establish healthy boundaries in her relationship with her children, clearly defining where she ends and where they begin. She needs to guide her children in truth and be a model of truth herself. To do this, she must live a truthful life before God and act in accordance with His truth. She must hate lies and deception. She needs to understand that obedience to God's commands is a great blessing for her (Psalms 119:56). And then, she must bless her children with prayer: “The Lord bless you and keep you” (Numbers 6:24, Korean Modern Bible).
(5) In the process of secretly arranging for her beloved younger son Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing, the fifth step was that Rebecca took the best clothes of the firstborn Esau and put them on her younger son Jacob.
Here is Genesis 27:15 from the Korean Modern Bible: "Then Rebecca took the best clothes of her firstborn son Esau, which she had kept in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob." Jacob was worried that his father Isaac might touch him and realize that he was smooth-skinned, unlike his hairy brother Esau (vv. 11-12). At that moment, Rebecca took the best clothes of Esau, which she had kept in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob (v. 15). Why did Rebecca keep Esau's best clothes in the house? Wouldn’t Esau, who prized and often wore those clothes, have kept them safe himself? Could it be that Rebecca kept these clothes in her home because she had them for her beloved younger son Jacob? And when the time came, she used them for Jacob, to disguise him as Esau? Eventually, Rebecca also covered Jacob’s hands and the smooth part of his neck with the skins of the goats he had brought (v. 16). As a result, when Jacob, wearing Esau’s best clothes, went into Isaac, Isaac said, “My son, come near and kiss me” (v. 26, Korean Modern Bible). When Jacob kissed him, Isaac smelled the clothes and blessed Jacob, saying, “The smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!” (vv. 26-27, Korean Modern Bible). This passage suggests that Isaac, who had grown old and had dim eyes (v. 1), may have intentionally asked Jacob to come close and kiss him (v. 26). The reason seems to be that Isaac was trying to identify whether the person before him was his beloved firstborn son Esau, by the smell of his clothes. Rebecca anticipated this and made sure to dress Jacob in Esau’s best clothes. In this way, Rebecca thoroughly disguised Jacob as Esau, enabling him to receive the blessing from Isaac. When I reflect on this passage, I question whether giving a child only "the best" (v. 15, Korean Modern Bible) out of love truly serves their best interest. Although a mother may want to give her child the best out of love and hope for their success, the outcome may not turn out as expected. In fact, the “best” a mother gives might end up being the worst for the child. However, our Heavenly Father, who loves us most (John 3:16; Romans 8:32) and knows us best (Psalms 139:1-4), gives us the best according to His timing and method, as a grace that helps us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Here is Romans 8:32 from the Korean Modern Bible: “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”
(6) In the final sixth step of secretly arranging for her beloved younger son Jacob to receive Isaac's blessing, Rebecca made the favorite dish of her husband Isaac and gave it to Jacob to take to his father.
Here is Genesis 27:14 and 17 from the Korean Modern Bible: "So Jacob went and got the goats and brought them to his mother, and his mother made the tasty dishes that his husband liked. … She put the prepared dishes and bread in Jacob's hand." Isaac loved the food that Esau hunted (25:27), so he said to his beloved Esau, "Take your bow and go out to the field to hunt, and make the tasty dish that I love. Then I will eat it and bless you before I die" (27:3-4, Korean Modern Bible). Hearing this, Rebecca, while Esau was out hunting in the field (v. 5), secretly arranged for Jacob to follow her instructions (v. 8). She also personally made the dish and handed it to Jacob, telling him to bring it to his father Isaac to eat (vv. 10, 17). As I reflect on this passage, I wonder whether Esau made Isaac's favorite dish better than Rebecca did, or if Rebecca made it better. In my opinion, Rebecca probably made Isaac's favorite dish better than Esau did. I think this because Rebecca, being Isaac's wife, would have known his tastes better than Esau, and she would have prepared Isaac's favorite dish for a longer period of time, serving it to him regularly, whereas Esau might not have had the same experience. When Jacob took the food his mother Rebecca made and went to his father, Isaac asked, "Who are you?" Why did Isaac ask this question? I believe the reason can be found in the first half of verse 20: "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" From Isaac's perspective, Esau had not been gone hunting for long (v. 5, Korean Modern Bible), so when Jacob came in pretending to be Esau, Isaac became suspicious. Isaac had clearly eaten Esau's dish made from the game he hunted multiple times, so he likely had a rough idea of how long it would take for Esau to return with the food. When Jacob came back much sooner than expected, Isaac asked, "How did you find it so quickly?" (v. 20, Korean Modern Bible). Then, look at Jacob's response: "The Lord your God helped me find it quickly" (v. 20, Korean Modern Bible). How could he invoke the name of "the Lord your God" and lie? In reality, it was not "the Lord your God" who helped him; it was his mother Rebecca who helped him. How could Jacob lie to his father in such a way? Ultimately, Isaac was deceived by Jacob and blessed him (vv. 27-30, Korean Modern Bible).
As I reflect on this passage, I believe that Rebecca used every means possible to deceive Isaac and made Jacob into a deceiver in order to receive the blessing from Isaac, as she desired. I think she ultimately achieved what she wanted, with Jacob receiving Isaac's blessing. However, I believe Rebecca's method was wrong. It is certainly not a method that pleases God. Nevertheless, I believe that God fulfilled His sovereign will by allowing the promise that “the older will serve the younger” (25:23, Korean Modern Bible) to come to pass. How God used even Rebecca's deceitful methods to fulfill His sovereign will is something I don't fully understand. However, what I know and believe is found in 2 Timothy 2:13: “‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.’ This is a trustworthy saying.” God used both Isaac, the father who was blind to his favoritism for his older son Esau, and Rebecca, the mother who was untruthful in her favoritism for her younger son Jacob, to fulfill His sovereign will. God worked to ensure that Esau would serve Jacob, as He had planned. When I think of the truth and faithfulness of God, who accomplishes His sovereign will even through partial and flawed parents, I am reminded of the first verse of the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness": “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not, as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.” "The one who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23a, Korean Modern Bible).
“Like the sun that rises everyday O You are so faithful, dear Lord You are so faithful
Like the rain that You bring and every breath that I breathe
You are so faithful Lord. Like a rose that comes alive every spring
O You are so faithful, dear Lord You are so faithful
Like the life that You give to every beat of, my heart
You are so faithful, Lord. I see a cross and the price You had to pay
I see the brood that washed my sins away
In the midst of the storm through the wind and the waves
You'll still be faithful O You'll still be faithful
When the stars refuse to shine and time is no more
You'll still be faithful O You'll still be faithful. O Lord
Great is thy faithfulness. Lord unto me
[“You are so faithful”]
Praising the faithful Lord,
James Kim
[August 20, 2022, Although I am very unfaithful, I believe that the Lord, who is true and faithful, is faithfully fulfilling the promise of the five loaves and two fish (John 6:1-15) and the promise of “… I will build my church…” (Matthew 1:18)]