Introduction:

The entire chapter of Genesis 27 is centered on the word “Blessing.” This chapter describes Isaac’s blessing of Jacob under the deception of Rebekah and Jacob. Isaac’s main focus was to bless Esau, the first-born, with the greater blessing; but Rebekah implemented her plan to deceive Isaac, wherein he would bless Jacob with the greater blessing. This did happen; Jacob dressed himself as Esau, and blind Isaac did give Esau’s blessing to Jacob.

However, this was prophesied by God in Genesis 25:23d, “the elder shall serve the younger.”  This Sovereign Plan of God is further explained in Romans 9:6-24, “… Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:13). (Also see Proverbs 19:21.)

Isaac also blessed Esau; but it was a lesser blessing. Then Jacob had to flee from Esau because of Esau’s decision to kill Jacob over losing both his birthright and his blessing to Jacob. So Jacob fled to Rebekah’s brother Laban in Haran.

I. Isaac’s Request to Esau (Genesis  27:1-4)

Isaac requested that Esau prepare “savoury meat” (or venison) (because Isaac loved venison meat), and bring it to him to eat. The reason for this request was not only to eat what he loved before his death; but Isaac also wanted to bless Esau with the greater blessing, the blessing that went to the first-born, along with the birth-right.

II. Rebekah’s Knowledge of Isaac’s Plan; and Her Actions to deceive Isaac for Jacob’s sake; and Jacob’s Actions deceiving Isaac and being blessed (Genesis  27:5-29)

When Rebekah overhead Isaac’s plan for Esau, she devised a plan for Jacob to deceive Isaac. She instructed Jacob to go get two kids so she could prepare Isaac’s meat. But Jacob was concerned that his father would perceive that it was Jacob and not Esau – for then Isaac would curse him instead of blessing him. Jacob said to his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man” (Genesis  27:11).

Rebekah said she would take the blame if Isaac found out. She instructed Jacob to put on some of Esau’s clothing, and to take the hairy skin of the kid and place it on his hands and neck, and then to carry the savoury meat to Isaac. So Jacob went to Isaac to give him the meat, and to receive Esau’s blessing. Isaac perceived it was Jacob’s voice, but Isaac said his hands (Jacob’s) were hairy like Esau’s. So Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking it was Esau.

The contents of that blessing are listed in Genesis  27:28-29:

(1) That God would bless him physically; his store, or his harvest (Genesis  27:28)

(2) Here God speaks of Jacob’s position among people; people will serve him and nations will bow down to him; he will be lord over his brethren; and “cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee” (Genesis  27:29)

Genesis  27:29 points directly to Christ, the Seed (see Galatians 3:16); whom Jacob was to be a type of; King Jesus over His Body, the Church, the Regenerated People of God; Christ, King over His own Kingdom.

III. Esau’s Distress over losing the greater blessing to Jacob; and his request to his father Isaac bless him also (Genesis  27: 30-38)

When Esau came to feed him, Isaac said, “Who art thou?” Esau answered him; and Isaac realized that he had been deceived by Jacob. When Esau heard what had happened, “he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry” (Genesis  27: 34). Then Esau made request for a blessing also.

IV. Isaac’s Answer to Esau; and his blessing to Esau (Genesis  27:39-40)

Isaac blessed Esau, but with the lesser blessing. He said Esau’s store would also be blessed; but he would live by the sword. He would serve his brother Jacob; but he would break Jacob’s yoke from his neck.

V. Esau’s Hatred of Jacob (Genesis  27:41)

Look at Genesis  27:36; this shows that Esau hated Jacob because Jacob had “supplanted” (or deceived) Esau out of his Birthright and his Blessing. Esau determined to kill Jacob, after the mourning for his father’s death.

VI. Rebekah’s Plan to send Jacob to her brother Laban in Haran (Genesis  27:42-46)

When Rebekah heard of Esau’s threat to kill Jacob, she devised another plan for Jacob. This time she sent him away to Laban’s house until Esau’s wrath had abated. She promised Jacob to send for him when Esau had forgotten what had happened.

Rebekah told Isaac the reason for Jacob leaving was to find a wife, one not from “the daughters of Heth” (or from the woman of this land). Rebekah said to Isaac, if he does, “what good shall my life do me?” Then in Genesis 28, Isaac sent Jacob away to Laban’s to find a wife in Padanaram.

Additional Thoughts:

The key word in Chapter 27 is the word, “Blessing”

God had set the stage in Genesis 25:23, when He related to Rebekah the future for the two babies in her womb, even before they were born: two manner of people, two nations, in her womb; one stronger than the other; the elder shall serve the younger.

This was the Plan and Purpose of God.  Romans 9:6-24 reveals the two nations, the two manner of people:

(1) Children of the flesh: Vessels of dishonor (Romans 9:21-22); Esau was type of Old Testament Israel; the unprofitable servant.

(2) Children of the Promise: Vessels of mercy; elected and prepared afore time to glory (Romans 9:23); Jacob was type of the New Testament Church; the profitable servant.

(See Galatians 3:1-29.)

Again, Isaac was acting according to his flesh. (See Genesis 25:28; Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob.) And he knew Esau was the first-born, so he proceeded to bless Esau before he died. However, Rebekah knew God’s Will (Genesis 25:23); so she proceeded to do what she did in faith. This shows God using Rebekah and her faith to carry out His Purpose (as revealed in Romans 9:6-24).

God is not the author of sin (James 1:13-15); but Rebekah was over-riding Isaac’s action in his flesh. It is not Rebekah’s sin; but Isaac’s, for not following the Spirit, but following his own flesh. God over-rode Isaac’s will, using Rebekah’s faith (her perception of God’s Will). She knew Romans 9:6-24, by faith.

Great Spiritual Truths are revealed concerning the children of the flesh and the children of the Promise:

(1) Children of the flesh – saved Old Testament people; but unprofitable servants; revelation, but no regeneration (see Hebrews 12:17)

(2) Children of the Promise – saved and regenerated; have the Gift of the Holy Spirit; they are the New Testament Church (Romans 9:6-24; Galatians 3:1-29)

The importance of the first-born’s position is in the Birthright and the Blessing. But Genesis 27:1-46 and Romans 9:6-24 reveal that it is a spiritual position and not a physical position:

(1) Cain lost his birthright to Seth.

(2) Ishmael lost his birthright to Isaac.

(3) Esau lost his birthright to Jacob.

(4) Reuben lost his birthright to Judah.

(5) Israel of the Old Testament lost the birthright and the blessing to the New Testament Church. (Matthew 21:43; etc.)

Rebekah’s actions set in motion the path for Jacob’s entire life as a type of Christ, as the New Testament Regenerated Elect of God, the Church:

(1) Genesis 28 – Jacob, on his way to Laban’s, is revealed God (Genesis 28:10-22), and that He is Jacob’s God.

(2) Genesis 29 – Jacob is molded into the man God purposed him to be; he picks up his two wives (Leah and Rachel) and two concubines (Zilpah and Bilhah).

(3) Genesis 32 – Jacob’s name is changed to Israel; a type of Regeneration, and the Gift of the Holy Spirit.