When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me—me too, my father!” But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.” (Genesis 27:34, 35)
You can hear the bitter and anguished tones of Esau on the realisation that he’s lost it all.
Don’t you have a blessing for me?
Moments earlier Isaac took one whiff of the odour Jacob had around his neck and the blind old man waxed lyrical about the extent to which the son would be blessed. What a blessing it was too. No wonder it was such a coveted blessing. That which the son of the promise would pass onto the next son of the promise was worthy of the lineage of blessing that had started with Abraham.
It’s difficult for me to read the episode and for all I know about God and His sovereignty, I still come out thinking that Jacob and his Mum were unfair. Deceptive, cunning and essentially swiping from Esau that which he was assigned. In other words I sometimes say to God it’s unfair. There is, however, something about recognising my place in all this. I am not the author of life. I am also aware that when sin entered the world things got messy. If life teaches me anything is that even good things sometimes come from messy places. Likewise as the created, I don’t have the mind of the Creator in the outlining of His will and His way.
Some aren’t satisfied with this answer as they feel God is obliged to have reasons for everything and it must be attainable to them. I grow content to accept that God’s ways are not my ways. It’s not as though Jacob is commended for his trickery and devious behaviour. It’s not as though the main perpetrators get away with it without any cost. Rebecca in essence loses two sons. Jacob will spend a considerable part of the rest of his life living in fear of his brother.
The blessing will outweigh the messing. That’s not an excuse to be messing around.
Yet
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 