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Deceiving for a Blessing (Genesis 27:1-29)

July 20, 2021 | by: Gregg Hunter | 0 comments

Posted in: Genesis 27

The Bible is a completely accurate record of the events that it describes. However, just because the Bible records a particular event, does not necessarily mean that the Bible condones the actions taken in that event. Our passage today appears to be one of those instances. Jacob will be blessed by his father because he lied, deceived his father, and cheated his brother. At first glance, we assume that Jacob’s actions taken here are wrong.

Then we remember Jesus’ parable about the wise servant, who, on the eve of being fired, had his master’s debtors lie about what they owe, and so deceive and cheat his master. This servant was then commended for his deception! As you read today’s passage, don’t dwell so much on the morality of Jacob’s actions as much as on the wisdom that he (or, more accurately, Rebekah) demonstrates.

 

Please read Genesis 27:1-29.

Esau will later exclaim, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times” (27:36). And Jacob is indeed a cheat and a deceiver. But the credit for the deception in this case really goes to Rebekah—she’s the mastermind of the whole scheme! Rebekah is the one who comes up with the idea (9-10), she’s the one who recruits Jacob to her scheme (8), she’s the one who takes the blame if anything goes wrong (13), she’s the one who cooks the food (14), and she’s the one who clothes Jacob with goatskins and Esau’s clothing (15-16).

We have already seen Jacob’s willingness to rob his brother of his birthright. We will later see how Jacob deceives his uncle (and is deceived by his uncle). Jacob is indeed a deceiver and a cheat. But Rebekah is the wise deceiver in this passage. Like mother, like son, I guess.

What strikes the modern Christian reader as odd about this passage is that Rebekah and Jacob are clearly lying to their family, deceiving their family for gain, and cheating their family out of what is rightfully theirs. This is wrong, and they should be condemned for such actions. But instead of condemning them, the Scripture appears to commend them! Their deception is successful; Jacob gets the blessing. Later we will learn that Isaac cannot give a similar blessing to Esau and instead prophesies that he will serve his brother.

This isn’t right! This isn’t justice! What’s happening? Why does God allow this to happen? More importantly, why does Scripture lift this up as positive on Jacob’s part instead of sinful?

First, let me say again that Scripture is simply recording what happened. As of yet, there is no judgment being made about the righteousness or sinfulness of Jacob’s actions in this passage.

Second, God's revelation in Scripture is progressive. Up until this point, the Law of Moses has not yet been given. God has made His invisible attributes known by His creation, but He has not yet declared what is just and righteous. In the previous verses, Esau married multiple wives who were Hittites. This would be condemned under the Mosaic law, but is not condemned in Genesis. Before that, Isaac made a treaty with the Philistines. This would be condemned under Mosaic law, but is not condemned in Genesis. Abraham had faith in God, which saved him, but he committed many violations of the Mosaic Law during his lifetime, which are not recorded as sinful in Genesis. Why? Because the law had not yet been given. We simply cannot hold the Patriarchs to the same standard that was introduced under Moses, or to the standard that Jesus introduced which we are required to follow today.

Lastly, just because Jacob’s actions are immoral does not mean that there is nothing we can learn from them. For instance, we will later see how much strife comes between Jacob and Esau and how they are never able to fully reconcile because Jacob deceived his brother these two times. We also see the wicked fruit that comes when a parent favors one child over the other. These fruit seem to indicate that God is implicitly condemning these actions.

But more than all of that, Jacob is lifted up as a hero in Genesis because he uses wisdom in doing what needs to be done. Like the wise servant in Jesus’ parable, Jacob uses his wits to gain advantage. While Christians should use our wit and wisdom in a way that honors God, we must not use “honoring God” as an excuse for inaction. We too should be willing to use our wisdom and discernment in order to advance the cause of Christ.

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