Genesis 27:1-5 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…. “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….
From a human viewpoint, the whole matter between Jacob, Esau and Rebekah is a web of lying and stealing. Sin is prevalent. The first question we want to ask is “Who is to blame?” Jacob could be singled out, or Rebekah could be targeted as the instigator with all the blame. We know that Jacob was the ultimate one to receive the blessing and through whom God would pour out his covenant promises. Esau, we would say, got what was coming to him since he had already dismissed and despised his birthright two times. The fact is that they all are to blame. What their actions accomplish is to exalt God, whose purposes, promises and plans cannot be derailed by the worst of mankind.
The better question to ask is: Can God fulfill his promises without our help? Rebekah had two choices. One was to walk by faith in God and the other to walk by her own understanding. When you put it like that, the answer is obvious. There are no lesser commandments given by God that can be overridden in order to bring about a good conclusion. The solution to one person’s sin can never be another sin on our part. God will take care of the ends that he has already determined to be. His promises are always fulfilled.
Our responsibility is to be faithful in our use of the things he gives us. The means of receiving his favor, grace and blessings is always and only by faith. Rebekah should have placed her trust in God when it came to her two sons. She should have prayed and allowed the blessing Isaac would bestow to occur in God’s time and in God’s way. Nothing is impossible with God. Not even the fulfillment of His promises.
