Jacob 2

JACOB 2

GENESIS 27:1-40 (NIV)

FARMER JOE STORY

FARMER JOE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT

AND DECIDED THAT  HIS INJURIES WERE SERIOUS ENOUGH

TO TAKE THIS TRUCKING COMPANY TO COURT.

IN THE COURT ROOM,

THE TRUCKING COMPANY’S FANCY LAWYER

WAS QUESTIONING          FARMER JOE.

HE ASKED FARMER JOE;

"DIDN’T YOU SAY, AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, ’I’M FINE’?,"

FARMER JOE BEGAN BY SAYING,

"WELL I’LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED.

I HAD JUST LOADED MY FAVORITE MULE BESSIE INTO THE..."

"I DIDN’T ASK FOR ANY DETAILS," THE LAWYER INTERRUPTED,

"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION.

DID YOU NOT SAY, AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, ’I’M FINE’!"

FARMER JOE SAID, "WELL I HAD JUST GOT BESSIE INTO THE TRAILER AND I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD..."

WHEN THE LAWYER INTERRUPTED AGAIN AND SAID,

"JUDGE, I AM TRYING TO ESTABLISH THE FACT THAT, AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT,

THIS MAN TOLD THE HIGHWAY PATROLMAN AT THE SCENE

THAT HE WAS JUST FINE.

AND NOW SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT

HE'S TRYING TO SUE MY CLIENT.

I BELIEVE HE’S A FRAUD.

PLEASE TELL HIM TO SIMPLY ANSWER THE QUESTION."

BY THIS TIME THE JUDGE WAS FAIRLY INTERESTED IN FARMER JOE’S ANSWER

SO HE  SAID TO THE LAWYER,

"I’D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY ABOUT HIS FAVORITE MULE BESSIE."

JOE THANKED THE JUDGE AND CONTINUED ON,

"WELL AS I WAS SAYING,

I HAD JUST LOADED BESSIE, MY FAVORITE MULE,

INTO THE TRAILER AND WAS DRIVING HER DOWN THE HIGHWAY

WHEN THIS HUGE SEMI-TRUCK AND TRAILER RAN THE STOP SIGN AND SMACKED MY TRUCK RIGHT IN THE SIDE.

I WAS THROWN INTO ONE DITCH

AND BESSIE WAS THROWN INTO THE OTHER.

I WAS HURTING REAL BAD JUDGE

AND DIDN’T WANT TO MOVE.

HOWEVER, I COULD HEAR OLE BESSIE MOANING AND GROANING.

AND I KNEW SHE WAS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE JUST BY HER GROANS.

SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT A HIGHWAY PATROLMAN

CAME ON THE SCENE.

HE COULD HEAR BESSIE MOANING AND GROANING

SO HE WENT OVER TO HER.

AFTER HE LOOKED AT HER HE TOOK OUT HIS GUN

AND SHOT HER         RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES.

THEN THE PATROLMAN CAME OVER THE ROAD

WITH HIS GUN IN HIS HAND AND LOOKED AT ME.

HE SAID, "YOUR MULE WAS IN SUCH BAD SHAPE

I HAD TO SHOOT HER.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?"

IT WAS THEN THAT I SAID,         "I’M FINE."

IN 2008, NEW YORK MAGAZINE RAN AN ARTICLE

ABOUT KIDS AND LYING.

IN ONE STUDY THE RESEARCHERS

GATHERED A GROUP OF CHILDREN TOGETHER

AND READ THEM A VERSION OF THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF

THAT’S THE STORY WHERE

THE LITTLE BOY IS EATEN BY THE WOLF BECAUSE HE TELLS LIES.

THEY THOUGHT THAT THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES

IN STORY WOULD LEAD THE CHILDREN TO BE MORE HONEST.

HOWEVER, IN CONTROLLED EXPERIMENTS ON HONESTY

AND DECEIT.

RESEARCHERS FOUND OUT  

THAT THE CHILDREN CONTINUED THEIR USUAL RATE OF LYING.

NEXT THE RESEARCHERS TAUGHT THE STORY

OF GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE CHERRY TREE.

IN THIS STORY GEORGE GOES TO HIS FATHER

AND CONFESSES THAT HE WAS THE ONE THAT CUT DOWN THE TREE.

GEORGES FATHER THEN TELLS GEORGE THAT

, "HEARING YOU TELL THE TRUTH INSTEAD OF A LIE

IS BETTER THAN IF I HAD A THOUSAND CHERRY TREES."

THE RESEARCHERS DISCOVERED

THAT THE STORY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE CHERRY TREE REDUCED LYING BY 43 PERCENT.

THEIR CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE THREAT OF PUNISHMENT
ONLY TEACHES THE CHILDREN TO LIE BETTER.

BUT WHEN CHILDREN LEARN THE WORTH OF HONESTY,

AS THEY DID IN THE GEORGE WASHINGTON STORY,

THEY LIE LESS.

BEFORE WE READ THE SCRIPTURE

I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE BLESSING

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT INCLUDED.

(27:1) BLESSING, THE: IN ANCIENT TIMES,

THE BLESSING OF A FATHER

WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT EVENT.

IT WAS A TIME SET ASIDE WHEN THE FATHER TRANSFERRED THE BIRTHRIGHT

AND THE FAMILY INHERITANCE OVER TO HIS SON,

USUALLY IT WAS THE OLDEST SON.

HOWEVER, IF THE OLDER SON PROVED UNWORTHY,

THE FATHER COULD PASS THE BLESSING TO A YOUNGER SON.

THE BLESSING WAS A LEGAL AND BINDING CONTRACT

AND ALWAYS INCLUDED THE BIRTHRIGHT

OR INHERITANCE OF THE FATHER.

IN THE CASE OF ISAAC,

BOTH THE BIRTHRIGHT AND BLESSING

INCLUDED THE SPECIAL PROMISES GOD HAD MADE TO ABRAHAM...

THE PROMISE OF THE PROMISED LAND.

THE PROMISE OF THE PROMISED SEED,

WHICH MEANT BOTH

THE SEED OF A NEW RACE OF PEOPLE

AND THE SEED OF THE MESSIAH.

GENESIS 12:1-3

GENESIS 27:1-40 (NIV)
JACOB GETS ISAAC’S BLESSING

27     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, “MY SON.”   “HERE I AM,” HE ANSWERED.

2 ISAAC SAID, “I AM NOW AN OLD MAN AND DON’T KNOW THE DAY OF MY DEATH. 3 NOW THEN, GET YOUR WEAPONS—YOUR QUIVER AND BOW—AND GO OUT TO THE OPEN COUNTRY TO HUNT SOME WILD GAME FOR ME. 4 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.”

5 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, 6 REBEKAH SAID TO HER SON JACOB, “LOOK, I OVERHEARD YOUR FATHER SAY TO YOUR BROTHER ESAU, 7 ‘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.’ 8 NOW, MY SON, LISTEN CAREFULLY AND DO WHAT I TELL YOU: 9 GO OUT TO THE FLOCK AND BRING ME TWO CHOICE YOUNG GOATS, SO I CAN PREPARE SOME TASTY FOOD FOR YOUR FATHER, JUST THE WAY HE LIKES IT. 10 THEN TAKE IT TO YOUR FATHER TO EAT, SO THAT HE MAY GIVE YOU HIS BLESSING BEFORE HE DIES.”

11 JACOB SAID TO REBEKAH HIS MOTHER, “BUT MY BROTHER ESAU IS A HAIRY MAN, AND I’M A MAN WITH SMOOTH SKIN. 12 WHAT IF MY FATHER TOUCHES ME? I WOULD APPEAR TO BE TRICKING HIM AND WOULD BRING DOWN A CURSE ON MYSELF RATHER THAN A BLESSING.”

13 HIS MOTHER SAID TO HIM, “MY SON, LET THE CURSE FALL ON ME. JUST DO WHAT I SAY; GO AND GET THEM FOR ME.”

14 SO HE WENT AND GOT THEM AND BROUGHT THEM TO HIS MOTHER, AND SHE PREPARED SOME TASTY FOOD, JUST THE WAY HIS FATHER LIKED IT. 15 THEN REBEKAH TOOK THE BEST CLOTHES OF ESAU HER OLDER SON, WHICH SHE HAD IN THE HOUSE, AND PUT THEM ON HER YOUNGER SON JACOB. 16 SHE ALSO COVERED HIS HANDS AND THE SMOOTH PART OF HIS NECK WITH THE GOATSKINS. 17 THEN SHE HANDED TO HER SON JACOB THE TASTY FOOD AND THE BREAD SHE HAD MADE.

18 HE WENT TO HIS FATHER AND SAID, “MY FATHER.”

“YES, MY SON,” HE ANSWERED. “WHO IS IT?”

19 JACOB SAID TO HIS FATHER, “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 GIVE ME YOUR BLESSING.”

20 ISAAC ASKED HIS SON, “HOW DID YOU FIND IT SO QUICKLY, MY SON?”

“THE LORD YOUR GOD GAVE ME SUCCESS,” HE REPLIED.

21 THEN ISAAC SAID TO JACOB, “COME NEAR SO I CAN TOUCH YOU, MY SON, TO KNOW WHETHER YOU REALLY ARE MY SON ESAU OR NOT.”

22 JACOB WENT CLOSE TO HIS FATHER ISAAC, WHO TOUCHED HIM AND SAID, “THE VOICE IS THE VOICE OF JACOB, BUT THE HANDS ARE THE HANDS OF ESAU.” 23 HE DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM, FOR HIS HANDS WERE HAIRY LIKE THOSE OF HIS BROTHER ESAU; SO HE BLESSED HIM. 24 “ARE YOU REALLY MY SON ESAU?” HE ASKED.

“I AM,” HE REPLIED.

25 THEN HE SAID, “MY SON, BRING ME SOME OF YOUR GAME TO EAT, SO THAT I MAY GIVE YOU MY BLESSING.”

JACOB BROUGHT IT TO HIM AND HE ATE; AND HE BROUGHT SOME WINE AND HE DRANK. 26 THEN HIS FATHER ISAAC SAID TO HIM, “COME HERE, MY SON, AND KISS ME.”

27 SO HE WENT TO HIM AND KISSED HIM. WHEN ISAAC CAUGHT THE SMELL OF HIS CLOTHES, HE BLESSED HIM AND SAID,

“AH, THE SMELL OF MY SON IS LIKE THE SMELL OF A FIELD

THAT THE LORD HAS BLESSED.

28     MAY GOD GIVE YOU OF HEAVEN’S DEW

AND OF EARTH’S RICHNESS—

AN ABUNDANCE OF GRAIN AND NEW WINE.

29     MAY NATIONS SERVE YOU

AND PEOPLES BOW DOWN TO YOU.

BE LORD OVER YOUR BROTHERS,

AND MAY THE SONS OF YOUR MOTHER BOW DOWN TO YOU.

MAY THOSE WHO CURSE YOU BE CURSED

AND THOSE WHO BLESS YOU BE BLESSED.”

30 AFTER ISAAC FINISHED BLESSING HIM AND JACOB HAD SCARCELY LEFT HIS FATHER’S PRESENCE, HIS BROTHER ESAU CAME IN FROM HUNTING. 31 HE TOO PREPARED SOME TASTY FOOD AND BROUGHT IT TO HIS FATHER. THEN HE SAID TO HIM, “MY FATHER, SIT UP AND EAT SOME OF MY GAME, SO THAT YOU MAY GIVE ME YOUR BLESSING.”

32 HIS FATHER ISAAC ASKED HIM, “WHO ARE YOU?”

“I AM YOUR SON,” HE ANSWERED, “YOUR FIRSTBORN, ESAU.”

33 ISAAC TREMBLED VIOLENTLY AND SAID, “WHO WAS IT, THEN, THAT HUNTED GAME AND BROUGHT IT TO ME? I ATE IT JUST BEFORE YOU CAME AND I BLESSED HIM—AND INDEED HE WILL BE BLESSED!”

34 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!”

35 BUT HE SAID, “YOUR BROTHER CAME DECEITFULLY AND TOOK YOUR BLESSING.”

36 ESAU SAID, “ISN’T HE RIGHTLY NAMED JACOB? HE HAS DECEIVED ME THESE TWO TIMES: HE TOOK MY BIRTHRIGHT, AND NOW HE’S TAKEN MY BLESSING!” THEN HE ASKED, “HAVEN’T YOU RESERVED ANY BLESSING FOR ME?”

37 ISAAC ANSWERED ESAU, “I HAVE MADE HIM LORD OVER YOU AND HAVE MADE ALL HIS RELATIVES HIS SERVANTS, AND I HAVE SUSTAINED HIM WITH GRAIN AND NEW WINE. SO WHAT CAN I POSSIBLY DO FOR YOU, MY SON?”

38 ESAU SAID TO HIS FATHER, “DO YOU HAVE ONLY ONE BLESSING, MY FATHER? BLESS ME TOO, MY FATHER!” THEN ESAU WEPT ALOUD.

39 HIS FATHER ISAAC ANSWERED HIM,

“YOUR DWELLING WILL BE

AWAY FROM THE EARTH’S RICHNESS,

AWAY FROM THE DEW OF HEAVEN ABOVE.

40     YOU WILL LIVE BY THE SWORD

AND YOU WILL SERVE YOUR BROTHER.

BUT WHEN YOU GROW RESTLESS,

YOU WILL THROW HIS YOKE

FROM OFF YOUR NECK.”

WHAT A TRAGIC PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE THIS IS.

THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS STORY

AND THERE WASN'T ANY ONE OF THEM

THAT WASN'T DOING SOMETHING WRONG.

THE FIRST ONE WE WILL LOOK AT IS ISAAC.

ISAAC WAS ABRAHAM'S SON OF PROMISE.

HE WAS THE ONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTRA CAREFUL TO CARRY OUT GOD'S PLAN.

AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, UNTIL I BEGAN TO STUDY THIS PASSAGE IN GREATER DEPTH AND DETAIL,

I THOUGHT THAT THE ONLY ONES THAT WERE BEING DECEITFUL WAS REBEKAH AND JACOB.

BUT THE REALITY IS, THAT ISAAC WAS THE ONE

THAT STARTED THIS WHOLE SORDID BALL ROLLING.

LET'S START BY LOOKING AT...

1. ISAAC'S SIN: WAS

AN ATTEMPT TO BYPASS GOD'S WILL      (V.1-4).

ISAAC’S SIN.

ISAAC’S SIN WAS AN ATTEMPT TO BYPASS GOD'S WILL.

HOW COULD ISAAC,     WHO FOLLOWED GOD SO CLOSELY,

GO AGAINST GOD'S WILL?

1.    ISAAC KNEW THAT IT WAS GOD'S WILL FOR JACOB

TO RECEIVE THE BLESSING,

2.    ISAAC KNEW THAT IT WAS GOD'S WILL FOR JACOB TO RECEIVE THE INHERITANCE OF THE FAMILY;

BUT HE PLANNED ON GIVING THAT BLESSING TO ESAU ANYWAY.

HE PLANNED ON GIVING THE INHERITANCE TO ESAU

BOTH ISAAC AND REBEKAH HAD RECEIVED THE WORD FROM GOD IN GENESIS 25:23

THAT...THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER."

ISAAC MUST HAVE KNOWN THAT ESAU HAD TRADED AWAY HIS BIRTHRIGHT TO JACOB.

I'M SURE THAT JACOB WOULDN'T HAVE KEPT THAT A SECRET.

AND YET WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BLESSING

THAT ISAAC UNINTENTIONALLY GAVE TO JACOB.

WE CAN SEE WHAT ISAAC WAS GOING TO SAY

IN ESAU'S BLESSING

29     MAY NATIONS SERVE YOU AND PEOPLES BOW DOWN TO YOU.

BE LORD OVER YOUR BROTHERS,

AND MAY THE SONS OF YOUR MOTHER

BOW DOWN TO YOU.

WE KNOW FROM GENESIS 25:28 (NIV) THAT

28 ISAAC, LOVED ESAU, BUT REBEKAH LOVED JACOB.

ISAAC HAD EVERY INTENTION OF DISOBEYING

GOD'S CLEAR DESIRE FOR JACOB AND ESAU

HE WAS FULLY READY TO GIVE THE UPPER HAND

TO HIS FAVORITE SON ESAU.

ISAAC'S SCHEME

TO BESTOW THE BLESSING ON ESAU

WAS TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE.

HE KNEW THE WILL OF GOD,

HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT GOD WANTED,

BUT HE HAD DECIEDED IN HIS HEART

TO DO WHAT HE WANTED.

WHEN OUR HEART IS REALLY SET ON SOMETHING,

HOW WE CAN BE LIKE ISAAC.

IT BECOMES SO EASY FOR US TO USE

CLEVER LITTLE ARGUMENTS AND FALSE REASONING

TO JUSTIFY OUR DECISION

AND GO AHEAD AND DO       WHAT WE SHOULDN'T DO.

OUR FLESH IS WEAK, DESPERATELY WEAK.

AND WHEN WE WANT SOMETHING,

WHEN WE REALLY WANT IT,

WE GO AFTER IT,  NO MATTER WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS.

FOR YOU IT COULD BE...

RECOGNITION,  HONOR,  POSITION,  PROPERTY,  MONEY, POSSESSIONS,  POWER,  SECURITY,  OR  PLEASURE.

BUT, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS THAT WE REALLY WANT,

IT'S WITHIN OUR CARNAL NATURE TO BE ABLE TO RATIONALIZE OUR BEHAVIOR,

AND CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT GOD WILL UNDERSTAND.

MAYBE WE CAN EVEN GET HIM TO GO ALONG

WITH OUR DESIRE.

WE MAY EVEN BEGIN TO THINK,

SO WHAT IF GOD DOESN'T DISAPPROVE

HE'LL FORGIVE ME

HE WON'T REJECT ME, NOT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS.

AND BEFORE WE KNOW IT, WE'VE CONVINCED OURSELVES

THAT WE CAN DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE WANT,

AND THEN WE DO IT.

WE THINK WE HAVE A HANDLE ON GOD.

WE THINK WE CAN MANIPULATE GOD.

(JEREMIAH 17:9). SAYS

"THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED: WHO CAN KNOW IT?"

AND JESUS SAID IN (MARK 7:21-23)

21 FOR FROM WITHIN,

OUT OF MEN’S HEARTS, COME EVIL THOUGHTS, SEXUAL IMMORALITY, THEFT, MURDER, ADULTERY, 22 GREED, MALICE, DECEIT, LEWDNESS, ENVY, SLANDER, ARROGANCE AND FOLLY.

23 ALL THESE EVILS COME FROM INSIDE

AND MAKE A MAN ‘UNCLEAN.’ ”

THE NEXT PERSON IN OUR STORY IS REBEKAH

2. REBEKAH'S SIN: AN ATTEMPT TO WORK OUT GOD'S WILL BEFORE GOD'S TIME (V.5-17).

REBEKAH’S SIN WAS TO TRY TO WORK OUT GOD’S PLAN BEFORE GOD’S TIME, AND TO DO IT IN HER OWN WAY.

TO REBEKAH’S CREDIT, SHE KNEW WHAT GOD HAD TOLD HER WHEN THE BABIES WERE STILL IN HER WOMB.

SHE KNEW WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN

AND SHE WAS TRYING TO MAKE GOD’S PROPHETIC WILL COME TRUE.

THE PROBLEM CAME WHEN SHE TOOK THE MATTER

INTO HER OWN HANDS AND DEVISED A DECEITFUL SCHEME

SO THAT THINGS WOULD HAPPEN IN THE WAY

THAT SHE THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAPPEN.

DO WE DO THAT TODAY?

DO WE SOMETIMES THINK THAT THE END

JUSTIFIES THE MEANS.

WHEN WE TAKE THE MATTER INTO OUR OWN HANDS,

AREN’T WE SAYING THAT WE DON’T HAVE

THE FAITH TO BELIEVE

THAT GOD CAN HANDLE THIS SITUATION IN HIS OWN WAY.

IT WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT REBEKAH DECIDED TO

“MAKE” THINGS TURN OUT “RIGHT”

BUT SHE ALSO INVOLVED HER SON JACOB

IN THIS SCHEME TOO.

3. JACOB'S SIN: AN ATTEMPT TO SECURE GOD'S WILL IN A WRONG WAY (V.18-29).

JACOB’S SIN WAS AGREEING TO TRY TO OBTAIN GOD’S WILL IN A WRONG WAY.

IT’S INTERESTING THAT JACOB HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT ALL THIS,

BUT IN THE END, HE DIDN’T REFUSE TO TAKE PART IN DECEIVING HIS FATHER.

THE SCIENTIST

THERE WAS A SCIENTIST WHO WANTED TO SEE HOW FAR HE COULD GET PEOPLE TO GO BY HAVING AN AUTHORITY FIGURE TELL THEM THAT IT WAS OK AND THAT HE WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

THIS SCIENTIST SET UP A SITUATION WHERE A VOLUNTEER WOULD COME INTO HIS LAB ALONG WITH AN ACTOR. 

THE VOLUNTEER DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE OTHER PERSON WAS NOT JUST ANOTHER VOLUNTEER, BUT HE WAS AN ACTOR.

THE VOLUNTEER WOULD BE THE ONE CONTROLLING THE VOLTAGE AND THE ACTOR WOULD BE IN ANOTHER ROOM PRETENDING TO BE STRAPPED TO AN ELECTRICAL APPARATUS

AND THE ACTOR WOULD PRETEND TO BE SUFFERING FROM THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT THE VOLUNTEER WAS CONTROLLING.

THERE WAS A LAB ASSISTANT PRESENT WITH A CLIP BOARD.

THE LAB ASSISTANT WOULD TELL THE VOLUNTEER TO MOVE THE VOLTAGE CONTROL KNOB HIGHER AND HIGHER. 

WITH EACH INCREASE, THE ACTOR WOULD CRY OUT IN PAIN.

IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE HOW THAT THESE VOLUNTEERS

WOULD OBEY THE LAB ASSISTANT

AND DO WHAT HE TOLD THEM TO DO

EVEN THOUGH THEY COULD HEAR THE CRYS OF THE ACTOR.

THE VOLUNTEERS WOULD WEEP AS THEY TURNED UP THE VOLTAGE AND HEAR THE OTHER PERSON CRY OUT IN PAIN.

THE VOLUNTEERS SUFFERED PSYCOLOGICAL PAIN,

BUT THEY CONTINUED TO RAISE THE VOLTAGE

WHEN THEY WERE TOLD TO DO SO BY THE LAB ASSISTANT.

THEY COULD HAVE STOOD UP AT ANY TIME AND SAID,

I’M NOT DOING THIS ANY MORE.

LET THAT POOR GUY OUT OF THAT APPARATUS.  I’M LEAVING.

BUT ALMOST ALL OF THEM DIDN’T DO THAT

EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE CRYING OUT AND SAYING HOW SORRY THAT I HAVE TO DO THIS.

THEY OBEYED THE AUTHORITY FIGURE

AND CONTINUED TO TURN THE VOLTAGE KNOB HIGHER.

JACOB COULD HAVE STOOD UP AT ANYTIME AND SAID, I’M NOT GOING TO BE A PART OF THIS SCHEME.

BUT HE DIDN’T.

4. ESAU'S SIN: AN ATTEMPT TO DIVERT, TO CHANGE GOD'S WILL (V.30-38).

ESAU’S SIN WAS A WILLINGNESS TO GO ALONG WITH HIS FATHERS DESIRE TO CHANGE GOD’S WILL.

ESAU COULD HAVE STOOD UP TO HIS DAD AND SAID, NO, THIS IS NOT RIGHT.

I SOLD THE RIGHTS OF THE FIRST BORN TO MY BROTHER AND I WILL NOT BE A PART OF THIS.

BUT TRUTH BE TOLD,

ESAU NEVER WAS VERY INTERESTED IN DOING

THE RIGHT THING. 

HE HAD ALREADY SHOWN THAT

HE PREFERED HIS STOMACH         OVER HIS BIRTHRIGHT.

ESAU MARRIED HITTITE WOMEN.

HE REALLY DIDN’T CARE TO BE THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE FAMILY.

HE ONLY WANTED THE POWER AND THE WEALTH OF THE FAMILY.

LOOK AT  ESAU'S REACTION:

HE WAS NOT WILLING FOR THE BLESSING TO BE ON JACOB ALONE;

HE WAS TOTALLY AGAINST THAT.

HE WANTED A SHARE IN GOD'S BLESSING,

DESPITE THE WORLDLY LIFE HE WAS LIVING.

HE CRIED OUT WITH A BITTER VOICE:

BLESS ME, BLESS ME, TOO, MY FATHER.

SEE HOW ESAU ACTED INJURED AND INNOCENT:

HE JUST REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY

FOR HIS FAILURE

ESAU WAS ACTING INJURED AND INNOCENT;

BUT HE WAS AS WRONG, IF NOT MORE SO, THAN JACOB.

IT WAS GOD'S WILL FOR JACOB TO THE HEAD

OF THE CHOSEN FAMILY.

AND DESPITE JACOB'S DECEPTION,

GOD'S WILL HAD NOT CHANGED.

ESAU WAS STILL REFUSING TO ACCEPT GOD'S WILL.

THE LESSON IS CLEAR:

WE ARE NOT TO LIVE LIKE ESAU DID,

IGNORING GOD'S DEMAND FOR A HOLY LIFE.

WE ARE NOT TO LIVE WORLDLY AND IMMORAL LIVES;

WE ARE NOT TO LIVE IRRESPONSIBLE LIVES,

WE ARE NOT TO NEGLECT OUR FAMILY'S WELFARE.

BUT, WE ARE TO LIVE HOLY, AND PURE LIVES.

NO ONE CAN EVER CHANGE GOD'S WILL

CONCERNING HOLINESS AND PURITY.

THERE IS COMING A DAY

WHEN WE WILL ALL STAND BEFORE GOD,

AND MANY PEOPLE WILL SAY

BUT GOD.  I THOUGHT YOU MEANT...

I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU REALLY MEANT...

CAN'T I CHANGE THINGS, NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY WANT FROM ME?

GOD BLESSES THOSE      WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE

THOSE WHO ARE  CONCERNED ABOUT SPIRITUAL THINGS,

TODAY.

GOD CHOOSES THOSE WHO SEEK TO LIVE HOLY AND PURE LIVES TODAY.

1 PETER 1:15-16 (NIV)
15 BUT JUST AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, SO BE HOLY IN ALL YOU DO; 16 FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “BE HOLY, BECAUSE I AM HOLY.”A

5. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS OF TAMPERING WITH GOD'S WILL (V.39-28:9).

BECAUSE OF ESAU’S SIN,

ESAU WAS TO LIVE IN A BARREN, AND INFERTILE LAND (GENESIS 27:39).

HE WAS TO LIVE IN CONFLICT (GENESIS 27:40).

HE WAS TO LIVE IN SERVITUDE (GENESIS 27:40).

AND OCCASIONALLY HE WOULD

THROW OFF THE YOKE OF FOREIGN RULE

(GENESIS 27:40).

BECAUSE OF JACOB’S SIN

JACOB HAD DISTURBED RELATIONSHIPS,

HATRED, AND BITTERNESS:

ESAU HATED JACOB (GENESIS 27:41).

THERE WAS FEAR AND THREATS TO JACOB'S LIFE:

ESAU WAS PLOTTING TO KILL JACOB (GENESIS 27:41).

AND THERE WAS THE SEPARATION FROM THE FAMILY, JACOB HAD TO LIVE THE LIFE OF A FUGITIVE

(GENESIS 27:42F).

BECAUSE OF REBEKAH'S SIN

SHE LOST HER SON JACOB.  SHE NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN.

BECAUSE OF ISAAC'S SIN

THIS WHOLE THING WAS STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

ISAAC SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE MAN OF THE FAMILY.

HE SHOULD HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING FROM THE FIRST.

MEN, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR FAMILY'S SPIRITUAL CONDITION REST ON OUR SHOULDERS.

WE ARE THE ONES THAT GOD HOLDS ACCOUNTABLE.