Thoughts on the readings for January 15th (Genesis 27, Psalm 32, Matthew 17)

houghts on the readings for January 15th (Genesis 27, Psalm 32, Matthew 17) Genesis 27 is a pivotal chapter, which explains much about the 4 principal characters of this record – Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau. All of them show defects when compared against the divine standard. Isaac knew his Sovereign’s revealed will that Jacob would be the blessed, and that the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob); yet he tried to subvert this in seeking to bless Esau. Rebekah did not wait for the Almighty to fulfill His promise; but she believed her intervention and deception would be needed for this to happen. Jacob was prepared to deceive his father (Isaac) at the urging of his mother (Rebekah) rather than to trust in his God to outwork the bestowing of the blessing. Esau was a profane and godless man, who cared about none but himself; and he sought only material prosperity. Isaac’s sight had gone and he believed that he was nearing death. So Isaac told Esau to catch and prepare venison for him to eat before dying; and, that he might bestow on Esau the Abrahamic blessing. On overhearing this Rebekah immediately calls Jacob to fetch goats that she might cook them with spices so as to taste like savoury venison. Jacob is scared that their planned deception might fail, since Jacob’s skin is smooth and Esau’s is rough and hairy. Rebekah says Jacob is to dress in Esau’s clothes so as to smell like his brother. And she will sow the goat skins to Jacob’s arms in order to deceive Isaac. Isaac’s sight being gone, Rebekah and Jacob must betray his sense of taste, smell and touch. After hearing Jacob Isaac was suspicious, nevertheless his other senses told him that it was Esau standing before him. Isaac gave the blessing in verses 27 to 29. Read these verses aloud and contemplate their meaning. Isaac had disobeyed Yahweh’s determinations. Esau now appeared with his prey prepared for eating. Upon realising what had happened Isaac trembled – the Hebrew says, “he trembled with the trembling of God” – as well he should, having sought to impose his will above the LORD’s; Isaac now in humility of mind submitted himself before the Almighty. Esau with intense pleas and tears sought unsuccessfully to reverse Isaac’s mind (Hebrews 12 verses 15 to 17). Isaac now stood immovable having understood the Almighty cannot be resisted. The apparent blessing Esau received was in no way a blessing (verses 39 and 40). The Hebrew words in verse 29 translated, “the fatness of the earth”, actually mean “away from the fatness of the earth” – Esau thereafter dwelt in the barren wilderness of Seir, at Petra. And as verse 30 told he lived by his sword and was the sworn enemy to Jacob his brother; and the nations that descended from the twins perpetrated the animosity until Edom (Esau) ceased to exist as a nation in 70 AD when Rome sacked Jerusalem. Rebekah overhead Esau’s threat to murder Jacob and planned his escape to Haran. In verse 46 Rebekah used Esau’s profane marriages to Canaanitish wives as a reason for Isaac to order that Jacob be sent to Haran to find a faithful, covenanted wife from among Abraham’s relatives. cont reading here https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-readings-for-january-15th-genesis-27-psalm-32-matthew-17/