God's blessing and Marriage [Gen 27]

God’s Blessing and Marriage

Gen 26:34-28:9

Key verse 28:3-4

The New York Times reported recently that 42 percent of marriages in the U.S. are interfaith ones. The percent has been increased and many Christians have contributed to this trend. What do you think about the marriage with an unbeliever or mixed-faith marriage? Today, we will talk about marriage in light of God’s blessing. I pray that God may fill you with his abundant blessing through this message.

I. Isaac is deceived to bless Jacob (26:34 - 27:40)

Interestingly, this passage begins with a short comment on Esau’s marriage.

³⁴ When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. ³⁵ They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

When Esau was forty years old, he married two Hittite women. But these women were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah. The Hittite was one of many tribes living in the land of Canaan. The people in the land of Canaan were well known for their idol worship and pagan practices, such as child sacrifice, sacred prostitution, and sorcery. They were so sinful as we learned from Sodom and Gomorrah that God said he would punish them. (Gen 9:16; Deut 9:5) Probably, Esau’s wives displayed idol images in their houses and practiced divination. This disgusted and grieved Isaac and Rebekah so much. This sets the background for the following chapter, which is about who should receive Isaac’s blessing.

As Isaac got old, his eyes became so weak that he could no longer see. He was more than 100 years old. He thought he would die soon so he wanted to give his blessing to Esau. Isaac thought that Esau should be his heir because he was his first son and thus had the right to inherit his blessing. He also loved Esau because he was manly and often prepared tasty food for him. Isaac never thought of anyone else as his heir other than Esau. One day, he called for Esau and told him to hunt some wild game, prepare the kind of tasty food he liked, and brought it to him to eat so that he might give him his blessing before he died.

What is interesting here is that Isaac could no longer see. The Bible often uses weak eyes to express the lack of discernment as well. Isaac did not see the potential problem in giving his blessing to Esau. His blessing came from Abraham and should be passed to the right person. Esau was his firstborn, but his wives were pagan women, who were unfitting for God’s blessing. But Isaac never took it seriously.

While Isaac was speaking to Esau, Rebekah happened to overhear Isaac. Jacob bought Esau’s birthright, but that did not mean he would be the heir. He needed his father’s approval and blessing. Rebekah immediately let Jacob know Isaac’s plan and told him what to do.

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.”

“Jacob, listen carefully! This is very important. I am sure you are the one who must be blessed by your father. I will help you.”

Hearing her plan, however, Jacob was so scared. It was a deception. Most of all, her counterplan involved a high risk. Though Isaac was almost blind, he still could touch and tell who was Esau or Jacob, because Esau’s skin was hairy whereas Jacob’s skin was smooth. And Jacob’s voice differed from Esau’s. It was likely that Isaac could recognize Jacob. If Isaac discovered Jacob’s trickery, he could be cursed rather than blessed. But this was the only chance for him to be blessed by his father and time was ticking. Jacob hesitated, “Mom, I could not take this risk.” How did Rebekah convince Jacob?

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.”

“Jacob, Look at me. If your father gives you a curse, I will take it. Just do as I say. OK?” Rebekah was so convinced and determined that she did not even mind taking the curse. Why? Of course, she loved Jacob. However, her confidence was based on two things that were so obvious and undeniably true.

·         God’s will was that the older would serve the younger. (25:23)

·         According to her observation, Esau was not qualified for God’s blessing. He sold his birthright for a pot of stew. And he married two pagan women, who could not bear God’s blessing and would mix it with all kinds of pagan stuff. She saw a great danger in giving God’s blessing to Esau.

Rebekah was convinced that Isaac’s plan was clearly wrong and his blessing must be intercepted. So, she determined to take an action on it so that Jacob should be blessed. Contrary to Isaac, Rebekah had a discerning mind about who should be blessed though her ploy was controversial and might not be justified by some people. Without her discernment and decisive action, however, God’s blessing could have fallen into the hands of an unspiritual man and disappeared. I am not endorsing her deception, but we should not depreciate her discernment and determination.

We need such discernment and determination particularly when we marry or set the life direction. God gives us discernment when we seek his will and fear him. He gives us discernment through his word. That is why Bible study is so important. However, discernment is one thing and taking action is another. Many people may know truth but only a few of them take an action because of risks involved. However, nothing will happen without an action of faith. What if Abraham had not left his country because the risk involved was great? What if Isaac did not stay in the land God promised because of dangers and difficulties he would face there? There is a time when we must take an action on what we believe is true in God. If you want to be Jesus’ disciples, you should make a decision to take your cross. If God calls you, you should obey him and make a commitment to him. It may involve some difficulties and challenges, but if you take no action of faith, you will never be close to God’s blessing. May God bless all of you to take an action of faith even if it involves a risk so that you can live up to his calling and receive more blessings. 

Rebekah convinced Jacob and pushed him so hard that Jacob could not but follow her. Jacob brought two choice goats to her. Then, Rebekah prepared things very thoroughly.

·         Prepared some tasty food with them.

·         Put the clothes of Esau on Jacob and covered his hands and neck with the goatskins.

·         Give to Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made for Isaac.

Now Jacob had no other choice and the deed should be done before Esau returned. He walked to his father with a deep breath. As he came closer, he got more nervous and even fearful. His hands were shaking. Now the dice was thrown.

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.”

His son was suspicious so Isaac wanted to make sure that he was really his son Esau. So Isaac checked him four times but each time Jacob deceived him successfully.

·         Isaac asked, “Who it is?” Jacob said, “I am Esau your firstborn.”

·         Isaac asked, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” Jacob said, “The Lord your God gave me success.”

·         Isaac asked, “Come near so I can touch you, my son.” Jacob nervously came closer to Isaac and let him touch his fake skin. Isaac said, “Hmm, strange! The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

·         Isaac asked again, “Are you really my son Esau?” “Jacob said, “I am.”

Meanwhile, Jacob’s heart was pounding and his body was trembling. Esau could have come back anytime. He broke into a cold sweat. He clenched his teeth. But he needed his father’s blessing. Though he was duping his father and could be cursed, he was determined to somehow receive his father’s blessing by any means. He knew this was the only chance for him to be blessed.

Finally, Isaac said, “OK, my son, bring me some of your game to eat so that I may give you my blessing.” Jacob brought it to him along with some wine. Isaac was pleased with the game and ready to bless his son. “Come here, my son, and kiss me.” Isaac caught the smell of his clothes and he was finally convinced that the person before him was his son Esau and then he blessed him. Basically, Isaac blessed his son with an abundance of life and gave him God’s blessing given to Abraham.

²⁸ May God give you heaven’s dew and 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.”

As soon as he was blessed, Jacob scarcely left his father’s presence and then his brother Esau came in from hunting. It was so close. Not knowing what happened, Esau grinned ear to ear while preparing some tasty food for his father, thinking that finally he would receive his father’s blessing. As the food was ready, he went to Isaac and joyfully said, “My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.” Hearing Esau, however, Isaac was confused and terrified.

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!”

Then, Esau burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me—me too, my father! He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing! Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me? Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!”

Now Esau came to realize the importance of God’s blessing and asked Isaac for blessing whatever blessing left over, but it was too late. Isaac had only one blessing that came from Abraham and now it went to Jacob. Isaac could not withdraw the blessing from Jacob. He had no blessing left for Esau but anti-blessing.

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 sympathetic man Esau was? This happened because Esau despised his birthright and pursued his desire. This is what will happen to those who seek their own desires and ignore God’s blessing.

II. Isaac blesses Jacob by faith (27:41-28:9)

⁴¹ Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Now Jacob was in danger because of the blessing he stole. Knowing this, Rebekah told Jacob to flee to her brother Laban until Esau’s fury would subside.

⁴³ Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran. ⁴⁴ Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides. ⁴⁵ When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I’ll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

Then, Rebekah made an excuse to Isaac to send Jacob to her brother in Paddan Aram.

⁴⁶ Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”

It was very worrisome if Jacob would take a wife from Hittite women too. If so, the whole family would be in great danger. God’s blessing would not continue through the family. Now Isaac came to his senses and realized that Esau had a serious issue to be his heir. And he agreed with Rebekah.

So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. ² Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. ³ May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.⁴ May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.” 

He commanded Jacob to go to Rebekah’s home in Paddan Aram and take a wife among the daughters of Laban who knew God and could maintain God’s blessing together with Jacob.

Isaac also confirmed God’s promise to Jacob and blessed him so that he might take possession of the land God gave to Abraham. Though he blessed Jacob previously, it was by Jacob’s deception. But now he truly acknowledged Jacob as his heir and confirmed his blessing. He envisioned that Jacob would prosper and come back to the land God gave to Abraham. And Isaac sent Jacob on his way and he went to Paddan Aram.

Meanwhile, Esau found out what Isaac did for Jacob and realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac so he married Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael. It is not clear whether he did this for his parents or against them out of bitterness. But he married the daughter of Ismael, whose descendants became enemies of Israel later. Esau never became of part of God’s blessing. Why did Esau fail to receive God’s blessing then?

Interestingly, this passage begins and ends with Esau’s marriage, which implies that his marriage with pagan women eventually failed him to receive God’s blessing. His marriage reflected his value on physical things like hunting, food, and women, which could not go together with God’s blessing. Eventually, he lost God’s blessing, which was very costly and painful. He was not the kind of person God wanted, and he and his descendants lived without God’s blessing.

As such, marriage based on our desire can deprive us of God’s blessing. Even some Christians just marry anyone whom they like according to their emotion, styles, and preferences rather than ones who can serve God together. You can marry anyone you like. But if your spouse is not the person who does no know God or cannot serve God together with you all your life, the consequences are very grave. You will miss out God’s blessing and suffer spiritual bankruptcy.

The New York Times I mentioned earlier also read, “Couples in interfaith marriages are, on average, less happy than same-faith ones. In certain faith-combinations they are more likely to divorce. While roughly a third of all evangelicals’ marriages end up in divorce, that climbs to nearly half for marriages between evangelicals and non-evangelicals. It is especially high for evangelicals married to someone with no religion--61%.”

You know Katie Holmes who married Tom Cruise in 2006. It looked like she married the best man in the world. Tom is handsome, rich, and famous. Everybody envied her and blessed her marriage. And a beautiful girl was born between them. Katie was a happiest woman. But after five years of her marriage, she divorced Tom because of the conflict between her Christian background and Tom’s religion. Tom is a devoted member of Scientology, which is a religion group practicing all kinds of blizzard and Satanic things. She was sick that Scientology controlled her family and particularly her six-year-old daughter. Katie was afraid that her daughter would follow the Scientology practices so she divorced with deep wounds in her heart.

As we can see that our marriage is not only about us but also about our children. In some sense, marriage is about how to maintain God’s blessing and passing it to our next generation. 

In Genesis 2, God blessed men to multiply and be fruitful and then married them. In Genesis 6, however, as men became corrupt, they married according to their sensual desire and God could not be with them. Marriage has much to do with God’s blessing. Marriage in God brings God’s blessing but wrong marriage brings nothing but suffering to you and your children. So, It is not too much to stress the importance of marriage in God.

I am not a cool or rich guy like Tom Cruise. But I have God’s blessing because I have married a woman of faith who has been always with me in times of joy or in times of suffering for the last 25 years. We have served the same campus mission. We have worked in the same office room. We are always together 24/7. Most of all, I thank God for our children who are growing in faith and serving in the same ministry. Which one do you think are blessed, Tom Cruise or I?

Isaac reserved God’s blessing by faith and then successfully passed it to Jacob the person God wanted. But it would have been impossible without Rebekah. Rebekah was a woman of faith. She married Isaac according to God by faith. She knew who should be blessed and helped Isaac give his blessing to the right person. Here, again we can learn how important it is to marry a person who values God’s blessing and work together for the same goal in God.

We have God’s blessing, which cannot be exchanged with anything. His blessing is manifested in Jesus. We should desire Jesus as much as Jacob desired his father’s blessing. We should appreciate the value of the gospel of Jesus and pass it to our children as Isaac and Rebekah did. But we should not miss out as Esau did. I pray that each of you may have desire to somehow receive God’s blessing. I pray that your children may also receive the gospel of Jesus through your faith in God and they can also pass God’s blessing to their children by faith. Do you want to receive God’s blessing and pass it to your children? If so, you must marry one who can serve God together throughout your life.

by David Yun