Hello! Welcome to today’s Bible study on Genesis 27. According to Bible scholars, the events of Genesis 27 took place in 1929 B.C.
I encourage you to turn to Genesis 27 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 27. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 26, we read about Isaac and Abimelech and what transpired between them at Gerar. In today’s Bible study on Genesis 27, we will read about how Jacob received Isaac’s blessings.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 27, shall we?
Genesis 27 at a glance
01
Genesis 27:1-17
The Plan To Deceive Isaac
Isaac was old and his eyesight was failing. Sensing his impending end, he called for his beloved firstborn son, Esau, and asked him to hunt game and prepare delicious food so that he could eat it and bless him.
Rebekah overheard their conversation. As soon as Esau went hunting, Rebekah instructed Jacob to quickly bring her two goat calves so she could prepare savory food for Isaac. She instructed Jacob to take the food to Isaac and receive the firstborn’s blessing before Esau returned from hunting.
Jacob was hesitant because his smooth skin would give him away if Isaac were to touch his hands and test him. He feared that if Isaac discovered his deception, it would bring a curse on him rather than a blessing. Rebekah calmed Jacob and urged him to get the goat calves. She prepared the food exactly in the way Isaac liked it and gave it to Jacob. She also put goat skins on Jacob to mimic Esau’s hairy skin and dressed Jacob in Esau’s clothes so that Isaac would not suspect him.
02
Genesis 27:18-29
Isaac blesses Jacob With The Firstborn’s Blessing
When Jacob presented himself to his father, Isaac, he did not trust him. He questioned whether he was really Esau and how he was able to hunt and prepare the food so quickly. Jacob tried to convince Isaac that he was Esau.
Isaac, still unconvinced, called Jacob closer to him to test whether he was Esau or not. He felt Jacob’s skin and found it to be hairy. He was perplexed because he discerned Jacob’s voice yet his skin was like Esau’s. He did not realize that it was Jacob with the goat skins because he could not see due to his failing eyesight.
He then asked Jacob to bring him the food. He ate the food and drank the wine. He tested Jacob one more time and asked him to come near him and kiss him before he could bless him. He then smelled Esau’s clothes, not realizing that Rebekah had put them on Jacob. Finally, he blessed Jacob with the blessing that he had reserved for his firstborn, Esau.
03
Genesis 27:30-40
Esau’s Lost Hope
No sooner had Jacob left Isaac’s presence than Esau entered with the savory food he had prepared from the game he had hunted. Isaac trembled in fear when he realized that he had been deceived by Jacob and had given Esau’s blessing to Jacob.
Esau cried bitterly and asked Isaac for a blessing. He was furious with Jacob for deceiving their father and for taking away his blessing. He had also taken away his birthright when he asked him for a pot of stew -see Genesis 25. Isaac later gave a blessing to Esau as well, even though he had already given the best blessing to Jacob.
04
Genesis 27:41-46
Jacob Escapes From Esau
Esau was furious with Jacob and plotted revenge, planning to kill him soon after the days of mourning for Isaac were completed. Rebekah, upon learning of Esau’s intentions, urged Jacob to flee to Haran to stay with her brother Laban until Esau’s anger subsided. She did not want to lose Isaac and Jacob on the same day.
Later, she went to Isaac and complained about what a burden Esau’s two wives were to her, and how she did not want Jacob to take wives from the land. In saying so, she justified her plan of why Jacob should go to Haran without telling the real reason to Isaac.
Genesis 27: Some Observations and Commentary
There is a lot going on in Genesis 27. In fact, it took me the longest time to write this bible study. There is family drama and hurt involved in this chapter.
Genesis 27:1-4 Observation
Here, we see Isaac’s intention to bless Esau. He preferred Esau because he loved the food that he cooked for him from the game that he hunted. Isaac was ‘probably’ oblivious to what the Lord has told Rebekah regarding inheritance and his children. Also, Isaac apparently didn’t seek the Lord on whom to bless and pass on his blessings and inheritance to.
Genesis 27:6-10 Observation
Rebekah had a reason to prefer Jacob over Esau. She received a prophecy from the Lord when she inquired about her children. She learned that Jacob was the chosen one, as the Lord had informed her that there were two nations in her womb and that the older would serve the younger. Isaac did not comprehend whom the Lord had selected, therefore, Rebekah took matters into her own hands. She wanted Jacob to receive the rightful inheritance, so she played a major role (however deceitful) in ensuring that Jacob received the blessing.
In my opinion, there may have been a better approach to handling the situation. I believe that Rebekah should have sought the Lord’s advice on the matter.
Genesis 27:36 Commentary
Esau blamed Jacob for deceiving and stealing his blessing. However, he willing sold his birthright in Genesis 25 in exchange for a pot of lentil stew and bread. He had the right to deny Jacob his birthright, but by selling it, he lost his claim to it. Therefore, it was clear that the blessings associated with his birthright would now go to Jacob, to whom he had sold his birthright. It was bound to happen anyways.
Genesis 27:41 Commentary
We see a familiar tale of sibling rivalry, reminiscent of Cain and Abel. Esau’s anger towards Jacob reached murderous levels, but Rebekah’s intervention saved Jacob’s life.
Lessons to learn from Genesis 27
There are a few important lessons to learn from Genesis 27.
Involve God in decision-making
It is important that we do not allow our emotions to take precedence over God’s will when making decisions. Isaac made the mistake of allowing his affection for Esau to influence him to bless him instead of God’s chosen one, Jacob. Also, Rebekah had a desire to ensure that Jacob received Isaac’s blessings, but her methods may have been questionable. She should have sought the Lord’s guidance and could have avoided deceiving Isaac.
This highlights that even the patriarchs and matriarchs, although pious, were only human and had their flaws.
Therefore, it is wise to always involve God in everything we do, seeking His will and making decisions accordingly.
Protect what God has given you and be vigilant
It’s important to protect what God has given us and be aware of those around us. Esau didn’t expect his mother Rebekah and brother Jacob to deceive Isaac and steal his blessing. If he had paid more attention to these things, he may have been able to avoid this. Additionally, he made a big mistake by giving up his birthright. There are some things that you shouldn’t compromise on, and birthrights are one of them. Even though Esau wasn’t chosen by God, if he had behaved better by not giving up his firstborn rights to Jacob so easily, God may have found a way to honor him.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study lesson on Genesis 27. I hope you learnt something from this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with others. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until Next Time!