- ISAAC
and Rebekah had twin sons named Jacob and Esau. Esau, the first-born, was
his father's favorite because he was a hunter, rough and hairy; whereas
the mother loved Jacob, who was a quiet man who lived in tents.
Jacob was cooking' some lentil soup one day when Esau came in tired and
hungry. "Give me some soup, I beg of you," he said.
"I will," said Jacob, "if you will sell me your right to be called t,he
eldest son." So Esau agreed, and sold his birth- right for a bowl of
lentil soup. In this way, Jacob bought the right to his brother's place.
Now when Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see,
he called Esau to him and said, "My son, take your bow and arrows and go
out to the field and get me some game and prepare for me some meat that I
like. Bring it to me that I may eat, and that I may give you my blessing
before I die."
Esau went out to the field to hunt, and while he was gone, Rebekah
prepared a dish for Isaac from the meat of two young goats. She said to
Jacob, "Take this to your father, and he will give you his blessing."
But Jacob said, "Esau, my brother, is a hairy man and I am not. My
father may feel me and I shall be like a deceiver, and he will not bless
me."
"Obey me, my son," said Rebekah, and she gut Esau's best clothes on
Jacob and covered his hands and neck with the skins of goats.
So Jacob brought in the meat to Isaac and said, "Father, this is your
first-born, Esau, with the game you wanted. Now give me your blessing."
But Isaac said, "How did you find it so quickly; my son?"
- "Because the Lord sent
it," said Jacob.
Then Isaac felt his son and said, "The voice is Jacob's' but the hands
are the hands of Esau. Are you truly my son Esau?"
And Jacob said, "I am."
"Bring me the meat," said Isaac, "and kiss me, my son." And he gave him
his blessing. As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, Esau came in
from the hunt.
When Esau found that Jacob had taken away his blessing, he was very
angry and he wanted to kill him.
The mother warned Jacob, "Your brother will kill you if you stay here.
Go at once to Laban, my brother, and stay until Esau forgets his anger."
So Jacob started his journey toward his uncle's house.
Jacob and his family would enjoy God's blessing and have Canaan as
their home. They also would have the duty of carrying on the promise of
the Messiah.
- Jacob suffered a lot when he had to leave
his family and "alone" make such a long and hard trip. God was at his side,
but that was the last time he saw his loved mother.
- We have many lessons to learn in this story.
Pray God to help you to understand them. Love, Tia Célia
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