Esau birthright and blessing

[Rubato 1]

Palatka, This is a good post.

I would point out that in this case God had already promised the blessing to the younger. It was gonna happen, and Isaac wasn't going to stop it.
This was a trend, not only with the patriarchs, but also with other prominent OT saints: Abraham was not firstborn, Isaac was not firstborn, Jacob was not firstborn, Joseph was not firstborn, and Ephraim was not firstborn, yet each of these recieved the birthright (I guess you could discuss Abram's inheritance as a 'birthright' or not). Ephraim was Joseph's younger son, and he recieved the blessing (not strictly a birthright) as opposed to Manasseh. The point is that none of the 'Patriarchs' were firstborn, or 'deserving' of the birthright.

 

[Palatka51]

Note too that Isaac is near blindness. Jacob nor Rebekah could have gotten him into this condition unless God had set the stage for the deception. The deception would not have worked had Isaac had 20/20 vision.
Who had the clearest vision of God's Word? Isaac and Esau or Rebekah and Jacob?
You might say that the godly man, and Isaac was BTW, can get caught up in tradition and loose sight of God's Word in the process. So caught in tradition was Isaac that he actually almost fell for Esau's deception. And what was that? you might ask.
Isaac was so caught up with tradition that he hadn't noticed that he was being led away with the worldly antics of his worldly son. Esau the hunter*, man of the world made a bodacious pot of venison and Isaac enjoyed his cooking.

Genesis 27:3&4
3Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
4And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

He was actually in love with what the world brought to him so much that he would deny Jacob the blessing that God would have Jacob get.

*Let this disclaimer show that the poster of this thread does not believe that hunters are men of the world in an ungodly sense. Only in the case of Esau can he make that case. Now you may go out and cull the deer population without fear of becoming worldly, unless your name is Esau and you are hairy.:laugh: And leave the preparation of the venison for your wife. If Isaac had done this then he might have listened to her rather than listening to his worldly son. :laugh:

 

[Joe]

I would point out that in this case God had already promised the blessing to the younger. It was gonna happen, and Isaac wasn't going to stop it.

Thank you. This is what I understood, and was going to ask

 

[Palatka51]

Palatka, This is a good post.

I would point out that in this case God had already promised the blessing to the younger. It was gonna happen, and Isaac wasn't going to stop it.
This was a trend, not only with the patriarchs, but also with other prominent OT saints: Abraham was not firstborn, Isaac was not firstborn, Jacob was not firstborn, Joseph was not firstborn, and Ephraim was not firstborn, yet each of these recieved the birthright (I guess you could discuss Abram's inheritance as a 'birthright' or not). Ephraim was Joseph's younger son, and he recieved the blessing (not strictly a birthright) as opposed to Manasseh. The point is that none of the 'Patriarchs' were firstborn, or 'deserving' of the birthright.

Indeed it is a great picture of how the undeserved, by the traditions of men, will find grace with God if they are willing to do what it takes to go after it.