Sermon notes February 8th, 2026

GENESIS 27

Genesis 27 New King James Version

1   Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son." And he answered him, “Here I am.”

• The process of time, Isaac was approximately 137 years old now when he sought to bless his son Esau. While Isaac felt his death was imminent due to failing eyesight, he actually lived for another 43 years, dying at 180 (Genesis 35:28). At this time, his twin sons, Jacob and Esau, were 77 years old.

2   Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.

3   Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.

4   And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

• In the willfulness of his old age, he was determined to pass on the blessing to Esau, despite what the LORD had said and what the boys had shown in their lives. The fact Isaac tried to dispense the blessing secretly showed he knew what he’s going to do was wrong. Sadly, in this house, no one trusted anyone else
• Isaac asked for food, but he seemed to most glory in Esau’s power as a manly hunter. We later find that he actually could not taste the difference between what Esau hunted in the field and what his wife Rebekah could prepare from the flock.
• It wasn’t the taste of the food that attracted him, but how he prized the thought of Esau as a mighty hunter. Are you starting to see the problem here?

5   Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it.

6   So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

• Instead of trusting God to fulfill what He had promised in Genesis 25:23, Rebekah used manipulative scheming to accomplish what she thought was God’s plan — and, likely, also her preference. The Bible tells us that Rebekah loved Jacob and Isaac loved Esau.

7   ‘Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’

8   Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you.

• Rebekah knew her husband well enough to know that he couldn’t tell the difference between what she prepared and what Esau might bring home from hunting.

9   Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves.

Genesis 27:10-15

10   Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.”

11   And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man.

12   Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”

• Jacob, true to his name (trickster or scoundrel), was happy to go along with this plan. His only concern was if it would succeed.

13   But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.”

• When we are willing to abandon the question of right and wrong, and when our only concern is what works, we agree with the modern idea of pragmatism, (Theory/Speculation) as many in the church do today.
• One example is replacement theology is in mainstream Christianity in America, and it’s a lie from the pit of hell…

14   And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved.

• Once Jacob overcame his fear of getting caught in his deception, he was ready to carry it out. Rebekah manipulated both Isaac and Jacob, but Jacob was willing to be manipulated. All four of them — Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau — did not trust each other. Worse yet, they did not trust the Lord. Each one of them schemed and plotted against each other and against God. “The whole sorted story reflects no credit upon any of the persons concerned” (Charles Spurgeon).

15   Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.

• The worst aspect of all this is they seem to regard the blessing as magical, as something detached from God’s wisdom and will. But in giving the blessing, the most Isaac could do was to recognize God’s call and blessing on Jacob. Only God could truly bestow the blessing. Esau could receive the blessing from Isaac a hundred times, but it only mattered if God in heaven honored it.

Genesis 27:16-20

16   And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. (How hairy was Jacob)

17   Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 So he went to his father and said, “My father.”                                                           And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”

19   Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.”

• Sometimes it is difficult to discern a lie, and whether a statement is sin or not comes back to the question of intent; but other times it is not difficult at all, and here Jacob clearly lied to his father

20   But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord your God brought it to me.”

• Jacob, the scoundrel, did not hesitate to give credit to God as part of his deception.
• Jacob could do this, because his only concern was for what worked. Since he rightly knew that God wanted him to have the birthright, he justified any lie or other sin he committed in the pursuit of the birthright. He likely did so telling himself that it was all for a righteous cause.

Genesis 27:21-26

21   Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

22   So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

23   And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so, he blessed him.

24   Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?”  He said, “I am.”

• Even under repeated questioning, Jacob stayed confirmed in his lie. Partially, Jacob took advantage of his father’s good nature. Isaac probably would not believe that his Jacob would lie to him so repeatedly.

25   He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So. he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26   Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.”

 

 

Genesis 27:27-29    The blessing is given to Jacob.

27   And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the Lord has blessed.

28   Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.

29   Let peoples serve you And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!”

• Isaac blessed Jacob as the spiritual head of the family. Isaac had the right (not Ishmael) to pass on this blessing related to the covenant of Abraham. The son (Jacob or Esau) who received this blessing was able to pass it on to his descendants.
• Again, it is important to see it wasn’t the bestowal of these words upon Jacob that made him blessed. Instead, Jacob was blessed because God chose him long before (Genesis 25:23). What mattered was that God said the older shall serve the younger.

Genesis 27:30-36

30   Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

• The timing of each aspect of this story makes it all the more dramatic. As soon as Jacob received the blessing and left his father’s presence, Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

31   He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.”

• We picture Esau hunting, returning, and preparing the food with pleasure. He would receive the blessing from his father and all the material benefits that went with it.

32   And his father Isaac said to him, “Who are you? So, he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

• This question may have seemed strange to Esau, but he remembered that his father was old and couldn’t see well. Esau probably first thought this was a simple mistake.

33   Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him—and indeed he shall be blessed.”

• Isaac began to shake uncontrollably, this phrase is very strong. He was overcome with a deep sense that something had gone wrong in his plan to bless Esau instead of Jacob.

34   When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me—me also, O my father!”

35   But he said, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.”

36   And Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”

• We see the raw emotional breaking point of the rivalry between the twin brothers Jacob and Esau. The verse captures Esau’s reaction after discovering that Jacob has stolen the final patriarchal blessing from their blind father, Isaac.
• Esau failed to take responsibility for the fact that in the first of the two times he referred to, Esau actually despised his birthright (Genesis 25:34), selling it to Jacob for a bowl of stew. In the first of the two times, Esau could not truly say that Jacob took away my birthright. Esau gave it away, and God was Lord over the birthright anyway. Then you have Rebekah favoring one sone over the other.
• And Isaac knows God more than all of these and he knows God said the elder will serve the younger, he knows Jacob is the one.

Genesis 27:37-40

37   Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?”

• While Esau blames his brother’s nature, the Bible suggests that these events were part of a divine plan though Jacob and his mother. Rebekah used deceit to achieve it. We know the blessing and the lineage of Christ falls onto Jacob; this is by God’s plan and design? As much as I don’t understand!

38   And Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

• This is about the strongest description possible to describe the depth of Esau’s horror upon learning that Jacob had used deception to “take” the birthright.

39   Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above.

• These words of Isaac sound more like a curse than a blessing. Yet, in fact, Esau ended up being a blessed man. Many years later when he met Jacob again, he could say the blessed words I have enough, my brother (Genesis 33:9)

40   By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother: And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

• Whatever blessings and security Esau might enjoy, it would come as he skillfully wielded his sword. His life would not be easy, though it be blessed.
• Esau would be under Jacob, but not forever. The promise also was that Esau would break his yoke from your neck — that he would not forever serve or be under his brother Jacob

Genesis 27:41-46

41   So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

• Esau’s hatred rose against Jacob for many reasons, but mostly it was out of pride and envy. Pride, in that his brother would be preferred before him in regard to the covenant. Envy, in that his brother would enjoy greater prosperity.
• Esau’s somewhat spiritual concern for the blessing of his father quickly disappeared in a bitter hatred of Jacob, a bitter hatred that also had murderous intent. Esau planned to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac died, and this was a comfort to Esau.
• Revenge is a comforting thought to those who feel they have been wronged like Esau, but things would not work out as Esau had hoped or planned. He vowed to kill his brother after the death of his father, thinking it was soon (the days of mourning for my father are at hand), yet Isaac lived much longer, perhaps another 43 years.

42   And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So, she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.

43   Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran.

44   And stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away,

45   until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?”

• The few days Jacob was to stay with Laban and Rebekah’s family in Haran turned out to be more than 20 years. Yet God would fulfill His purpose in all of it.

 

46   And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

• If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me: Rebekah successfully manipulated Isaac into telling Jacob to leave. This saved his life, but it is likely that this mother never saw her son again.

Romans 9:10-13

10   And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac

11  (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),

12   it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”

13   As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

• Paul was quoting Malachi, so let’s look at it:

Malachi 1:2-3 New King James Version

2   “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’

Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?" Says the Lord. “Yet Jacob I have loved;

3    But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness.”

• In the first chapter, of Malachi we find the Lord making certain charges against the people, and the people replying with strong denials. First, the LORD pleads His love for them, and they ask Him to prove it: “In what way have You loved us?” He does so by reminding them of His love for Jacob (from whom they were descended), His rejection of Esau, and His judgments on Esau’s descendants, the Edomites.
• The eyes of the people of Israel would see the desolation of Edom, and they would acknowledge the greatness of God.

 

• I think it was Charles Spurgen who quoted:

       People have said “how could God say He hated Esau” my thoughts are, “how could God say He loved Jacob?”

 

• The problem here is being caused by seeing the word ‘hate’ and then applying a ‘western’ understanding to it.
• ‘Hate’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘sane’, which can be directly translated to ‘hate’, BUT this fails to convey the full meaning - which is more about the reason for the ‘hate’. ‘Sane’ means enemy, against, anti’.
• So, what this verse is saying is that because Esau was ‘against’ God, therefore God favored Jacob.
• And you also need to understand two other points. First, biblically ‘hate’ is not the opposite of Love. Second, and possibly more importantly, the reason for Esau being against ‘God’ was not on account of anything he did, it’s all about what God knows about him from before he was born.. God knows our future regardless of what our lives look like right now, because He knows the beginning to the end. He knows who will love Him and who wont, there are no surprises.