Protection Program

Protection Program

Genesis 28: Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. ² Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.

³ “May God Almighty bless you,

And make you fruitful and multiply you,

That you may be an assembly of peoples;

⁴ And give you the blessing of Abraham,

To you and your descendants with you,

That you may inherit the land

In which you are a stranger,

Which God gave to Abraham.”

⁵ So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

 

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Isaac was aware that Jacob had lied and stolen Esau’s blessing. But it was too late. He did not want Jacob to marry a Hittite woman, known as the daughters of Canaan. He sent Jacob away.

 

My Observations:

• Isaac blessed Jacob again, asking GOD to make him fruitful and multiply him.
• Isaac blessed Jacob with the ability to gather people.
• Isaac blessed Jacob with the blessing of his father Abraham, which came directly from GOD.

 

Undeservingly, Jacob accepted the blessing and went to Rebekah’s brother Laban. GOD was clear that Laban was Rebakah’s relative. HE was also clear that Rebekah was the mother of Jacob and Esau.  This is the first time their names are mentioned together and Jacob’s name is mentioned first.

 

Jacob is being sent away, similar to a witness protection program of today. Isaac wanted him to marry someone from His father’s lineage. Rebekah wanted Jacob protected from Esau. GOD saw the entire plan and allowed Jacob to be protected.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think Isaac blessed Jacob, knowing he made a mistake?
• Have you ever been protected in the middle of your sins?
• Can you praise GOD for HIS protection because HE sees, knows and forgives your sins?

Escape Plan

Escape Plan

Genesis 27: 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.”

 

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?”

 

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?”

 

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Angry at the situation he created, Esau decided to do something about it. He planned to kill his brother Jacob. His hatred was so deep, that he must have said what he would do out loud. Rebekah heard that Esau was planning to kill Jacob, so she put an escape plan into action.

 

My Observations:

• Jacob needed an escape plan because of his lie.
• Esau’s plan was yet another bad decision.
• Rebekah’s plan was to appeal to Isaac’s dislike of the Hittite women.

 

Yes, this situation was messy. BUT GOD knew it would be messy when HE told Rebekah, “the older shall serve the younger.” You would think that three wrongs would make a wrong, BUT GOD took three messed up plans to develop something good. Jacob’s lie, Esau’s hatred and Rebekah’s human plan would all work together for GOD’s good.

 

GOD sees our evil plan that we try to make innocent, and uses sufficient grace to cover us. HIS plan does not include anything evil. HE can see through the twisting and manipulation that humans do and still make HIS plan work. No eil plan can stop GOD. Jacob’s escape plan was put in place.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about what Esau said and Rebekah’s response?
• Have you ever gotten so angry at GOD that you wanted to hurt HIM by refusing to follow HIM?
• If you know there are parts of GOD’s word you refuse to follow, will you ask HIM to help you in those areas?