The story of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-28:22) is a one of sibling rivalry, deception, and bad business decisions. It is a story of two different nations formed from two very dissimilar brothers. Isaac, the son of Abraham, is married to Rebekah. Rebekah is unable to have children and it is only through prayer that God blesses Isaac and Rebekah with two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob, who would have fit well as the next Food Network star, was a smooth skinned young man who enjoyed cooking inside with his mother. Esau, on the contrary, was “a hairy man” who loved the great outdoors.
As their father Isaac was dying, Isaac asked that Esau hunt some wild game that can be eaten as part of a blessing ceremony. This symbolic gesture of giving one’s blessing was very significant. Jacob’s mother tells him to cover himself in goat skins (to simulate Esau’s hairiness) and pretend to be his brother in order to obtain their father’s blessing. When Esau finds out that the blessing has been stolen from him, he vows to kill Jacob.
Jacob takes this promise as a hint to skip town and begin running for his life. God appears in a dream that Jacob has at “a certain place”. God does not appear in a temple, a shrine, or an altar. God informs Jacob in a dream that Jacob will have what God promised and will be not be left by God. Jacob eventually marries, starts a family, and resolves his conflict with Esau. Jacob builds and altar to God where God spoke to him. God had plans to bless Jacob from birth, before his deception. God also has plans to find us where we are and give us blessings beyond what we can gain with our own efforts. Despite our conflicts and difficulties, God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us. (Jer. 29:11)
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