Isaac

January 28

Genesis 27:18-23, 28-29

A father’s blessing

Isaac and Rebekah got married and had two sons, Jacob and Esau. As time passed, Isaac grew old and became blind. It was the custom for a father to speak a blessing over his eldest son. This was called a birthright. So Isaac called Esau and asked him to go out, hunt a wild animal, and prepare a meal for him.

When Isaac’s wife, heard this, she made a plan to trick Isaac into blessing Jacob instead of Esau, because Jacob was her favorite son.

While Esau was out hunting, Rebekah prepared a meal using goat meat. She then covered Jacob’s hands and neck with the goatskins because Esau’s arms were hairy, while Jacob’s were smooth.

As Jacob served the food to his father, Isaac asked, “Is it really you, my son Esau? Come here so that I can touch you.” Jacob held out his hands, covered with the hairy goatskin. When Isaac felt it, he thought it was Esau and spoke the blessing—but he was blessing Jacob.

What does it mean to be blessed?

Do you think Jacob did a bad thing? What Jacob did was wrong because he lied to his father and took the special blessing meant for Esau.

But what is a blessing? We hear “bless you” so often that it doesn’t always feel very special.

When a father or mother honors the Lord, God’s special favor, or blessing, rests on all their children. This blessing does not necessarily mean that a child will grow up healthy, live a long life, or become rich. Instead, it means that God will draw the child close to Himself. God hears the prayers of parents and blesses every son and daughter in the family—not just the eldest son.

Verse for today

But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children. Psalm 103:17