Jacob, the trickster, gives me HOPE!

Day 11 of reading plan...

Again it was hard for me to pick ONE verse to write about.  I really got stuck on Esau selling his birthright vs Jacob stealing Esau's blessing.  I spent a lot of time there pondering the character of each individual in Isaac's immediate family.  So this was what I found out...

• A birthright is decided by taking the number of children you have, add one, then dividing up the inheritance and giving the oldest son two portions... therefore in Jacob and Esau's case... 2 children plus one equals three portions, Esau sold his extra portion for a bowl of stew.  The inheritance would have been divided up 2 portions for Esau, one portion for Jacob, but because of Esau's disregard for his birthright he chose to sell it for a bowl of stew.  That was an expensive stew!
• A blessing was usually given to the oldest son. The father would ask God for "Abrahamic" blessings to pour down from heaven on that particular son, make him a godly man, fruitful, prosperous, etc... That son would then lead the family. Usually both the birthright and the blessing went to the oldest son. There are exceptions, such as with Jacob's children, where the birthright went to one son (Joseph) and the blessing went to the other (Judah), neither of which were the oldest.  In this case the blessing normally would have been given to Esau, the oldest.  Because of Rebekah getting involved and helping Jacob to fool Isaac, Jacob received the blessing, making him the one who received both the birthright and the blessing.
• Okay, so Esau and Isaac were tricked.  True.  But think about this possibility (I believe it to be a probability)... Rebekah prayed back in 25:22 and God answered her in 25:23 "The sons in your womb will become two rival nations.  One nation will be stronger than the other; the descendants of your older son will serve the descendants of your younger son." Tell me, what God-fearing wife would not tell her husband that the Lord spoke to her and tell him what He said?  In verse 21 Isaac pleaded with the Lord for Rebekah to have a child. I believe that when she became pregnant they praised God for answered prayer... what makes me think that God speaking to Rebekah would not be discussed between these two followers of Yahweh?  Just a thought... Rebekah gets blamed for switching the blessing to Jacob... but what if Rebekah was trying to supply God with a way that His Word would become truth... like say Sarah did by giving her maid to Abraham so God's Word would be true and she could have a son in her old age?  Makes you think... hmmmm.... she apparently did not think God could handle it on His own and was willing to give Him a hand getting her fave son the blessing.  What about Isaac?  Hmmmm... If he knew Jacob was supposed to get the blessing but was purposefully planning to give the blessing to his fave son, Esau... And Isaac, by the way, would only give the blessing AFTER Esau made him some stew... hmmm.... :-)
• Jacob... trickster from the beginning!  Had a hold on his brother's heal trying to get out first! Blackmailed his hungry brother for the birthright. Did not argue with Mom about tricking his father, just worried about getting caught.  And yet, he was the chosen one. God uses all kinds doesn't He?
• And lastly, Esau... the big old tough guy.  So hungry he sold his birthright for a bowl of stew.  A real "man's man".  Papa loved him more.  His brother was a "sissy" to him.  His blessing stolen from under his nose.  Left with nothing.  Pleaded for a blessing.  Broken and weeping.  It makes you sad for him.  For a while anyway.  But what was that blessing that Isaac passed on to Jacob? (v.29b) "All who curse you are cursed, and all who bless you are blessed." So... what about verse 41... "Esau hated Jacob because he had stolen his blessing, and he said to himself, "My father will soon be dead and gone.  Then I will kill Jacob."  Sounds like he was looking forward to the death of the father he claimed to love.  Hate is ugly.  Unforgiveness takes over.  Love disappears.
• None of the family came off good in this text.  They put the "d" in dysfunctional no matter how you read the text (or in my case... read into the text).  However, God was in their lives.  God used their weaknesses to grow them.  God did not hide their weaknesses or sins from our eyes.  Why?  Because God wants us to learn from them.  God wants us to know He will work with flawed, sinful people... which, by the way, includes yours truly.  That gives me hope!