Understanding Jacob's Sins
Genesis 25–35 – Appreciating God's Discipline
Paul J. Bucknell
The parents' sins greatly affect their child's life. The worst situation occurs when a parent's seed of sin is combined with the child's predominant moral weakness. This is what happened with Isaac.
The chart shows that deceit grew out of control in Jacob. Because of Laban's relationship with Abraham's family, it is very possible that their forefather also acted deceitfully in some matters.
Appreciating God's Discipline
Genesis 25–35
1) Deceitful Scheming
Disrespect, scheming, and deceit go hand in hand. They are signs of a person trying to get what he or she wants by self-designed tactics.
|
Abraham & Sarah schemed |
|
Isaac tried to “trick” God by blessing Esau, his favored son, but he was himself deceived. |
|
Jacob deliberately showed disrespect by deceiving his father and cheating his brother. |
|
Jacob was deceived and taken advantage of by Laban. |
How should Jacob have responded to his mother's suggestion? How could Isaac have handled the situation better?
We must understand that God's way is always best, though often unknown, because His people—including Isaac, Rebekah, and Jacob—did not call upon the Lord for help. We must never use devious means to carry out “God's work.” Rebekah seemed more in tune with God's purpose, but her means of deceit were not God's way. They all suffered.
2) Divided Devotions
A person’s love for God cannot go beyond his love for his spouse. Marriage problems reveal more than spouse-to-spouse friction; they also expose a “God” problem.
|
Abraham schemed – gave his wife away (twice)
|
|
Isaac schemed by giving his wife to others for protection.
|
|
Jacob took four wives – many problems. |
|
Marriage problems; much arguing. |
Marriage problems; tension between Isaac and Rebekah. |
Any time a husband is willing to pawn off his wife for protection, the wife is unloved and becomes very insecure. We can see this instability begin with Abraham, pass to Isaac, and later explode in Jacob.
Spiritual principle: One can only love God as much as he truly loves his wife.
C. The Results of Impure Devotion
|
Isaac had a love for earthly things (such as food). He liked the earthly. Although he knew he should have blessed Jacob (25:23), he was willing to violate God's revelation. He mixed spiritual blessing with earthly desires. The father's slightest compromise gives his sons enough excuse for extreme responses. |
|
His son Esau was lost to the world. His son Jacob was lost but rescued by God's grace. |