Genesis 27:14–25 (ESV)

So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

Jacob has to be scared out of his wits. The exact scenario he was worried about is coming to pass. Don’t forget, Rebekah set him up. She hatched the scheme, cooked the food, and made the disguise. She did all the work, plus said that if it goes wrong and Isaac curses Jacob, it’s supposed to be all on her.

But now it’s Jacob that Isaac is talking to, not Rebekah. He’s on his own—lying to his father. Isaac suspects something’s up and asks Jacob, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?”

Thinking fast, he replies, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” Still, that doesn’t end the cross-examination. Isaac makes him come close and continues to check his ID.

By this point, Jacob is probably sweating so much he smells a little gamey.

Eventually, Isaac buys it and the plan works—so to speak. One could even wonder if Isaac really fell for it, or if he just gave up and decided to play along. But Genesis 27:33 makes this clear; Isaac was deceived.

So he blessed him.

Sin can be its own punishment. Jacob got through this, but emerged battered and bruised. Jacob won a blessing at the cost of becoming something no one wants to be—and no one wants to be around. He gained a blessing, but he lost his honor.

Discovering God is the ultimate paradigm shift. To the world, what’s important is what you’ve done. To God, what’s important is what you are.

Jesus didn’t die on the cross to redeem your past; He died to redeem you.

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NASB stands for the New American Standard Bible. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.