“See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed! May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” (Genesis 27:27b-29 ESV)
This is Isaac’s blessing upon Jacob his second born. Traditionally the blessing was given to the firstborn, his brother Esau. But with his mother’s help, Jacob tricked his father into blessing him instead. Jacob went away from home, fearing for his life when his brother found out. Staying outside one night with his head on a rock, Jacob had a dream.
“And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:12-15 ESV)
The Lord Himself came to Jacob in a dream, giving him a second blessing. Jacob knew that it was the Lord as he set up an alter in that place as a “church” to worship God. As God had promised to be with him, he vowed that the Lord shall be his God and he would give him a tenth of everything he had.
Years later Jacob tries to marry Rachel, but her father tricks him into marrying his oldest, Leah instead. Jacob gets a piece of his own medicine. Although their union was a result of a trick, the Lord blesses them with four sons.
“When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, ‘because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.’ She conceived again and bore a son, and said ‘Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said ‘Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.” (Genesis 29:31-35 ESV)
I noticed that when Leah switched from worrying about her husband’s lack of feeling for her, God getting revenge for her and simply praised God, that He gave her the last son. This last time would end up in the line of Jesus. What a blessing! Despite the trickery, manipulation, excuses or other wrong doings mentioned in these passages, God was working things out for their good and His glory. Isn’t that His way?
Dear God,
Thank you for blessing me and those reading this devotional in spite of our efforts. We often do the wrong thing, but You are sovereign and will make thing happen according to Your will not matter what.
~Kellie
Sixty-six books in a year 