doc Committed to Excellence in Communicating Biblical Truth and Its Application Orcutt Christian Church

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1 doc Committed to Excellence in Communicating Biblical Truth and Its Application Orcutt Christian Church A Grace Driven Church for Grace Needing People! Burning Question #74 Why is Christianity So Gory? Matthew 26:20, 26:26-29 BOARD Communion: Ed Saunders Care Calling: Archie Miller Host: Elizabeth Thornton-White Saturday 11/10: Clean Up: Mike Rylant 1 How Majestic Is Your Name The blood will never lose its power [ALL] Nothing but the blood [ALL] Doxology Are you washed in the blood [ALL] In the cross of Christ I glory [ALL] Find Us Faithful [Once] 456 Matthew 26:20, 26:26-29 (NASB) 20 Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

2 gore NOUN blood that has been shed, especially as a result of violence. "the film omitted the blood and gore in order to avoid controversy" synonyms: blood bloodiness bloodshed slaughter carnage butchery gor y ADJECTIVE gory mean affected by or involving the shedding of blood. "a gory horror film" synonyms: grisly gruesome violent bloodthirsty bloody brutal savage ghastly frightful horrid horrifying fearful hideous macabre spine-chilling horrible covered in blood. synonyms: bloody bloodstained blood-soaked blood-spattered You've taken Communion or the Lord's Supper for years, so many years, perhaps, that it is taken without thinking about it. And, you've read the words of our Lord about the institution of the Communion over and over, and it's so heart warming about our relationship to the Risen Christ. This warm, intimate, sacrificial text is the heart on one of the major attacks on your faith, and the Church. Why? I. Christianity Practices Cannibalism This is an ancient argument. Mankind in general have looked with horror on those individuals and tribes who have practiced cannibalism. Simple association of thoughts causes the remains of dead kinsmen or friends to be treated with respect and tenderness. Many people associate the horror of death to anything connected with the dead. so that many tribes avoid the mention of a dead man's name, and even abandon his hut and destroy the furniture he has used.

3 And, the religious doctrine that the soul outlives the body has led survivors to propitiate the honored and dreaded spirit by respectful disposal of the corpse. The Christian Church, in its earliest centuries after Jesus, endured wave after wave of persecution. All kinds of insults and charges were hurled at them. Charges of cannabalism, Gross Immorality, only the poor and ignorant are attracted to Christ, self righteous, atheists, not patriotic, offensive to the gods, A document written in the middle third century A.D. describes a debate between a Christian and a pagan at the Roman port of Ostia. It provides valuable insight into how Christians were reviled and how they responded. A Roman by the name of Minicius Felix was walking about Ostia with two friends, Octavius a Christian, and Caecilius a pagan. Caecilius accuses Octavius of being a cannibal. Caecilius the pagan: you christians are the worst breed ever to affect the world. You deserve every punishment you can get! Nobody likes you. It would be better if you and your Jesus had never been born. We hear that you are all cannibals--you eat the flesh of your children in your sacred meetings. Octavius the Christian: that story is probably based on reports that we share together a meal of the body and blood of Christ. That we do. But it is not human flesh we eat. It is bread and wine we consecrate to commemorate our Lord's death. Remember, Jesus was a Hebrew, raised in the Jewish religion, and well versed in the Scriptures. He knew the the ordinance against eating NON kosher meat: Genesis 9:4-5 (NASB) 4 "Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 "Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will

4 require it. And from every man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man. Yet, some have taken some words which Jesus spoke to imply, if not explicitly teach, that one is to eat His literal flesh and to drink His literal blood. What words did Jesus utter that might bring one to conclude that he was teaching cannibalism? The context is where Jesus said: John 6:35 (NASB) 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. The Pharisees debated what Jesus meant. John 6:52 (NASB) 52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" It is here that Jesus summarized the debate: John 6:53-58 (NASB) 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." The question is, just to what is the Lord referring? There are some who believe and teach that the bread and the fruit of the vine used in the Lord s Supper do become the literal flesh and blood of Jesus.

5 Now, if this were true, you can see how someone just might charge you with cannibalism! Well, there are some who teach that! Think about it. Jesus is right there with them, very much alive. He hadn't been crucified, nor ascended, and they could see that He certainly wasn't talking about His literal body nor His literal blood. They could understand that Jesus was giving a metaphor about a relationship with Him. He was referring to His identity as the promised Christ, the Son of God, and His approaching death on the cross, and He was speaking figuratively when He spoke of eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood. Jesus used a number of figures of speech about Himself in the Gospel of John: 1. I am the bread of life (6:35,41,48,51). 2. I am the light of the world (8:12; 9:5). 3. I am the gate for the sheep (10:7,9). 4. I am the good shepherd (10:11,14). 5. I am the resurrection and the life (11:25). 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6). 7. I am the true vine (15:1,5). Remember His saying John 6:35 (NASB) 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. Jesus came to give what the physical manna the Hebrews ate in the wilderness could not give, but which He could give: eternal life. "will never thirst" is added to reveal that Jesus was not talking about natural food and drink. What food and water are for the body, Jesus is to the life of you and I.

6 Jesus was not teaching cannibalism in John chapter five, nor did he teach it in giving the Lord s Supper, nor does Christianity teach cannibalism. Jesus is pointing us to a living, dynamic relationship with God. But, we have a problem. A woman at a garage sale spotted a handsome antique copper kettle for only $2.50. It was badly tarnished, so she asked the woman running the sale if the discoloration would come out. The seller cheerfully offered to try some copper cleaner on it and disappeared with it into the house. Reappearing with the gleaming kettle, she handed it to the buyer for inspection. It was now a gorgeous antique copper kettle, and it had a new price tag. It read: "Like new - $25.00." What made the kettle more valuable? A simple cleansing. When the owner took the trouble to clean away the grime, removed the discoloration and stains it was worth 10 times as much. The Bible tells us we are stained with sin. Romans 3:23 (NASB) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, We are discolored by sin, and the prophet says Habakkuk 1:13 (NASB) 13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. The guilt and shame of our past behavior takes away our value. And, like the copper kettle, we need cleaning. But the Bible also tells us: God loved us so much, He offered us a way to wash away our sins. A way to cleanse our souls so that we might regain the value He created us to have.

7 How does God clean us up? Hebrews 9:22 (NASB) 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. I don't know what the lady used to clean her kettle so it gleamed like new, but I know what God uses to cleanse us. II. God uses Blood to Cleanse You and I. Isaiah says Isaiah 1:18 (NASB) 18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. Our sins are like blood stains, and are extremely difficult to remove. It's a strange phenomena, but your blood can be cleansed by your saliva. My friend who was the leading drapery hanger here on the Central Coast told me of hanging some million dollar drapes in Santa Ynez. He pierced his finger with a pin and got blood on those expensive pieces of cloth. He took the drape in his mouth and began washing it with his saliva until the blood disappeared. But even though the owner may not have been able to see his blood, the police could. The crime scene investigator would use a chemical called Luminol. In a particularly heinous crime in Northern Indiana, a man who had ruthlessly killed several people in his own house had attempted to cover up the signs of his crime by using soap and water to remove the blood stains and then applied fresh paint to the walls.

8 However, when the police arrived, they sprayed Luminol on the walls and floors. Every blood stain again became apparent. We may look pretty clean to our neighbors, but God can see our stains. And, there is only one way to cleanse ourselves of sin. Most liberals mock us for teaching about blood. Most atheist mock the very idea that blood could clean anything. But, doesn't that raise a question? How could blood remove grime from our souls, when blood itself is a stain producing agent and can ruin many of the things it comes in contact with? Ask any doctor and they will tell you: "Medically speaking, blood is equivalent to life." You can live without both of your kidneys if you go through dialysis. You can do without much of your brain, liver, and lungs. But you can't live without blood because life is in the blood! Biblically speaking eternal life is in the blood of the Lamb. There is redemption in the blood of the Lamb! There is salvation in the blood of the Lamb! There is life in the blood of the Lamb! There is forgiveness in the blood of the Lamb! There is joy in the blood of the Lamb! There is deliverance in the blood of the Lamb! There is healing in the blood of the Lamb! Life is in the blood! Eternal life is in the blood! You want to know where to find life, joy, salvation, healing, hope, and deliverance from all that plagues you? You will never find it in books. You will never find it in finding the "right" spouse or friend. You will never find it through counseling or consultation. You won't find it in acquiring things. You will only find it in the blood of the Lamb!

9 Life is in the blood! Eternal life is in the blood! The Bible tells us the most powerful cleansing agent in the world is blood. In fact, God created blood to be a cleansing agent. In your body blood takes oxygen and other supplies TO cells AND REMOVES waste and impurities from those cells. Blood literally cleans out the filth from your body. That is one of it s major responsibilities. There is NO OTHER cleansing agent known to man that can purify our bodily system as well as the blood that courses through our veins. So also there is no other cleansing agent known to man that can rid your soul of its filth and shame than the Blood of Jesus. Blood was designed by God to be used to forgive you and I of our sin. Blood, in our day, is not equivalent to life and eternal, abundant life - it is equivalent to gore, talked about only by uneducated, backward religious folks. How times have changed. The fact of the matter is that many people in our society do not have any understanding of the power of the blood of the Lamb or the centrality of the blood of the Lamb in our worship service. In this church, each Sunday, we proclaim the power of the blood as we observe the Lord's Supper during worship. Most people in our society make no connection between the two. They view communion as a halftime snack. You can just hear the wheels turning in their heads, "Oh, we must be about half-way through the service because it is time for Communion." Most Americans do not have the insight that the Disciples had when Jesus shared the Passover Meal with them: Matthew 26:20, 26:26-29 (NASB) 20 Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 26 While they were eating, Jesus

10 took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." The Disciples may not have understood the "how" of what Jesus was saying, but they certainly understood the "what" of what He was saying. They had seen the Passover observed every year since they had been born. Of all of the festivals celebrated among the Jewish people, Passover was a commemoration of God's deliverance of His people. Great care was taken to observe Passover with gratitude for the deliverance of God. The disciples had seen the Passover lambs slain on the fourteenth day of the month Nisan as a covering for the sins of the people of God, but they never dreamed that the Passover Lamb would be fulfilled in Jesus - the Lamb of God had come! Even the disciples missed what John the Baptist was saying John 1:29 (NASB) 29 Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Even today, the Jewish people observe Passover all over the world by remembering God's deliverance and by reminding their children that God is their hope and the source of their deliverance. We who have come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives have a special insight into Passover. We do not merely look back to God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt, we look back to God's deliverance from sin and hell through Jesus' death on the cross. The writer of Hebrews tells us,

11 Hebrews 9:11-22 (NASB) 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU." 21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Jesus is the fulfillment of Passover for you and for me. Jesus, our High Priest, did not carry a sacrificial lamb to the altar of Almighty God and slay it as a sacrifice.

12 Jesus lay upon the altar of God and gave His own life as an offering unto God for your sins and mine. And, do we not have a part in His death? Romans 6:2-11 (NASB) 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. When the Death Angel passed over Egypt He didn't take into consideration who was in the house - He was looking only for the blood. When Jesus was crucified on Calvary His shed blood cleansed us from all of our sin. His blood continues to cleanse us. Colossians 1:19-20 (NASB) 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;

13 through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. Galatians 3:26-27 (NASB) 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. God's Word says that there is no forgiveness for sin without the shedding of blood. Jesus' blood has been shed for you and for me, but the question remains, "Now what?" What will you and I do? Will we continue to try and dismiss our sins as no big deal? Will we purchase another best seller on how to succeed? Will we try and seek a better counselor who can help us deal with our sins? Will we choose to turn our backs on God and plunge head first into the pool of sin mocking God's way out? Or will we fall before the bloodied cross of Calvary where the Sacrificial Lamb was slain and cry out to God in brokenness and humility, "Forgive me Father for I am a sinner." Prayer and Invitation

14 November 11 JACOB S DECEPTION DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 24:1 6 Lesson 11 (NIV) BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Genesis 27:1 28:5 GENESIS 27:5 10, 18, 19, Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die. 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies. 18 He went to his father and said, My father. Yes, my son, he answered. Who is it? 19 Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing. 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not. 22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him. 24 Are you really my son Esau? he asked. I am, he replied. 25 Then he said, My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing. Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, Come here, my son, and kiss me. 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.

15 28 May God give you heaven s dew and earth s richness an abundance of grain and new wine. 29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed. KEY VERSE He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him. Genesis 27:23 GOD S WORLD AND GOD S PEOPLE Unit 3: God Blesses and Re-creates Regardless LESSONS Introduction A. Dress-Up for Grown-Ups One of the games children often used to play was dress-up. (Today it has lost much of its appeal, a casualty of our digital, high-tech age.) A little boy would try to wear what Dad wore, especially if some kind of special clothing or uniform was involved. A little girl would dress up like her mother, possibly using some of Mom s makeup without her permission. The parents laughed at how grown-up the child looked. Jacob was a grown man, not a child, when he (with his mother Rebekah s help) dressed up like Esau. But this was no game for Jacob and Rebekah. The stakes were enormously high; the patriarchal blessing, associated with future prosperity and security, was on the line. The outcome of Jacob and Rebekah s deception of old, blind Isaac was not laughter, the meaning of Isaac s name. Rather, it was anger, sorrow, and the eventual self-exile of Jacob. B. Lesson Context: Family Dynamics Last week s lesson covered the birth of Jacob and Esau, their parents favoritism, and Esau s willingness to sell his birthright to Jacob to satisfy his hunger. Genesis 26 then chronicles Isaac s dealings with the Philistines, during which time God came to him at Beersheba and reaffirmed the covenant promises (26:23, 24). Nothing is said in Genesis 26 about Jacob. For Esau s part, he is mentioned only at the end of the chapter: when Esau was 40 years old, he married two Hittite women (26:34). This hurt both Isaac and Rebekah greatly. Once again (as he did with selling his birthright) Esau demonstrated contempt for his heritage, this time by marrying outside the covenant people. C. Lesson Context: Patriarchal Blessing

16 By the time Genesis 27 begins, Isaac had grown old and nearly blind. Believing it was time to set his house in order, he called son Esau to come before him. He expressed his desire to give Esau the special patriarchal blessing. Such blessing is essentially a prophecy of what the future holds for the individual or people being blessed. Near the conclusion of Genesis, Jacob blessed his sons in a similar fashion just before his death (Genesis 49:1 28). It is also important to note that a blessing (or a curse for that matter) once spoken cannot be reversed, even if that blessing was given unintentionally to the wrong person. This is especially so in a solemn setting such as the one in our text. Blessing should not be confused with birthright. The birthright (already obtained by Jacob; see last week s lesson) dealt primarily with passing down the greatest share of the family s material wealth to the oldest son. The blessing involved the family patriarch s (in today s case, Isaac s) participation more directly as he requested divine favor on the person being blessed so that future prosperity and abundance would be his. I. Deception Suggested (GENESIS 27:5 10) The preface to today s lesson is Isaac s sense that his time is short. His plan is to grant Esau, elder of the two sons, his blessing. Surely Isaac is aware of the words that the Lord spoke to Rebekah when her twins were jostling within her: The older will serve the younger (Genesis 25:23). Yet in spite of that declaration, he attempts to ensure that Esau (his older and favored son) receives the blessing. But first Isaac desires a favorite meal from Esau s hands (27:1 4). A. Overhearing Isaac (v. 5) 5. Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, If Isaac believes his meeting with Esau is private, he is badly mistaken. Wife Rebekah is eavesdropping. Perhaps she has seen Esau go into Isaac s tent and is curious as to what is going on. Once Esau has gone out to fulfill his father s wishes, she knows she must act and quickly. B. Advising Jacob (vv. 6 10) 6. Rebekah said to her son Jacob, Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, It is interesting to consider the description of Esau as his [Isaac s] son in verse 5, while here Jacob is referred to as her [Rebekah s] son. This may highlight the favoritism noted in last week s lesson (Genesis 25:28). Reference to neither son is in terms of their. Rebekah now proceeds to tell Jacob what she has heard.

17 7. Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die. When Isaac had spoken to Esau earlier, he had requested him to bring tasty food that I may give you my blessing before I die (Genesis 27:4). Rebekah, however, includes a sacred element in her version of Isaac s words: she depicts Isaac s plan as being to give Esau his blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die. Perhaps this use of the Lord s name is intended to heighten the sense of urgency with which Jacob must carry out his mother s unfolding plan. He must be sure to do whatever is necessary to obtain the blessing. Jacob himself will use the Lord s name in a deceptive way later when he tells Isaac why he has been able to prepare the meal so quickly (27:20). 8. Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: Just as Esau has gone out to fulfill Isaac s wishes, Jacob is now ordered to carry out the plan devised by Rebekah. What Do You Think? How should we handle a situation where someone in authority attempts to include us in an unethical plan? Digging Deeper How would your response change, if at all, if the unethical plan requires only your passive acceptance rather than active participation? 9, 10. Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies. Many cooks try to prepare a dish just like Mother makes. Rebekah s plan is to duplicate what son Esau intends to make. Jacob is to secure the ingredients by which Rebekah will make Isaac s favorite dish. Food will be the tool to trick Isaac, in something of a repeat of food being used by Jacob to nab Esau s birthright. What Do You Think? What are some ways to determine whether someone s kind words, gifts, or acts of service are selfless or self-seeking? Digging Deeper How do we avoid Pilate s error of correctly recognizing wrong motives but reacting wrongly anyway (Mark 15:9 15)?

18 PARENTING PATHOLOGY Mom always liked you best. That famous line from a Smothers Brothers TV skit became a continuing theme either spoken or implied in their comedy routine. In the original interchange, Dick, supposedly the more intelligent of the two, ran through a litany of criticisms of Tommy, who played the role of a dense, socially inept fellow. Dick would say something like You re stupid; you re dumb in a series of put-downs. Running out of insults, he paused, and Tommy (in an unscripted moment of inspired comedic genius) said, Yeah, and Mom liked you best. The audience roared. In addition to giving voice to the ongoing undercurrent of the act, it also touched a nerve in audience members. Every person who has had a brother or sister has probably entertained an occasional thought that the other sibling(s) was treated better. The struggle between Jacob and Esau is only one in a series of sibling rivalries in Genesis. But their story portrays most vividly the negative power of parental favoritism. Isaac and Rebekah s greatest parenting fault was the failure to see Esau and Jacob as our son rather than my son or your son. They were part of a multigenerational parenting pathology. We can learn an important lesson from their failure! C. R. B. II. Deception Starts (GENESIS 27:18, 19) In the intervening verses not in today s lesson (Genesis 27:11 17), Jacob s reaction to Rebekah s scheme is understandable. Normally the pronouncement of a blessing involves some kind of physical contact. The food Rebekah prepares may resemble what Esau fixes; but if Isaac touches Jacob in the process of blessing him, he won t need eyes to know this isn t Esau! But as Rebekah cooks food, she also cooks up a plan: she covers Jacob s smooth skin with the skins of the goats. She also provides him with some of Esau s clothing to wear. Jacob is now prepared to see his father, though he must be the proverbial nervous wreck. A. Addressing Isaac (v. 18) 18a. He went to his father and said, My father. Another part of the ruse must involve convincing Isaac that Jacob sounds like Esau. Part of the plan may be for Jacob to speak as little as possible. Jacob s short My father is only one word in Hebrew. Some suggest that since Jacob and Esau are twins, their voices are somewhat similar. 18b. Yes, my son, he answered. Who is it?

19 Although Isaac s vision is gone, his sense of hearing seems to be in good working order perhaps more so than Rebekah and Jacob realize. Isaac s ears tell him something is amiss, thus he questions the identity of the son before him, as if asking, Which of my sons are you? B. Lying to Isaac (v. 19) 19. Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing. Jacob continues the deception in making the two claims we see here. Then Jacob immediately throws in the proofs of requested food and expected blessing. As long as Isaac doesn t suspect eavesdropping, he will assume that those two subjects are known only to him and Esau. What Do You Think? What can you do to ensure proper motives when seeking blessing or approval of someone you respect? Digging Deeper How do you know when it s time to stop striving for unreceived approval? III. Deception Succeeds (GENESIS 27:21 29) Jacob then uses the Lord s name as part of the cover-up (Genesis 27:20, not in today s lesson text) to assuage Isaac s doubt. But it isn t enough. A. Isaac s Doubt (vv ) 21. Then Isaac said to Jacob, Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not. Now comes the part of the ceremony that Jacob must be dreading the most (see again Genesis 27:12). Isaac is not convinced that the man before him is indeed Esau. So he shifts from the senses of seeing and hearing to that of touch. 22. Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau. Isaac may be blind (Genesis 27:1), but he is not deaf! Yet his sense of touch now contradicts what his sense of hearing reports. Jacob s degree of anxiety at this point is easy to imagine. It must be all he can do to keep from trembling with fear of being discovered as an impostor. 23. He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him. The scheme apparently works as Isaac resolves the contradictory evidence by trusting his sense of touch over his sense of hearing. Almost. 24. Are you really my son Esau? he asked.

20 I am, he replied. Still doubting, Isaac again questions the identity of the individual before him. Jacob seems to perceive that a short response at this point is better than a long one, and his I am is just a single brief word in Hebrew. He speaks as little as possible, trying not to create any further doubt in Isaac s mind. This is the final time Jacob speaks in the scene. NOT A LITTLE WHITE LIE Evaluate this situation: A friend s loved one is gravely injured or deathly ill. You know the truth, but your friend doesn t. Are you tempted to hedge the truth when you call your friend to report the injury or illness? Do you diminish the seriousness of the person s condition with a little white lie? We re occasionally tempted to tell such lies. That designation makes them sound so innocent. But lies by their very nature are attempts to deceive. Many people rationalize a supposed difference between little lies and big lies by appealing to the difference in consequences. We may assume that the results of so-called little white lies are relatively harmless. Or we may think that a little lie is justified because harmful consequences of telling the truth will be greater than harmful consequences of telling the lie. This appeal to good intentions is an easy one. When Rebekah conspired with Jacob, she probably convinced herself of her good intentions. Perhaps she thought her son was far more worthy of Isaac s blessing than his son was. But as the further record of Genesis reports, the consequences of the birthright exchange and blessing deception were quite profound. Relationships and history changed courses. We feel those aftershocks yet today. Unintended consequences put the lie to the idea of little white lies. C. R. B. What Do You Think? What can Christians do to prevent succumbing to temptations to stretch or spin the truth in difficult situations? Digging Deeper At what point, if ever, is stretching the truth with good intentions acceptable? B. Isaac s Declaration (vv ) 25. Then he said, My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.

21 Visual for Lesson 11. Point to this visual as you ask, Is the outcome of today s story typical of where deceit ends up? Why, or why not? Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. What we might call the identity confirmation phase is over Isaac is convinced. But the chance of getting caught phase is still underway. Esau can return at any moment. It s easy to imagine Jacob trying to hurry the meal along in subtle ways. 26. Then his father Isaac said to him, Come here, my son, and kiss me. Jacob must again come before Isaac to be touched, so the anxious moments drag on. A kiss is a common part of greeting someone or saying farewell in Bible times (Genesis 31:28, 55; 33:4; 48:10; Ruth 1:9; Mark 14:44; 1 Peter 5:14; etc.). Here it may be part of the ceremony of blessing. 27a. So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him All five of Isaac s senses (or lack thereof) have come into play in this account. His sight is gone (which affects how the deception is carried out), he hears a voice, he touches the imposter, he tastes the food, and now he smells the clothes of Esau that Jacob is wearing. 27b. and said, Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. These words are certainly appropriate for Esau, a man of the open country (Genesis 25:27), so the deception is solidified. Isaac proceeds to pronounce the blessing the imposter desires to have so badly. Regarding credit to the Lord for agricultural blessing, compare Psalm 65: May God give you heaven s dew and earth s richness an abundance of grain and new wine. The contents of the blessing include the promise of material abundance. In a few minutes, Isaac will mention these same things in something of an anti-blessing to Esau (Genesis 27:39, 40). 29a. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. The blessing then turns to matters of authority and influence. This promise may indicate how Jacob s descendants (the Israelites) will at times dominate the surrounding nations (as during David s reign). 29b. Be lord over your brothers, Isaac is unintentionally fulfilling the prophetic word the Lord gave to Rebekah when she was still expecting: the older will serve the younger (Genesis 25:23). 29c. and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.

22 The sons of [Jacob s] mother may refer to Esau s descendants (although Isaac doesn t intend it that way), which will be the Edomites. Their demise before God s covenant people will be foreseen particularly by the prophet Obadiah (Obadiah 1 4, 15 21; see also Genesis 27:40; 2 Samuel 8:14). 29d. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed. The final statement in Isaac s words of blessing reflects the final statement in God s original covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:3). We do not read of any further exchange of words between Isaac and Jacob after Isaac offers the blessing. Jacob has likely been wishing that the ceremony will end as soon as possible, aware that Esau can return at any moment. As it turns out, Jacob scarcely leaves before Esau returns, prepares a meal for his father, and enters the tent expecting a blessing from him. One cannot fathom the degree of sadness and despair that Isaac feels and the degree of anger and bitterness that Esau experiences when they realize what has happened. What Do You Think? How should we react to situations where we discover that someone has consciously deceived us? Digging Deeper Does the amount of time that has elapsed make a difference? Why, or why not? But God s sovereign purpose is still being carried out. His plan is moving forward, even in the midst of the deception and heartbreak that we see in the events of this chapter of Scripture. Conclusion A. Two Laws Sociologists have identified a concept called the law of unintended consequences. Unintended consequences are outcomes that are not foreseen or intended by a certain action. According to Wikipedia, these consequences fall into three categories: 1 Unexpected benefits (when positive results exceed expectations); this has also been referred to as a windfall 2 Unexpected drawbacks (which can occur in addition to any benefits gained from an action); this is also known as doing more harm than good 3 Perverse results (when the consequences of a course of action make a given problem worse); this is also known as a backfire in some contexts

23 The difference between number 2 and number 3 can be hard to see. But it s easy to see how both descriptions of doing more harm than good and backfire can certainly be applied to what happened in the aftermath of Jacob and Rebekah s deception of Isaac when the unfolding events of Genesis 27:41 and following are considered. While God s higher purpose was carried out in spite of the chicanery, this series of events brought further havoc into a family where sibling rivalry and parental favoritism had already created significant friction. The law of unintended consequences is both a sociological and spiritual concept. It is grounded in scriptural principles such as Be sure that your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23); Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity (Proverbs 22:8); and Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7). This is known as the law of sowing and reaping. The two laws are similar but not identical. The similarities seem more profound than the differences, however, and we ve all experienced those negative similarities. Lying begets more lies as we dig ourselves deeper and deeper into a hole. Eventually the avalanche of sin catches up with us. B. One Solution The solution starts with recognizing the problem. And that problem is one of taking the short view instead of the long view. When we focus on the potential long-term effects, the temptation to grab shortsighted, short-term fixes will diminish. The Bible has the correct long-term view for everyone: Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind (Ecclesiastes 12:13). C. Prayer Father, may we extend hands not to grab another s heel but to lend genuine assistance. May we be the hands and feet of Jesus to our broken, hurting world. We pray this in his name. Amen. D. Thought to Remember The law of sowing and reaping applies to both crops and character. 1 1 Thatcher, T., Schmidt, D. C., Boatman, C. R., & Redford, D. (2018). Jacob s Deception. In R. L. Nickelson (Ed.), The NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, (Vol. 25, pp ). Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing.