The Scheme Takes Shape: Genesis 27:14-25
God does not need our perfection for His plan to be perfect. I’m grateful for this, because I’m not perfect – not even close. Every day I say the wrong words, think the wrong thoughts, and do wrong deeds. Yet, every day I come to the evening and see God’s hand moving through my life. I don’t deserve to have Him use me, yet He still does.
Jacob goes into the field, gathers the goats, and brings them to Rebekah. Rebekah prepares the food. She finds Esau’s clothing and dresses Jacob in it. She wraps the parts of his skin that show out from the clothing in the goat skins to make him hairy. She sends Jacob in to complete the deception.
Consider the completeness of the deception. Practically blind, Isaac relied upon his other senses. With no way to cover Jacob’s voice, Rebekah focused on the other senses. The clothing would help him smell like Esau. The goat skins would help him feel like Esau. The gamey food make his sense of taste buy the lie. The deception was as thorough as possible.
It’s hard to know the early families God called to His plan acting this way. These are certainly not God-appointed patterns of behavior! We could make excuses. They didn’t have many role models to look up to. They didn’t have scriptures to read to find inspiration. They didn’t have generations of saints before them to set expectations. All these things are true, but the reality is they were human. They were like us. We have role models, predecessor saints, and the scriptures, but we make just as many mistakes. Rebekah and Jacob behave like they do because they were pursuing their own will. They lost sight of God for a moment and pursued their own logical reasoning.
When Jacob goes to Isaac, the deception goes from thought to action. Up until this moment, Rebekah and Jacob were only engaged in scheming. When Jacob walks into the room, the lies begin. Isaac asks who Jacob is and he lies. Isaac asks how the game was hunted and prepared so quickly and Jacob implicates God in the lie by claiming God granted him success. After Isaac feels the hair of the goats and his ears try to tell Isaac all is not as it seems, Jacob lies again about his identity.
There is no excuse. It is wrong. It is deception. Jacob builds a foundation for the blessing out of dishonesty.
Yet, God still moves. God’s plan takes a step forward. God’s plan for redemption draws one generation closer.
If nothing else, this is evidence that our sinfulness cannot taint God’s righteousness. There is nothing upright about this story, but God’s plan remains righteous. He can use our spiritual victories. He can use us as we walk away from His ways. He is almighty. God does not need our perfection for His plan to be perfect.
