Communion With the Christ:: Receiving the Firstborn's Blessing

Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he 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. Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.” And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing,” Gen: 27:18-27a

When we look at the Holy Scriptures through the view of "who Jesus is", and all that Jesus has done on our behalf, and we start from the view that all of Scripture point us to our Lord, even as he himself said, speaking to religious leaders of the day.

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me”, Jhn: 5:39,

Jesus mentions this to the Disciples on the road to Emmaus with whom Jesus walked after his resurrection,

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”

Lk: 24:27

This also tells us that, when we see Jesus as the Resurrected Savoir, the one who is Fully God and Fully Human, then we can see Jesus in the Scriptures all the more clearly.

That is, we can see Jesus in the entire Bible from cover to cover. He is the way to understand the word of God for he is that Word. Jesus stands out, in surprising, and unexpected ways and places, virtually from almost every Scripture. Jesus emerges in unlikely places in ways that we might not first suspect. Reading the Bible through "who Jesus is" opens it to our understanding and the Salvation and blessings we can experience when we come to faith in him.

Jacob

I wanted to look at the account of the Patriarch Jacob, whose name means “tripper or grasps a heel”. This was a Hebrew idiom for “he deceives”, one who obtained what he should not otherwise have. For the sake of brevity, please allow me to give you the story in a short outline.

Jacob was the Grandson of the Abraham to whom God had given great promises. These promises passed to Isaac who had intended to confer them to his favorite and firstborn of two sons Esau, who by all rights, as the firstborn, these blessings truly belonged. Gen: 25:19-28.

Being the Firstborn was a place of great importance in the culture of that day, it held all the rights and received the primary inheritance.

Now Jacob, as the second son, under the normal traditions of that culture could not really expect to receive the best part of his father’s blessing. However, Jacob was a clever man, and used his cleverness to obtain the “birthright” from his older brother Esau, Gen: 25:29-24. Esau we are told in verse 34 – “Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So, Esau despised his birthright.”

Esau did not esteem his birthright it as something to hold on to. He undervalued it, and let Jacob have it for a pot of red stew, a very unfair exchange. Esau then got up and went his way.

Isaac

Now, when Isaac was old, and his eyes had become dim, desired to give the blessing to his firstborn son Esau. Isaac calls Esau and tells him of his intentions, but request that Esau first go hunting and bring him some wild game to eat and then he would pass the blessing on to Esau. Gen: 27:1-4

Rebekah

Now Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, who favor was toward Jacob, over heard the conversation between the two men. While Esau is away in the field, Rebekah devises a plan whereby Jacob can receive what rightfully belonged to Esau who is the firstborn.

Two goat kids are killed, the meat is dressed to taste like wild game. Jacob however, protested that his father will know it is him due to the fact Esau was a hairy man and he is not, and Isaac will recognize this when he lays hands upon him. The slain goat’s hair is tied to Jacob’s arm and neck, and a robe of Esau’s is placed upon Jacob...Gen: 27:11-17

“Then you shall take it to your father that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.” Gen: 27:5-10

Isaac’s Blindness

Following Rebeka’s instructions Jacob then approached his blind father having put on the robe of his firstborn brother, and goat hair in place, bearing the “offering” of the killed and dressed goats.

“So he went 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 just as you told me; please arise, sit 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?” And he said, “Because the Lord your God brought it to me.”

Isaac, in hearing Jacobs’s voice questions who it is that is before him. Isaac request that his "son" come closer that he may touch him. When Jacob drew near Isaac feels the goat hair and smelled the clothing that belong to Esau, and in Isaac’s blindness, he becomes convinced that the one before him is his firstborn son Esau and accepts him as such, and confers upon Jacob all that belong to Esau. All that Esau had rights to was now Jacobs.

The blessing is given to Jacob.

“And blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!” Gene: 27:27b-29

Jacob then receives what is rightfully Esau’s, not because of who Jacob was, but because of who Esau was, all the blessings were rightfully Esau’s, now Jacob had without deserving it or on merits of his own.

Where Is Jesus in This?

Where is Jesus? Well, He is there in all of it, and so are we. We could spend a great deal of time expounding on how the living Jesus stands forth from the Scriptures here and throughout the Bible, for that matter, but we are limited in time and space.

You see, Jesus, is as Esau was, is that Firstborn to whom all the blessing rightfully belong. The blessings are Jesus alone by all rights.

“ In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews: 1:1-3

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;” Rm: 8:29

(Jesus) “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” Col: 1:14-15

It is the Firstborn who receives all from the Father; it belongs to him by all rights. It is the same with Jesus and ourselves, all that Christians receive we receive the blessings not because of who we are, but because of who Jesus is, on his merits alone.

In the same way all that Jacob received from blind Isaac belonged to his older brother Esau, but Jacob received it due to the fact that their father perceived Jacob as Esau.

We Are All Jacob

We all are just like Jacob, as he was a supplanter and deceptive as he was called, we all used the natural inclinations of our carnal natures to go through life.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rm:3:23

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1Jhn: 1:8

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worked in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved;” Eph:2:2-5

These Scriptures speak to all humanity. This is all of us, yet at some point in our lives we heard that message of the Gospel, which encourages us to seek our Father and receive from him all that he has for us by and through Jesus.

Rebekah

As Jacob was encouraged by his mother Rebekah, who articulated the way as to how he could receive Esau’s blessing, and to approach the Father, “The church 'is the mother of us all'" Gal: 4:26.

It is the church, our mother, who through the proclamation of the Gospel, which articulates and encourages us to seek from our Father in Heaven all the blessing we might receive in our Christian lives and on into eternity.

Received as the Firstborn

We as Christian, upon hearing the message of who Jesus is Christ and the adoption that is ours through Jesus Christ, it is then that we are dressed in the Firstborn’s Robe.

“clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”, Rm: 13:14

“for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” Gal: 3:27.

That means that we, like Jacob slip on the Firstborns’ Robe of Righteousness, it is his not ours; it is Jesus’, and dressed as the Firstborn we come into the presence of our Father bearing our “offering” which is not exactly the dish that was wanted but it was prepared in such a way that it was accepted, as imperfect, as in truth we all are, yet it receives acceptance as perfect. We are welcomed into the Father’s presences as Jacob was in Isaac’s.

It is our voice that is heard in seek a blessing, as it was Jacobs, but we are perceived as the Firstborn just as Jacob was. That is, God accepts us as if we are his own beloved Firstborn Son Jesus. We are covered by the scarified goats’ hair, which is we being covered by Christ’s sacrifice.

Evan the smell of the robe that Isaac mentions is that familiar smell of the Firstborn even as Jesus is to the great God “and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” Eph:5:2

Received the Blessing

When Isaac accepted that the one before him was his Firstborn Esau, he then gave to Jacob all the a Firstborn should have , he held nothing back it all became Jacobs even though he should by rights have received none of it. This speaks of the grace and full adoption, which is sonship, which is given to us through Jesus.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Rm: 8:12-17

We are coheirs with Jesus we are to share in what is his, but it is not because of who we are but who Jesus is.

Notes About Esau’s Birthright

In Genesis: 25:29-34 Esau sold his birthright, we are told that “despised his birthright” that he did not esteem it as something to be kept, this even speaks to us of Jesus’ willingness to release or to turn lose his birthright so that others could have it, which is to say Jesus is willing to give to us what is rightfully his which is all things.

Even the “Red Stew” for which it was sold speaks to us regarding the price paid that each of us may have this blessing, the very life blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace” Eph:1:7

Blessing Not Withdrawn

Even in Esau’s realizing what had occurred after he came in from the field, that what was his has now gone to another, we see the irrevocable nature of God’s blessing upon us. Esau wanted Isaac to recall the blessing and restore it him, but his Father was not able to do so once it was given, it was Jacobs.

“But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.”

Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!” Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”

Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?” Genesis: 27:34-37

As it is for us who have received from God through Jesus Christ, by Grace alone all that is Jesus'; except His deity. These blessings will not be recalled by the Father , for once these blessing are bestowed upon us they are ours .

“for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable”Rm:11:29

All About Jesus

All this, in brief, speaks to us that God the Father is “blind” to our brokenness, weakness, limits, sinful state, but because of who Jesus is, and what he has done on our behalf we can have a relationship with the Great God. Isaac called Jacob Esau’s brother, that is God accepts us in to full sonship as the “brethren” of Jesus. God the Father is including us in who Jesus is, this is accomplished through Jesus taking on our humanity so we might share in all that, as the Firstborn Son, is him relationship and in the life of the Great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When we read the Bible through Jesus Christ as our means of understanding, you might say, then by doing so, Jesus Christ emerges in places we may not have thought to look for him, the Bible is far from just book of ethics, morals or history, it is about Jesus and all that he is in revealing the Great God to us that we might be blessed.

We are all Jacob who without meriting or undeserving received from the Father, all the Blessings, all that are our Lord Jesus Christ's who is the Firstborn.

Benediction: May we each and all humbly give gory to our Heavenly Father, who thru his Holy Son Jesus is blind to who we are and grants that great Firstborn blessing to us, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.