Daily Devotional | A House Divided

Have you ever had a plan backfire on you spectacularly? When I was in high school, my classmates and I tried to get our history teacher to put off an exam we had scheduled for the next day. She responded to our attempted manipulation by giving us the exam immediately.

Isaac and Rebekah’s home was fractured by favoritism. Isaac’s preference for Esau and Rebekah’s for Jacob would have consequences that lasted for generations. In Genesis 27, Isaac had grown feeble and wanted to get his affairs in order before his death (v. 1). It was unusual that Isaac only called for Esau (vv. 2–4). Normally, a father would call all the sons together for an occasion like this (see Genesis 49; 50:24–25). Perhaps Isaac wanted to be sure to bless Esau only and leave nothing to Jacob.

Rebekah overheard her husband’s scheme and countered it with her own. She convinced Jacob to pose as Esau to steal his blessing (vv. 5–13). Jacob dressed in his brother’s clothing, brought food, and put goat hair on his arms and neck to deceive his father (vv. 11–17). When his father asked directly, “Are you really my son, Esau?” (v. 24). Jacob responded, “I am” (v. 24).

Isaac would go on to bless Jacob, marking him as the one upon whom the Abrahamic blessing would be bestowed (vv. 27–29). Esau would lose his position in the family, his responsibility, and his security. However, things did not work out fully as Rebekah had planned either. Jacob would be forced to flee for his life. Rebekah would never see her favorite son again. They did all this to obtain a blessing that God had promised to Jacob anyway (Gen. 25:23).

Go Deeper

Have you ever tried to lie or manipulate to “help” achieve God’s plan? What did Jacob and Rebekah fail to understand? What lessons does the story of Isaac’s blessing hold for us today?

Pray with Us: What a somber warning today’s reading gives us! Almighty God, we pray that the story of the fractured house of Isaac and Rebekah will spur us to pursue peace, love, unity, and honesty in our families, churches, workplaces, communities.

BY Ryan Cook

Dr. Ryan Cook has taught at Moody Bible Institute since 2012. He earned his bachelor of arts in Bible and Theology from Moody and his master of arts in Old Testament from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has worked in Christian education and served as a pastor in Michigan for seven years. During his time as a professor at Moody, he earned his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in the Chicagoland area.