January 21, 2012 … The Consequences of Sinful Impatience

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Genesis, Chapters 27-29 … To study these chapters, go to this link -

Genesis 27: 21-25: … [“Oh The Web We Weave When We Practice to Deceive”] ...
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 [Jacob] replied. 25 Then he [Isaac] said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.”

My Journal for Today: Wow! The read through Chapters 27-29 of Genesis in my chronological read through the Bible – today, Day 21 – was rich with information of interest and personal application; but I’ve chosen to focus this day on the story in Genesis 27 of Jacob’s plot, along with his mother, Rebekah, to masquerade himself as his hairy brother, Esau, and to con their father into giving him the family inheritance blessing. Once received, this blessing, in the culture of the day, was irrevocable; and so Rebekah, wanting her second son to receive the blessing, hatched the plot, which was agreed to by Jacob, to deceive the old, blind father Isaac. You can certainly have read or can read the story in depth by going through Chapter 27 in Genesis.

But once again just as Jacob’s grandmother, Sarah, had done years before, Rebekah, knowing directly of God’s promise to allow Jacob receive the blessing (see Genesis 25: 24), just like Sarai did by giving Hagar to Abram, forged ahead of God’s timing and decided that she would expedite God’s plan with her own scheme. And to the old saying, which I’m sure you readers have heard, may I add just a couple of words. It goes … (with my additions). “Oh the [messed-up] web we weave, when we practice to deceive [God].”

And that’s what happened when Rebekah didn’t [or couldn’t] wait on God to lead her in HIS plan to give the covenant promise to Jacob (later to become “Israel”). When she came up with her own plan, forging ahead of God’s timing, the web of deceit which she and her son, Jacob, who was in compliance with the plan, led to a whole series of messy, messy events, … all of which could have been avoided by waiting on God.

Today in reading my Parsons Commentary, it reviewed the series of consequences of the sin of Rebekah’s and Jacob’s impatience. And here they are, quoted from the commentary: “(1) He [Jacob] never saw his mother again; (2) his brother [Esau] wanted to kill him; (3) he was deceived by his uncle, Laban; (4) his family became torn by strife; (5) Esau became the founder of an enemy nation; (6) he was exiled from his family for years.” And as the commentary also pointed out: “Imagine how different his [Jacob’s] life would have been had he and his mother waited for God to work his way, in his time!” … Who knows, … perhaps Jacob would never have had to wrestle with God later for God’s blessing [see Genesis 32] if he and his mom had not been disobediently impatient and conned old, blind Isaac into giving the family blessing to his younger son … to whom God had promised would receive the blessing anyway.

I’ve covered this earlier this year; but it bears repeating, by asking: “How often do we in our pride or arrogance either don’t seek out God’s will or HIS way by digging into His word; … or by just forging ahead in pridefulness and moving ahead – on our own strength and perceive direction – without ever consulting God in prayer and Bible confirmation, how may problems do we create? I’m afraid I must say that it has happened all too often in my past, especially when I was anxious or fearful, given circumstance which required me to make a critical directional decision in my life.

How about you?

Well, I wont’ go into my solution (or should I say “God’s solution”] in depth here; but I do now have a protocol which I believe God’s Spirit gave me to go through, seeking God’s peace when I have a “scheme” to solve important problems or dilemmas. My paradigm involves the truth and promise in Philippians 4: 6-7; and if you want to know how my planning tool from this truth always works, just email me (at billb13@bellsouth.net or willieb13@rocketmail.com ]; and I’ll be glad to send you a planning protocol which will always keep you from getting ahead of God’s way and fasten you into His will by using His word. And with that I’ll shut down this time with you today.

My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to stay in Your timing, ALWAYS following Your way in Your timing and after seeking consultation with You from Your word. Amen