Isaac's Savory Dish | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Isaac's Savory Dish | Previous Challenge Entry
By Joyce Krznaric
07/26/14
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Isaac’s Savory Dish

Sometimes, we hold the Old Testament patriarchs in such high esteem that we forget how human they were. The story of Jacob and Esau is a refreshing example of how God receives us just as we are. He knows us in our mother’s womb and chooses us before we ever know Him. We may hate ourselves in times of failure, and wonder how we will ever serve our God completely. But, the Old Testament is filled with examples of men and women who loved and served God in spite of their human frailties. God had a way of dealing with their flaws and bringing them to a place of maturity. Surely, He will do the same for us.

Genesis 25:23 (NIV)
The Lord said to her, [Rebekah] Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.

In the days of Isaac, patriarch of Israel, it was prophesied to Rebekah his pregnant wife that the twins wrestling within her womb would become two different peoples. One would be stronger than the other, but the older would serve the younger. Those two children became Jacob and Esau. It says in Genesis 25:27, 28 (TLB):

As the boys grew, Esau became a skillful hunter, while Jacob was a quiet sort who liked to stay at home. Isaac’s favorite was Esau, because of the venison he brought home, and Rebekah’s favorite was Jacob.

Let’s face it- most fathers are going to favor the stronger, more competitive son over the quiet momma’s boy. I can just imagine the two boys growing up.

“Momma, Esau is teasing me again!”
“Father, Jacob refuses to venture forth into the wild and hunt with me. How will he ever become a man if he does not learn to hunt?”

Isaac sighs rolling his eyes while Rebekah runs to Jacob’s side to protect him from Esau’s prods.

Isaac could not help himself. He secretly loved the fact that Esau was a mighty hunter, and he especially enjoyed the wild meat that Esau caught on his hunting runs. He was proud of Esau and felt that the birthright legally belonged to him.

Genesis 27: 1-4 (NASB)
Now it came about, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his older son Esau… Isaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death. Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me; and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die.

Isaac knew from the prophecy at the birth of the boys that God’s will was for Jacob to have the first blessing. However, he favored Esau over Jacob, and in direct opposition to the will of God Isaac was secretly going to bless Esau first! Neither the savory salt nor the pungent pepper in his venison stew would be able to mask the deceit hidden in this manipulative act. But, in spite of his conniving ways Isaac was unable to hinder the plan of God for Jacob by giving the best blessing to Esau, even though in the natural it belonged to him. So it is with all of God’s children. He keeps us in the palm of His hand and watches over his word in us to perform it.

Through God’s design Rebekah overheard Isaac’s conversation with Esau, and she plotted with Jacob to thwart Isaac’s plan. Here our heavenly Father was able to actually USE Rebekah’s human weakness to ensure that His plan remained intact. It is almost comical to imagine Jacob, the supplanter, tip-toeing up to father Isaac with his mother’s venison stew sloshing around in the bowl from his trembling hands. We can see him peering out of the window, hoping that Esau did not return home sooner than expected, to find Jacob covered in the skins of slain goats so as to appear hairy like Esau! But, this farfetched plan actually worked, and Isaac blessed Jacob with the best blessing that would eventually result in Jacob becoming the great nation of Israel.

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