Jacob Takes Esau's Blessing

There are no heroes in Genesis 27. This chapter completes the story of how God’s prophecy concerning Esau and Jacob comes to pass, that the older brother will serve the younger. Yet, throughout this chapter, both parents work against each other and against God's will in order to side with their favorite child. Both children behave deplorably as well.It is for this very reason that this chapter, as much perhaps as any other in the Bible, reminds us of the offensiveness of grace! There is no one in this chapter who deserves blessing… yet blessing will come nonetheless. Genesis 27 is the story of grace. And grace only happens where there are no heroes, where there is no one deserving any blessing, where there is no one acting as they ought to be.Genesis 27 offends us in order to show us that this story is no different than our story: it is the story of God’s offensive grace, forgiving people who simply do not deserve to be forgiven, blessing people who do not deserve to be blessed.