So, what's the difference in a birthright and a
blessing (Genesis 27:36)? Apparently the
birthright included all the rights of the firstborn, and the blessing was
comprised of the spiritual and material impartation of the goods that were
guaranteed in the birthright.
Looking at it more precisely, the birthright
included the rights of 1. being the priest of the family, 2. receiving a double
portion of the paternal inheritance, 3. having the judicial authority of one's
father and 4. (in this case) possessing a sacred importance in relation to the
eventual coming of the Messiah (which seems to have been a significant emphasis
of the blessing).
The blessing was therefore an execution and
deliverance of the birthright, but it had to have been something more too since
Esau clearly saw them as two different things. One thing is apparent, the
blessing included providential involvement.
So, perhaps some of the cultural understanding of the two things has
been lost in history.
Whatever else might be said though, Jacob was
definitely guilty of manipulation in obtaining for himself those things which
otherwise would have gone to his twin brother. And, it almost cost him his
life...
Isaac loved Esau. Rebekah loved Jacob. Isaac sent Esau out to hunt for meat for him
to eat during the blessing ceremony. Conniving Rebekah sent Jacob in to trick
Isaac into bequeathing the blessing on him rather than on his brother Esau. She
was counting on Isaac's handicaps (including blindness) to give her favorite
son the edge he needed to deceive Isaac.
Jacob had "scarce gone out" of Isaac’s
presence when Esau came in. When one considers just how furious Esau was, it's
easy to conclude that God really spared Jacob's life by getting him out of that
tent before his brother came in (Genesis 27:41). Truly, God frequently superintends
in mercy even when his children are acting selfishly and irresponsibly.
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