LIES, DECEIT, AND TRICKERY - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

by Linda Sue Pochodzay Edwards

While waiting for the bus after school, Will took a bag out
of his backpack. He pulled out a couple CDs and a small
remote control car to show off to his friends. The boys
were always impressed with the things Will brought to
school and some of them were even envious.

* * *

Trevor walked up just as Will was putting the things back
into his backpack. "That sure is some cool stuff you've got
there!" Trevor exclaimed. "I wish I had all the stuff
you've got."

"So you like my things, do you?" Will asked with a sly
grin. "I'll tell you what. I'm in a good mood today. I'll
give you everything in that bag for a dollar."

"WOW!" all the boys exclaimed. They all knew that was a
great deal and none of them would have turned it down.

Trevor reached into his pocket, pulled out a crisp dollar
bill, and handed it to Will. Will in turn reached into his
backpack, pulled out the bag, and gave it to Trevor.

With great excitement, Trevor opened the bag. His
excitement quickly turned to anger. "YOU TRICKED ME!" he
yelled. "THERE'S NOTHING IN THE BAG! I WANT MY DOLLAR
BACK!"

None of the boys had noticed that Will simply dropped the
things into his backpack, not placing them back in the bag.
Any one of them could have been the victim of his mean
scheme.

"Nope! I'm not giving you the dollar back!" Will said with
a sneer. "You made a deal to buy everything in the bag for
a dollar. You keep the bag; I keep the dollar."

* * *

Will and some of the other boys started laughing loudly.
They thought it was a great trick, but it wasn't funny to
Trevor. Not only had he been tricked and lost his dollar,
but he was also humiliated in front of all his friends. He
had a difficult time trying to hold back the tears as he
climbed onto his bus, but after all that, he certainly
didn't want to let them see him crying.

Isaac, very old and nearly blind, knew he was going to die
soon. He called his oldest son Esau to his side. "Please
get your hunting gear and go get some venison. Then make me
some of that delicious meat that I enjoy so much. After I
eat, I will give you my last blessing. Then I can die
peacefully."

Esau loved his father very much and wanted to please him.
Hunting was what Esau liked best, so he wasted no time
gathering his bow and arrows and was quickly out in the
fields.

Jacob and Esau's mother, Rebekah, just happened to be
standing nearby and heard Isaac's request. Jacob was her
favorite son and she wanted him to receive the last
blessing, even though the blessing was rightfully Esau's,
because he was the oldest son.

Quickly, she went to find Jacob. "Your father has just
asked Esau to bring home venison and cook his special meal.
Then he is going to pronounce the last blessing," she
explained. "Do as I say and do it quickly before Esau comes
back."

* * *

She instructed Jacob to go to the flock and get two young
goats. She then proceeded to cook the meat and flavored it
in a special way that she knew Isaac would love. She told
Jacob that when the meat and bread were finished cooking,
he should take it to his father and pretend to be Esau. "He
is nearly blind and it is dark in the tent. He will never
know," she said.

Jacob protested, "But Mother, Esau is rough and hairy, and
after coming in from a day of hunting in the fields, he
will be smelly. Surely our father will know that I am not
Esau and instead of a blessing, he will pronounce a curse
over me!"

"Don't you worry about a thing," Rebekah replied. "I have
already thought of that." Reaching behind her, she picked
up some of Esau's clothes. She also had some animal skins
nearby. "Put on these clothes, and then put the animal fur
around your neck and on your arms and hands. The clothes
haven't yet been washed and smell like Esau, and when your
father reaches out to touch you, the fur will make you feel
like Esau."

Jacob did as his mother told him. "EEW! These clothes sure
do stink!" he exclaimed as he put them on. "And this fur is
scratchy! I sure am glad I don't have wear this all the
time!"

When the meat was nice and tender and cooked just right,
and the bread was finished baking, Rebekah handed the meal
to Jacob. "Here, take this to your father," she said.

* * *

Jacob took the meal and went to the tent where his father
was resting. "Father," Jacob said, pretending to be Esau.

"I am here," Isaac said, "but who are you? Are you my son
Esau?"

"Yes, Father. I am your firstborn son. I am Esau. I have
done all that you asked me to do," Jacob lied, handing the
plate of food to Isaac. "Here, sit up and eat the venison I
have made for you. Then bless me."

Now Isaac wasn't one to be so easily fooled. "How have you
gone hunting, cooked the meat, and returned so quickly?" he
asked.

"Because Yahweh brought the animal right to me," Jacob
replied.

Isaac still wasn't quite convinced. "Come closer to me," he
requested. "I want to feel you to make sure you are my son
Esau."

Jacob went closer and Isaac felt him. He smelled the
clothes. He felt his hands and neck. "Are you really Esau?"
he questioned. "You feel like Esau and you smell like Esau,
but your voice sounds like Jacob."

"Yes, I am he," Jacob lied.

* * *

Isaac then ate the meal that Jacob had brought to him.
After he had finished eating, he pulled Jacob closer and
kissed him. He then pronounced the blessing:

"Yahweh give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of
the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve
thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons
bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee,
and blessed be he that blesseth thee."

This was a very important blessing because it meant that
Isaac had just made Jacob the ruler of the entire
household. Along with the last blessing also came the
inheritance. This meant that Esau and any other children
would only recieve a little bit, but that Isaac would
receive a great portion of all his father's property and
goods.

Just as the blessing was finished and Jacob was leaving
Isaac's tent, Esau came back from his hunting trip. He had
a delicious meal made from the venison he had caught, ready
for his father to eat.

* * *

"Father, I am back," Esau called out. "I brought you the
meal you asked me to prepare."

Isaac was confused. He thought he had just finished
blessing Esau. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am your oldest son Esau. I have just returned from
hunting. I have your meal ready for you," Esau replied, not
understanding why his Father was confused.

"But I just blessed Esau," Isaac said trembling. "If you
are really Esau, who was just here? I just ate my meal and
gave my last blessing to the person who just left my tent.
I cannot take that blessing back. I have blessed him, and
he shall be blessed."

Esau was deeply distraught. He knew exactly what had
happened. His brother Jacob, to whom he had sold his
birthright for a pot of stew many years earlier, had found
a way to receive the last blessing. He was upset and angry
with Jacob, but that would have to wait. He cried and
begged his father, "Please bless me, too! I am the oldest.
Jacob stole my blessing. Don't you have even a small
blessing left for me?"

Isaac answered thoughtfully, "I just made him ruler over
all that I have and I made him the ruler over all his
brothers, including you." Esau wept uncontrollably because
receiving the father's blessing was the most important
thing in the world for the oldest son.

Isaac finally reached out and prayed over him. It was a
very small blessing, but it would have to do:

"Thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of
the dew of heaven from above; and by thy sword shalt thou
live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to
pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt
break his yoke from off thy neck."

This meant that even though Jacob would rule over him, he
would eventually become stronger.

Esau left his father very sorrowful that he had missed the
blessing, and carried with hima deep hatred for his brother
Jacob. He determined that after his father died, he would
kill Jacob.

* * *

Rebekah heard about the threats Esau made against Jacob,
and his hatred was so great, she had no doubt he would try
to follow through. She had a talk with Jacob. "Your brother
is outraged that he didn't receive the proper blessing. He
has threatened to kill you. You must leave until your
brother calms down."

Rebekah then talked to Isaac. "Please send Jacob to visit
my brother Laban. Esau has married women from this country
and I don't like them. I don't want Jacob to marry a lady
from around here. Please send him to Laban to find a wife."

The plan sounded good to Isaac. After all, that is where
Eliezer found his beloved wife, Rebekah. Isaac called Jacob
to his bedside and gave him instructions on how to get to
the land of Padan-aram where his Uncle Laban lived. He
prayed over Jacob one more time:

"Yahweh Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and
multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy
seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein
thou art a stranger, which Yahweh gave unto Abraham."

In that prayer, Isaac was asking Yahweh to bless Jacob and
give him many descendants, just as Yahweh had promised Jacob's
grandfather, Abraham. He also prayed that the land of his
Uncle would become his.

* * *

Jacob was not happy about leaving his home and his family,
but he knew that his life was in danger if he stayed. He
gathered the things he thought he would need, loaded a few
camels, and started his journey to Padan-aram to visit his
Uncle Laban.

Unfortunately, this part of Jacob's story doesn't have a
happy ending. He paid a high price for his deceitfulness.
The day Jacob left home was the last time he saw his mother
whom he loved so dearly.

* * *

THINK!

Why did Isaac send Esau hunting?
How did Jacob disguise himself?
Did the trick work?
Which brother received the important blessing?
What did Esau threaten to do?
Why did Jacob have to leave home?

REMEMBER:

Lies, deceit, and trickery are hurtful and only bring
trouble in the end.

A VERSE TO LEARN

"Lie not one to another" (Colossians 3:9a).

LET'S PRAY

****************************************************
Dear Yahweh, thank You for always being here
when we need You. Help us to resist the
temptation to lie and be deceitful. But if we
sin by doing these things, help us to remember
to ask You and others to forgive us.
I pray in Yah'shua's Name. Amen.
****************************************************

CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?

Genesis 27:1 - 28:5

You can view this Bible story in full color with pictures and
resources to go along with the story at
http://www.childrenschapel.org/biblestories/jacob2.html

Purchase the WHOLE Website by clicking here