Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”
Genesis 27:19 NIV
In Genesis 27, we read about the moment when Isaac, growing old and blind, instructed Esau to prepare a meal so he could bless him. However, Rebekah overheard this and devised a plan for her younger son, Jacob, to deceive Isaac and receive the blessing meant for Esau. This critical moment reveals Jacob’s true heart condition before God. Jacob’s mother influenced his deceitful plan to steal his brother’s blessing, but his own desires ultimately drove him. This story challenges us to reflect on our own heart condition before God—do selfish ambitions motivate us, or are we living in alignment with His will? Understanding the heart condition before God is key to overcoming temptation and living a righteous life.
Jacob’s initial hesitation wasn’t about the immorality of deceiving his father but rather about the risk of being caught. In verse 11, Jacob expressed concern to his mother, saying, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I have smooth skin. What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing.”
Notice that Jacob didn’t object to the deception itself; he was more worried about the possibility of the plan failing. He had already inclined his heart toward obtaining his brother’s blessing by all means possible. Many may assume this deceit was entirely Rebekah’s idea, but Jacob’s responses reveal that he had his own desire to steal Esau’s blessing. Rebekah may have sparked the plan, but Jacob willingly carried it out.
This becomes clearer in Genesis 27:19, where Jacob, in his deception, told Isaac, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing.” When Isaac asked how he found the game so quickly, Jacob even invoked God, saying, “The Lord your God gave me success.” Jacob’s willingness to deceive his father, lie about his identity, and use God’s name to justify his actions shows that this sin was not merely the product of his mother’s influence, but the reflection of the condition of his own heart.
This leads us to an important reflection: we often blame external factors or people for our wrong actions, saying, “They made me do it,” or “The situation forced me.” However, the truth is that these actions are rooted in the desires of our own hearts. No one can truly force us to sin; we sin because the inclination was already within us.
Consider Joseph, who faced temptation from Potiphar’s wife. Unlike Jacob, Joseph did not yield to the temptation or try to justify any sinful actions. Instead, he fled from the situation, recognising the wickedness of the act and taking responsibility for his actions (Genesis 39:6-12). This contrast between Joseph and Jacob highlights the importance of personal responsibility and the condition of our hearts in the face of temptation.
How we respond to trials and temptations is a direct reflection of what is in our hearts. When we align our hearts with God, we reflect righteousness through our words, actions, and decisions. But if we fill our hearts with evil desires, those desires will eventually manifest in our behaviour.
This story of Jacob invites us to examine the state of our hearts. Are we harbouring deceit, envy, or selfish ambition, like Jacob? Or are we striving to live righteously, as Joseph did, even when faced with temptation?
If you find that there are hidden sins or ungodly desires within your heart, surrender them to God. His grace, made available through the sacrifice of Jesus, can cleanse your heart and free you from sin. Through His mercy, you can overcome temptation and live in alignment with God’s will.
In conclusion, the story of Jacob’s deception teaches us that the root of our actions lies in the condition of our hearts. We cannot simply blame others or our circumstances for our sins. Instead, we must take responsibility, recognise our faults, and surrender them to God. Only then can we experience true freedom from sin and live according to God’s purpose for our lives. Let us reflect on the state of our hearts, seek God’s cleansing grace, and commit to living righteously.
