What Was I Thinking?

Lies, all of them will eventually “out.” Just ask Lance Armstrong. Or Abraham and Sarah.
Abraham and Sarah’s agreed that Sarah not reveal her marital status. Their deception, (like so many of ours) rose from an instinct of self-protection. But God had a higher plan, and that redemptive plan of the One who set the stars in place could not be thwarted—not even by the pair from whose line Jesus Christ would stem.

Blessing, at Any Cost?

As a result of Jacob and Rebekah’s deception Isaac’s blessing was given to Jacob rather than Esau.This passage has always generated very understandable questions. The principal question is: How does God allow Jacob to receive the birthright and the blessing from his father as the result of deception?

Consequences

The recognition that the blessing has been taken from him leads to Esau’s loud bitter cry, “Bless me—me too, my father!” The blessing he does receive from his father (27:39-40) in no way satisfies him. The grudge against his brother is deepened and he vows to kill Jacob when Isaac is dead (27:41).

What Goes around Comes around

Jacob was no doubt especially joyful that his journey of discovery included a potential bride as beautiful as Rachel. However, he is about to see that the family issues of deception and envy are not entirely in the past.

Negative family traits, embedded in character, are difficult to overcome.

Prosperity Meets Envy

Through ingenuity, hard work and divine blessing Jacob is exceedingly prosperous (Genesis 30:25-43). This prosperity arises within a clear arrangement that Jacob had made with Laban to compensate for years of service. Nonetheless family intrigue is stirred up again as Jacob’s cousins begin to murmur that Jacob has taken advantage of their father. Jacob observes Laban was not as friendly as he had been before.(v 1-2).

Fool’s Gold

A mineral called pyrite is described as “fool’s gold” because it has a superficial resemblance to the shine and appearance of real gold. In the 17th century pyrite was used as a source of ignition in early firearms. Today, gold is enjoying its highest value.

Basic Truthfulness

Solomon lived in a time when lies and other forms of deception were fairly easy to discern. In small-scale societies, where most people lived in villages, and their number of acquaintances was only a couple of hundred people, deceit was hard to sustain: one could fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people for very long. Centuries before, Moses had warned, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). This was a simple fact of everyday life. Solomon’s warnings against lying were frequent and loaded with assurance that lies would be discovered and liars punished.