There is a strategy game I used to play quite often, years ago. It would take days, sometimes weeks to complete. If I didn’t like the way a turn ended, I could replay the turn by clicking on a saved game on the computer. I know, it does take away from the satisfaction of the win, but I was the god of that world and the computer was supposed to be a good servant and play its turn fairly, but sometimes it favored itself too much, and it had to endure my wrath! The point in this, as it applies to our current study, is that neither we nor God gets to replay the day. We must face the decisions we’ve made and endure their aftermath.
Likewise, the Lord must use what he gets from us or it’s game-over, and he begins again. However, God proved to us through the crucifixion that he has no plans to replace us with another creation, nor does he get to replay the day, hoping we’d make a different decision. He must work with what he has, but he is God, and he is able to make the errors we make today work for good tomorrow.
So, we’ve seen that the conspiracy, which Rebekah and Jacob acted out, worked, and Isaac blessed Jacob, even though he intended to bless Esau. Nevertheless, there were consequences to pay, because the domino effect of their deception was that Jacob’s twin brother, Esau, decided he would slay Jacob, once their father was dead. So, what good would Jacob’s birthright and blessing be then? Moreover, Esau’s words in the text were evidently spoken, not to himself, but to another, for someone who heard them, either Esau’s confidant or another who overheard them, informed Rebekah of Esau’s intentions (Genesis 27:41-42).
Immediately, Rebekah sent for Jacob and informed him of his brother’s plans. Therefore, another plan had to be set in motion to counteract what Esau intended to do. Thus, their deception bred Esau’s wrath, and Esau’s wrath bred fear and separation, which reminds one of a quote from Macbeth: “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when at first we start to deceive.”[1] Therefore, it was decided that Isaac must go to stay with Rebekah’s brother, Laban, and remain there, until Esau’s anger was no longer a threat (Genesis 27:42-44).
Once it became evident that Esau no longer wished to harm Jacob, it was intended that Rebekah would send for Jacob, and he’d be able to return. Otherwise, Esau would kill Jacob, and Esau would be in danger of being slain himself, vis-à-vis by the avenger of blood (Genesis 27:45), vis-à-vis whatever police force was in place at the time (cp. Genesis 9:6). Moreover, Rebekah deception would not only end in the deaths of her sons but their deaths would conceivably end the promise the Lord gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yet, that possibility, couldn’t occur, because the Lord works our errors into his plan for the good of his creation.
Nevertheless, Jacob’s journey away from home wasn’t a matter that could be decided on a whim. As long as Isaac was alive, it was his decision to make, not Jacob’s or Rebekah’s. Therefore, Rebekah conceived yet another plan! Under the guise of her dissatisfaction with Esau’s wives, the daughters of Heth, who were taken from among the Canaanites, Rebekah requested Isaac to send Jacob to her brother Laban in Haran. Once there, he could take a wife from among her family (Genesis 27:46), as was done for Isaac by Abraham (Genesis 24:1-4). Otherwise, her life’s hopes would be for naught, and Isaac agreed (cp. Genesis 28:1-2).
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[1] Actually, it seems that Shakespeare took it from Sir Walter Scott’s poem Marimion.
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