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HOW DO YOU TRAIN YOUR CHILDREN


 

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 45:10-17

Genesis 27:18-29

Luke 10:21-24

“So he went to his father and said, “My father,” And he said, “Here I am l, Who are you, my son?“ Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your first-born; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord your God brought it to me.” Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob sent near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “the voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognise him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hand; so he blessed him. Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So, he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” And he came near and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and bless him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you. And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you And blessed be those who bless you.”

(Genesis 27:18-29 NKJV)

 


While it was truly the will of God that Jacob should be blessed, God did not approve that He should lie and used His name to deceive his father (v. 20) when actually his mother took the goat from the pen. And knowing fully well that the covenant blessing has not yet been pronounced, and also that he was not really committed to Yahweh. Even when the father was yet to consent to the birth-right he bought, he falsely attributed the success of the hunt to the provision of God. Using one lie to sustain another lie, he had started to weave a tangible web of lies (vv. 21-24). But God overlooked the sins committed by the 4 parties involved in the narration, He still brought about the fulfilment of the blessings. Their sins were that:

  • Isaac was stubbornly partial towards Esau;

  • Esau was recklessly determined to go his own way;

  • Rebekah’s gross deceitfulness and influence on Jacob to deceive his father; and

  • Jacob’s over-ambition to bring about his end.

Though Jacob succeeded in getting the blessings, the lies caused severe consequences –

  • He never set eyes on his mother from that day till she died.

  • Esau vowed to kill him anytime he set his eyes on him.

  • His uncle Laban in turn deceitfully dealt with him.

  • His family life was full of serious conflicts.

  • This action caused enmity between him and his twin brother for life.

  • Esau became a founding father of an enemy nation to Israel.

  • Jacob was exiled from his extended family for so many years.

Going by God’s promise in Genesis 25:23, Jacob would have received the birth-right and the blessing without forcefully deceiving his father to take Esau’s blessings. Imagine how pleasant and glorious it would have been if Jacob and his mother had waited for God to work his way at his timing. But at the end, Isaac wrongfully pronounced the blessing on Jacob, thinking he was ‘the man of the field’ – Esau (vv. 27-29).


The 4 elements to the blessings:

  • Satisfaction: the smell of his son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed (v. 27b)

  • Provision: The promise of plenty which assumed possession of the land (17:8), and the blessing of fertility (v. 28);

  • Promotion: The promise of domination, echoing the promise of Abraham (22:17), with the addition that the recipient will rule over the rest of his family too (v. 29a)

  • Protection: The contrasting blessing and cursing, which repeated God’s initial call to Abraham (v. 29; 12:1-3). With Isaac thinking that the covenant line would continue through his eldest son – Esau.

Lesson for parents:

Isaac and Rebekah caused enmity between their children; unhappiness and sorrow within the family for ever, where the twins should be loving pairs. It is said that your worse enemies are members of your father’s household. Rebekah knew the details Isaac would look out for in detecting Jacob. Her only challenge was the difference in Esau and Jacob’s voices (v. 22). Rebekah taught Jacob to be deceitful at young age thereby fulfilling the prophecy given while they were in the womb.


As parents, we should try as much as possible not to have favourites among our children. For family love, peace and harmony should exist and as much as possible, all children are to be treated equally Parents should never underestimate their influence on their children; they are watching and waiting to imitate. These blessings are such that any satisfied and happy parent would have loved to pray for their children and such that God would sanction and honour to those who honour their parent (Exo. 20:12; Eph. 6:2-3).

OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE


 

Prayer:

  1. Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

  2. O Praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him, all ye people.

  3. For his merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

  4. Lord, let the laughter and joy in the Holy Spirit open up the deep wells of life within me in Jesus name.

  5. Create in me a pure heart, O Lord and renew a right, teachable and humble spirit with me, in Jesus name.

  6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup; thou maintainest my lot.

  7. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

  8. O Lord secure my portion and my waters, in Jesus name.

  9. Lord keep our children, teenagers and young adults in Your secret place, as the apple of Your eye, in Jesus name.

  10. O Lord let the earth be filled with the knowledge of Your glory, as the waters cover the sea, in Jesus name.

  11. Our Father and God, use the situations of persecution in the world, especially our nation to populate your kingdom, in Jesus name.

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