Word of Encouragement (03/15/2022)

Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.” (Gen. 27:39-40).

After finding out how Jacob deceived Isaac and received the blessing of the firstborn, both Isaac and Esau lament. Esau demands that his father bless him, too, with whatever blessing he still has left. As Esau lifts up his voice and weep in sorrow and anger, Isaac opens his mouth and makes this prophetic announcement.

I call this “a prophetic announcement” because it is difficult to see it as a blessing, especially when we compare it to the covenant blessing given to Jacob: in many ways, it is the opposite. Jacob was blessed, “May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine” (27:28). Do you see the reversal of order? The dew of heaven is mentioned first in Jacob’s blessing; the fatness of the earth is mentioned first in Esau’s “blessing.” The order in Jacob’s blessing suggests that his blessings originate from God in heaven through the dews of heaven to the fatness of the earth. On the other hand, the order in Esau’s blessing begins with the fatness of the earth, suggesting the earthly orientation of Esau’s fate.

Not only the structure but also the contents are opposite. Jacob was blessed with the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth as well as plenty of grain and wine. How was Esau “blessed”? “...away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high.” Indeed, the area in which the Edomites ended up living was arid. That was not all. Isaac went on to say, “By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.” Esau was to be a warring tribe. Even so, he was fated to serve Jacob and his descendants even though, at some point, he would be able to break Jacob’s yoke.

When we consider Isaac’s words, they sound more like a curse than a blessing. This is shocking when we consider how much Isaac loved Esau. It must be that he uttered these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Because they come from the same Source, we can see the consistency between the two “benedictions”: what Jacob is blessed with is withheld from Esau—the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth and the grains and wines; dominion over his brother. Esau was given an alternative way of living—the sword, along with all the violence involved.

But the difference between these two’s fates goes beyond these contrasts. In Jacob’s benediction, heaven comes first; in Esau’s “benediction,” the earth comes first. How about the sword, by which Esau was to live? It represents the principle of this world. Jesus described it this way: “all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52). I’m not saying that Jacob’s blessing is heavenly and Esau’s “blessing” is earthly; Jacob’s blessing is earthly enough. After all, Israel was supposed to be an “earthly” representation of God’s heavenly kingdom. God’s blessings on Israel would manifest themselves through material abundance.

But that is precisely the point: the blessing of material abundance was not the end in itself for the people of Israel; it was a sign, which pointed them to a better blessing, which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. We can say that a little hint of that is given in the primary position of “the dew of heaven,” especially in contrast to the order given in Esau’s blessing.

This “hint” blossoms to its full expression in the new covenant in Jesus Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places...” (Eph. 1:3). May the Lord deepen our appreciation for all the spiritual blessings we possess in Jesus Christ, which are imperishable, undefiled, and unfading!

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