God's Promises To Abraham - a seven-part series Part VI

Isaac Blessing Jacob (engraving by Gustave Doré from the 1865 La Sainte Bible)

by Michael C. Garrett

Good afternoon Friends, wherever you might be! We’re so glad that you’ve decided to come and spend a little time with us. Maybe it was planned – maybe you knew about us – someone had told you or you’ve been at our website or blog site before, or you’ve watched the DVDs before. Or, maybe this is sort of by accident – some of you may have run across this on some of the social media – like Facebook, Flipboard, or our Internet Archive page. But however you got here – we’re glad you’re with us! You are here with us as we are having a weekly church service in Owensboro, Kentucky and this is the Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ. My name is Michael C. Garrett. And, this is free – and if you want our DVDs please contact Trevor Koonce at deacon.t.p.k@gmail.com, or visit our website – owensborochurchofjesuschrist.com and on our home page, click “Contact Us” and you’ll see Minister Michael C. Garrett’s email address and our mailing address and send us a note. And if you wish to be a part of our weekly church services you’re more than welcome - as long as you have a good heart. Also, you can find us on YouTube, including Godtube. Everything is free of charge – no cost to you. The people who are supporting us help pay for everything. And if you want to help support us someday, we’re more than happy to have you help us out. But you don’t have to. What we have we freely give. We received it free, and we will give it away freely. So, again, owensborochurchofjesuschrist.com.

This sermon is entitled God’s Promises To Abraham – a seven-part series Part VI. And, when I say, “God’s promises to Abraham,” I guess I could have given it the title, God’s Promises To Abraham And His Descendants!? Because eventually, the story shifts from Abraham to Isaac, and then Jacob (who has his name changed to Israel eventually), and then it shifts to his son Joseph, and then it shifts to his sons Ephraim and Manasseh. So, Abraham – God made a whole series of promises to Abraham. And He continued to repeat those promises to Abraham’s descendants. And those promises basically talk about the United States of America and the British people in biblical prophecy and what God was going to do to them – both good and bad – because some of the promises are actually curses. And then eventually we’re told that Abraham and people who are like him and are faithful – in their faithful manner in their approach to God – that they will receive the blessing of eternal life in the kingdom of God. So it’s a very full and enriched and complex story. But it comes directly from the pages of your Bible!

And then, when we finish the part about Abraham and his descendants, we’re going to talk about the European people in biblical prophecy. Going back into the Book of Daniel, and ending up into the Book of Revelation. And Europe – and many of the events surrounding Europe – are prophesied. And, we’re at a time when some of those prophecies are becoming more real and more dramatic – it seems like every day.

“‘And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments [rules, precepts] of men.’” – Matthew 15:9.

I think this is a very exciting series that we’re doing. I hope you pay attention – I hope you listen. And, I hope you get out your Bible and follow along as I quote different Scriptures. I want you to know that we’re not just making this up! We’re following the Word of God. Everything we do here – at the Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ – is based upon the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God. Knowing the Plan of God and expanding our knowledge of the Plan of God – that’s what we are here to talk about. And we’re really not interested in building this huge organization, because as I’ve said before, the religion which is presented in the Bible – the true religion of God, not the religion of the world, of man’s customs and traditions – is very little heard of. I mean, people just really don’t know what the Bible truly says. They go to their Sunday school classes or their Sunday church, and they may hear a verse or two a week, and that’s about all they get. And they just end up – most people – when they go to their churches, are following human customs and human traditions. They’re not following the precepts as put forth in the Word of God! Well, here, we’re all about knowing the Word of God – the T R U T H of God, and the Plan of God!

Is going to a doctor a “lack of faith”!?

In the tradition of the WCG and some of the people who were a part of that, and some of the descendant churches that have come from the WCG, had a very hostile view of everything – if you want to know the truth. Everything was, “Bad!” A movie – “It’s bad!” Music – “Bad!” Some little popular item – whatever – “It’s bad!” And I got so tired of hearing that out there! For four years I just thought, “Oh my, are you people that negative that everything is bad!?” Well, that tradition is alive and well in many of the churches which have flowed forth from the WCG. And one of the thing’s they were particularly hostile towards was doctors. Now, that really sort of escapes me – I would admit there are some bad doctors out there. There’s some bad policemen, firemen, pharmacists, some bad teachers – well, you get the idea. Every profession can have a rotten apple in it. But, I must say, most of the doctors with which I have dealt with in my life were very hard working and happy to try and help me. But I’m a stubborn patient – I’ll be the first to tell a doctor, “I’m not a very good patient. You’re going to have to prove to me why I should do this, that, or the other.” Now if they can prove it to me - show it to me – then I’ll consider it, and many times go along with them. But I’m very practical about it, I’m pragmatic. And I just don’t take anything they say – I want to search it out, I’ll go and read and study. I want to educate myself before I do something that may have some potentially harmful effects. And this anti-doctor bias created a culture within the WCG – and it’s still alive in some people – that, “Well, we can’t go to a doctor, but we’ll find some “natural remedies” to take care of all of our problems.” And I noticed that before long the people who start doing that – somehow in their mind – transplant supplements or natural homeopathic means as becoming almost elevated to the level of religion in their mind. And this is where I say, “No! Don’t do it!”

And why do I say that!? Because the very first commandment is very clear – “’ You shall have no other gods before Me.’” And if all of a sudden you start making supplements and that general field of ideas become more important to you than anything else – you’re probably getting near the area where you might indeed be idolizing that very idea. And that’s dangerous – you don’t want to do it! And the Scripture I always try to point out – Romans 14:17. This is the Apostle Paul – under the inspiration of God’s Spirit – and he said very clearly, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, …” – and it’s not supplements, it’s not powders and potions and lotions and liquids and everything else! The kingdom of God is about – “righteousness and peace and joy [as one exists with, and through, and empowered by God’s] Holy Spirit.” That’s what the kingdom of God is about!

Now, health issues – I’ve said this before – I’d rather die having nothing, but knowing that my name was written in the Book of Life! Because that momentary, temporary, death will be followed by an eternal existence as a member of the Family of GOD in the kingdom of God. (Be sure to read The Confusion About Death – Part I, II – including Is There… Life After Death? Part III). However, you could have everything in this lifetime – you could be a wealthy billionaire, having homes, cars, and toys of all types – every wish you want. You could buy it and acquire it. And yet, whatever you might have in this world is so very temporary. Time passes so very fast. So you young people – appreciate your youth, enjoy your youth, make good use of your youth, but realize you too will grow old someday. Unless the kingdom of Jesus Christ returns and you are changed from a mortal to an immortal being. And it’s sort of sobering. And so if you want to put your focus on something – put it in the kingdom of God, put it in Jesus Christ, put it in the concepts and the precepts of the New Covenant!

But to think that somehow I’m going to find a cure that doctors are not aware of, you’re really sort of fooling yourself – if you want to know the truth. Now, back on June 4th, 2016, I sighted well-over twenty different organizations which regularly – weekly – send me notices on my computer in the form of an email attempting to sell me something. Some type of pill, or potion, or powder, or lotion, or liquid – that if I would just buy it from them (I’ve got to buy it from them, because they’re the only ones that truly know where it should come from) then all of these magical changes will take place! Now, I’ll tell you what, if I turned on my computer some time, and it said, “Buy our product, and your hair will grow again!” I’ll be honest with you – I’d take a second look at it! Yeah, it would be sort of nice to have a full head of hair again! Some of you people do, and some of you are like me – and don’t. And most of these products are sold incorporating a tremendous wish. “O’ I wish that I had no pain” Or, “illness,” or, “I wish I had hair,” or, “I wish I had a thinner waistline,” or, “I wish I had the vitality of youth.” The ideas are not bad – there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy and youthful and energetic and all of those things – but you have to question how are you going to get there!? Well, I suggest you set your eyes on the kingdom of God! And just accept what you have now, and then in the kingdom of God, you’ll have eternal youth, immortality – eternal energy – eternal existence!

Now, there’s an old adage, if it sounds too good to be true – it probably is. It’s probably not real. And again, you’re free to do whatever you want – you’re a full-grown human being, if you’re an adult – eighteen years or older. If you want to take supplements, I have no power over you. If you don’t want to take them, I have no power over you. I’m not trying to. But I do want you to consider the fact that everything you read – especially when the person selling you the product is making the claims – it might not be true. And it could potentially be harmful in the long run. What a terrible tragedy – you spend a large amount to acquire some supplements, and they’re supposed to help you – and they end up making you ill. But I will say biblically – do not make supplements some type of special part of your religious mentality – your church life. It never should be – never! Because as he said, “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, …” and I would include supplements there. But rather, “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

“’ The foreigner who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, …’” – Deuteronomy 28:43

This news story ties in directly with this series – June 23rd, 2016, the British people went to the polls and voted 52% to leave the European Union. It sent shockwaves around the world! Leaders everywhere, “Oh how can they do this!? What are they thinking!? What is wrong with them!?” Including our leaders here in this country – many of them. And I’ve tried to say if you look at biblical prophecy – even though the UK is tied in with the common markets since 1973 – it was destined that the UK would go one direction, and the people of Europe would go another direction. And now we have a vote which will put that process into motion!

And one of the reasons that the British people said, “We want out of the European Union,” – and a lot of news reports have talked about this – is that many British people felt like their country was being invaded by foreigners who were coming from North Africa and the Middle East – most of whom had deep abiding Islamist and Muslim ties. And the people, when they got to their new country, weren’t intergrading – they weren’t learning the new language or learning the new culture. They were just piling up in pockets – and in the old days, they called them ghettos, where you just stayed with one type of people – your own people – and did not assimilate into the mainstream culture. And these “ghettos” and the people who inhabit them have been causing a lot of trouble! We don’t hear about it much with our press, because the press is sort of Liberal-leaning in our country. And the countries in Europe are sort of Liberal-leaning at the present time. And it’s not politically correct to talk about immigrants causing problems – we’re talking about VIOLENCE – robberies, sexual assaults! Some really serious conditions! And if you scratch around in the news reports – if you know where to go – you read and hear more about this serious condition! In 2015 – 16 there were multiple sexual assaults in Germany! In Cologne, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Dortmund, Bielefeld, Paderborn, Borken, Detmold, and Essen! All by people claiming allegiance to ISIS or who have been directly affected by ISIS propaganda. And they have involved knives and hatchets, and guns. And, we had the horrible terrorist actions there in the southern part of France July 14th, 2016, where a monster used a 19-tonne cargo truck and plowed down over 86 innocent people, injuring about 434! And, the people of EUROPE – the citizens of Europe, not the governmental leaders – are beginning to see their countries just radically changed! I’ve heard some commentators say, “The West,” meaning Western Europe and Britain, America, “we're being invaded by people from these other countries!” And they talk about how serious it is – and how fatally flawed the whole idea is!

Also, August 26th, 2016, a headline read – Islamic State group claims attack that killed priest, 85. And very quickly, the article says:

SAINTE-ETIENNE-DU-ROUVRAY, France - Two attackers slit the throat of an 85-year-old priest celebrating Mass in a French church, killing him and gravely injuring one of the few worshippers present before being shot to death by police. A nun who escaped said she saw the attackers video themselves and “give a sermon in Arabic” around the altar. …

It was the first known attack claimed by IS inside a church in the West.”

Now, the Islamic State has been waging WAR against every other religion clear back into the Middle Ages! So-called Christians had been attacked, murdered, ran out of the area. Buddhist’s and their shrines have been attacked, also including members of the other Islamic religion – Shia Islam.

The statement echoed claims in other recent attacks in France and neighboring Germany. It repeated its threat to Western “crusaders.”

These people are still living in the 7th and 8th century! Well over a thousand years ago! That’s the mentality they have.

French President Francois Hollande, arriving on the scene, called it a “vile terrorist attack” and one more sign that France is at war with the Islamic State group, which has claimed a string of attacks on France plus two in Germany. …

Mohammed Karabila, head of the Regional Council of the Muslim Faith for Haute-Normandie, said … “The person who committed this odious act is known and he has been followed by the police for at least 1 1 / 2years. He went to Turkey and security services were alerted after this,” he told The Associated Press by phone. He refused to divulge man’s name and had no information on the second attacker.

The pope condemned the attack in the strongest terms. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said in a statement that Pope Francis expressed his “pain and horror for this absurd violence, with the strongest condemnation for every form of hatred and prayer for those affected.”

ENOUGH OF THIS! THIS MUST STOP!

A coming Last Crusade!

I’ve been saying this for several years – as we hear about various attacks – that around the family dinner tables, behind closed doors, around the office water cooler – the people of Europe are probably beginning to say to one another, “We have a problem!” “We tried to extend mercy and graciousness to these foreigners and yet the only thing they seem to want to do is to kill us!” And sooner or later the ire of the European people will turn very heated, very hot, very angry – against these foreigners! And when that happens – hold on, fasten your seat belt, tighten it down as good as you can get it – because this world is going to quickly spin out of control! And, I have said for years – and I’m going to say it again for all of you – Islamic terrorism is going to plunge the world into WORLD WAR III! I say that with absolute confidence because that’s what the Bible says! And that’s what this series is about. European people in prophecy, the British and American people in prophecy – they go down different roads, but the other part of it is the Islamic people.

The Book of Daniel talks about the “king of the North,” being EUROPE, and the “king of the South,” the Islamic Middle East, including North Africa. And there will be a World War III – and it will plunge the world into a day that the Bible calls ‘great tribulation.’ GREAT TROUBLES! The worst period of time in the history of mankind!

Matthew 24 – the “Olivet Prophecy.” One of the last messages He gave in His human life – verse 15 He talks about the ‘abomination of desolation,’ or the ‘abomination that makes desolate,’ spoken of in the Book of Daniel – several times. And, Jesus said, “’ Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE … ’” – talking about the temple – Jerusalem. And this will come about when European forces invade the Middle East to put down Islamic resistance – to crush it militarily. Now, they’re not there – yet. The leaders are not yet even in that mindset. But the leaders who are now leading Europe – such as Donald Tusk, Jean-Claude Juncker, David Sassoli, Angela Merkel – will eventually be voted out of office and they will be replaced by people who say, “NO MORE!” And when you get the German people riled up, they become extremely dedicated to finishing their task! And all I have to say is – look at the history of Europe in the 20th century! If you want proof of that! Well, at the moment – she is kind of a sleeping giant. She is being coddled with political correctness and far-left thinking. But when your friends and your neighbors start getting slaughtered in their grocery store, in their favorite movie theater, in their restaurants, in their church, it doesn’t take long before anger quickly overcomes this sort of kumbaya – let’s all hold hands and sing peace and love. All of that quickly goes out the window! And all of a sudden it becomes survival of the fittest. And Europe – a future United States of Europe (whatever they will call themselves – the Federation of Europe) – without the United Kingdom, will go on a rampage, and it will actually lead to the Last Crusade. European forces will invade the Middle East with the intention of annihilating Islamic radicalism! And they will do a good job of it – if you want to know the truth!

Verse 21 – “ ’For then …’” – when you see this great military force enter Jerusalem from the North – Europe – and take over the temple, and a holy man claims that he is now God – and that is the ‘abomination that makes desolate’ – Jesus says, “…’ there will be great tribulation, …’” – many, many horrible globe-girdling problems! “…’such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.’” Now, this is the Words of Jesus Christ – you don’t have to believe me, but if you have any sense in your head, you should respect what Jesus Christ has to say! Because He’s the Judge – the ultimate Judge of all humankind. He’s the member of the Family of GOD who knows exactly what’s going to happen. This means the end-time trauma will become so great – more catastrophic, more destructive, more upheaval, than even World War I or II! And think about the millions of people which were killed on the continent of Europe during World War II! And everything was destroyed! Cities, towns, and factories – everything! And what is soon to happen in the near future will make that look minor. So says Jesus Christ!

Verse 22 – “ ’And unless those days were shortened, …’” – except this end-time trauma be shortened, “…‘no flesh would be saved; …’” – and as some translations say, ‘saved alive, but for the elect’s sake …’” – a certain group of people who are very near and dear the hearts of God the Father and Jesus Christ – referring to the physical people of the House of Israel. Once named Jacob. There was Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (who had twelve sons; he eventually had his name changed to Israel), and those twelve sons became the progenitors of different tribes of people. And those people live in many of the so-called Western world. And many of those descendants came here to America. Some of them were the establishing people of the British Isles. Some of those people ended up in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa. And those physical people God has always loved – always wanted the help – but they haven’t been very good about returning that favor. Often rebellious, bull-headed, just refusing to do what God wants them to do. Well, they will suffer. But they’re not going to die out, because ‘for the elect’s sake’ Jesus Christ is indeed going to come back to this earth and put a stop to what would be, probably, massive thermal nuclear warfare! “…’ those days will be shortened.’” Now that’s the truth we are attempting to tell you. And we’re attempting to use the prophecies of the Bible to show you what is said, why it is said, and where it is going.

And that atrocity, which occurred to this eighty-five-year-old priest – doing nothing but attempting to practice his religion in a completely peaceful manner, he’s not threatening anybody – those few in there with him had to witness this man’s throat slit! The world has changed – folks! It’s not 1950 anymore! President Dwight D. Eisenhower is not the president anymore! It’s not the days of John F. Kennedy – which I remember very easily! They called that time the “Camelot Era.” The world appeared so fresh and new – everything was going to be wonderful! As if a utopian society was going to come down on us. It’s not even like the days of Ronald Reagan. When he built up American forces and no one else was able to keep up with us – and the USSR came crashing down and imploded! And there was for a few years a sense of peace and calm and stability in the world. Those days are long gone! Now we live in a world where the Islamic radical jihadists are wanting to destroy everything of the West. And if they could – if they could - they’d walk in this room right now and slaughter all of us! Except I have a feeling Jesus Christ would stop them – His angels. If they could, they would destroy – you! Wherever you live. Your family members, your relatives, your co-workers, your sons and daughters, your mothers and fathers. They are utterly ruthless and without conscience. And this has erupted onto the world scene! And, we’ve heard reports that the soldiers of ISIS “according to the Combined Joint Task Force–OIR (CJTF-OIR), ISIS carried out assassinations, suicide attacks, abductions, and arson of crops in both Iraq and Syria.” 1 And, in 2016, the FBI Director James Comey talked about a future – near future – diaspora. A dispersing of those Islamic fighters back into the West – into Europe, the United Kingdom, and into America! And their one goal will be to kill as many people as they can! The world is teetering on the edge of insanity! And I don’t know about you – but every day I open my newspaper or turn on the television and I actually brace myself, and I think – what am I going to hear about today!? What happened when the television was off!? It’s every day – somewhere around the world ISIS and its affiliates are claiming responsibility for the death of scores of people - who were doing nothing wrong – except living a normal life in their country! Going to a fireworks display. Going to a movie theatre. Going to a restaurant. Riding on a train. Going to church. Going to a nightclub. Eating at McDonald's. Again, the world is truly teetering on the edge!

And here in the United States of America – I must confess – every four years I watch a lot of reruns on television. Because I simply can’t watch the circus. It’s almost like I’m back in 5th or 6th grade and my classmates are calling each other names and throwing mud at each other! And these are called the presidential candidates. And it’s official – it’s Donald Trump for the elephants! And sure enough – the last presidential primaries were full of accusations and name-calling. ALL THE WHILE THE WORLD IS BURNING! - as Emperor Nero, they say, fiddled as Rome burned! And what are we focused on here in America!? This world is spinning out of control!

Isaac Blessing Jacob

Well, let’s go back to Genesis 27 and continue the unfolding of this story.

“Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old …” – now, we’ve had Abraham – and God dealt directly with Abraham – and God made a whole series of promises to Abraham. And then, one of the promises was, ‘you’ll have a son.’ And that son which became the future bearer of these promises – was Isaac. “… and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, …” – now, was Isaac special to God!? Yes indeed. Isaac was a miracle baby. Isaac was a young boy when Abraham was going to slit his throat and place him on an altar as a sacrifice. Because God told Abraham to. And at the last minute, God intervened and said, “No! Don’t harm the lad!” And provided a ram caught in a thicket to become the sacrifice. So that was the second major miracle in the life of Isaac. Life-changing – life-altering. God loved Isaac. And, we’re told in the Book of Hebrews that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will be in the kingdom of God! But what I’m getting to – even Isaac as an older man had physical problems.

Now, some of you have been followers of the churches of God – from the tradition of the WCG – and maybe you started listening to the radio programs way back when you were maybe… well like me – I was sixteen years old when I first heard Mr. GTA on the radio talking about the kingdom of God – and you’ve been involved for a long, long time – decades. And many of you have always said in your heart, “I want to obey God. I’m going to do everything He wants me to and I want Him to give me good health.” Well, everybody wants good health! Who have you ever met that said, “Well, I wish I felt really rotten and horrible”? Or, “I wish I had a disease or a horrible condition”? Nobody wants that! However, as Benjamin Franklin stated, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Well, here is one of the lessons which we are supposed to learn as we are human beings – that we are flawed and in the end, we will fail - without God. Our bodies are “programmed” to only exist for so long – and as the old bumper sticker says, “Shit Happens.” We want to be strong, young, and energetic, and yet if we live on this earth long enough – as the Earth continues to spin about 67,000 miles per hour – we find out, “I’m not the same as I was when I was eighteen.” And eventually, life ebbs away from us. And we hate it. But it is a part of the lesson God is trying to teach us. Because of and by our self – being a physical human being our future is limited. We are temporary. Our lives may ebb from us, but if we remain loyal to Jesus Christ, our name will be written in the Book of Life! And upon the return of Jesus Christ and the BLOWING OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET we will walk out of our graves – and we are told that we will hear the voice of Jesus Christ, and we will be welcomed into the kingdom of God for all eternity!

And here Isaac – a servant of God. A perfect man? No. Did he have flaws and foibles!? Sure, just like everybody. If you’re flesh and blood, you’ve got some cracks in the armor – because you’re flesh and blood. We don’t become perfect until we become eternal in the Family of GOD. But here, Isaac, he’s growing old. He’s grown so old that he can’t see anymore – he’s gone blind. I’m sure Isaac wished he weren’t, but, God doesn’t stop the aging process for the people that He loves. He allows them to continue the natural human process and eventually – like an alarm clock that you have to wind up, eventually, it winds down and there’s no more energy stored within the clock and it stops ticking. Just like all of us – if time goes on long enough. But you don’t have to worry, because when Jesus Christ returns we who have God’s Spirit will be in the Kingdom of God. So our sleep will only be temporary – and then we’ll be in the Family of GOD!

But here, Isaac was growing old. “… that he called Esau …” – remember we talked about Esau in part III of this series? - also called Edom – the progenitor of the Turkish people. “…his older son and said to him, ‘My son.’ And he answered him, Here I am.’ 2) Then he said, ‘Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.’” – he didn’t know the day, but he knew it was near. Verse 3 – “’ Now, therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. 4) And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul [my life] may bless you before I die.’” – However, Rebekah – Isaac’s wife – knew that she did not want Esau to receive the blessing. She wanted the blessing to go to Jacob. Verse 5 – “Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it. 6) So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, ‘Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7) ‘Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.’ 8) Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. 9) Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. 10) Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.’ 11) And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man. 12) Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.’ 13) But his mother said to him, ‘Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.’ 14) And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15) Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.” – so, she got some of his clothing, probably had the smell of hunting, and Esau’s scent. Verse 16 – “And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.”

Again, most of you would say, “Well you know, if I reached out and felt that, I’d know something was wrong.” Keep in mind, Isaac is an older man. His eyes have dimmed, and probably a lot of other acuteness of his faculties have begun to wane. The final week of my fathers' life, I could have placed a goatskin in his lap and he would have thought it was his kitty cat. Because after a while you just lose your ability to see things the way you used to.

Verse 17 – “Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18) So he went to his father and said, ‘My father.’ And he said, ‘Here I am. Who are you, my son?’ 19) Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your firstborn; …’” – now, is Jacob a perfectly honest man here!? No. We’ve talked about how Abraham had some chinks in his armor. Abraham had some flaws. And we talked about how Isaac had some of the same flaws that his father had. And now we’re talking about Jacob. And Jacob has some issues in his life. We’re going to find out later that Joseph – when he was a young man – was a little arrogant, a little cocky we might say – and helped bring some of his problems upon himself. The people of God are not perfect is what I’m trying to say. The people of God are humans - with human emotions, human frailties, human reasoning, and human thinking. And many times they make mistakes. Which is why Jesus Christ and the New Covenant are so wonderful – because we can go there before the throne of mercy and grace and have our mistakes forgiven. And here – you know, think about it - Jacob is actively deceiving his father because he’s greedy. And he’s extremely disrespectful to his brother. Jacob is pulling some pretty bad stunts here. And he’s being encouraged by his mother – so she’s right there in the thicket with him! They have some flaws. “… I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game [venison], that your soul may bless me.’ 20) 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.’” – well, that’s another lie! God didn’t have anything directly to do with this. This was his mother and himself. Verse 21 – “Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.’” – remember, Isaac had a great affection for Esau. And Rebekah had a great affection for Jacob. Well, right there – I’m sure if you went to the library or a book store and bought a book on parenting, I’m sure the good doctor – whoever it is that wrote the book – would say, “Don’t do this!” Don’t favor the one son over the other. And would probably say, “Hey, mom and dad get together and treat your children as equal as you can.” But they were human. They had flaws – even though God loves them. And, God was blessing them, and God made promises to them – and God fulfilled His promises! And is still fulfilling those promises! However, the people of God – the people of Jesus Christ – are not perfect, and will not be until the blowing of the seventh trump! From flesh into spirit being – then they will become perfect. Verse 22 – “So Jacob went 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.’” – so again, remember, Isaac is an older man – his health is failing. Verse 23 – “And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. 24) Then he said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ He said, ‘I am.’” – another lie. Verse 25 – “He said, ‘Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.’” – and you get the feeling that in this line of people – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh – that God respected the parent so much that when the parent put a blessing upon his son, God honored the request. Now Isaac couldn’t bless anybody of and by himself, but God had given him the authority – just as He had given Abraham – to pass these blessings on to the next generation. “… So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.” – now again, the wine is going to make him a little fuzzier in the head. So, he’s got his doubts. You know, he thought he heard Jacob’s voice, but maybe his hearing isn’t as good. His eyes – he can’t see. His mind isn’t working as well as it used to. Verse 26 – “Then his father Isaac said to him, ‘Come near now and kiss me, my son.’ 27) And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, …” – and he probably thought – well, yeah, that’s Esau. It’s got that hunters smell. Maybe also smelled like wood smoke? “… and blessed him and said: ‘Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.’”

Now, verse 28 – notice this great blessing. “’ Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. 29) 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!’”

Remember – just really quick – Genesis 12. One of the first promises God made to Abraham. And I think this blessing – this pronouncement – follows all the people of God. Because Abraham was the father of the faithful, and if we are practitioners of the New Covenant, we also have that same relationship with God that Abraham had. Verse 3 – “’ I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; …’” – it’s the same thing he says here. Isaac passes the blessing on. “’ Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!’”

And I have to tell you, folks – in my fairly short lifetime, I have seen a number of people go out of their way to give me a hard time. And there was no reason for them – other than they hated, at some level, and did not like the Spirit of God that resided in me. And most of the time those people – at some point or another – have been cursed. I mean some horrible things! Some tragic things! Including death. And the people who have blessed me – who have treated me with kindness – I have seen in their lives for them to be blessed. I think this pronouncement that God first gave Abraham, and now we hear it in the words of Isaac, is real and true - and does exist in this world. “’ I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; …’”

Verse 30 – “Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31) He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, ‘Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.’” – so Isaac’s got to be a little confused at this point. Verse 32 – “And his father Isaac said to him, ‘Who are you?’ So he said, ‘I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.’ 33) Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, ‘Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him – and indeed he shall be blessed.’” – so the blessing was like written in stone. Because it had its origin in God’s promises. But all of a sudden Isaac was beginning to figure out – somebody tricked me. And Esau is beginning to find out - somebody has cheated me. Verse 34 – “When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me – me also, O my father!’ 35) But he said, ‘Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.’ 36) And Esau said, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!’” – now the story about the birthright we covered in part III of this series – back in Genesis 25. “… And he said, ‘Have you not reserved a blessing for me?’ 37) Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, ‘Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?’ 38) And Esau said to his father, ‘Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me – me also, O father!’ And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.” – he was just totally crushed.

Verse 39 – “Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: ‘Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above. 40) By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.’

41) So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, ‘The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’ 42) And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, ‘Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you. 43) Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran. 44) And stay with him a few days [a while], until your brother’s fury turns away, 45) until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; …’” – now, wait a minute ma’am, you were right there with him! You’re a part of this whole story – but all of a sudden, ‘this evil thing that you did – this trickery.’ So, who put him up to it? – his mother. “…’ then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?’ 46) And Rebekah said to Isaac, ‘I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?’” - So, she’s having regrets.

Conclusion

Well, that brings us to chapter 28. So, we’ll stop right here – and we’ll pick up this story in the next series of Abraham and his descendants. His sons – both the sons that were blessed and the sons who were not blessed. It’s a very interesting story – and some of the themes which we see here way back in the chapters of Genesis will play out in future history and in the end-time. In the end-time trauma. And I hope you like it as much as I do. I hope you’re learning from it. Hope you go back and read the other proceeding installments – so that you can get the whole story. And I hope you will read the final installment of the series.

Again, if you like what you’re reading – let people know. Let your friends know, your families know, your co-workers know, let your fellow church people know. Tell them, “Hey, you’ve got to go to this website and this blogsite – this is different. This is a church, but they’re talking about things I’ve never heard before. And they’re making it relevant in the light of today’s news. And it makes sense.” And friends, if you read and listen to this information – you will be well-armed to understand the coming insanity which increasingly will come upon this earth.

Thank you for being with us. Thank you for spending some time with us. May God bless all of you, and until next time, goodbye my friends.

Bibliography

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1 ISIS Resurgent in Syria and Iraq. StephenLendman, Lendman, Stephen. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.