Genesis 27:30-40

30Now it came about, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31Then he also made savory food, and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” 32Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who was he then that hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate of all of it before you came, and blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35And he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.” 36Then he said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37But Isaac replied to Esau, “Behold, I have made him your master, and all his relatives I have given to him as servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. Now as for you then, what can I do, my son?” 38Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” So Esau lifted his voice and wept. 39Then Isaac his father answered and said to him,

“Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling,
And away from the dew of heaven from above.
40“By your sword you shall live,
And your brother you shall serve;
But it shall come about when you become restless,
That you will break his yoke from your neck.”

When Isaac heard Esau’s voice, he immediately knew the truth. He had fallen for the deceitful voice, and there could be no going back. He couldn’t fix the situation. He couldn’t take back the blessing. He couldn’t even give Esau the same blessing. There was no ‘do over’ button for Isaac. They all would have to live with the consequences of their actions. We may be tempted to think Esau was the innocent victim here, but who was it that ‘despised’ his birthright? He gave up all his rights as the firstborn by doing so, and now the results of that action are catching up with him as well. When you give in to sin, there are sometimes immediate consequences, but there may also be long-term far-reaching results down the road. Guard your heart, and don’t give even a foothold to the enemy.

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