Why did God allow Jacob to be blessed?

The story of Jacob pretending to be Esau is about you and me, except, we are not pretending, Jesus made it real!

"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.” Genesis 27:22

What is the lesson to be learnt from the story of Jacob cheating his father for the firstborn blessings? Surely, it is not to encourage us to cheat, is it? Definitely not!

Some have talked about the Sovereignty of God, who has already prophesied Jacob as the greater of the twins (Gen 25:23). Some have also talked about the Grace of God, that God had mercy on Jacob, allowing him to prosper even in his mistakes, and this particular instance revealed God's grace towards sinners like Jacob, and hence also, towards us.

Jesus gave us His robes of righteousness

Today, however, we want to focus on another beautiful truth in this verses. These bibles verses also serve as typologies and foreshadowing of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Christ is magnified in this story purely because this story reflects what happened at the Cross. Or more specifically, after the Cross. As we learnt from the Guilt Offering, Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice, to die in our place. And He gave His place to us. And now, instead of qualifying by our own good works, we qualify by the gift of righteousness that is from Jesus Christ (Rom 5:17).

And indeed, this beautiful story is found in the story of Jacob, who tried to cheat his way to his blessings. Of course, we did not cheat our way in Christ, but we are similar in the way Jacob did it.

"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." Genesis 27:15

Like Jacob, we have been given the robes of Righteousness. This idea of the transfer of Robes has been written both in the Old (in Isaiah 61:10) and also in the New: the story of the Prodigal Son. And it is beautifully shown in the story of Jacob here. For his father hears his voice, yet feels the hands of his Firstborn. Likewise, when we cry out to our Father in heaven today: He hears us, and answers us based on the work of Christ's hands that reveals the remnants of the Cross. Based on Jesus' finished work, we have obtained the blessings of the Firstborn of God.

"Surely, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed..."

Beloved, rejoice when you read this story of Jacob, for while it was treacherous means which got Jacob his blessings; ours are based on the solid and just work of the Cross. We have a righteous foundation to the same outcome which Jacob enjoyed. As we draw near to God Almighty, He smells the sweet aroma of His Firstborn Son, Jesus Christ, the darling of Heaven. And He is not blind, like Isaac, nor is he turning a blind eye; He was the one who sent His only begotten Son, to grant us eternal fellowship with a Trice-Holy God. Remember, friends, you are beloved by God, by His sovereign will, and also, all these on righteous grounds.