Genesis 27:1
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.
Isaac was old and weakened by age, more than a hundred years old, with eyes dim and failing until he was nearly or completely blind and could not see. Believing himself near death, he privately and secretly called Esau his eldest and favorite son to prepare food including venison so he could give him the blessing before he died. He favored Esau and meant to give him the firstborn's blessing even though he knew God's revealed purpose that the elder would serve the younger, even though Esau had sold his birthright, showed indifference to its obligations, and had married women who worshiped false gods. The verse opens and sets the scene for Jacob, with Rebekah, to obtain the birthright and blessing from his old, blind father by fraud, hypocrisy and underhand dealing, which God did not prompt. That deception showed lack of faith and unwillingness to wait for and trust God to fulfill His promise, and it required prior repentance with earnest agonizing cries until he prevailed, warning God's commandment-keeping people not to seek advantage over brethren by unfair methods and conniving, for God measures every act and weighs every motive and will not connive at selfishness to carry out His plans.
Isaac's Age and Intent
Isaac was old and weakened by age, more than a hundred years old, with eyes dim and failing so that he was nearly or completely blind and could not see. His failing eyesight and blindness set the scene as he called his eldest son.
Believing he was near death, he called Esau privately and secretly to give him the blessing before he died. Esau was his eldest and favorite son, and Isaac asked him to prepare food for him, including venison.
He favored Esau and intended to give him the firstborn's and father's blessing. He did so even though he knew God's revealed and foretold purpose that the elder would serve the younger and that the younger was to receive the blessing. Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob without disclosing it, yet Isaac still preferred him. Esau also showed indifference to the blessing's obligations and had married women who worshiped false gods.
Deception, Repentance, and Warning
This moment opens and sets the scene for Jacob, acting with Rebekah, to deceive his old, blind father and obtain the birthright and blessing by fraud, hypocrisy, and underhand dealing, which God did not prompt. That deception was a wrong requiring repentance, not a method God approves or will work with, for He was fully able to provide for Jacob by His own methods and will not work with any devising or planning after that example. The same kind of deception is practiced by men standing in high places of trust who pervert right principles and turn away from obeying God's word.
The fraud showed lack of faith and unwillingness to wait for and trust God to fulfill His promise despite discouraging circumstances, even though Jacob knew God had promised him the blessing. Receiving the blessing did not itself determine prosperity, since God would bless or reject each son according to whether he loved and obeyed God. The fraud caused Jacob to flee for his life from Esau's anger and deadly threats, knowing he had sinned. His guilt gave Satan ground to accuse him before the angels of God and claim the right to destroy him as Esau marched against him in anger threatening death.
That wrong had to be repented of beforehand, in which Jacob learned God is merciful, reviewed his life, cast himself on mercy, pointed back to repentance, and held fast with earnest agonizing cries until he prevailed. Had he not previously repented of obtaining the blessing by fraud, God could not have heard his later prayer for deliverance from Esau and mercifully saved his life and preserved it. His experience teaches that concealed, unconfessed sins left on the books destroy confidence in God in a time of fear and anguish and overwhelm with fear and despair, cutting off faith to plead for deliverance. By contrast, sins confessed and forgiven are blotted out by Christ's atoning blood and cannot be brought back to remembrance, leaving no concealed wrongs to remember.
The verse warns God's commandment-keeping people not to depart into covetousness, selfishness, ambitious pride and rivalry, or to seek advantage over brethren by unfair methods, conniving and underhand dealing. God measures every act and weighs every motive, will not connive at selfishness to carry out His plans, and such unholy work hurts and finally ruins every soul who engages in it.