THE HANDS OF ESAU

Dearly Beloved, THE HANDS OF ESAU "Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, 'The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau'" (Genesis 27:22 NIV). Esau and Jacob were twin brothers that were favorites of their father and mother respectively. Isaac their father wanted to give his last blessing to his favorite who was Esau the firstborn, but Rebecca their mother wanted the blessing to be the lot of her favorite, Jacob. Therefore, she colluded with Jacob to deceive Isaac in order that Jacob would get the blessing. Part of the conspiracy was that Jacob would use goatskin to cover some parts of his body so that Isaac would believe that Jacob was indeed Esau who naturally was a hairy man. In the course of their conspiracy, Isaac detected that the voice of the person that had come for his blessing was that of Jacob, but the goatskin deceived him to think that the hands of the person were those of Esau. Many people are still using this tactic of the voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau to deceive people to have their ways today. It is interesting to discover that many people even try to use it with God to get His blessings! However, the Bible says, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked" (Galatians 6:7 NIV). He is omniscient! The Jews, especially the Pharisees and teachers of the law, in Jesus' time on earth, and many people today, were hypocrites that tried to use their religiosity to deceive other people and God. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ has this to say about them: "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men" (Mark 7:6-8 NIV). In what way are you also using the hands of Esau to deceive people? Are you trying to do that with God also? Are you a hypocrite? A Yoruba proverb literally says, "A thief [and a deceiver] may have his way for many days, but nemesis will apprehend him one day." Moreover, you cannot deceive God. "A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7-8 NIV). In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).