a. A Broken Promise. Take notice of what Esau is doing here. Isaac tells Esau to go out and hunt some game because he wants to confirm the blessing upon Isaac. We know from Scripture and from practices in this area at this time that the blessing or the oath is tied to the birthright. The birthright is what gave you the right to the blessing and the blessing is the legal bestowing of all the rights and privileges of the birthright. The blessing is what Esau deserves by him being born first. But didn’t he trade away that birthright? Didn’t he swear to Jacob that he could have the birthright, which would also include this blessing that he is told he will receive? Esau is trying to have his soup and the birthright too. Before he didn’t care about the blessing because he didn’t need it, but now that Isaac is getting older, things are different. But we shouldn’t expect more from Esau because in Hebrews 12 we are told that Esau was an unholy man. b. Blind Eyes. Now let’s look at Isaac. We are told that Isaac is old and his eyes were dim so he could not see. Isaac says that he is old and doesn’t know when he will die. Interestingly, Isaac does not die for another 63 years after this event. Perhaps, his failing eyesight is what made everyone think that his time was growing short, but clearly, they were mistaken for Isaac will be alive to see his twelve grandsons. We were told before that Isaac loved Esau because he gave him some good food. Wild game or any meat was not eaten regularly and so it would have been a thing to be desired. But here Isaac calls Esau to prepare him some delicious food, that he loved so that he could bless him. Like father, like son. It sounds like what Esau did to lose the birthright. For a single meal, they would trade something extremely important. What is even worse than this is that both Esau and Isaac are going against the will of God. God has already decreed that Jacob was the chosen offspring. Jacob, not Esau would be the stronger and the leader. And so these two men have taken it upon themselves to defy God. We see Isaac putting the covenant of Abraham in jeopardy again. But we must remember what is going on here. The London Baptist Confession reminds us that “God, in his ordinary providence maketh use of means.” That means that God uses the choices of people and the normal outworking of creation to fulfill his purposes. But the Confession doesn’t stop there because God is also, “free to work without, above, and against them at his pleasure.” Isaac and Esau have a plan but God is working a different plan on a whole different level than them. They don’t have a clue what God is about to do, and what they are doing is sinful, but God is about to see his plan through. This does not excuse Isaac and Esau from their guilt, but it does demonstrate that God cannot be denied. You can’t go against God.