Charles Spurgeon Commentary Genesis 27

It is a sad misfortune to lose one's eyesight! How greatly, indeed, much more than we currently do, we ought to thank God for the preservation of our sight. One of our greatest scientists has aptly noted "that we seldom hear Christian men thank God as they should for the use of spectacles in these modern times." A philosopher has also written a long paper about the blessings he found in old age from this invention; and we, who are still able to read the Word when our sight fades, should be exceedingly grateful for it.

After all, despite all such aids, it remains a very great trial to be deprived of one's eyesight. Yet, those who are so deprived find themselves in good company.

While such individuals are in the company of some of the greatest theologians in modern history, they also have here the example of one of the best of men—one of the patriarchs whose eyes were dim, so that he could not see. It seems he also experienced a certain mistiness of soul around this time, which was far worse; and so he desired to give the blessing to Esau, whom God had determined should never receive it.

He does not appear to have raised any objection to what she proposed on moral grounds, but only on the ground of the difficulty of it and the likelihood of being discovered. It only shows how low the moral sense may be in some who, nevertheless, have a desire towards God and have a faith in him. In those darker days we can hardly expect to find so much of the excellences of the spirit as we ought to find nowadays in those who possess the spirit of God fully.

And Esau, altogether a man of the world, one very like the sons of other families around, took care to adorn himself in fine clothing. It seems always more fitting to the worldling than the Christian. Jacob had an outfit good enough for this occasion, but the worldly man had not. I wish that those who fear God were less careful about personal adornments. There are far better ornaments than gold can buy—neat ornaments and comely clothing—may we all possess them.

And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn;

Which, whatever may be said about it, was a plain lie, and is not to be excused on any theory whatever. It was as much a sin in Jacob as it would be in us, except that perhaps he had less light, and the general cunning of those who surrounded him may have made it easier for him and less of a tax on his conscience to do this than it would be in our case. "I am Esau," said he.

Why is all this recorded in the Bible? It is not to the credit of these men. No! The Holy Spirit does not write for the credit of man: he writes for the glory of God's grace. He writes for the warning of believers now, and these things are examples to us that we may avoid the blots and flaws in good men, and may thereby ourselves become more what we should be.

I have done as you commanded me: arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me. And Isaac said to his son, How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?

And he said, Because the Lord your God brought it to me.

Here he draws God's name into this lie, and this is worse still.