Genesis 27:1, 21-23 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see… Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.
I’ve heard this scripture preached on three times this week. All three times were extremely different, don’t you just love how God’s word is alive! Yet, I think there is a truth here that is helpful in our day, for our families, and our lives.
Isaac was feeling really down on himself because his eyesight was going. He wanted to go ahead and bless his sons, yet he would continue to live for another 60 years. Because Isaac couldn’t see he had to rely on his other senses. Isaac commissioned Esau to go to the field and bring back venison, yet it was Jacob who went to the flock and secured a goat. Rebekah must have done some good cooking to turn that goat into deer.
Isaac’s discernment told him this could not be so. There is no way Esau hunted a deer this fast, so why in the world did he believe it. Isaac knew this wasn’t right. When he heard his son speak he identified the voice as Jacob’s. Everything told him that this was Jacob and not Esau so why in the world would he go with the lie and bless Jacob?
Because it felt right. His feelings deceived him. Because Jacob felt like Esau he discerned him not. Isaac had discernment. The facts said, “THIS IS JACOB!” But the feelings said, “Well, maybe it’s Esau after all.”
God’s word was never built on feelings. Our relationship with God is not built on feelings. All our hope is built on the fact of Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Salvation is not a feeling, it’s a fact that whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord, believing in the death and resurrections of the sinless Son of God and repents of their sins can be saved. Holy living is not a feeling. We don’t do things because they feel good or right. We act, talk, dress, eat, read, live, and recreation certain ways because thus saith the word of God.
Too many churches are falling by the wayside because it just feels good. There are whole “revivals” (and I use that term very loosely) being built around feelings. There’s no truth to it. You can’t be re-vived until you have first been made alive. And if you’ve ever been made alive you would live within the realms of biblical marriage seeking Holy doctrines. Women preachers, homosexuals, prosperity gospelers and faith healers can not and will not be the leaders of any true revival, because it doesn’t line up with the specificiations of God’s word and God is the only One who can send revival! It doesn’t matter how many drums you beat or jumping jacks you do. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing of the Word of God.
Too many families are crumbling because it just feels good. Parents want their child to be accepted and love everybody. It’s not biblical. When Israel entered into Canaan land God told them to kill them all! What our kids need are some mamas that can discern the truth and kill some things before they ever come through the front door. Our kids ought to be raised different because we’re a peculiar people.
Too many marriages are ending in divorce because it just didn’t feel right anymore. No where in God’s word does it tell us we have to feel happy or in love to stay in a marriage, but He did tells us that it was a covenant between one man and one woman that could only be terminated through the death of one of the parties and because of the hardness of hearts – fornication. That’s why when God divorced Israel He Himself did on the cross so He could take the church as His bride. It wasn’t a feeling. It was a fact that the Determinate Counsel from the foundations of the world made a plan to save wretched man. It was fact in action. God didn’t just get mad one day and die on the cross. It was always His plan!
It seems that we have shoved discernment out the window for the wind of feelings. The bible says that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. We need discernment in our day for our families! Mamas need to know how to test the spirits and tell their children when we can’t partake in something because our spirit doesn’t testify with that spirit.
Isaac made a huge mess of his family because his eyes were dim and it just felt right. May we open our eyes and ears to the truth and discern the things that are of God for the sake of the next generation.