What a lesson is here for the believer!  Jacob and his mother "believed God" with

respect to the truth of the promise regarding the younger son, but they seemed to doubt

the ability of God to carry it out. Hence it is that we have that despicable fraud practised

upon the old man Isaac. God was not bound to make good that which Jacob stole by

deceit. How sadly must the words "plenty of corn and wine" (Gen. 27: 28) have

echoed in his memory when he sent his sons down to Egypt to buy corn! No! Isaac did

not bless Jacob then "by faith." Isaac did bless Jacob later concerning things to come,

and the coveted blessing was freely given in God's own time and way. And Isaac called

Jacob and blessed him:--

(1)

"EL SHADDAI (Gen. 17: 1) bless thee, and

(2)

make thee fruitful, and

(3)

multiply thee,

(4)

that thou mayest be a multitude of people, and

(5)

give the blessing of Abraham to thee, and

(6)

to thy seed with thee, that

(7)

thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger,

which God gave unto Abraham" (Gen. 28: 3, 4).

This "blessing of Abraham" is that which God promised, and which God confirmed to

Jacob, and will ultimately fulfil in literality in the future. So with regard to our blessings.

No amount of scheming, planning or effort can procure them, ratify them or make them

more complete. They are ours in Christ, by grace, fully, freely and for ever, or they are

not ours at all. May we be found rejoicing in this almighty God of unfaltering purpose,

and, like Abraham, may we be "fully persuaded that what God has promised He is able to

perform" (Rom. 4: 21).

Before passing on to consider another important aspect of truth as contained in these

same verses (3-14), we would further illustrate the important bearing of the will of God in

this epistle by showing the arrangement of the occurrences of the word "will." The word

occurs seven times as follows:--

A1. Apostleship (1: 1).

A2. Doctrine (1: 5, 9, 11).

A3. Practice (2: 3, 5: 17, 6: 6).

Sections A2 and A3 form a complete structure as follows:--

A2. Doctrine. | a | 1: 5. Good pleasure of His will ­ Predestination to sonship.

b | 1: 9. The mystery of His will ­ Future dispensation.

a | 1: 11. Counsel of His will ­ Predestination to inheritance.

A3. Practice. | a | 2: 3. Doing the will of the flesh ­ Children of wrath ­ once.

b | 5: 17. The will of the Lord ­ Rule for present walk.

a | 6: 6. Doing the will of God ­ Servants of Christ ­ now.