Isaac was tricked into giving the blessing which he had intended to be for his son Esau, to his other son Jacob.
We would think that is no big deal really. He could just give Esau the same blessing. Or he could take back what he said to Jacob because he had deceived him to get it. Easily solved.
After all, it wasn’t a legal contract or anything. It wasn’t an oath to God. It was just words.
But somehow it doesn’t work like that.
Once spoken, our words cannot be taken back. No matter how much we wish they could.
When Sarah was told she would have a baby in her old age, she laughed. Fair enough you would think. She was almost 90! And she did only laugh to herself. But this was a promise from God. And when God says something he means it. God doesn’t take things back.
If God says you’re going to have a baby, then you are going to have a baby!
(Even if you don’t even have a husband!)
Of course, God created the universe with his words. And he cursed Adam, Eve, Satan, and even the ground with just his words. But we sort of expect that his words have power... he’s God after all.
But our words have power too.
There are a few of those “death bed blessings” in the Bible. Where a father says some final words about his son. No mention of them being “inspired” or “Thus says the Lord” or anything like that. Just a father’s final words to his sons.
So, isn’t it strange that they all came true. All of Jacob’s sons turned out the way that he said. All twelve of them! Manasseh and Ephraim even got each other’s blessing because their grandfather swapped his hands around despite their father’s protest.
Things turned out for Jacob and Esau as Isaac had blessed them too.
The words of one in authority, especially a father, are very powerful. They are not to be said lightly.
Imagine, if you had all that power to affect the destiny of your children and you cursed them instead of blessing them!
People do, you know... they tell their children that they are idiots, or disobedient, or useless.
If what I am saying here is right, then they are setting the destiny of their children’s lives with those words. They will be self fulfilling and their children will be idiots, or disobedient, or useless.
How much better to tell them that you are proud of them. That they will achieve great things. That they are smart. That they will be useful to God and serve him faithfully.
Noah cursed one of his grandsons to be the lowest of slaves to his brothers, (Genesis 9). Kind of odd really since it was actually Noah’s own sin which started it all and Ham, (the boy’s father), was the one who told people about Noah’s sin. In fact Canaan wasn’t even there! Yet Noah cursed him, and it came to pass.
Yeshua said that we will have to give account for every careless word which we have spoken. And the Old Testament included the rule that anyone who cursed his father or mother should be put to death. (That would take care of a lot of modern teenagers!)
There are many warnings, especially in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, about using your words wisely.
Your words are very powerful. Be careful what you say. Especially to those who are under your authority.