# 251 Lies Beget More Lies

The Book of Genesis

Day 251

Ge 27:15 Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.  16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.  17 Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.  18 So he went to his father and said, "My father.' And he said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"  19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me."  20 But 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."  21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."  22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."  23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him.  24 Then he said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."  25 He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's game, so that my soul may bless you." So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.  26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near now and kiss me, my son."  27 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: "Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.  28 Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.  29 Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!"

The moment of truth has arrived, (or maybe we should say the moments of lies! Jacob, armed with the deceitful stew of his mother’s making, wearing his brother’s clothes, and even putting on the skins of goats to camouflage his tender skin, enters his father’s chamber.  He walks in, literally bearing three lies and quickly adds three more with his lips as he wrests the blessing out of his father and away from Esau.

Isaac asks, “Who are you my son?”

“I am Esau.” (Lie #1)

“How did you get the game so quickly?”

“The Lord Your God brought it to me.” (Lie # 2)

“Are you really my son Esau?”

“I Am.” (Lie # 3)

Lies beget more lies.

Let’s refresh our memory a bit and look at God’s view of telling lies.

 Pr 6:16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:  17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,  18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,  19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

  Pr 12:19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.

  Pr 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.

  Pr 21:6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

 As you can see, lying does not please our Lord. And let’s not kid ourselves about the end of habitual, unrepentant liars. Re 22:15 says, “But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

 As believers, we are especially encouraged to speak the truth.  Eph 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.”

Now, lest we despair with our tendency to stretch the truth, let us remember Peter. He lied three times in his denial of Jesus. He grieved God to be sure, (remember the look that Jesus gave him?) BUT, he also was restored as he recognized his sin, wept over it, and later, having received the Lord’s forgiveness, went on to be a beacon of truth!