I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles. Now turn with me to Genesis 27. Genesis 27. I'd like to look at verses 18
through 27, and I've entitled this, How Can
I Approach God Accepted? There's no greater revelation
of God's mercy to undeserving sinners found in all scripture
than the one that is set forth in the passage that I'd like
to continue looking at today. We know from what we've considered
before this chapter Esau is not gonna receive the blessing of
Isaac. But Esau's been sent into the
field to bake venison, to get some killer deer, make some venison,
prepare a savory meal for his daddy, Isaac. And his daddy told
him, he said, get this prepared that I may bless thee before
the Lord before I die. A blessing that Esau cared nothing
about. He sold his birthright to his
brother for a bowl of pottage. Well, Esau's mama, Rebecca, She
heard what Isaac, her husband, said to Esau. And Rebecca, years
before, I'm talking about 80 years before, these boys were
not kids. These were not young teenagers
or something like that. These boys were probably somewhere
around 80 years old. And the Lord had told Rebecca,
and she was to be delivered, the children, because of the
war was going on with her, and she asked, why am I thus? The
Lord told her, he said, there's two nations in you, two manner
of people, two different people, and the elder's gonna serve the
younger. Now, she understood what that meant, that the elder
was not gonna get the blessing, she knew that. The Spirit of
God moved the Apostle Paul to relate that in Romans chapter
9. And based upon the Lord's revelation
to her concerning the blessing that was going to go to the younger
son, Jacob, she prepares Jacob to go before his father to receive
the blessing. As I read this again, I was made
to think this. What a place to be. Here she is. I mean, she's in
a position. She believed God. She believed
the Lord. And let me just say this, as
I've said in these two previous messages on this chapter right
here, Now, men may question the manner in which she instructed
Isaac to approach, I mean, Jacob to approach his daddy Isaac,
and we're gonna look at exactly what happened. But I want us
to remember something. All scripture given by inspiration
of God, and the Spirit of God is not going to hide neither
the frailty of man or the glory of God in the accomplishing of
God's purpose. The counsel of God is going to
stand. Now, Rebecca is going to prepare
savory meat that Isaac loves. Two good kids of the flock, that's
what she told Jacob, you go get them. And that, you go get two
good kids, get two goats, two goats. Now there's a picture
of the mercy of God toward his people that was set forth, actually
it was set forth in the book of Exodus chapter 16 on the day
of atonement. Now we're in Genesis chapter
27. Saying this in this order, I
got a reason for saying it this way. She's going to take goodly
raiment of her son, Esau, and she's going to place that goodly
raiment upon Jacob. She's going to cover his hands
with the skins of those goats. And you know what that is. That's
a type of being robed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Something we read about in the
book of Jeremiah. robed in his righteousness. You say, well, how did she know
that? Well, obviously the Lord had given her some light. Now
I want you to consider something here. She obviously had some
light, like Abel. Turn back to Genesis 4.4. Genesis 4.4. Now this is, This
is before, this is in the beginning. This is right here in the beginning.
Genesis 4, 4. Here's what scripture says concerning
Abel and his brother Cain bringing an offering. So I'll read verse
three and four. Genesis 4, 3 and 4. In process
of time came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground
an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of
the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof, and the Lord
had respect unto Abel and to his offering." Now, again, when
was that written? That was written back in Genesis
4. These were kids of Adam and Eve.
These were kids of Adam and Eve. And before any law was given
at Sinai, before, this is, When Abel brought that offering, what
did God have to say about it? Well, I tell you what, turn over
to Hebrews 11. Here's what God said about Abel
bringing his offering. Hebrews 11, four. Hebrews 11, four says concerning
Abel, but by faith, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice
than Cain by which He obtained witness that he was righteous,
God testifying of his gifts, and by it, he being dead, yet
speaking. Now, let me ask you something.
When Abel brought that offering of blood, how did he do it? By faith. He believed God. Where did he get that knowledge?
God gave it to him, had to. There's no way. So back in Genesis
27, the Lord has spoken to Rebekah. He talked to Rebekah back before
Rebekah had these boys. The boys being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, but that the purpose of God according to election
might stand, it was said unto her. The elder is going to serve
the younger. That's what's going to happen. Now, brethren, we're back in
Genesis 27, and we look at this passage of scripture. And what
I would like for us to do is to look at the instruction of
this word, knowing that the glory of Almighty God in the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ is the message. In this passage of scripture,
we shall behold in type, in picture, the only hope of acceptance before
God. Now, remember, we're all going
to stand before God. Every person in this room right
here, we're going to stand before God. And in that day, this is all
going to be real. It's gonna be real then. So what
I wanna know is this. I pray that the Lord give us
understanding concerning being accepted of God Almighty. Now remember, just like Abel
right here in the beginning, he by faith did what he did.
God Almighty gave him some understanding. We know that because God said
he did. And Rebecca has gotten a word from the Lord on this.
And she's walking in light that she's got. So is Isaac. I'll read that before
the end of this chapter. You know, I can tell you where
it is. It's Hebrews 11, 20. Isaac, by faith, by faith, Isaac
blessed Jacob, and Esau concerning things to come. By faith he did. You can stop right now and just
ask yourself, when Isaac blessed Jacob, who did he believe he
was blessing? Esau. Scripture says, by faith
he blessed Jacob and Esau. So brethren, let's look at this
passage of Scripture and see what The Lord has to say. Isaac is going to bless Esau
in his mind. Rebecca is going to prepare Jacob
to go before Isaac. And Jacob knows that the blessing
is not his by right of birth, but rather The blessing is his
only by the figuration, good pleasure of God. Not by works
of righteousness that we've done. It's according to his mercy that
he save us. Now we all understand that in
ourselves, we're not worthy to receive the blessing of God from
our birth in Adam. Let's just all put ourselves
in Jacob's shoes right now. We're all Jacobs. We're all supplanters. We're all heel catchers. And
therefore, to find any hope whatsoever, we must be robed in the raiment
of Him who is accepted, accepted of God. Genesis 27, verse 18. All preparation's been made,
meal's been prepared. He's in Esau's raiment. He's got the skins of the goats
on his arms and hands, smooth of his neck. And the scripture
says, and he came unto his father, and he 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. I have done according as thou
badest me. Arise, I pray thee, sit, and
eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. Now let me remind us of something.
If we find our focus totally upon Jacob's deception, I'm gonna
lose sight of the picture that's been set forth here concerning
our need of standing before God accepted and blessed of him.
Is Jacob a liar? Yes. No doubt. Ain't no doubt about it. Is that
Esau talking to his daddy? No. Jacob is clothed. in the raiment
of his elder brother. And he's bringing a feast that
his mother knew that her husband, Isaac, would savor. And here
is the whole truth of this right here. There's no other way that
Jacob is going to receive the blessing except he be robed in
the raiment his brother Esau. He's got a meal that is prepared
in Isaac's mind by Esau and he feels and smells like Esau. The truth is we are by nature
sinners and except we stand before God Almighty robed in the righteousness
of Christ. We shall not be accepted of God. This is my beloved son in whom
I am well pleased. You hear him. The believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ knows that he has not accepted God Almighty in his
own merit He's only accepted in his Savior, the one who redeemed
him and loved him, and was made what he is, sin. If what we are in ourselves
in Christ, we might be made the righteousness of God. Jacob is a type of God's sheep,
and here's where we are. Those eternally loved and chosen
in the Lord Jesus, who according to God's revelation, are going
to receive the blessing. He who stands before his father,
Jacob, in himself, and we are not going to get around this
point right here. He is a lying sinner. He's a lying sinner. And the true picture of all that's
been born into this world in Adam's transgressions. Sinners
who truly need and desire the blessing of heaven. All who from
birth are rebels against God by choice and by practice. And
when Isaac asked, in that verse 18, who art thou my son? Jacob gives the only answer that
Isaac is going to accept for the giving of the blessing. This
is the only answer that Isaac's going to accept. I am Esau, thy
firstborn, and I have done according as thou badest me. Arise, I pray
thee, sit and eat my venison, that thy soul may bless me. Brethren, we have one way that
we can approach God. Turn with me to Galatians 2. Galatians chapter 2. Would Isaac
accept Jacob in the best that Jacob could
do? Isaac is going to accept Esau. Galatians 2, 16. Galatians 2, 16, knowing that
a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus
Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not
by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. This is the truth for all of
us in that day. That verse of scripture that
I just quoted, 2 Corinthians 5, 21. He, the Father, hath made Him,
the Lord Jesus Christ, sin. God Almighty is going to have
to take what that Jacob is, and be made what he is, sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, found in him. Everything that Jacob had before
his father Isaac was prepared for him. Rebecca
prepared the meat. She took the goodly raiment,
put it on his back. Jacob did nothing of himself
to receive that blessing from his father. Jacob did nothing. It was all done for him. And
brethren, we don't either. Men can stand before themselves
and others and say, I'm going to do But what is expected of
me, I'm going to accept the Lord Jesus Christ, I'm going to ask
Him to come into my heart, and I'm going to turn over a new
leaf, and I'm going to do this, that, and the other, and I'm
telling you, accept. A man, a woman, be found in Christ. He has no hope. Isaiah 61.10, I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my
God, for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He
hath covered me with the robe of righteousness. As Rebekah,
a picture of the Spirit of God, robed Jacob in the raiment of
Esau, and Isaac accepted the one that
stood before him, as being Esau, a picture of Christ. The Spirit of God has revealed
that God Almighty has robed us in the righteousness of the Lord
Jesus Christ. has robed us in him. That's what
he said. I will greatly rejoice in the
Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my
God, for he clothed me. He has clothed me with the garments
of salvation. He covered me with the robe of
righteousness that a bride groom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels, and then accepts
us. What are we in ourselves? Jacobs. deserving of damnation, deserving
of it. God Almighty made him what we
are. Sin. Again, we ain't getting
around what Jacob is. He is a supplanter. He's a liar. That's what he is. That's what we are. What was
the only hope he had? That his mama would put that
robe on him and send him before his daddy
in the person of the one that his daddy was going to accept.
And this is the only hope we got, that God Almighty would
take our guilt, what we are, and bear it for us, and pay the
debt of us, and put it away as far as the east is from the west,
and robe us in that righteousness of perfection, in the beloved, that's all. Genesis 27, 20. purposed the blessing to those
who can do nothing but sin. How did you prepare this meal
so quickly, my son? He says, the Lord thy God brought
it to me. Here's Jacob, willing to ascribe
his success Lying, lying. To the goodwill and providence
of God, where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. I mean,
we're looking here at nothing but the absolute, total depravity
of man. But Christ Jesus came into this
world to save sinners. Paul said, of whom I'm chief.
I wish there was a way that we could somehow look at Jacob and
say, you know what? The Lord loved him and chose
him, which is absolutely true. Somehow there was something good
in him that merited it, and there's not. There's not. The Lord has said concerning
his people, I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you. Oh, what a hope, a promise it
is to sinners like us. Standing before his daddy to
be blessed in himself, knowing, now here, I'm just thinking about
where I am right now. Here's where I am right now. I can tell you right now, there's
been already in my mind, while I'm looking at notes, reading
these notes that I've gone over about, I won't tell how many
times I've rewritten them, rewritten them, rewritten them, going over
them, and I know about where they are, and I can find my place
in this setting. And there's been things that's
gone through my mind that would be the most embarrassing thing
in the world if you even knew what I thought, and God knows
it. I'm the Jacob. I'm the Jacob. The Jacob. and robed in the righteousness
of Christ. Accept it. Accept it. How thankful I am, the Lord said,
Luke 532, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance. If there's a sinner in here,
I'm talking about now, really, I'm not talking about, you know,
Look and say, well, you know, I used to be, I'm not as bad
as I used to be. Neil, you said it in your message
last week. I listened to that message. You said, you know,
the older we get, the more we realize. We realize that the
depth of what we are. That's so true. Christ Jesus came to this world
to save sinners. Verse 21 to 24, and 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 he said, The
voice is Jacob's voice. 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. And he said, Art thou my very
son Esau? And he said, I am. Beloved, no earthly picture can
ever set forth the absolute beauty and exactness and truthfulness
of the heavenly reality. I know that. By faith, we behold
and type and shadow the wonder of this revelation. I mean, just
get it in your mind what Jacob is. That's what we are. I mean, let's just go ahead and
be upfront about it. Ain't nobody in here good. Ain't
none of us worth anything. We're all Jacobs. We're all deceivers. We smile and pat each other on
the back and deceitful thoughts. This is what we are. But by faith alone, the reality
of this is that this sinner, right here, is robed in the raiment
of one that his father is going to bless. And the reality is that God's
people, believers, are robed in the righteousness of Christ,
and their guilt is put away, the debt is put away. On, cast as far as the east is
from the west. Are you my very son, verse 24. Are you my very son Esau? And Jacob said, I am, I am. Now, we're not gonna understand
the depth of this, because again, we see through a glass darkly.
But again, Jeff, you just read 1 John 4, 17. Herein is our love
made perfect. And I read this right now and
I'm thinking, he said, his daddy told him, he said now, verse
22, he said, come near. I want you to come real close
to me. I want you to come real close and I want to feel you. Your voice is the voice of Jacob's,
the hands of Esau, thy hands. Herein is our love made perfect
that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. I thought
when Isaac told Jacob, I want you to come real close to me,
you come close, close, close, that we may have boldness in
the day of judgment, God knows, Because as he is, so are we in
this world. Surely, Jacob, as we all do,
in himself, felt the guilt of his sin as he stood before his
father. He knew who he was standing before. Right now, we who believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ, we find no confidence in our flesh. I
mean, I'm gonna tell you something. Every believer's gonna find his
place with Jacob right here. But the scripture declares concerning
those sinners who have, by the grace of God and the power of
God, cast themselves upon the mercy of God. Here's what the
scripture says. That right now, we are the sons
of God. And it does not yet appear what
we shall be. But we know that when he shall
appear, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. Are you truly, are you truly
my son, Esau? I am. Somebody said explain the
depth of the reality of that. I can't. But I can turn it over
to John 17, John 17, turn with me there and I'm gonna close
this up. I want you to listen to the words
of the Lord Jesus Christ in his high priestly prayer. as it speaks
of the union of himself with his people, his
body, his bride. Scripture says, therefore shall
a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife and they
shall be one flesh, one flesh. And then Paul said, this is a
great mystery. You're not kidding. Why? Because
I'm looking at my wife out there and there's two of us. This is a great mystery. Paul
said, but I speak of Christ and his bride. John 17, verse 20 to 23. The
Lord said, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word, that they all may
be one as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee. that they also may be one in
us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me, and the
glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be
one even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, They
may be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou
has sent me and has loved them as thou has loved me. Now brethren, I wouldn't even
attempt. I've read what different men
that I love and appreciate so much have said. And I'll tell
you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna just tell you right
now. The depth of the oneness of the Lord Jesus Christ and
his people is such that, that it's beyond my little fickle
brain to comprehend. But by faith, I believe God. You say, explain your oneness. with Christ as Christ oneness
is with the father and he's in the father and the father's in
him and that they are in us, that they are one as the father
is with the son. That's a glorious thought. Are
you truly my son Esau? I'm not saying that we are the
glory. express person of the Lord Jesus
Christ. I'm just telling you this. And
if the father accepts the son, he accepts us. Verse 25 to 27. And he said,
bring it near to me and I will eat of my son's venison that
my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him
and he did eat and he brought him wine and he drank And his
father Isaac said unto him, come near now and kiss me, my son. And he came near and he kissed
him. And he smelled the smell of his raiment and blessed him
and said, see, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field
which the Lord hath blessed. You don't have to turn to, I'm
gonna just turn to Song of Solomon and read three verses of scripture. Song of Solomon chapter 4, verse 9 to 11. Here's the Lord speaking to his
bride. Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse. Thou hast ravished my heart with
one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. How fair is thy
love, my sister, my spouse. How much better is thy love than
wine, and the smell of thine ointments than all spices. Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as
the honeycomb. Honey and milk are under thy
tongue, and the smell of thy garments. Whose garments do you think she's
wearing? She's wearing his. The smell of thy garments is
like the smell of Lebanon. What's his is ours. He's given
himself. Isaac called Jacob near him,
and he smelled him. And he said, you smell like my
son. You know, have you ever had someone
you're close, dear, they're yours, they're your mama, your daddy,
somebody you're very, very close to? And you smell it, and you
say, you smell like my mama, smell like my dad. Christ is
the fragrance of the Father's delight. And Isaac came, I mean,
Jacob came, and Isaac smelled him, and he said, you're the one I'm gonna bless. He is the blessed of the Father
and us in him. I pray God give us some understanding
to the miracle of this gracious thought for his glory in our
good. Amen.