Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29 / Matthew 9:14-17
It is easy to find the drama of deception and trickery in fiction literature as well as in real life stories.
But to find it in the Bible (of all books) would be rather surprising to some, yet it shouldn't be that surprising at all.
Because the Bible is about the book of life and how God has loved and saved a sinful humanity from self-destruction.
Nonetheless we read about deception and trickery in the 1st reading. Whether it was Issac or Rebekah, or Esau or Jacob, none of them can say they were truly honest or truthful.
Earlier in Genesis 25:29-34) there is the account of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob over some stew that Jacob had just made. Jacob offered to give Esau a bowl of stew in exchange for his birthright, to which Esau agreed. So already Esau was not true to his word.
Isaac also wanted to bestow the birthright to Esau, but he knew he was not doing the right thing because he wanted it done privately and secretly.
That was probably because he had known that Rebekah had received the prophecy that the twins Esau and Jacob were fighting in her womb and would continue to fight all their lives, even after they became two separate nations. The prophecy also said that "the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger;" (Genesis 25:23)
Yet Rebekah also took things into her own hands and not leaving it into the hands of God.
So it was a really messy story of God's chosen people resorting to deception and trickery and even committing grave sin just to have their way and get what they want.
Yet despite the crookedness of His people, God still made things straight for the coming of His only Son to save the people from their sins.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. May we walk the ways of God in truth and love so that we will live a meaning life of honesty and integrity.