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Act I, Scene 1
Narrator: The curtain rises, and an elderly couple, Rebekah and Isaac, are sitting facing each other, having a serious conversation. For years, Rebekah has been praying to become pregnant. Now, in her 70’s, she is pregnant with twins no less, and they are already fighting in her womb. She says to her husband, Isaac:
Rebekah: If they’re fighting now, lsaac, before they are even born, what will they do after they are born?
Narrator: Rebekah then bows her head and begins to pray to God as her husband, Isaac, looks on. But she lifts up to God a very strange prayer for a soon-to-be mother of twins.
Rebekah: On which side should I be?
Narrator: From out of the heavens, God answers Rebekah’s prayer.
God: You have within you two nations, and one will master the other and the older will serve the younger.
Narrator: The curtain falls as scene one comes to an end.
Act 1, Scene 2
The curtain rises on scene two. Rebekah is in a bed surrounded by midwives as she gives birth to twins. The first twin to be born is red and covered with hair and Isaac raises the baby up in the hair and says,
Isaac: His name shall be Esau!
Narrator: Which in Hebrew means “hair” or “hairy.” It also means “goat.” Or, “hairy goat.”
For this play, Esau will be known as “Harry.”
Isaac then raises the second child up and describes how he was holding on to the heel of Esau, or Harry as he was being born. And so, Isaac holding the baby in his hands and says,
Isaac: I name this child, Jacob!
Narrator: Jacob, in Hebrew means “one who is holding on”or “grabbing ahold of.”
For this play, Jacob will be known as “Grabby.”
He then turns to his wife, Rebekah, surrounded by midwives, and tells her the names he has given to their children.
And then Rebekah responds.
Rebekah:
{And Rebekah gives an agonizing cry as the curtain falls on scene two.}
Act 2, Scene 1
Narrator: Several years have passed. Each of these boys would have their own distinct personality. Harry would be the worker of the land and he would fish and hunt. Everything a father likes to do and he clearly was Isaac’s favorite. But, Harry was a little slow upstairs.
Grabby, on the other hand, was the more privileged one. He was clever and manipulative. He learned to be the one person people would respect and admire. Grabby likes to hang around the house. He likes to cook and create. He’s a “momma’s boy.”
The curtain rises. It’s late in the day, and Harry comes into the kitchen where Grabby is making some stew and he’s starving.
Harry: Grabby, I’d give anything to have a bowl of that stew.
Grabby: Did you say anything?
Harry: You bet. Anything!
Grabby: Okay. How about giving me your share of Dad’s estate for a bowl of this delicious stew?
Narrator: This would mean that Harry, who was the first-born, was prepared to give away at least seventy percent of the family estate for a bowl of stew!
Harry: I said, Anything!
Narrator: Grabby isn’t kidding and he says to Harry…
Grabby: Harry, I want you to promise me.
Harry: Yeah, sure. Whatever.
Narrator: Harry gets his bowl of stew and the curtain comes down with Harry saying…
Harry: Can I have seconds?
Act 2, Scene 2
Narrator: It is now several years later and their father, Isaac, is very old and blind and sick. The stage is set with two beds positioned as to indicate two separate bedrooms. One is occupied by Grabby. Isaac occupies the other. The scene begins in Isaac’s bedroom. Isaac believes that he will soon die, although he will live another fifty years, but who’s counting? He believes he will soon die.
So, he calls his favorite son, Harry, to his bedside. Harry comes in stage right and greets his father.
Harry: Good morning, father. I know you can’t see me, but this is Harry.
Isaac: Harry, I believe that I will die soon, but before I do, because you are the eldest, I want to give you my blessing. But, before I do that, I want you to go out and kill some game and bring it back and cook it the way you know I like it. After I’ve eaten, then I will give you my blessing, and you will inherit everything when I die.
Narrator: Gleefully, Harry grabs his bow and arrow and dances off into the wilderness to go hunting.
Narrator: The second part of this scene takes place in Grabby’s bedroom. Rebekah, who was eavesdropping Isaac and Harry’s conversation, goes to her favorite son and says…
Rebekah: Your father is about to give Harry his blessing. That means Harry will get everything. So here is what I want you to do. Go down to the corral and kill a couple of goats. Bring them back up here, and I’ll skin them and prepare them into a stew, the way your father likes it, and you take it in, and he’ll give you the blessing, and you will have the power of the family name.
Grabby: Mom, what if I get caught? I know he’s blind, but Dad is no guy to cross! If he catches me I won’t get a blessing, I’ll get a beating!
Rebekah: Now listen, son, I know your Father. I’ll take full responsibility. Don’t you worry.
Narrator: Grabby begins to smile, as all Grabby’s of this world usually smile when they discover they’re not going to lose and might even win. They proceed with the deception and charade. Grabby kills two young goats, and Rebekah makes Isaac’s favorite stew. They also take the goat hair and paste it on the back of Grabby’s hands and on his face so that Grabby will feel and smell like Harry. The scene continues in Isaac’s bedroom as Grabby brings his father the stew.
Grabby: Dad?
Isaac: Who is it?
Grabby: It’s your favorite son, uh, Harry. I got that game you wanted and I fixed it just the way you like, and here it is. Now you sit up and eat, and then you can put your blessing upon me.
Narrator: But Isaac is a little suspicious, and he asks…
Isaac: Harry, how could you get that game so fast?
Narrator: And then Grabby is like many people who get involved in hypocrisy and deception. They will answer by saying something pious and religious.
Grabby: The Lord your God brought that game into my path quickly.
Narrator: Isaac, being blind, is still skeptical.
Isaac: Harry, come a little closer so that I can touch you.
Narrator: Grabby, as Harry, comes close enough for Isaac to touch his hand.
Isaac: I don’t know. You sound like Grabby, but you feel like Harry.
Narrator: Isaac has done all that the blind in this world can do to protect themselves from exploitation. He’s touched, felt, and listened. He proceeds to eat his stew as well as a few glasses of wine as Gabby assists and serves his father with his meal. But when he was finished eating, Isaac asks for one more thing.
Isaac: Harry, come over here and give me a kiss.
Narrator: To clarify, in the Hebrew tradition, when a son kisses the father, or the father kisses the son, it is sending a powerful message, which was, “You can count on me”.
Grabby goes and kisses his father, but while in the kiss, Isaac is sniffing to see if he smells like Harry. He does, so there’s nothing more he can do but place his blessing upon his son, Grabby, who he thinks is Harry. Grabby then grabs up all the dirty dishes and exits to his bedroom, which is the other half of the stage.
Moments later, in comes Harry from his hunt, and he says to his father:
Harry: Father, I got the game you wanted, and I fixed it just the way you like it. So, eat up, and then you can affix your blessing upon me.
Narrator: Suddenly, they each begin to realize they had been deceived by Grabby and Harry yells:
Harry: When I get my hands on him, I’ll kill him!
Narrator: Rebecca is overhearing this conversation, and she enters Grabby’s bedroom and says to him…
Rebekah: Harry has found out and he’s looking to kill you. So, what I want you to do is pack your duffle bag, get on your camel, and go stay with my brother, Laban, on his farm, until Harry cools down.
End of Scene 3.
Act 2, Scene 4
Narrator: The scene on stage depicts a wilderness and it’s dark and foreboding. As Grabby is cameling to his uncle Laban’s place, he stops here to sleep. That night he had a dream of this ladder of angels, ascending and descending. When he wakes up he realizes that God had come to him and spoken to him. And what word did Grabby or Jacob hear? Not what he expected:
God: Grabby, l won’ forsake you. I won’t give up on you. I won’t leave you. Indeed, I will bless you. I will love you. Not because you deserve it or earned it, because obviously you haven’t. I will love you because you need it!’
Narrator: Unfortunately, the Grabby’s in this world have a difficult time receiving this incredible grace. He responds to God as if he is a contestant on “Let’s Make a Deal.”
Grabby: Okay, God. This is the deal. If you bless me and show favor upon me and give me everything I need, then I’ll tip you ten percent.
Narrator: And what is God’s response to this deal? Nothing. Sometimes even God is at a loss for words. And Grabby goes to stay at his Uncle Labans’ who happens to be as good a cheat and liar as he was, and eventually Grabby has to flee out into the wilderness, where he has another dream of him in a wrestling match with himself. This is when God blesses him by changing his name from Grabby (Jacob) to Israel (one who wrestled with God). And he becomes the father of twelve sons, who become the twelve tribes of Israel. From out of those twelve tribes would come a carpenter/rabbi named Jesus.
(End of scene 4)
Act 2, Scene 5
Narrator: This play has come to an end, but this writer has added one more scene. The curtain comes up, and on stage is a man named Jesus. He is a descendant of Grabby. He is sitting and resting by a well named Jacob’s Well. Jesus is exhausted because the Grabby’s in the crowd keep wanting to make deals with God. It is here that he would tell a story that would forever change the landscape of our relationship with God. This is the story he told:
Jesus: There was a father who had two sons. The youngest was named Grabby, and he says to his father,
“Give me my share of the inheritance.” It was given and he went off to a far country and squandered it all away. He decides to return home and bear the consequences of his rebellion. But before his son can make a deal with his father, his father sees him coming home and runs to him, hugs him and says, “My son, you were lost but now you’re found! You were dead, but now you are alive!.”
And, the father cups his son’s face in his hands and kisses him.
Which means?
God: You can count on me. This grace I freely give to you. Now go and, not just believe in this grace, but live in this grace.
The curtain falls.
- Originally found in Genesis 28 with Epilogue in John 4
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