Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.” Genesis 25: 29-33, NKJV.
Dear God, as we study Your Word please help us to see that You have a plan for our lives; and help us to be willing to abide by that plan. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
The story of Esau and Jacob is full of bad decisions that led to bad relationships. And their story did not end with them, it has followed us into the twenty-first century. We prefer to ignore the plain “this is what the LORD says” for our, “I know a better way.” There seems to be something in our human nature that tends to resist obeying the Word of God, and replacing it with our way.
In this particular family we see this behavior repeating from generation to generation. Father Abraham and his wife Sarah thought God’s leading was too slow, so they introduced “a better way” that from the very beginning brought pain into the family circle. That pain has affected “all the families of the earth.” God had promised Abraham, that as “the father of the faithful” “all the families of the earth” would be “blessed” through him. Well, when he and Sarah changed the rules of the covenant, “all the families of the earth” were negatively affected as well.
So here is his son Isaac, the “son of the covenant” who prayed that his wife would be able to bear children. God heard and answered his prayer (Genesis 25: 21). God gave them twin boys whom they named Esau and Jacob. At their birth God precisely explained that there would be a change to the way family matters were handled. In this particular case God told her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger” (23).
In other words, this is not business as usual. Even from your womb, I foresee problems. There is going to be a struggle between the two brothers. But in My plan, I have decided that the younger brother is to be in charge. You see, I know the hearts of the boys, and that is why I have made this decision. (Please bear with my fallible human attempt to interpret divine thought!). God had been very plain in explaining the way He would guide the situation. All that was required of them was their cooperation with the divine plan.
Sad to say, it appears that mom and dad came up with their individual “better way” to favor the child of their preference. Esau, “Daddy’s boy” was very much like dad in that they both enjoyed eating. So dad had already planned that he would bless his favorite son, no matter what God’s plan was. Hear him making plans to implement his “better way:” ” ‘. . . Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die’ ” (27: 2-4).
Of course mom is not going to allow dad and Esau to thwart God’s plan (Is there such a thing?)! So she speaks to her favorite son: ” ‘Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death’ ” (9, 10).
Two human plans, based on deception. All because God’s Word had been ignored. A family completely divided. Jesus would one day utter these words: ” ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls’ ” (Luke 11: 17). The blessing went to the one for whom it was intended, but at what a cost! Death threats uttered by one brother toward the other in the hearing of their aged parents! Do you know how painful that must have been for these parents? Especially knowing that they had played a part in bringing about this situation! Rebekah never again saw her beloved Jacob after he fled from home, his life threatened by his brother Esau. Isaac saw him shortly before his death in the home of his childhood, apparently reconciled with his brother Esau. An act of grace in the midst of human mistakes! Oh, what love of the Savior!
I wonder how this story would have ended if both parents and children had allowed the Lord to lead. May we not have to wonder. May we allow God to lead us all the way from earth to heaven!