Presentation 41
Presentation 41
Introduction
The passage introduces family tensions that reflects the tensions in many
contemporary homes. It shows the favouritism of parents. Jacob and Esau’s
different interests and ambitions influenced their parents so that they
gravitated towards one or the other. Instead of a family unit we have a family,
which is becoming increasingly polarised.
But the truly amazing thing is that God plans to work in and through this
domestic tension and at times in spite of it. He plans to shape the life of a
man on whom he had set his love and through
whom he plans to advance his purpose of
salvation for the world.
Presentation 41
Introduction
At times we can be unhappy about what is happening in our lives and so we
take our complaints to God. When we analyse those complaints, we can
sometimes discover ourselves thinking, 'God is treating me
unfairly, I should be experiencing more of his blessing'.
We can so easily lose sight of the fact that God's
gifts are gifts of grace.
This truth comes into sharp focus in the
lives of Esau and Jacob.
Presentation 41
Jacob Have I Loved
After years of marriage, Isaac must have felt that history
was repeating itself. God had made promises to his father
Abraham. Promises of becoming a great nation with their
own land, of great fame and of blessing to the world
brought about by the birth of a Messiah.
Those promises had been passed on to Isaac.
He had been married for 20 years and
Rebekah had provided him with no heir.
All of God's promises hung on a slender
thread. He needed a son. Isaac poured
out his heart to God in prayer and
God responded.
Presentation 41
Jacob Have I Loved
The answer took the form of twins. Esau, the more vigorous of the twins
was born first but he was not God's choice for carrying on the line of
blessing. God did not intend that the precious promises be passed on to
him. Oh he was a natural choice - the firstborn! He was his father’s choice
as subsequent events will make clear. But he was not Gods choice! God
chose Jacob. God has the sovereign right to choose and bless whom he will.
This is the issue expounded by Paul in great length in Rom. 9. [10-13].. The
choice of God was not dependant upon the character of Jacob and Esau.
Presentation 41
Jacob Have I Loved
God decided that Jacob would be heir to the blessing while Esau was rejected
from being that man. The expression, 'Jacob I loved but Esau I hated' is one of
comparison rather than one of emotion. The wonder of God's electing love
set upon Jacob was of such magnitude that in comparison, it appears that
Esau was the object of God's hatred. The performance and character of the
individuals concerned had nothing to do with God's choice.
The fact that Esau was passed over by God does not
excuse his subsequent behaviour. We are all responsible
to God for our actions and dare not say to God:
'because you did not lavish your unmerited love
upon me, I am not accountable for my actions.'
Presentation 41
Jacob The Cheat
As Jacob grew up in the family home and examined his prospects, he must
have felt frustrated. He was destined by God for blessing. His mother would
have passed on God’s message 'the older would serve the younger’v23, but
his father had no time for him. All of Isaac's attention fastened upon Esau.
Esau was a man's man, a hardy outdoor type, athletic, adventurous, the
Linford Christie of the ancient world! Did Esau possess abilities that Isaac
wished he himself had possessed?
Sadly many parents who have failed
in particular areas then try to live
their lives vicariously through the
achievements and performances
of their children.
Presentation 41
Jacob The Cheat
Esau was Isaac’s favourite. He was also able to give his ageing father the
particular thing for which his appetite craved - wild game. Jacob the home
loving boy was no more than a useful cook! Favouritism is a profoundly
destructive and belittling thing. It estranges and hardens attitudes. It feeds
suspicions and makes people feel insecure. Jacob felt threatened and was
convinced that his father had dismissed God’s promise concerning him.
Isaac had given Jacob no indication that he would get the
birthright and God seemed inactive. And so Jacob
reasoned it was time for him to act. Jacob sought
that which was good in the wrong way. We can
hardly commend his method. But he is to be
commended for desiring the birthright, for
appreciating its worth and the honour
of possessing it.
Presentation 41
Jacob The Cheat
At birth Jacob’ hand had grasped Esau's heel and so he was given a name
that means, ‘supplanter, one who muscles in’. Jacob went through life taking
advantage of others. And this is what Jacob does now. Esau's exhaustion after
a hunting trip provided the opportunity he had been waiting for. Jacob had
studied his quarry and knew Esau’s weaknesses. He was the kind of man who
lived for immediate satisfaction. A distant birthright in exchange for a tasty
stew was the sort of thing Esau would fall for.
The birthright has no contemporary equivalent.
It involved both material and spiritual blessings.
The firstborn son received twice as much property
as each of the other sons but more importantly
became the spiritual leader of his people and the
head of his family. In Jacob's case the birthright
also involved the bloodline through whom the
Messiah would come.
Presentation 41
Jacob The Cheat
Did Jacob attempt to justify taking advantage of his Esau’s weakness by
arguing that the birthright had been promised to him by God? Clearly, Esau
placed no value upon it - spiritual things were unimportant to him. How
easily we justify our wrongdoing. The world may well teach that, 'God helps
those that help themselves‘, but the lesson God planned to teach was that
'God helps those who come to an end of themselves'. If Jacob was to become
useful and fruitful in God’s service then his confidence in
his strategy, cunning and ability would have to go.
Martin Luther summed up this
principle marvellously when he wrote;
‘God made the world out nothing and
it is only when we are nothing that he
can make something out of us’.
Presentation 41
Jacob The Cheat
Jacob wanted God’s blessings his way and in his own time. He could not wait
for God to work out his will in his timeframe. God had chosen Jacob and set
his love upon him. But God’s purpose of grace for his life could only begin to
flourish as Jacob experienced a 'confidence shift‘. He would need to move
from the ground of self-confidence to that of abandonment to God. God will
often allow people to dig such a deep hole from themselves that the only way
out of it is for them to call upon God to intervene and pull them out.
Are you in a hole for this very reason?
You have schemed and planned and
sought to engineer God’s blessing but
to no avail? Has your self-confidence
taken an awful bruising?
'It is only when we are nothing that
God can make something out of us.'
Presentation 41
Godless Esau
As far a human convention was concerned the birthright should be Esau’s and
his father clearly wanted him to have it. Esau held spiritual blessings lightly
and trod his birthright underfoot. 'Look I am about to die, what good is the
birthright to me'? v32. He was happy to exchange the rich blessings of God for
a slap up meal. He was a confirmed materialist, ‘He ate and drank, and then
got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.’
When the author of Hebrews wanted an illustration to indicate the folly of
turning ones back upon God’s gracious provision,
he wrote of Esau:
See to it that no one misses the grace of God
and that no bitter root, grows up to cause
trouble and defile many. See that no one in
is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau,
who for a single meal sold his inheritance
rights as the oldest son. Heb. 12.15-17
Presentation 41
Godless Esau
The words, 'Eat drink and be merry’ sum up Esau’s philosophy, which
encouraged him to let spiritual matters slide. But they also describe many in
our own age and some within the church. Esau was not a heathen. He had
not been raised in a idolatrous environment. He was the son of Isaac,
grandson of Abraham, men who had first hand experience of the true and
living God. If anyone ever had an abundance of spiritual advantages it was
surely Esau. Yet Esau sold that birthright for the
satisfaction of the moment.
As do many today, who also have
the advantages of prolonged exposure
to Christianity. They have heard all
about the cross of Christ but have
rejected Gods’ provision. Are you,
like Esau ‘missing the grace of God’ ?
Presentation 41
Godless Esau
In what way can we be said to forfeit our birthright? Esau forfeited the
benefits of Jesus' death. He had the promise of a coming redeemer, a
shadowy figure, who had not yet stepped on the stage of human history.
Today Jesus is no longer a shadowy figure. He has been known now for
some 2000 years. Is not your knowledge of Christ and of the gospel far
greater than that of Esau? Will you sell the privilege of being a follower of
Jesus for the secular stew that the world has to offer?
Secondly, are you are forfeiting the benefits of
God's written word? Or are you, in the words of
McCheyne, turning your Bible reading into prayer?
Are you more interested in pulp fiction and TV
soaps than in God's love letter to his people?
Presentation 41
Godless Esau
Is Esau's materialism not more excusable than yours? He had no Bible.
Members of the early church did not possess a whole Bible. During the
Middle Ages it was virtually impossible to find a Bible to read. But today
Bibles are much more accessible. Major bookshops stock a variety of
translations. There are talking Bibles for the blind. There are Bibles on
computer disc and on the internet. No people in the entire history of the
human race have had the same access to God's word and to Bible Study aids
as we have. Do we despise this inheritance?
Presentation 41
Godless Esau
Thirdly, think of the access you have to gospel preaching. Esau had no
preaching to access. His father would have shared something of his
knowledge but if we consider true preaching to be the exposition of
scripture then Esau never heard a sermon in his life. But week in week out
we have an opportunity to hear God's word expounded. Not to mention the
coverage on radio and TV. and the internet. What a privilege is ours. What
will God say to people who treat this privilege lightly?
Presentation 41
Godless Esau
Finally, there is the benefit of Christian fellowship. There are ministers and
fellow Christians, who are eager to encourage, comfort and instruct those in
need. But how many believing fellowships were there in Esau's day? There
were none! There were no synagogues. The very best he could hope for was
whatever spiritual encouragement his father could pass on. But was Isaac's
appetite for wild game at times greater than his appetite to fulfil his priestly
role in leading the family in worship thus encouraging their spiritual growth?
Presentation 41
Conclusion
Esau had no time for spiritual things. Are we any different? Esau despised
his birthright. Are we like godless Esau? The behaviour of Esau is a warning
to hold on to our birthright. Do not despise it. Do not miss the grace of God.
Rather lay hold of it, with both hands. Determine that nothing will keep you
from it. Learn too from Jacob that, while it is right to long for and hunger for
the blessing of God, it is wrong to scheme and plot to secure it.
It does not become ours through the exercise
of fleshly energy but is a grace gift from God.
Presentation 41