by Tony Leman
The descendants of twin brothers that we read about in the book of Genesis are prominent on the world scene today. There has been a lot of contention between the descendants of these twin brothers throughout history. Which brothers am I speaking about? Esau and Jacob. Before their birth, their mother Rebekah wondered why there was such a struggle going on in her womb with the twins (Genesis 25:22). God made it known to Rebekah that the reason was there were two nations in her womb which would be distinctly two different peoples (Genesis 25:23). These twin brothers not only had vastly different personalities and temperaments, but also a vastly different physical appearance.
While there is a lot that we can learn from this story of a set of twin brothers, let’s look at three key lessons that are illustrated.
1. Jacob valued the first-born blessing, Esau did not.
“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. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34).
Notice, Esau looked to the temporary pleasures of the here and now more than the future blessings through being firstborn. Accordingly, Christ said to His disciples that many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16). We also see in the gospels that God’s Church in the end time has to plead with people to embrace firstborn blessings (Luke 14:23). Those who are chosen value the blessing of the firstborn and make the needed sacrifices to be there to receive it, just like Jacob. Are we following Jacob’s example or Esau’s?
2. Esau resented his father and the root of bitterness began to grow larger in his life.
We read that following missing out on the blessing of the firstborn, Esau became bitter towards his parents. He resented them and wanted to purposefully do what would upset them. While “Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game” (Genesis 25:28), Esau clearly had a very fractured relationship with both his parents as he did not seek their marriage counsel. Indeed, the Canaanite wives he married (Genesis 26:34) were “a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah” (Genesis 26:35). As youth in God’s Church today, it is wise to listen to your parents and be guided by their instruction (Proverbs 1:8) and to avoid resenting them when they correct you. Remember, God corrects every son He loves (Proverbs 3:12)!
3. Esau became further corrupted overtime as he rejected his parents’ advice as well as the God of His grandfather, Abraham, and father, Isaac.
We read in Hebrews 12:14-17 the following about Esau, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.”
One poor decision left unrepented of often leads to further poor decisions. Esau displayed sorrow at losing out on the firstborn blessing, it was worldly sorrow and not Godly sorrow. Though Jacob was deceitful and crafty, he eventually came to repentance (see Genesis 32:9-12), whereas Esau did not. When we sin in our life, never be too proud to admit it and repent. This is the only way to move forward in our lives (see 1 John 1:8-10).
In summary, the story of Esau and Jacob reveals much about the necessity to value the firstborn blessing and not take it casually. Both brothers had significant character flaws, Esau despised his firstborn blessing, while Jacob came to value it.
We, in this age have been called to be part of the Church of the Firstborn. Notice Heb.12:22-23 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven…”
Youth, remember this very important story of Jacob and Esau as you strive to overcome with God’s help, so that you can receive the firstborn promise to those who overcome in this age.
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