I don’t think of Esau in the Bible as a bad man. But on the occasion of losing his birthright to his twin, Jacob, I cannot really see him as a wholly good man either. He was impulsive, ruled by his appetites, and careless about the future. Although God had made it clear to the boys’ mother before their birth that it was His plan to give the younger son the greater heritage, Esau was apparently not aware of this. His actions indicate that he felt the special inheritance was his right, and indeed it was his “birth-right.” He considered that he could do with it as he chose. When he came in, hungry and tired from hunting, he smelled the red lentil stew Jacob was preparing, and asked for some.
Jacob was prepared to bargain. Because Jacob was her favorite, Rebekah may have told him about God’s intention to honor him. If he, rather than Esau, were Isaac’s successor, the future possession of the land of Canaan would be by his children's children. The continuing covenant made with Abraham about Christ the promised Seed would be to his heirs, not Esau’s. Perhaps she had already advised him to deal with his brother about parting with his right if the opportunity were presented. When Esau came in famished, Jacob saw a convenient way to “make God’s will happen.” He would share the stew in exchange for Esau’s rights as the older son, the “birthright” and its inherent blessing of God.
“I am about to die,” Esau exclaimed. “What good would the birthright do me then?” and with oaths of promise he sold it. Did he mean, as any young man might, “I’m starving to death!” Or was he saying, “I’m in danger every day I go out in the field to hunt wild animals. I’m probably not going to live all that much longer.” Or did he think, “The promises made to Abraham are almost certainly a long way off. I will undoubtedly never live to enjoy them. It’s probably wiser to have something in hand today than to trust in what will likely not happen in my lifetime.” Whatever his thoughts were, they led to the irrevocable loss of a place of honor in the family line for hundreds of years afterward. Although it may puzzle us why God would use Esau’s intemperance and Jacob’s scheming (and later his outright deceit) to further the eternal plan, we must learn something from Esau’s experience.
What Esau learned from this experience was that you can make choices—but you cannot choose the consequences that follow. The Scripture says Esau found no place of repentance though he sought it with bitter tears; in other words, there was no way to turn around, no way to change the consequences. “Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.” (Hebrews 12:16, 17)
A young woman driving at high speed chose to evade the police; she did not choose to crash and end up dead, but she is. A man chose a romantic attachment outside marriage; he did not choose to be disgraced, estranged from his family, but he is. Men and women have chosen unwholesome habits for years and years; they did not choose to be broken in health, but they are. We want happy outcomes, but our choices preclude them. We make bad bargains, purchasing a little present ease or pleasure at the expense of greater, long-term benefits.
Watch out for the Esau syndrome!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
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