Un-Failing Our Way Into God’s Unlimited GoodnessSample

Clinging to What Matters

Jacob and Esau, the first twins mentioned in the Bible, were alike in some ways, but their differences truly defined who they were and each one’s path in life.

Jacob was an inside kind of guy. His mother Rebekah taught him how to cook, and he was her favorite. Esau was an outdoorsman who hunted and was favored by their father, Isaac. The twins fought from the start, even in the womb.

When they were grown, Esau returned home one day, tired and hungry after an unsuccessful hunt. He could smell the tantalizing aroma of the lentil stew that his twin was cooking and asked for some. Jacob decided to feed his brother … for a price. Instead of simply handing Esau a bowl, he offered stew in exchange for his birthright.

A birthright was an honor bestowed on the oldest son, giving him a double portion of the father’s inheritance. It was a big deal. It sounds like a silly prank between siblings, but the crazy part of the story is that Esau agreed!

Years passed, and the twins grew further apart. When Isaac was an old man and could no longer see, he asked Esau to go hunting and prepare a meal for him. Then Isaac would bless Esau before he died.

Mom overheard this and told her favorite son that they would prepare a meal for Dad that Jacob would serve to him, disguised as his twin. Their plan worked and Isaac blessed Jacob instead of Esau.

Jacob used unsavory tactics to get ahead, but Scripture emphasizes Esau’s choice to sell his birthright as the greater wrong. He might have been a great hunter and sportsman, but he certainly was not a very strong, forward-thinking leader.

Regardless of Jacob’s deceit, he was still chosen to carry on the covenant of Abraham. And Esau, who chose his physical desires over his spiritual blessings, was excluded from the lineage of the Messiah.

It’s a confusing lesson for us. On one hand, it shows the humanness and brokenness of these Bible characters. They really are no different than us! They are prone to deceit, selfishness, and manipulation. But it also shows the importance of clinging to what really matters, like a birthright, even if it means denying our physical desires and wants. It shows the impact of decisions that pull us away from God’s direction.