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As we learnt in the last article, Esau and Jacob were finally born unto Isaac and Rebekah. They were born as twins and yet, they were different in so many ways. Esau was born first and when he came out of his mother's womb we find that he had made a very strong first impression with his parents. Isaac and Rebekah saw him to be already made a man, being that he came out physically strong and hairy all over. So therefore, he was named Esau for he was (already made) a man. Jacob followed immediately behind his brother and came out of his mother's womb grasping the heel of Esau's foot. Because if this, he was named Jacob which signifies (he grasp the heel or Supplanter). He wasn't like his twin brother Esau, being that Jacob wasn't born physically strong and hairy all over, but he was smooth and tender -- like most babies are when they are born. But the differences would not end there for the two boys, being that Esau and Jacob would grow to be two very different men. Esau grew into a very cunning and skillful hunter and because of this he earned the reputation of being "a man of the fields". He constantly went out courageously and hunted the wild beast of the fields, for he loved being outdoors and went hunting as much as possible. Jacob on the other hand, grew into a man that kept to himself, and never bothered anybody. He was a mild mannered shepherd that took care and managed his father's livestock, and enjoyed living in peace and solitude. Now when it came to Isaac and Rebekah, they each had their favorite when it came to the two boys. When it came to Isaac, he loved and favored Esau, and as for Rebekah - she loved and favored Jacob. Isaac, although he was a man similar to Jacob loved how his son Esau turned out to be. Esau had earned his reputation well, being that he was known as "a man of the fields" and that he turned out to be a great hunter. Because of this, Esau would on occasion, fix his father's favorite type of venison stew. This routine would eventually win the heart of Isaac, for he loved Esau's venison stew. As for Jacob, the Scriptures doesn't really go into why Rebekah favored him over her son Esau. But perhaps, it could have been the prophecy that the Lord had revealed to her right before the boys were born: "The Lord said to her, 'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.'" -- (Genesis 25:23) Now it's at this point that we arrived to the day were Esau had just returned from one of his hunting campaigns, and we find that he was very tired and famished. And just so happen at this particular time during the day Jacob was cooking some stew of his own. When Esau had seen Jacob cooking the stew, he asked him: "Quick let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" Now at this point, the Scriptures takes time to point out - this is why Esau was also known as Edom, for it signifies "red". But after Jacob had heard this, he would reply by saying: "First sell me your birthright." And Esau responded by saying: "Look I'm about to die, what good is the birthright to me?" But this reply wasn't good enough for Jacob, being that he would insist that Esau provide a clearer answer and also, that Esau would swear on an oath: "Swear to me first." Jacob would say. So Esau would swear to his brother that on that day he would agree to sell his birthright for a bowl of red stew. After hearing this, Jacob gave Esau some of his red stew along with some bread. Esau would eat and drink, and soon after he would get up and leave. Now it's at this point that the Scriptures make it clear that Esau had despised his birthright. Which basically means, that he looked down on it and regarded his birthright as being useless. Let's take a quick look at a few things concerning this account between Esau and Jacob. First off, you must understand that the birthright that Esau was giving away was actually the Abrahamic covenant that God had promised to Abraham and the generations that are to come from his seed. "I am God Almighty walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers. As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, were you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." -- (Genesis 17:1-8) Now perhaps Esau didn't quite understand what all his birthright entailed or perhaps, he thought that with his many skills and talents when it came to conquering the fields, that maybe in some way - he would be able to build a great kingdom through his own means. And honestly, Esau wouldn't be too far off the mark, being that the Edomites at one point in time, would respectively in their own right, develop into a great nation of their own. As a matter of fact, the Edomites would play a major role throughout history as one of the main oppressors of Israel. But it still didn't matter what Esau did, or how he responded to Jacob that particular day for God had already predestined the two boys for two different paths from the very beginning. Esau (Already Made) -- he was already made a man, from the point of his birth: there would be no changing, no building; or reshaping him -- Esau was who he was going to be from day one. Jacob (he grasps the heel - or - Supplanter - or - Deceiver): Now notice that this would be the first time that I've included in the name definition the word "deceiver" ... More on this in a moment. Now understand, the reason why I included the word "deceiver" at this particular point. Would be because, I don't necessary believe that Jacob had a corrupt and evil heart like most would teach and preach. We have to keep in mind that these were two brothers who lived and shared things with each other until the day that they had set out on their own apart from each other. How do we know that Esau didn't from time-to-time speak out against his birthright -- openly? Or, how he was going to be greater than his father and grandfather before him? How do we know? Honestly we really don't, so if that was the case, Jacob probably felt like Esau was going to become a poor steward of the great Abrahamic Covenant that God had bestowed on their family. And since Esau didn't respect the blessing, I must admit that I too would have made that same assumption if I was in the same position as Jacob. Now hold up! I can see some people saying that a birthright mainly deals with the inheritance that one receives from their father's household that had came before them and that their inheritance will become a double portion. You are correct if you are one of those people who pointed that out, and I thank you for that. But keep in mind that the Abrahamic Covenant is exactly that -- a family inheritance that would continue to be applied to each generation as they come and go. But this inheritance doesn't just deal with the previous household, it deals with everything that will come from the seed of Abraham. Now although Jacob probably meant well in his actions, he made his mistake by trying to take things into his own hands just like his grandmother Sarah had did before him, and just like his mother Rebekah would do a little later on in this particular account. So just like his name had foretold, Jacob would be titled on three points which relates directly to his name, that took place in the early beginnings of his life: First: He came out grasping the heel of his brother's foot, in which the name Jacob implies. Second: He would be found guilty of deceiving his brother out of a birthright that Esau did not respect in the first place, and deemed it to be worthless. Third: He would supplant -or- replace, his brother's standing as the steward of the Abrahamic Covenant that their family had been blessed with through the great promise of God. But this is just the beginning of what's to come between these two brothers, who were born twins... and yet completely opposite. **YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE** Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty 28) The Twelve Rulers of Ishmael 30) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 33) Isaac & the Envious King Abimelech 39) Jacob - Loyalty or Deception 40) Deceitful Hearts 43) Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty  |
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