What’s so bad about Esau?

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Rom 9:13)

A. Intro
It would seem that God was unfair to love one and despise the other. In Hebrew the love-hate is more of a comparison than an absolute. Another way to describe this is that Jacob was loved more than Esau or another way of putting it would be Esau was loved less than Jacob.

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen 12:2-3)

The posterity of carrying on the heritage of being the carrier of the fullness of God’s blessing belongs to Jacob. There are characters of Jacob we must grow into and characters of Esau that we need to grow out of. It is frightening to know that both were sons of the same patriarch Isaac but only one had the edge over the other to carry on the family blessing. Both had the potential to be ones that carry the highest of blessings God promised Abraham but only one had the spiritual destiny lived out to the fullest in carrying on this great Heavenly heritage.
B. How does this apply to us today in the modern day church?

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
(Mat 13:24-30)

1. The lesser (Esau) and greater (Jacob) blessing

But before going into the parable of the Kingdom Jesus said ….

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
(Mat 13:23)

What this means that the parables is not for the non Christians but for the Christians, even those who are producing ‘fruits’. Even with producing fruits, there are those who produce 30 and 60 and yet miss out the full blessing of 100 fold…

And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: (Gen 26:11-13)

Jesus probably had this in mind, knowing that the sons of the Kingdom may settle short of 100 fold blessing. There are Christians who are happy to just get to heaven but miss out the abundance of life that Jesus promises (John 10:10) even on earth. Jesus wants to give us the life that is more abundantly than we can ever imagine. For example if the Kingdom of God consist of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17), let’s consider one aspect that is peace. We can claim to be Christian but miss out the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) but still worry about our job, problems, family till we can loose sleep over. We try this and try that to overcome our worries and running from one counselor to another without knowing this fact….

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1Pe 5:7)

The act of trusting God is in the continual casting of our cards upon Him knowing that He cares deeply for us. Out our doing and striving has caused us to loose abundant life of having peace reigning in our lives.

We always settle for some of God’s blessing but not the full.

2. The tares (Esau) and the wheat (Jacob)

Going back to the parable of the Kingdom, we now observe another comparison. The tares are degenerated wheat that look like the real thing but produces no grain. Tares are basically useless. In fact it’s a nuisance to the farmer because it’s difficult the separate the tares and the wheat without destroying the good. The tares that are outwardly Christian but have no real substance will continue to grow in the church together with the wheat Christians. In the end the separation of the goats of sheep will take place (Matt 25:33) by having the overflowing blessing to those who are spiritually naked, sick and in prison. Blessings are measured but not how much we accumulated but by how much we give away.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Act 20:35)

But be careful that we don’t play the role of separating the tares and the wheat; it’s the job of angels as commanded by the Lord. Therefore judge not, don’t usurp God’s right to judge.

3. In the church there will be those who are in the family of Christ as Esau and Jacob was, but only one will carry on the blessing and inherit God’s full blessing. Remember it is a relative thing as Jesus talks about the 30, 60 and 100 fold. We must uproot the Esau life and replace it with the life that the resurrection of Christ brings to us. We shall look into some of the Esau behavior and also what we can inherit from God.

C. The Esau Behavior

1. Living for the now

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Heb 12:16)

The writer of Hebrew description of Esau is among fornicators and profane. It is terrible to be labeled as such, but that is how God views Christians who life for the now.

And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. (Gen 25:29-34)

The first thing we may note is that Esau was selfish or considered himself first above everything else that is of long term value. Just as children who prefer to have fun over seriously study would later regret when it’s time to show the report card to the parents. The issue of responsibility and self control eludes the Esau nature. Consequences are not considered. That is probably why the Hebrew author was strong in his words because rapist, thieves and murderers behave the same. Self fulfillment now with ‘who cares about tomorrow’ attitude.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Mat 6:5)

Another other way of looking at the Christian who live for the now is the looking at the now reward as the Pharisees of Jesus time did. They wanted the recognition from people but lack the knowledge that we live for God that exalts us in due time. Living for self exaltation or gratification is very lowly in value because it’s temporal and will continually seek it as one desires the fix of drugs.

2. Strength dependent

And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. (Gen 25:27)

Another example of this is of Cain and Abel. Cain was the tiller of the ground (Gen 4:2). Both brought offerings to God but only one was ‘respected’. The root word for respect is to ‘gaze’ which is to inspect or to consider. Therefore God considered Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Being a tiller of the ground means to work as Esau was a man of the field and offering man’s efforts to God. Cain being a shepherd offered a sheep whose growth to health and without blemish is determined by the sovereign God. It is impossible to offer our human efforts which the best of our works are like filthy rags. Our offering should be the giving back to God what He first imparts to us.

3. Views blessing more importantly than inheritance

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. (Gen 27:34)

All of us will cry and weep over missed blessings but can neglect the more important inheritance. In Gen 25:5, 6 Abraham gave Isaac all that he had, meaning the wholeness was given to Isaac. But to the other sons gifts were given. Please don’t over rate gifts or blessings of the wholeness or abundance of life that God promises us.

4. Striving to please and lacking obedience

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. (Gen 28:6-9)

The Esau nature is an observant one. He discovers a lack of favor therefore strives to please God. The situation of disfavor that the Esau man or woman comes into is birthed out of disobedience and self fulfillment without considering God’s good, perfect and acceptable will of God (Rom 12:2). Secondly, the disfavored will use his or her means to gain favor. This could mean that we can serve God to gain His favor as pagans do, while the favored serve God out of love and adoration. Children in strong families serve their parents and please them out of love, not because to gain favor. The latter behaviour would have been bred out of selfish desire.

D. The Inheritor

We have to beware not to label the Esau’s in church because we have a little bit of the Esau nature in each of us. The varying degrees will determine our claiming our inheritance in Christ. Just that we have to start asking Holy Spirit to guide us into revealing the Esau nature in us for God to deal with.

God wants us to be inheritors now! In life we wait until the person to die before we inherit, but in God’s Kingdom He wants to make us His inheritors now. God is the King and He desires to impart to His church His Kingdom.

1. He or she has a King

If there is a Kingdom, there would have to be a King. The Lordship of Jesus Christ has to permeate every area of our lives – both private and public. It’s often easy to portray Christian values and spirituality in public as the Pharisees and Sadducees did, but our behavior private moments and thoughts would be the true test of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1Cor 8:6)

It is very clear by Paul that there is to be only one Lord. Pagans have many ‘lords’. This means we are subjected to Jesus only that our will be lost in His. That our lives would be the subset of His life, meaning that our lives represent Jesus. That is why Paul calls us the ambassadors of Christ in 2 Cor 5:20. An earthly ambassador doesn’t represent himself of his family but the country he belongs to. Therefore the actions and behaviors have to be befitting a representative of the country he comes from. One won’t catch an ambassador of, for example, the US speaking crudely, neither dress indecently nor display things that misrepresent his or her country.

2. He or she would be submitted over a higher Authority

The Roman Centurion in Luke 7:7, 8 understood that authority is unquestionably and so much so that Jesus marveled at his reply. James 4:7 asks us to submit to God first, than the authority of the Kingdom of God will be upon us to resist the devil and flee from us. The Kingdom of God is about having victory over evil and sin. Once the authority of God is upon us, our ministry will prosper in evangelizing, healing, prayer, etc. But first comes with submitting under God’s authority not just in small quantum but more and more till it occupies every area of our lives, when ultimately His will be done in us – leading us then to be the instruments to bring the Kingdom of God as it is in Heaven to earth.

3. He or she would have the evidence of the Kingdom

That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
(1Th 2:12)

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Mat 21:43)

The evidence of an inheritor of the Kingdom is one that has the fruits to show. Not for man, but for God exclusively.

Love, joy peace (Gal 5:22, 23)
Goodness, righteousness, and truth (Eph 5:9; Jam 3:13-17)
Righteousness, peace, and joy (Rom 14:17; Heb 12:11)

These are commonly known as the fruit of the Spirit. I.E. it is as natural as a apple tree yielding apples, as we are led by the Spirit of God that we are the sons of God (Rom 8:14) and only sons are inheritors. Only the son is loved, therefore ask God to help us rid the Esau nature through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.