Wednesday: Jacob and Esau
The struggle between God’s purposes and individual rebellion makes further progress in the story of Jacob and Esau. It was customary in antiquity for the firstborn son to receive the father’s blessing (the birthright) before the death of the father. This included most of the family’s wealth; so, the eldest son became responsible for the family’s welfare.
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
Esau hated his brother Jacob after being tricked out of that great honor, and he planned to kill him after their father died (Gen. 27:41) . Rebekah sent Jacob away for safekeeping, thinking all would be well again after a few days (Gen. 27:43-44) . A few days turned out to be 20 years, and Rebekah never saw Jacob again.
Read Genesis 28:12-15. What great hope was found in Jacob’s dream?
By repeating the promises made to Abraham, God was assuring Jacob that plans were on track. Even though Jacob’s actions seemed to ignore God’s plan, God was still there for him. However, Jacob had to endure 20 years of being tricked by his father-in-law, first in his marriage, then in his wages (Gen. 29:20, Gen. 29:23, Gen. 29:25, Gen. 29:27; Gen. 31:7) . Yet, in a strange twist, all those years serving for his wife seemed like just a few days, the time Rebekah thought Jacob would be away from her (Gen. 29:20) .
When Jacob decided to go back home, first Laban pursued him (Gen. 31:25-26) , and then Esau set out with 400 men to meet him. Both of those situations were life threatening, and God had to step in twice to deliver him; first in a dream to Laban, to tell him not to harm Jacob (Gen. 31:24) ; then in person, to wrestle with Jacob and cripple him (Gen. 32:24-30) . The sight of Jacob hobbling with a walking stick could have impressed Esau that Jacob posed no threat. The gifts were sent on ahead and, together with the careful way Jacob spoke, it all seemed enough to heal the break between the two brothers. The last we see of them together is when they bury their father (Gen. 35:29) ; thus, any previous plan Esau had of killing Jacob after the funeral was now forgotten.
Look at all the pain and suffering these foolish choices brought to these people, both to the innocent and to the guilty. How can we learn to think, think, think before we act?
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The story of Jacob and esau teaches us generation of today to be more careful when making decisions, because any wrong decision we may make can cause suffering to innocent or the whole world.
This is year of change, everyone has to on their new year goals and ask for God's wisdom and revelations so rebellion can be minimised. God bless you all.
We must pause to ask ourselves the implication of our actions on others before we take such decisions .
May the Holy Spirit fill our lives so that the our actions be in harmony with God's will! Praise God from whom all blessing flow!
As human beings who are living in the world of sin, sometimes gets so difficult to believe that there's a God who cares and loves you. God will show His blessings more and in a satisfying manner when you have fully matured knowing Him and well refined. This does not happen overnight. It takes a long time for one to be fully refined, to be a pure new creature that will posses the the heavenly qualities.
That is what I see in Jacob. He stole his brother's birth right but still God did not leave him, he appeared to him in a dream and gave him promises which he eventually forgot about. He endured the extraordinarily life at his uncle's care making him to work for 14 years. This wasn't an easy thing to do. But because of the love that he had for Rachel he still kept waiting and time went faster than he expected. Finally he came out a winner. Despite what you are going through right now, put your trust in the Lord for he has promised each and everyone of us an everlasting life. That is all I need from you God.
I have also seen that what God has promised, no matter where life takes us, he is always there. When it is his will there is grace.
Why did God hate Esau ?
God hates sin, and I believe that since Esau was unwilling to give up his sin, he became condemned along with his sin. The basic sin of humanity is the desire to live apart from God - to be our own gods. That's what Esau chose.
What gives you the idea that God hated Esau? He hates nobody. God hates sin but loves the sinner. Jacobs act of deceiving his father and doing his brother out of his rightful heritage was an independent choice and sinful act but because he loved God, God never foresook Jacob (or esau, for that matter). I hope this is hellpful.
I agree with you Elizabeth. God hates nobody. He hates sin but loves the sinner, just as you say.
The text in Malachi - "I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau" (Mal 1:2-3), needs to be rightly divided in light of the Gospel. Yet I think it is easier to understand the statement, when we realize that Malachi is speaking about the nation of Edom when he refers to "Esau". (Mal 1:3-4)
I find it interesting too, that the Jews use the English word "rejected" as opposed to "hated" in the text quoted above. (Mal 1:3 Tanakh.) The text goes on to show that the "hatred" (or "rejection") is seen/manifest in the physical state of the country.
But yes, the principle is sure - God loves His enemies, and He would have us do the same thing.
More often than not, various courses of action seem pleasing and good at the surface level. But we should not forget that there is a way that seems right to a man,but its end is the way of death. (Prov 14:12).
We have to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding; In all our ways we ought to acknowledge Him, And He shall direct our paths. (Prov 3:5,6)
We might not be comfortable with the Lord options but let's trust that He has good purposes for us (Jer 29:11).
And so, we should ask for strength to to do what He pleases.
My question maybe a bit different.how would one know that God has promised a good life for you.cause I feel that we live our lives and work hard for what ever we are hoping for,how would you know that this is what God has for you I need to be helped there.
"Commit your way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass." Ps 37:5 is a promise to claim. Surrender yourself, ask God to lead and then allow the circumstances to guide you, as with Joseph, Jacob and others.
Ask that He will open and shut doors according to His will for you.
The only thing is faith hope....coz faith does with the works n efforts hopped for.
By constantly abiding in god following both His word and staying in prayer and conversation with Him always we can somewhat avoid hurting ourselves and others through selfish desires.. Constant examination of self is required for true repentance knowing our true needs and desires and allowing God the opportunity to provide all for us….
Sarah and Rebecca both tried to help GOD to fulfill His purpose or His Promise because to them God seemed to have delayed and this caused pain and suffering to themselves and children.let us trust and wait upon God to fulfill His promise
The immediate hope for Jacob found in his dream was that he was forgiven by God, and thus was able to be blessed, and given a wonderful hope that would sustain his faith in the coming trials he would face. This dream is also encouraging to any who receive Christ, our Ladder, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
The answer to preventing mistakes is not to “think, think, think”, but to study the word of God and pray, present ourselves as living sacrifices unto the Lord, and be transformed by the renewing of our minds through faith. Doing this, our thoughts will be the thoughts of God, who is righteous always.
Dear Robert,
Thank you for sharing this answer to the question at the bottom of the lesson page, "The answer to preventing mistakes is not to “think, think, think”, but to study the word of God and pray, present ourselves as living sacrifices unto the Lord, and be transformed by the renewing of our minds through faith."
I agree with you. Sometimes people do too much thinking and it gets in the way of what the Lord would have us to do. Even when we study the Word and pray, sometimes the way before us is not clear and we make mistakes.
God does not leave us, but we do suffer the consequences.
Yes, important to note that "God does not leave us". Our creation (even if only considered an "accident") is by His design and is Him telling us "you are mine!" with joy and delight. However, it is left to us to accept or reject His wanting us. So it is we who leave Him, and never is it the other way around, though out of love, He must give us our desire at last. And as we suffer our consequences, He feels it too, only more keenly than we have capacity to know or understand within our finite experience and capabilities.