The story of Jacob and Esau can be told in multiple different ways. Some might try to make the story about Esau by saying that he was a simple country boy who was manipulated by his mean brother and conniving mother.
Another group of people will focus on Jacob. This group will say that Jacob was only following what God has already decreed to his parents. God had said that Jacob would rule his brother, so wasn’t Jacob just following this by taking the birthright and blessing?
No. Jacob was following his own selfish desires, Rebekah, was following her own desires, and Esau was following his own desires. There are no good characters in this story. But there are two takeaways that we can leave with from this story.
The Jacob
A Jacob is someone who believes in God, but tries to follow God’s commands their way. While the desire might be on the right path, the way of doing it is wrong. God had told Isaac and Rebekah that Jacob would be the ruler of Esau. He did not tell them how He was going to do it. That was not necessary information for them. When we are told by God that He is going to do something, He is not telling us so that we can complete it on our own. He is telling us so that we know when it happens it was done by God. He is essentially calling His shot before He shoots. Jacob and his mother believed what God said, but they thought that they had to fulfill the prophesy on their own.
This is the takeaway from Jacob: believe in God, and let God work. God does not need our help. When He says something will happen He does not need us to push it along. Every time we try to interpret how God is going to do something we get it wrong. Abraham had Ishmael, Jacob temporarily broke his family, and Israel selected Saul. Each time we force a prophesy we make things worse.
The Esau
Now we turn to the Esaus in life. While Jacob may have tried to push God’s plan along, he still believed and trusted in God. Esau, on the other hand, had little to no respect for God. He spat on his birthright showing that he had no desire to live his life for God. He wanted to live his life his way.
Esau shows us what life is like when we rebel against God. Though Jacob tried to force the blessing and Esau hated it, God was going to do what He wanted to do. He was going to bless Jacob when and how He wanted. Esau would become a nation of his own (the Edomites). But his nation would become lower than his brothers (the Israelites). Esau tried to kill Jacob, and Jacob stole the birthright. But neither action pushed, pulled, or changed God’s plan.
Conclusion
We are all either a Jacob or an Esau. We either believe and love God, but try to anticipate what God’s plans are, or we despise God and anything that He plans. Either way, God’s plans will always happen. We cannot change or stop anything that God says will happen.
For me, this is a reassuring concept. There are so many aspects of my life that I have no control over. Though I am a Jacob myself, God still loves me. I try to push things along because I am impatient and sinful, but Jesus has paid my debt. I am forgiven and loved no matter what. It is calming to know that God has control of those things. I can love, worship, and serve knowing that my savior is in my corner.
Foster A... 