Esau - Written by Pastor Steve; Genesis 25:27-34

June 10, 2011 – Esau

Do you ever remember God being described in the Bible as “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Esau”? If not, it’s because it never happens! God is called the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Yet, Esau was Jacob’s older brother. And if things had happened in the usual way, God’s promise would have continued through Esau, not Jacob.

Why not? Well, Genesis includes two stories – two explanations – of how this happened. In the first story – Genesis 25:27-34 – Esau is hungry, and cares so little about the responsibilities of his role as first-born son that he sells his position to Jacob. Thus, he is said to “despise” his birthright. That is, he doesn’t care about his responsibility to be the leader of the family when his father dies.

The second, and more important, story occurs in Genesis 27:1-41. In this version, Jacob steals the birthright from Esau by convincing his dying and blind father that he is Esau. His father, Isaac, thinking that Jacob is Esau, blesses Jacob and that blessing can’t be revoked even when Isaac realizes he’s been duped. After this, Jacob has to flee from his father’s house because Esau wants to kill him. And it’s during this exile that Jacob meets his wives and receives God’s promise that God will be with him and bring him safely back to his father’s house.

So the story of Esau is kind of confusing and messy. Did Esau sell his birthright to Jacob, or did Jacob steal it from him? Did Esau once sell his birthright, not being serious about it, and then expect to have it anyway? If nothing else, the story of Esau reminds us that God doesn’t simply work with people whose lives are simple and straightforward. The story of Esau (and Jacob) is messy, complicated and confusing. And perhaps this reminds us that God can work with and through us even when our lives are messy, confusing and complicated. And even when there are several interpretations of our deeds and actions, God continues to work with us and through us, bringing blessing to others even when we aren’t major players in the story.

genesis 25:27-34

27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. ²⁸Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. ³⁰Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.^*) ³¹Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ ³²Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ ³³Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’^* So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.