Quick recap. Jacob, in cahoots with his mother managed to prise the blessings Isaac meant for his beloved Esau, on his death bed, while the latter had gone to hunt venison in order to make for his father, soup much to his liking, according to his command so he could be blessed. Unfortunately, Esau arrived just as Jacob was leaving his father's side armed with the blessings meant for him. Before going any further, I'd love to digress a bit to talk about the importance of blessings, and by extension curses, especially when it comes from one's parents. Jacob and Esau knew how important blessings are, they saw its effect in the life of their father, despite the challenges he encountered in his life. Curses also work in much the same way as blessings, which is why I cringe when I see parents inadvertently placing subtle curses with reckless abandon on their children for misbehaving for instance. If they don't believe that curses won't have such an effect as blessings, why bother then to bless their children as they often do in their happier moments.


Esau, on arrival back home, went on to make "... savory food, and brought it unto his father; and he said unto his father, 'Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that your soul may bless me'..." (Genesis 27:31), once both of them realized what had happened, "Isaac trembled violently" (v.33) aware that there would be no reversal of the blessing, Esau "... cried with a great and very bitter cry, and said unto his father, 'Bless me, even me also, O my father'. And he (Isaac) said, 'Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing'." (vs.34-35). It then became clear to Esau what game his brother Jacob was and had been up to, first in taking away his birthright, then secondly, in taking away the blessings meant for him, from his father. It must be that the implication of selling his birthright to Jacob, and what it eventually resulted into became glaring to him, when he matched the two events together, and he may have also realized that selling his birthright for a plate of pottage, automatically means that he had relinquished the perks and promises associated with the position of the first born son (to Jacob). Even the meaning of Jacob's name as related with cunning (v.36) now made sense to Esau.


Left with little or no option, Esau asked his father Isaac, if he'd "... not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, 'Behold, I have made him your superior (bringing to the physical, what was spiritually -set into motion- mandated once Esau sold his birthright to Jacob), and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with grain and new wine have I sustained him: and what then shall I do for you, my son? ' "(v.36-37). But Esau wouldn't be deterred, he wept and pleaded with his father even for ONE blessing, to which his father succumbed, to bless him thus, "Behold of the fatness of the earth shall be your dwelling, And of the dew of heaven from above; And by your sword shall you live (which either seen defensively or offensively, signal a lack of peace within his borders, even if he would always ace it over his enemies), and you shall serve your brother (a direct result from selling his birthright, and by extension his blessings, as well as a fulfillment of the prophesy as was revealed unto Rebekah before the twins were born), And it shall come to pass, when you shall break loose (meaning that Jacob will not be lord over Esau perpetually, in what seems to be an effort of Isaac to provide a loophole of escape for his beloved Esau), That you shall shake his his yoke from off your neck" (such that Esau will not continually and perpetually live under his brother's shadow, even if that meant an obliteration of his kind from the face of the earth) v.39-40.


Esau got what we will call in today's lingo, CONSOLATION PRIZES, compared to the real McCoy that went to Jacob. Esau's blessings were watery nay peripheral, superficial and pedestrian, compared to the substance as well as carefully worded and heavily laced consequential bill that was Jacobs' war chest of a blessing. Many will read through Esau's blessing and fail to understand what the fuss is all about, but I will fill you in on it. Let me give you a bit of an illustration to drive home my point. There are very wealthy people in the world today that can wield only very little power for instance. Esau was blessed with wealth, even with an upper hand in the face of an aggressor but it was still nowhere near the blessings of Jacob. To sum it all up, it's because of the potency of Jacob's blessings that there's an Israel (Jacob's other name) today, but nowhere on the world's map would you find Edom (Esau's other name, from the "Red Pottage" Jacob offered him in exchange for his birthright). That is why everything about life shouldn't be seen as a joke, I believe that Esau wouldn't have agreed to sell his birthright for a bowl of pottage if he realized the larger implication of what he'd done, he went about life like nothing significant had happened afterwards, while his younger brother leveraged upon that singular act to claim his blessings, making it difficult to truly label him (Jacob) a usurper seeing as he rightly acquired the license to be the elder, from his elder brother. It is why nothing happens to politicians when they are cursed by the electorate for doing nothing for the people while in power, besides diverting state funds into private purses, after gaining power by bribing the same electorate, who by so doing have sold their "birthright", dignity as well as the "umph" and moral right to demand divine intervention in the lives of such politicians in order to point them to the error of their ways, beside what their conscience would ordinarily do, assuming they still have one; and I say this with Nigeria on my mind.


Because of the foregoing, "... Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, 'The days of mourning (seeing that his father would die soon) for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob' " (v.41). The fact that Esau's plot against his brother was leaked to Rebekah his mother, meant that Esau wasn't a circumspect man. In his anger he must've bragged about what he intended to do to his brother after his father's demise, another example of a lack of judgment on his part, which his mother took full advantage of by advising Jacob to "flee you to Laban my brother to Haran; and stay with him a few days, until your ... brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets that which you have done to him, then I will send, and bring you from there: why should I be robbed of you both in one day" (seeing that the relationship between her and Esau will surely take a turn for the worse after what had happened, and not looking to lose Jacob for whom she'd taken the risk in the first place) v.43-45. Let me stop here for now, as it's largely the human angle of that event that I have so far detailed, but there's a divine angle that I've pointed to you aforehand concerning the prophetic revelation given to Rebekah, and regardless of how it came to pass, it was YAHWEH's will (as we shall subsequently see). I pray that in all we set our hands to do henceforth, we be not the architect of our misfortune by acts of commission or omission (which we may see as trivia but come to haunt us in future), in Yahshua's name, Amin!



'kovich


REFERENCE:
– Genesis Chapter 27 Verses 31 - 45, THE SACRED SCRIPTURES (Bethel Edition), An Assemblies of Yahweh ®, Publication, © 1981 (Fourth Printing, 1993).


PICTURE CREDIT:
- https://www.pinterest.com


BIBLE STORIES (34): ESAU'S BLESSING | https://madukovich./2017/03/25/bible-stories-34-esaus-blessing/

There's so much to unravel in this story. I tend to go back to this story quite often to see what new thing I can pick from it.

Having said that, I have heard from a number of preachers who have castigated and maligned Esau for what happened to him.

My question is thus: can prophecy be reversed or changed? Jacob's case was clearly prophetic. But why do some preacher's cast aspersion on Esau?

Some people have said Esau loved blindly. Others said he was too trusting etc etc. But could he have done anything to change the prophecy?

Grundig:
There's so much to unravel in this story. I tend to go back to this story quite often to see what new thing I can pick from it.

Having said that, I have heard from a number of preachers who have castigated and maligned Esau for what happened to him.

My question is thus: can prophecy be reversed or changed? Jacob's case was clearly prophetic. But why do some preacher's cast aspersion on Esau?

Some people have said Esau loved blindly. Others said he was too trusting etc etc. But could he have done anything to change the prophecy?

I have already addressed the issue of what happened with Esau in an earlier installment. The prophecy didn't push Esau to behave the way he did, in fact he wasn't aware of it. What the prophecy did was highlight the fact that he'd lose his position.

Rebekah, who was privy to that prophecy played a role to bringing it to fruition, but before then Esau had portrayed himself as undeserving of his position by first disregarding and trivializing the position, even for a bowl of pottage. He then went ahead to marry against his parent's wishes and desire to their dismay and embarrassment.

Those actions of his in the spiritual realm simply knocked him out of contention for the responsibilities that his position would've saddled him with as bearer of the promise. Hence, it was as much as the fact that he wasn't worthy of it, than it was the prophecy that spoke to the fact, that did him in.

The prophecy came before both were born. But I'm wondering if anything could've been done to change that prophecy.

Esau was the hard working and morally upright guy. Nevermind he sold himself short for a bowl of porridge. While Jacob was a conniving manipulative guy. And as such suffered most of his life for it.

Surely Surely surely , this was predetermined to happen since time immemorial. But the question remains, assuming Esau was aware of the prophecy, could he have done anything to change the course of it? This also applies to us today? Can the course of a prophecy be thwarted/changed?

Grundig:
The prophecy came before both were born. But I'm wondering if anything could've been done to change that prophecy.

Esau was the hard working and morally upright guy. Nevermind he sold himself short for a bowl of porridge. While Jacob was a conniving manipulative guy. And as such suffered most of his life for it.

Surely Surely surely , this was predetermined to happen since time immemorial. But the question remains, assuming Esau was aware of the prophecy, could he have done anything to change the course of it? This also applies to us today? Can the course of a prophecy be thwarted/changed?

This is how I see this issue about prophecy. It isn't about the sum of our whole lives, but usually a part of it, probably the most important, or an important part of it. Meaning that there are other parts to our lives, formed by our character traits.

YAHWEH told the prophet Jeremiah that before he was formed he'd known him, including what he would become, as ONE who could see the end of a man's life from his beginning.

Therefore I doubt Esau would've been able to change the outcome had he been privy to the prophecy, ab initio. What worked against him wasn't his hard work, but the way he treated with levity what mattered most. Things related to the character needed to carry the mantle of leadership. He compromised easily on his birthright, and could've easily sold other prized valuables, even if his life didn't depend on it.


Have you ever wondered why there's still Israel after two major exiles, one a 70 year hiatus, the other more than 2000? It's because of the kind of discipline Jacob instilled in his children, a criteria that worked in Abraham's favor, in the selection of Isaac over Ishmael and definitely in the case of Jacob.


You rightly observed that though Jacob got it by fraud, which is contestable because he bought it off Esau, who shouldn't have bothered to go looking for it again, save that he wanted to eat his cake and have it; but Jacob despite that argument, again like you rightly observed, paid for it all his life, and still ended up carrying that mantle enviably as YAHWEH would've loved him to.

Good! Fine!
We agree that Esau treated his birthright with levity. . . .PORRIDGE!

Esau still went on to become a great man. Up and until Jacob ran away from Laban and begged Esau, Jacob was still struggling to make ends meet. Is it safe to say he would've continued in the same path had he not begged Esau and fought the angel? Both actions/deeds had to be done for him gain some sort of reprieve/salvation?

Grundig:
Good! Fine!
We agree that Esau treated his birthright with levity. . . .PORRIDGE!

Esau still went on to become a great man. Up and until Jacob ran away from Laban and begged Esau, Jacob was still struggling to make ends meet. Is it safe to say he would've continued in the same path had he not begged Esau and fought the angel? Both actions/deeds had to be done for him gain some sort of reprieve/salvation?

Esau wasn't poor, he even got blessed by his father to the extent that he couldn't be poor, besides he inherited his father's wealth as the first son, such that by the time Jacob was leaving Laban his father in-law, ESAU'S sons were already dukes in their own right.


But the essence of the blessing from Abraham, Isaac and then to Jacob wasn't earthly riches, but YAHWEH building and raising a select group of people, a chosen people, a kingdom of priests. It involved an eternal covenant, a reason why we have Israel today, perpetually through the ages, and Edom (descendants of Esau) disappeared along the line, even if it's in name only.


I'm sure if you'd asked Esau if he preferred the name and fame and wealth of his early days to perpetuation in eternity, he'd prefer the latter, that was the essence of the blessing Esau was willing to kill for when it was denied him.


It just showed a character trait of Jacob that is admirable in him settling his differences with Esau, and definitely couldn't have affected his destiny. YAHWEH had even promised him, after that wrestling with an angel, before he made amends with his brother.

madukovich:



Esau wasn't poor, he even got blessed by his father to the extent that he couldn't be poor, besides he inherited his father's wealth as the first son, such that by the time Jacob was leaving Laban his father in-law, ESAU'S sons were already dukes in their own right.


But the essence of the blessing from Abraham, Isaac and then to Jacob wasn't earthly riches, but YAHWEH building and raising a select group of people, a chosen people, a kingdom of priests. It involved an eternal covenant, a reason why we have Israel today, perpetually through the ages, and Edom (descendants of Esau) disappeared along the line, even if it's in name only.


I'm sure if you'd asked Esau if he preferred the name and fame and wealth of his early days to perpetuation in eternity, he'd prefer the latter, that was the essence of the blessing Esau was willing to kill for when it was denied him.


It just showed a character trait of Jacob that is admirable in him settling his differences with Esau, and definitely couldn't have affected his destiny. YAHWEH had even promised him, after that wrestling with an angel, before he made amends with his brother.

Then I must ask why was Jacob chosen? Why not Esau? Clearly Esau did nothing wrong to be overlooked or for the prophecy to be in favour of Jacob. Could it have been God's grand design? If yes, then there has to be a change in the way preachers malign Esau.

Grundig:

Then I must ask why was Jacob chosen? Why not Esau? Clearly Esau did nothing wrong to be overlooked or for the prophecy to be in favour of Jacob. Could it have been God's grand design? If yes, then there has to be a change in the way preachers malign Esau.

“For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him that they may keep the way of YAHWEH, to do righteousness and justice, to the end that YAHWEH may bring upon Abraham that which he had spoken of him”
– Genesis 18:19


⬆ was why Abraham was chosen. Isaac was also considered based on this. Esau feel afoul of it by marrying Hittites who even his parents knew won't help the cause, hence the way his parents pleaded with Jacob not to follow his brother's footsteps.


Yes, YAHWEH had a grand design, and he needed people regardless of their station or position to make it happen. He had to select those who had the temperament and character flaw or trait that'll advance it. Just like he'd known Jeremiah even before he was formed, he'd seen that Jacob will be better suited for it than Esau, warts and all.

⬆ was why Abraham was chosen. Isaac was also considered based on this. Esau feel afoul of it by marrying Hittites who even his parents knew won't help the cause, hence the way his parents pleaded with Jacob not to follow his brother's footsteps

Sorry, I'm mobile. So I'm unable to highlight and quote texts properly.

I disagree with the text above.
I thought we agreed neither Esau or Jacob knew of the prophecy or God's grand plan.

So how could Esau's wife's tribe be an issue? Or are you suggesting the parents tried to correct/change/thwart Esau's ways? Albeit, not forcefully. When they failed Rebekah turned to Jacob?

I am being pushed to further saying neither of their parents had an inkling God's plan until the prophecy came. But even at that they still weren't exactly sure what was going to happen.

In the account Rebekah knew. She was the one that went to inquire about the children at pregnancy because of the constant disturbance they caused her. We aren't told that some other person knew about it.

I figure that Rebekah may have begun sensing that Esau's choices, which YAHWEH knew he'd take when the time comes, may have been responsible for his sidelining.


Back in the day, a man's choice of a wife could determine his relationship with YAHWEH, hence the strict warning by Abraham to his servant as to the kind of wife he should get Isaac, and the sadness Esau's marriage to Hittite women brought his parents, and how they drummed it into Jacob's head not to follow in his brother's footsteps. You may even go as far as Solomon, and how his many wives turned his face away from YAHWEH towards the end of his life.

The marriage was important because Esau's Hittite wives couldn't be trusted to teach his children the way of YAHWEH, and that mattered in that grand plan that HE instituted from Abraham.

Interesting exposé.