Blessings Rejected: Genesis 25:19-34

“Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright” (Gen. 25:34, NASB).

There is no question that there are a lot of people suffering in the world today. There are the few that have much, even more than what is needed in order to live a comfortable life. At the same time, the world is populated by the many that have less than what is needed to live healthy and comfortable lives. Also, in much of the world, people suffer under severe poverty. These people are barely surviving because of the lack of the basic necessities of life, including food, shelter, and clothing. Why do these disparities exist? Whose fault is it that some people suffer while others have more than enough. The answer is not simple because there is a multitude of factors that determine these differences. In this article I want to raise the issue of rejection of blessings needed for a good life. The story of Esau and his brother Jacob will serve as a starting point for consideration.

Church folk have heard the story of Jacob and Esau. Immediately, we should notice that in the presentation of the story Jacob the second born is named before Esau the firstborn. The title of the story is reversed because in the church the emphasis is on Jacob while Esau’s role in the story is of less importance. The primary reason for this reversal is that it is Jacob who becomes the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. It is Jacob who becomes the ancestor of the Messiah. The primary purpose of the church is to make the Messiah known so that people may be saved from their sins and be restored to a right relationship with God. In this article, the focus is on Esau because the birthright belonged to Esau, but Esau rejected this blessing. We want to examine what caused Esau to reject the blessing. We want to examine his life so that we might guard ourselves against following the same path of life so that we do not reject blessings that are ours to have.

When we read the story of Isaac’s sons Esau and Jacob in the bible, we learn that the reversal of the roles of Esau and Jacob are reversed according to the providence of God. The text that we have chosen as primary for our discussion tells us that there were physical indicators in the mother’s womb that there would be a reversal in the roles of the twin brothers. Rebekah felt the struggle between the two in her womb (Gen. 25:22). When Rebekah inquired of the Lord the reason for this struggle she was told that there would be a reversal of the roles of the sons and the nations born to them (v. 23). Again, however, our focus here is not on the providence of God. Rather, our focus is on Esau who rejected his blessing. We must understand that God knows everything but God does not necessarily cause everything. There is a tension between what God causes and our personal choices and decisions. Psalm 139 reminds us that we cannot escape the sovereign hand of God. Yet, we are responsible for our actions, and God holds us accountable for what we do. Let us continue with the story of Jacob and Esau.

The boys grow up. Esau becomes a man of the field. He becomes skilled in all manner of catching game. Isaac sees in Esau qualities that he does not possess. Isaac is quiet and laid back. He admires Esau’s energy and assertiveness. Isaac loves Esau because Esau is one who seeks pleasure in adventurous living, a characteristic that Isaac does not possess. The word “field” may be a reference to “the world and its pleasures.” While many Christians live a life separated from the world, they may no less admire what they see taking place in the world. On the other hand, Jacob is preferred by Rebekah because Jacob lives a quiet life attending to the things of the family.

One day Jacob cooked some stew made of lentils. The soup was red in color. Esau comes from the field having caught nothing. When Esau arrives home, he sees his brother has cooked some red stew. In his frustration and disappointment Esau seeks to satisfy his hunger. Esau says to Jacob, “Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished” (25.30, NASB). Esau is thirsty and faint. He has not caught any game. The sense of hunger and thirst is intensified when he sees food. It does not matter at this point what he eats, so he calls the stew “that red stuff” identifying the particular food that he is referring to. Based on what Esau says, it can be concluded that Esau wants to eat food and call it a day. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day, but right now just something to eat.

Jacob takes advantage of his brother’s desperate situation. He can sense that this is an opportunity to take advantage of his brother. Jacob says to Esau, “First sell me your birthright” (v. 31). The birthright meant that Esau, the oldest son, would receive a double portion of the father’s inheritance. The birthright also came with a great responsibility. The son with the birthright was responsible for leading and taking care of the family. It meant that the one with the birthright was responsible for the continuation of the traditions and future welfare of the family. Jacob knows that Esau has shown no interest in the promises of God that were first given to their grandfather Abraham and reaffirmed in their father Isaac. While Jacob stayed around the house and attended to the needs of the family, Esau spent his time in the field. Esau was not concerned about the family traditions and the promises that God had given to Abraham and his descendants. We can see that Esau did not value the birthright.

Esau is famished. He is a man of the world. He is a man, who wants to have his hunger, both literally and figuratively, satisfied immediately. The future is not important to him at this point. “Esau said. ‘Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me’” (v. 32). Is Esau about to die from hunger? That is what he says, but Esau shows to physical signs of being close to death. What we have here is Esau stating that two things. He is famished. The birthright is of little value to him. For Esau, hunger is a reality now. The birthright holds possibilities for the future. The birthright means little to Esau because Esau does not have a healthy relationship with God. He is a man that lacks faith in God. In Esau we can see the reality of the words of Jesus. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matt. 6:24, NASB; Lk. 16:13).

We should not take advantage of another person when they are weak. Jacob gives Esau one last chance to refuse his offer—the birthright for some stew. “And Jacob said, ‘First swear to me’; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob’” (v. 33). “Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Esau is satisfied. His desire for food and water has been met. His immediate needs are met. Esau without a second thought gets up and goes his way. He can now rest for the rest of the day. Tomorrow he will return to the field and hunt for game. His life will continue as usual. Nothing has changed. Esau despised his birthright. Esau devalued his birthright. Esau rejected blessings that were rightfully his. Later, Esau would seek the birthright but he would not find it.

This story shows us that we must have faith in God if we are to receive the blessings that God has for us. It takes faith in God to value the things of God. When we are led and controlled by our desires, it is easy to reject the blessings that rightfully belong to us. The good news is this. God is a God of mercy and grace. God forgives our sins so that we do not perish. He gives us another chance to have a relationship with Him. Esau despised his birthright. He did not receive the land of Canaan promised to Abraham, and the Messiah would not be his descendant. Still, God gave him the land of Edom and he lived a good life. Do you think that Esau lived with regret for his loss because he rejected God’s blessings?