Esau and Jacob
The story of Esau and Jacob is about two brothers who were very different. One hastily sold their birthright because he was hungry. Sometimes we do not stop and think about what we need or want we just act. Genesis 25:19-34
Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, was forty years old when he and Rebekah were married. Isaac had prayed for a wife and the LORD provided Rebekah. Isaac and Rebekah had been married for twenty years before Rebekah had a baby. Then the LORD blessed Rebekah and she did not have just one baby she had twins. The two children struggled together within her and she became worried so she asked the LORD what was happening inside of her. The LORD answered her and told her there were two nations in her womb. There were two kinds of people. One of the people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. Rebekah was not sure she understood what the LORD had told her.
Then the time came for her to be delivered and there were twins. The first twin was covered with red hair. He had so much red hear that it looked like he was wearing a fur coat. Rebekah called him Esau.The second baby took hold of the heel of Esau and had smooth skin. Rebekah called him Jacob. They two boys grew up very different from each other.
Esau was a very good hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Esau liked to go hunting for his aged father Isaac. Isaac loved Esau more than he loved Jacob. Isaac loved the venison that Esau provided for him. Rebekah favored son was Jacob and loved him more that Esau. Jacob liked to help his mother do work around their tent, he liked to cook and be a good helper to his mother.
One day Jacob was cooking his favorite red stew. It smelled so good and Esau could smell it from a far distance. Esau had been hunting all day and had not caught one thing. He was tired and very hungry. He asked Jacob to feed him some of the red pottage or stew because he was starved and faint from not eating. Esau had the nickname of Edom.
Jacob said he would sell him some of his red stew for Esau’s birthright. Now a birthright is very valuable to the first born son. They usually inherit everything that the parents have. Isaac was very rich and had much livestock and land so the birthright was very valuable to Esau. It also meant that Esau would become the family leader once Isaac died. Esau said to Jacob he was at the point of dying and there was no profit in having a birthright is he was starving to death and the red stew smelt so good. So Esau swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Jacob gave Esau bread and the red stew of lentils. And Esau ate and drank his fill. Esau gave up his inheritance all for eat and drink. He just didn’t think. Esau sold something that would have lasted for the rest of his life. The food and drink only lasted a few minutes. The more Esau thought about it he stared despising his birthright.
What Can This Story Teach Us?
Esau didn’t think he wanted some stew because he was hungry. He acted too quickly and he suffered later for it. When we see something we want it is our first impulse to just get it. Sometimes we lose sight of those things that are really important and the things we really need.
We need to be responsible and think of the short term and the long term consequences of our actions before we make them. Just snapping your fingers and demanding is not always the right action to make. Many times the things we think we need and want are not the things that are really important at all.
We need to think out what our needs really are and then take it to the LORD in prayer. Because our Heavenly Father always knows what we truly need we should listen to Him and then accept what He gives us with praise and thanksgiving.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Esau and Jacob:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Oct 2014.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1755,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2014, October) “Esau and Jacob:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1755,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2014) “Esau and Jacob:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (October), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1755, (accessed).
