The tale of Jacob and Esau is really about their father Isaac and the legacy that can be left when you favour one child over another. It is a legacy that would follow through three generations. Yet this is a story that shows the truth of God’s word when he says:
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways, says Jehovah (Isaiah 55:8)
The bible tells us that in his old age Abraham calls a servant and makes him give a vow to travel back to his father’s homeland to procure a wife for his son Isaac. The woman that the servant returns with is Rebekah. After Isaac is married Abraham calls the sons of his second wife Keturah and the sons of his concubines together (Genesis 25:6) and gives them gifts before sending them away however the family inheritance is given to Isaac.
Remember this it will play out in the future.
When Isaac has two sons he favours his eldest over the younger.
And Isaac loved Esau, for game was in his mouth. But Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:28)
Jacob grew up knowing that the family ‘business’ would go to his older brother. This was the normal way of thing and would probably have made little difference to Jacob except for the fact that Isaac would show favouritism to Esau.
I say this to those of you men who are married and have children. Never let any one of them ever feel less than his/her siblings. Many families have been broken because of this and the biblical principal is here.
Let’s take a close look at the sons of Isaac
Esau – The Hunter
Esau was a man of the land.
He is described in terms that today would be called a man’s man. Rugged handsome muscular… he was the kind of man that men of the day aspired to be and women aspired to marry. He was the kind of man who was not afraid to get his hands dirty. In the past he would have been described as the kind of man who would learn the essential at school then get out and work hard. He would be the self made man.
Jacob – The Homeboy
Jacob was the exact opposite of his brother.
If Esau was mans man, then Jacob was a momma’s boy. He was the one who watched everything and kept his own counsel. He was the kind of man who delighted in gaining knowledge, after all as they say…
‘Knowledge is Power’
And what was to happen between the brothers would certainly prove that Jacob was a man who knew how to use any knowledge that he had gained to his benefit.
Isaac’s favouritism towards Esau did two things:
- It set up a rivalry between his sons
- It put his wife in a position to act against her husband.
While she too showed favour towards Jacob over Esau this was more than likely from the fact that she saw the youngest of her sons being set aside and over compensated to make up for it. As a father, as a male role model you cannot afford to show favouritism it can sow seeds of distrust in the future. In Isaac’s case it would give Esau a sense of entitlement that would allow him to devalue his birthright, while Jacob who knew the value of birthright would use that knowledge to entice his brother into swearing away that birthright.
Fast forward to the future…
Jacob, who name has now been changed to Israel, would do the same thing that his father had and show favouritism toward his son Joseph over all his other sons. It is said that those don’t know history are destined to repeat it.
- Isaac favoured Jacob
- Jacob conned Esau out of his inheritance
- Esau decided to kill Jacob
Did Jacob learn from his history? No!
- Jacob [Israel] favoured Joseph
- Gave Joseph a coat of many colours
- His brothers decided to kill Joseph
The story is of two men… brothers.
This tale could have been different. What if Isaac had shown favour to both brothers? What would have happened?
The lessons that can be found in this as men is clear.
As husbands we must remember that how we treat our families can have long lasting effects. We should seek to do nothing that would put a line between us and our wives. We should seek to be consistent in our love and respect for all of our children. We are to be the guide posts, the examples for how to raise a family. We are to teach our sons how to be men who love their children, and show our daughters the kind of men that they should seek to have as husbands.
Learn from the mistakes of Isaac.
Learn the history of two men… Jacob and Esau, and seek not to repeat it.
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
MARANATHA:
