Jacob The Unlikely Choice, Part 2

Esau was sitting well. As the eldest son of Isaac, his future was bright and secure. His birthright assured him of great wealth that would come to him from a man—his father—who was the son of the wealthiest man in that country, Abraham. Plus, his rugged good looks were complemented by his skill as a superb hunter. He was an outdoor “man’s man” and Isaac was proud of his oldest boy.

Jacob, on the other hand, liked to stay close to home. Some might go so far as to say he was “Momma’s boy.” Whereas Esau was forthright, bold, and reactive, Jacob was more reserved and thoughtful … and cunning. With Esau, what you saw is what you got. But Jacob could be a quiet schemer. Surely, his mother told him of God’s promise that the older would serve the younger.

When Esau came home from an unsuccessful hunt one day, Jacob saw an opportunity to help God out. His older brother was often focused on instant gratification and a quick reward. So in his famished state, he asked his younger brother for some stew. “But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day’” (Genesis 25:31). The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, so thought Jacob.

“And Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob” (vv. 32, 33).

Jacob won that day, but his conscience would not rest easy. After his mother cooked up a plan to deceive her husband into blessing Jacob, Esau discovered his brother’s deception and planned to later kill him. So the younger son ran for his life. Not until a momentous encounter with the Lord in a dream did the deceiver begin to learn that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Reflect: Can you think of a way God blessed you, even when you were sinning?

Key Bible Texts

And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. (Genesis 25:33 KJV)