“But if our commitment to the authority of truth is sufficiently sincere, we can free ourselves from tyranny of our opinions and come to the Bible as auditors rather than as editors” Robert Shank
Introduction
When I first began my study of Jacob and Esau, I have to admit that I was feeling a little bit sorry for Esau. I had sat through many sermons, read commentaries, and participated in Bible studies that had painted a picture of Esau as a somewhat innocent participant in a scheme in which he had no control. ‘He had “lost” his birthright and had been deceived of his father’s blessing. It was said of him and his brother, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” It just didn’t seem fair.
Having been taught that Esau was a man’s man and that Jacob was a “Momma’s boy” made me want to come to the aid of a fellow “man”. I began a personal study of the Scriptures to support Esau’s claim of being ripped off by his “supplanting” brother but have only found that there were very good reasons for the Creator of all things to declare, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
I began to realize that the character of Jacob had been assassinated by many well-regarded preachers and teachers. This has only caused confusion regarding the decisions of our Holy and Just God. It bothered me to think that men had accepted the testimony of Esau as true and had even knowingly participated in the “deliberate and unfair destruction“[1] of Jacob’s character. It troubled me as I studied the covenant established by God with Abraham as found in Genesis 12:3. It states,
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”[2]
Young’s Literal Translation of the same verse provides better insight into God’s promise to the Patriarch.
“And I bless those blessing thee, and him who is disesteeming thee I curse, and blessed in thee have been all families of the ground.”
I began to realize that I, along with many brothers and sisters, were guilty of “disesteeming” Jacob. I understood that the initial covenant had been made with Abraham upon his entering the Promised Land but found that it had been passed on to Jacob through the blessing he received from his father Isaac and confirmed by God during Jacob’s dream at Bethel.
I believe that this is a very important message for the body of Christ today. The covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a promise made by God. God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would bless those who hold them in high esteem just as he promised to curse those who might disesteem them. Could we be at risk of being cursed?
I am compelled to come to the defense of the character of our brother, Jacob. Please allow me to reintroduce you to him so that you might esteem his name and receive a blessing, too.
I will be regularly adding to this study. Stay tuned!
“The human mind has a singular capacity for ignoring all that does not fall within the range of its previous conceptions” Dean Farrar
[1] [1] http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/character-assassination, retrieved June 21, 2010
[2] Genesis 12:3 Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)
The Restorahter 