In Abraham’s culture the firstborn male child had a special birthright. He was considered the head of the family under the patriarch, and, on the death of his father, he got a double share of the inheritance. The inheritance of Abraham’s descendants was not just that of physical wealth but a mandate to see the promise and purpose of God realised in one’s life. Esau was the rightful heir but here God broke the worldly pattern. Instead of choosing the rightful heir, God chose the younger brother Jacob. God did this to show that his priority is not justice but grace. God chose Jacob to be the heir and the focus of the purpose of God (see verse 23). Esau appears to have seen little value anyhow in his birthright, being very hasty to trade it in for a bowl of stew. So, there is justice in this too. He was so preoccupied with his immediate desires that he was unable to regard the long-term impact of his decision. And isn’t that often the case with us. We can become so preoccupied with immediate satisfaction in life and so obsessed about getting what we want now that we will even forfeit long term blessing to achieve this. God’s gifts are too great to fit into fleeting moments. They include immediate tangible things, but they are ultimately far greater and more enduring. The greatest gifts of God do not just give us shallow pleasure for a moment. They give us a deep joy for eternity. Why would you forfeit these blessings for ‘a bowl of stew’?
Think about whether you are pursuing immediate tangible satisfaction at the expense of your inheritance in God.
Read Genesis 25:19-34
