Black Sheep in the Family

Read Genesis 25:19-34

In every family there is, inevitably, one individual who needs that extra bit of grace. You probably can picture them right now; the “out there” uncle, the “different” cousin, or maybe even the “unique” brother or sister. I guess it should be no surprise then that things were the same thousands of years ago either. When you hear the name Esau today you never picture the ideal of God’s chosen people, and yet he was the firstborn that should’ve inherited the rights and the blessing. So why didn’t he? Does God have something against red hairy babies, or hunters? Did God have it in for Esau even before he was born? It would almost seem like that from the prophecy about Jacob and Esau. We have to remember though that God is Just and, unlike us, not bound by time.

Esau, one could say, “had it made” for him, he was the first son and rightful heir of Isaac, being the outdoorsman, he was probably the stronger of the twins, he was the better looking twin with his ruddy complexion, and he was also his father’s favorite, Esau actually had everything going for him and threw it all away, for a bowl of lentil stew because he was hungry one day after hunting. When looking at it this way it seems that Esau was down-right ungrateful for everything he had; so much so that he did not value his own inheritance and threw it away for almost nothing. So really, God did not doom Esau to being the disinherited older brother, but rather God blessed Esau in almost every aspect and Esau from the depths of his folly rejects God’s blessing.
Granted this whole deception and manipulation by Jacob is not exactly a shining example of his character either. He is definitely a product of his own jealousy as a younger brother. However, this is our first introduction to the man who will one day be known as Israel and the father of the chosen people, and the ancestor of the Messiah. Why are we first introduced to him as the cunning younger brother whose very name means deception? I think it’s because God is a God who can change our circumstances and even our character as we draw closer to him. This is important to remember this year as we are Seeking Wholeness and being Good News to the Broken. We are also the Broken that are being transformed continually by the Good News

Ask God to help you remember his constant grace towards you in your brokenness as you continue to draw closer to him and seek his will.