One more Esau and Jacob question?

Question

So Esau was a big dummy. He shouldn't have been so capricious with his birthright. But there's no commandment that says "Thou shall not take things for granted."
HOWEVER...
"Honor thy father and thy mother"....Jacob honorred his mother, but certainly not his father when he tricked him.
"Thou shall not kill"....Jacob killed off most of his brother's family.
"Neither shall thou steal"....Jacob stole both Esau's birthright, and his blessing. Easy to steal, maybe, but stolen.
"Neither shall thou covet thy neighbor's goods"....I would assume that extends to thy brother's birthright.

So how come Jacob's still the good guy with God? Because the commandments weren't written yet? He didn't know better? If Jacob was meant to have the birthright, wouldn't it have been easier for God to have just pulled a switcheroo in-utero, and have Jacob be the firstborn? Would have saved alot of grief and drama!

Answer 1

God promised Abraham that through him all the nations of the world would be blessed(his descendant would be the Messiah, Jesus, who would save the world) Genesis 12:3. As first born Esau was supposed to inherit this honor as his birthright from his father Isaac, but Esau traded this in for a bowl of soup.

Esau placed his temporary earthly needs above eternal Heavenly needs. Jacob traded earthly possesions in for Heavenly things, he chose right but his actions were wrong and he later payed for them when he was decieved by his uncle Laban.

Answer 2

you've got some good questions. :)
Because God is the same in the past, present, and future, it shouldn't matter when the law was written...sin is sin, whether we realize we're doing it or not.

One would have to wonder though what would've happened had Rebekah not intervened and tricked her husband into giving Jacob the blessing, or why God told Rebekah, not Isaac, that Jacob would be the blessed child. One thing we do know though is that God likes to do things out of the ordinary (leader must serve, first = last, last=first)...I mean, just look at the judges that God chose to save Israel...some weren't even Israelites, and some were too small to do anything if it was not for God.

So your questions: Why's Jacob the good guy? All's I can say is b/c God said that was how it was to be.
What about Esau selling his birthright? The fact that he was willing to sell it for soup suggests he didn't think too highly of it in the first place...but then, notice also that Esau never told his dad that he'd sold it. Instead, he was ready to accept the blessing as if all was well. So maybe Jacob's trickery was more of a stepping up against his bully of a brother.

Answer 3

Sounds like a Roman Catholic perspective of being a "good guy with God." RCs will say that it's by works we gain favor with God, therefore Jacob shouldn't have been the one God loved because Jacob was so imperfect. The thing to see here is that both Esau and Jacob were flawed, but God chose to have Abraham's covenant fulfilled through Jacob's line. This is a matter of God's sovereignty--not who's worthy of God's blessing. None of us are worthy of God's blessing.

Answer 4

This is one of the stories in the scripture that baffle me. I have ask God about this. I mean out of all the people in the Bible I wouldn't have thought Esau was so bad that God would say Esau I hated, but Jacob I love. So I am very curious about this, but there may be something we are not seen that God sees. God knows more than we do so I think its more than just the fact that he gave up his birthright.

Answer 5

I’ve always taken this story as an example for people who were born into a family who prefer certain children. You can either sit back and be Marsha, Marsha, Marsha or you can do what you have to do to get yours. Jacob was named “deceiver/supplanter” he was born into sin (a sinful name) but he did what he had to do to give God the glory and to do His work. Sometimes things don’t go as planned…and sometimes you have to take it by force. Some things aren’t easily given or inherited. Its about your heart and drive. You must be worthy…Also it was stated in Gen 25 that the elder would serve the younger. God said it and Jacob was obedient to the word…Esau was also lazy, he sold his birthright for food…He had no value to the great inheritance/Abrahamic covenant… I’d hate my son too if he sold our family name for some kibbles and bits.

Also, Jacob was dealt with when he wrestled with the Lord and he couldn’t go by the old name which held to his sinful past...he changed over to the name Israel describes his struggle and how he overcame…*smile*

Answer 6

There are many issues related to this. Jacob for example also was a polygamist. He not only married two females (sisters) but also laid with their servant girls, and the fruit of all this activity turned into the Chosen People. Ironically Jacob himself was tricked by his father in law into marrying the older sister instead of the younger one that he wanted to marry.

BUT, the Lord does work in strange ways. Moral of the story seems to be this: If you are selfish enough and or tricky enough, you can get what does not belong to you and the Lord reluctantly will accept that the tricky one won....

Perhaps the good people have to have the savvy to survive? In a world filled with powerful bad people, does it make sense to leave goodness in the hands of those who can save it from the evil ones by hook or by crook.

The final question is, if you stole goodness, is it still good? =)

Answer 7

Are you asking us to know what the mind of God is here? I think you are asking about oranges when the subject is apples. The promise had to go forward...God works his will out through imperfect people not because of how good they are but in spite of their imperfections. If He had to wait until a perfect one came along (besides Himself) there wouldn't be much to read about in the bible would there? And besides I am so thankful that He finds ways to use people like jacob, and david who inspite of being a murderer and an adulterer, and Moses,another murderer, and so many others. This means that perhaps in some small way He may find use for you or I?

Answer 8

The problem here was that their Mother- Rebecca- did not trust God to fulfill His word. Gen 25:23. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

Jacob did not steal the birthright - Esau sold it for personal satisfaction (food) Gen 25:33. And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

She thought God needed her help. Gen:27: 5. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 7. Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death. 8. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

Esau hated his brother and planned to kill him. Gen27: 41. And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

I have tried to adress each of your points, but I don't know where you get off saying Jacob killed most of Esau's family.... Please explain the context of that?

Coveting - obviously he did But isn't it wonderful that we serve a God who will forgive us of our wrongdoings? The people in the Bible were not perfect, but God still blessed them and they are there for an encouragement to us when we mess up.

Answer 9

The purpose of the story is not to teach us what to do but what NOT to do. Jacob had to overcome his upbringing (he was a mommas boy who thought he needed to lie and cheat his way to success) he learned (although it took decades) to finally trust God. Esua never really even got that far. Jacob may have been horrible but HE LEARNED. See the fact is none of us are perfect but we have the ability to learn to accept GODS will and then things work out right.

Answer 10

beacause God love him.i mean everyone is a sinner.its not really Jacob fault though when he stole Esau's blessing.