Daily a new Bible text for devotion - EZBB

Genesis 27:31-45

How bewildered Esau must have been to see the look of terror on his father’s face and the violent trembling that shook his body as he lay in bed. What could have gone wrong? A sense of dread must have slowly gripped Esau as it became increasingly clear that his brother had, once again, gotten the better of him. The irony of it all was that, although Isaac had intended to give everything to Esau, nothing remained that could be considered a blessing for his favorite son, for everything had already been bestowed upon Jacob.

The consequences for Rebekah and Jacob are recorded in verses 41–45, but the tragic results of the scheme involving Isaac and Esau are evident earlier. Isaac had attempted to give everything to his favorite son, Esau, at Jacob’s expense. Instead, he ended up giving everything to Jacob at Esau’s expense. Isaac had set his heart on something contrary to God’s revealed will, and consequently, his world collapsed around him when God’s purposes prevailed. Esau had despised spiritual things, thereby selling his destiny for a meal. Later, he tried to reclaim it by renouncing his solemn oath and conspiring with his father to dishonestly recover what he had lost through his own profanity. Esau learned that there comes a point of no return in every man's life, a moment when repentance cannot reverse past decisions. In light of this Biblical understanding, all who have rejected Christ as Savior will live in eternal regret and remorse; yet, this will not undo the consequences of having chosen to live independently of God (cf. Luke 16:19–31; Philippians 2:9–11; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10; Revelation 20:11–15).

It also demonstrates how dangerous it is to favor one child over another.