Esau’s Blessings

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-40

Introduction

Contentment means happiness and satisfaction, often because you have everything you need.

Esau’s birthright and blessing stolen by Jacob (Genesis 27.1-40).

Isaac was well advanced in years and his eyes had started getting weak, so he called his son Esau because he wanted to bless him. He asked Esau to prepare for him his Favorite meal that was prepared from Game meat. Rebekah (Jacob & Esau’s mother) was listening as her husband Isaac gave instructions to his first-born son Esau. So, Rebekah, who loved Jacob more that Esau told Jacob what his father had told Esau. So, she hutched a plot so that Jacob would be blessed in place of Esau. So she had Jacob go out to the flock and bring to her two choice goats which she used to prepared some tasty meal for Isaac, just the way he liked it. She also devised a plan on how to ensure that Isaac would not suspect that Jacob was not Esau.
In the end, Isaac blessed Jacob with Esau’s blessing.
So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,
‘Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.  May God give you heaven’s dew  and earth’s richness an abundance of grain and new wine.
May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.”
It was after Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had left his presence that Esau came back from hunting and prepared his father’s choice food.
When Esau introduced himself to his father his father trembled violently.
After Esau had learnt what had happened, he cried out his father desperately, ‘Bless me…..me too, my father!’ Isaac told Esau, ‘ I have made him Lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine, so what can I possibly do for you my son?’
Esau begged for only one blessing from his father but he told him that he will dwell  away from the earth’s richness and the dew of heaven above. He will live by the sword and serve his brother but when he rebel he will be free.
Esau had a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He even plotted to kill Jacob. So Rebekah advised Jacob to go to his Uncle Laban in Haran so that he could escape his brother’s rage.

Reconciliation between Jacob and Esau

Jacob was preparing to go and meet his brother Esau and he begun by sending emissaries to him in order to assuage him and make his brother be favourable to him. (Genesis 34)
But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked Jacob who they were and Jacob said they are the family that God gave him.
Esau asked asked the meaning of all the flocks and herds and Jacob said “To find favor in your eyes” but Esau told Jacob to keep them for he had plenty

Conclusion

Matthew 11.28-30: Are you in trouble? Has anybody wronged you? Do you feel like you have lost what rightfully belonged to you?
Isaiah 26.3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast.
May God give you peace from anything that may have made you restless.