353. Edom, Esau, the Red One

“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.

“And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom (meaning red).

“But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?’

“Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

“And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” Gen. 25:29-34.

Just like Jacob, Esau was the son of Isaac and Rebekah; he was the firstborn and had great privileges. He came home from hunting, weary, worn, and hungry, and was sorely tempted by the meal that Jacob had prepared. Esau had come to his fateful moment of testing. Now it was absolutely vital to choose rightly—either the birthright or the red lentil stew. He yielded to his carnal lusts and sold his birthright for one single meal.

What did Esau lose? He lost the right to be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. He lost the tribe of Judah and with that the Messiah and Savior of the world. He lost the blessing of his father.

What did he inherit instead? Heathen wives, hatred for his brother Jacob, God’s anger, and a bad conscience.

Edom, or Esau, is a fitting picture of the old man. How many have sold their birthright to their brother Jacob, and subsequently hated him! They did not stand the test in their choice between red lentil stew and their birthright. So they became a hardened Edom. They did not come to the testimony of Jesus Christ: the Spirit, the water, and the blood. The “Esau” in people is what prevents them from resisting sin unto bloodshed. It is unbelief that causes people to make a business out of the Word of God, organizing activities at cafés and hotels. The Word of God says that a laborer is worthy of his hire, and that we should not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain. Faith sets us free from a religious business life. God’s promptings in God-fearing people give us all we need.

Esau was no servant of God; his attitude of mind was completely wrong. If God’s good pleasure had rested over him, God would have prompted Jacob to give him the lentil stew gladly. But suddenly the “businessman” came into Esau; he had something he could sell in exchange for temporal goods. Faith was gone, and without faith it is impossible to please God. The belly triumphed over the promises of God.

During their wanderings in the desert, Israel came to Edom at one point, and asked politely, “Please let us pass through your country, we will go by the highway, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, then we will pay for it.” But Edom refused, and went out to make war with Israel. Num. 20:17-21.

The descendants of Esau inherited Esau’s hatred of Israel. Edom was a hard people. Therefore the Lord said “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” Rom. 9:13; Mal. 1:2-4.

Esau is a strong city

“Moab is my washpot; over Edom I will cast my shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of me.

“Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom?” Psalm 60:8-9.

Who dares to enter Edom? Who dares to take up a battle against Esau? In his youth Jacob went out to meet Esau, who came against him with 400 men. Jacob was very apprehensive and wrestled with God all night long, because he was afraid of his elder brother. Gen. 32:6, ff.

Sin is like a strong city: Who will lead me into Edom? Psalm 60:9. Edom is not impregnable. God sent his own Son on account of sin and condemned sin in the flesh. Rom. 8:3. Jesus Christ stormed into Edom. I wonder how many follow Him into this strong city? Not only did He storm into Edom, He also came out again. That is why it is written in Isaiah 63:

“Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah. This One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength?” We understand from this that the Messiah settled accounts with Esau—with Edom, the hardened old man—who despised the firstborn—Jesus Christ, traveling in the greatness of His strength.

“Who is this? It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

“Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?

“I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes.

“For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.”

Here the old man meets his Armageddon. If people will not allow themselves to be guided and led by God’s Spirit, then eventually they will be taken captive by the three unclean spirits that are like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Rev. 16:3-16. All unbelief, stubbornness, and rebellion are heading for their Armageddon. This is Edom, and it will suffer a crushing defeat. Read Jeremiah 49:7, ff.