Jacob and Esau

Jacob and Esau

When a person drives out the bondwoman and her son, he usually thinks that he is out of harm’s way, because then Abraham, Sarah and Isaac can live in peace and harmony. Nonetheless, an Esau and a Jacob still lie dormant in Isaac’s loins. Isaac is a picture of Christ. The Esau nature never manifested itself in Jesus’ flesh. He was alone, and sin was condemned in His flesh. Rom. 8:3. But it is not good for a man to be alone; Isaac sought a bride. Eliezer, who is a picture of the Holy Spirit, traveled to a distant country, Mesopotamia, in order to find a wife for Isaac, and he found Rebekah. In the very same way, God’s Spirit is now seeking a bride for our heavenly Isaac. Rebekah conceived and the children struggled together in her womb. We are the bride of Christ, and now two children are struggling within us: the flesh and the Spirit. Figuratively speaking, Esau is the flesh and Jacob is the new life—the Spirit.

When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, Esau came out first, followed by Jacob who took hold of Esau’s heel. Esau became a hunter, but Jacob stayed near the tent. The flesh is always on the prowl; it is never at rest. Jacob, on the other hand, has the mind of Mary and is able to sit quietly at Jesus’ feet. Esau sold his birthright just to satisfy a passing lust, but Jacob considered the future and inherited the blessing, for himself and his descendants. This is what the flesh does: To gratify a sinful lust, it will sell everything that would lead to honor and a future. But there are consequences. When Esau sought the blessing, he lifted up his voice and wept. “Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: ‘Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; and it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.’” Gen. 27:39-40.

Isn’t it true that Jacob’s yoke rests upon Esau’s neck? According to the flesh, we are slaves of Christ. But if the flesh rebels, it breaks the yoke of Christ—a yoke that is good and beneficial to carry.

The Lord said, “‘But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness.’ Even though Edom [the descendants of Esau] has said, ‘We have been impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places,’ thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘They may build, but I will throw down; they shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.’” Mal. 1:3-4.

So never allow the flesh to perform a priestly ministry for God, because even if we build, the Lord will tear it down. The flesh will not inherit a blessing, for the wrath of the Lord is upon it forever.

Jacob is blessed with the dew from heaven and the fatness of the earth. People will serve him, and nations will bow down to him. He will rule over his brethren—and also over Esau. A blessed inheritance! Let us lay hold of it, even if we have to be cunning to do so.