The point of Jacob and Esau is definitely NOT that the one (Jacob) was "better" than his brother. If anything, he behaves WORSE, way worse than his brother, in his manipulation, in his deceit.

Esau, from the world's standpoint, is everything you'd expect in a self-made man. He even goes out, finds a people (of Seir) and gets to be a prince among them before the end of his life. He doesn't come and cut Jacob up into pieces, despite what Jacob did to him 20 years earlier, despite what Jacob fears from him by way of retribution. Even if God softened his heart toward his brother, Esau looks good throughout, from the world's view.

But God loves Jacob, the liar and thief. And Esau is not loved. God gives grace to the undeserving. I believe Jacob had a real conversion after he fled home, the night God met him at Bethel. I believe Jacob really understood God's love for him the night God made him admit he was a "Jacob", the night of wrestling and of begging for a blessing he knew he did not deserve.

Praying With Boldness

__________________
Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


When posting friends, kindly bear those words of earthly wisdom in mind:
Oh, that God the gift would give us
To see ourselves as others see us.
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