Leslie M. John
THE POTTER’S CHOICE
(Jacob was chosen in preference to Esau)
”And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob”. (Genesis 25:28)
Interestingly here, partiality was shown by parents. The father loved the elder and the mother loved the younger. It was God’s plan that Jacob should be blessed over Esau. (Romans 9:7) God said in Isaac shall Abraham’s seed will be blessed. Jacob was blessed and his name was called ”Israel”. God called the children of Israel as His own people and He called Himself as the God of Israel. God bestowed undeserved blessings upon Jacob and administered justice and judgments on Esau.
”As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated”. (Romans 9:13) Hated here in this context simply means God disliked.
Why does God do so? But then, who can question God?
”For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion”. (Romans 9:15)
”Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Romans 9:21)
If we closely look at Esau’s character we do not find that he deserved blessings. When Esau was tired after his work in the field he saw Jacob at home with good food. Esau requested Jacob to feed him with that food that appeared to him attractive and red in color. Jacob took undue advantage of the needy Esau and asked him if he could sell on that day Esau’s birthright. One’s birthright and position in the family is very important but Esau did not realize about it and he ridiculed of his position in the family. Esau, being tired and hungry, said to Jacob that he was at the point of death and, therefore, his birthright does not matter to him anything. He saw no profit of being elder to Jacob. But Jacob realized that being elder was important in the sight of God. Jacob asked Esau to swear to him and sell his birthright. Esau swore and sold his birthright for a morsel. Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:30-34)
The writer of Hebrews makes a mention of this unwise and impudent act on the part of Esau in a very shrewd way. Hebrews 12:16-17 read…”Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears”.
One more lesson to learn here is that gluttony is not a sin by itself but it brings forth sin. The children of Israel tempted God by asking them meat for their lust and God gave them quails (Numbers 11: 31-33, Psalm 78:18 & 105:40). But meat did not do any good to them over ”Manna” that God gave to them.