Religious Meaning Of The Birthright Story

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Religious Meaning of the Birthright Story

Religious Meaning of the Birthright Story

Genesis Ch 25:27-34

As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man who lived in the
open; whereas Jacob was a simple man, who kept to his tents. Isaac preferred
Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah preferred Jacob. Once, when
Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished. He said to
Jacob, "Let me gulp down some of that red stuff; I'm starving." (That is why he
was called Edom.) But Jacob replied, "First give me your birthright in exchange
for it." "Look," Esau said, "I'm on the point of dying, what good will any
birthright do me?" But Jacob insisted, "Swear to me first!" So he sold Jacob
his birthright under oath. Jacob then gave him some bread and the lentil stew;
and Esau cared little for his birthright.
This Old Testament story holds significant meaning for all of us. There is
the obvious conflict within the family of two brothers who are very different
personality types, parents who show partiality toward each of their favorite
sons and the way that God allows events to happen as He relates to each of the
characters involved. Exploring both the surface story and the deeper
implications it has as it relates to our own lives, we can hopefully derive some
deeper meaning which God working through the author intends.
On the surface, we see a story of rivalry that is typical even in modern
times, yet we can also look to some valuable truths that are revealed about how
God sees our personal motives and actions through the characters of Jacob and
Esau. Gaining an understanding of the characters, their motives and the overall
big picture of God's plan, we can better find some spiritual lessons of our own
life.
Jacob was the third link in God's plan of the patriarchs. In Gn 25:23, the
Lord tells Jacob's mother, Rebekah, that she has twins. The Lord tells her that
the younger one will overtake the second. The favoritism of the children shows
weakness on the part of the parents that can contribute in a large part to the
discord between Jacob and Esau. It is no surprise that when parents are in
conflict, the entire peace of the family is in jeopardy.    
Jacob's name means "Grabber." Possibly this shows how he and Esau were in
competition from the start. This seems appropriate for two brothers in a small
family and their sibling rivalry is understandable in light of the benefits
derived from be

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