Divine Election: Jacob And Esau - Genesis 25:27-34

The Lord said to her, Two nations are in your

womb, and two peoples will be separated from

your body. And one people shall be stronger than

the other, and the older shall serve the younger.

When her days to be delivered were fulfilled,

behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the

first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment.

and they named him Esau. Afterward, his brother

came forth with his hand holding on to Esau's

heel. So his name was called Jacob, and Isaac

was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful

hunter, a man of the field. But Jacob was a peaceful

man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau because

he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from

the field and was famished. And Esau said to

Jacob, Please let me have a swallow of that red

stuff there, for I am famished. Therefore his

name was called Edom. But Jacob said, First,

sell me your birthright. Esau said, Behold, I

am about to die. So of what use then is the birthright

to me? And Jacob said, First, swear to me. So

he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and

he ate and drank. and rose and went on his way.

Thus, Esau despised his birthright. By way of

reminder with regards to our practice of preaching

at Grace Fellowship Church, we practice consecutive

expository preaching at GFC, which means that

we primarily Exposit parts, portions, and books

of the Bible in a consecutive fashion. So we

work our way through books. We work our way through

sections of books or parts of the Bible. And

we do so because we believe that it's best for

the people of God to be exposed and taught the

full. counsel of God in his word. In order to

be whole, complete, healthy Christians, we need

to understand and be exposed to the whole of

God's divine revelation. We need all of the scriptures.

We don't just want parts or pieces that we're

inclined to. We want all of it. Now, one of the

benefits of consecutive expository preaching

is that it forces us to deal with difficult and

hard texts and difficult and hard and weighty

doctrines which we encounter here and there in

the Word of God. But we also... get the benefit,

and we also are exposed to the easier doctrines

to digest. We get all of it. The weighty, strong

meat, and we get the lighter, easier to digest

milk as well, all contained in the Word of God.

Today, we get the meat, brothers and sisters.

Today we get the strong doctrine of the Word.

Today we come to deal with a weighty topic. The

topic of divine election. Something that ought

to be handled with the utmost care and humility.

Because these are the great mysteries and works

of God. And we have to be cautious in how we

deal with the works of God, especially when it's

strong doctrine. So as we come to our text today,

we'll be primarily in verses 27 through 34. So

we come to it, and immediately we'll see that

we find Jacob and Esau. Growing up, becoming

boys and then growing into men. In this episode,

in this altercation that we have, in verses 27

through 34, we don't know their age exactly.

We know what kind of lives they were living.

We know what they were doing. We're shown their

character, but we don't know exactly how old

they were or where they were at in life exactly.

we'll see that there's this altercation between

Jacob, the promised heir, and Esau, who's rejected

or cast off ultimately by the Lord. Now, one

of the things that's important for us to understand

and see in this text is the fact that God has

already declared what will take place. in the

life of Jacob and Esau. We saw this in verse

23, where he says, Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples will be separated from your body,

and one people shall be stronger than the other,

and the older shall serve the younger. So we

see that God has declared his ordained plans

and purposes with regards to Jacob and with regards

to Esau already. And a lot of it involves this

idea of a birthright. Now with the patriarchs,

this concept or idea of birthright, or we could

say family inheritance, is deeply intertwined

with the idea of the divine promise and blessing

that God has given to Abraham. to Isaac, and

we'll see ultimately he gives it to Jacob as

well in our text. We can't separate those two.

So when the text talks about the birthright and

inheritance for the heritage or descendants and

offspring, it's also talking about the promise.

And so when we're talking about the promise,

we know from Galatians chapter 3. That when God

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

gave the promise to Abraham, he was giving the

gospel ahead of time to Abraham. So we're dealing

with things, the things of Christ. We're dealing

with the things of the gospel. So the first thing

we have to consider as we look at this text is

that we have to consider Esau. The older brother

that does not inherit the birthright. Now in

this text we learn a great deal about Esau. We

learn his trade and we learn his station in life.

What's his trade? We see that he's a skillful

hunter. He lives and he dwells and he roams in

the woods. With the beasts of the field. He spends

his time away from his family. He spends his

time away from other people. He's off by himself

following his own desires. Following what he

enjoys. He's a skillful hunter. And he lives

and he dwells and he roams in the wilderness.

He's almost described as a beast in the text.

Think about how he's described at his birth.

Afterward, I'm sorry, verse 25. Now the first

came forth red, all over like a hairy garment,

and they named him Esau. The author is already

speaking. ill, in a sense, of the firstborn.

He's already speaking negatively, in a sense,

with regards to Esau. He's stating that he's

not like Jacob, and it's not a good thing. It's

not a positive thing. Now, we'll see, Jacob's

not the standard. Jacob's not the shining knight,

either. But the author... is already speaking

ill in some way of Esau. Now what's his character

like? What do we see about who this man was in

this text and in this altercation? Well, we see

that he's a carnal man, that he follows his appetites,

that he has no foresight for what is to come.

You know what he cares about, brothers and sisters?

He cares about his belly. He cares about filling

his belly with food. He cares about getting game

because he likes it. He enjoys it. He does what

he wants to do, when he wants to do it, how he

wants to do it. He's inclined towards immediate.

gratification. I need food, and I need it now.

I'm hungry. Give me food. This is essentially

what he's saying to his brother. In Genesis chapter

Genesis 27 · chapter mention

27, where Isaac curses Esau after blessing Jacob,

he says, you will live by the sword. You know

what that means, brothers and sisters? That means

that Esau is going to live in violence. He's

going to be a man of violence. He's a carnal,

natural man following around the lusts of the

flesh who is violent in his nature. He reminds

me a great deal of many other figures we've already

seen in the book of Genesis. Can you think of

any who Esau is very, very similar to already?

Think about Cain, the brother who killed his

own brother, Abel, because he had a better sacrifice.

There was enmity between the two. So he struck

him and killed him. He reminds me a great deal

of Lamech, who we read about in Genesis chapter

Genesis 4 · chapter mention

4, who was known for his exceptional violence.

And his vengeful nature. And who's also known

for his sexual immorality. And being the first

polygamist in the world. He reminds me a great

deal of Nimrod. Who was a mighty hunter before

the Lord. But the beginnings of his kingdom were

Babel. He reminds me a great deal of Ishmael.

Who was compared to a wild donkey. He would roam

and always be at odds with his brethren. This

is Esau as the text is characterizing him. Paul

speaks of men like Esau in Philippians chapter

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

3. Paul says this, He says in verses 18 -19,

listen to these words. For many walk, of whom

I often told you, and now tell you even weeping,

that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,

whose end is destruction, whose God is their

appetite, and whose glory is in their shame,

who set their minds on earthly things. This describes

Esau to a T, brothers and sisters. He's a natural

man following his natural inclinations and his

natural desires throughout life. Now, what was

his relationship to his birthright? To the promise,

the inheritance? Well, the text tells us in verse

34, that he despised his birthright. Meaning

he held it in contempt. He did not value it as

he ought to. And actually we see in the end,

he trades it for lentil soup, which is the most

common bean soup that a person could get. Here's

Esau. who trades the glorious promise of the

inheritance and the promises associated with

that and the blessings, he trades it for that

which is common so that he can fill his belly

in the moment. He rejects the birthright. He

denies it. He doesn't want it. He doesn't want

anything to do with it. He doesn't see the point

of it. He doesn't see the importance of it. He

doesn't see the significance of it. This is why

we read in the book of Hebrews, chapter 12, starting

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

in verse 15, see to it that no one comes short

of the grace of God. That no root of bitterness

springing up causes trouble, and by it many be

defiled. That there be no immoral or godless

person like Esau, who sold his own birthright

for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards,

when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was

rejected. For he found no place for repentance,

though he sought for it with tears. The author

of Hebrews couldn't be any more clear about Esau.

He was godless and immoral. And how do we know

that according to this text? Because he despised?

His birthright. He did not want it. He held it

in contempt. He gave it up for that which is

insignificant and that which is common in the

world. He placed his earthly desires and his

immediate gratification above eternal favor and

blessing, brothers and sisters. His eyes went

this far. He had no foresight with regards to

spiritual realities or spiritual truth. He was

godless and he was immoral in this world. There's

nothing more clear in the Bible than this. Now,

when we come to this, we need to ask, why would

a man cast off such a thing? Why would a man

despise this which is good, his inheritance?

What came with that? The influence, the power,

the headship of the family. Why would he cast

off dignity? Why would he cast off the honor

of being the family heir? Why would he cast off

that which is associated with the divine promises

and blessings? Of God. Why would a man reject

these things in favor of common soup to fill

his belly in the moment because he was hungry,

worn out, and tired? Think on that, brothers

and sisters. We will answer that question. Now,

we also have to consider Jacob, the younger brother,

that does inherit the birthright. The older brother

does not inherit the birthright. But the younger

brother does inherit the birthright. So what

do we learn about Jacob, the younger brother,

from this text and this altercation in verses

27 -34? We learn a great deal about Jacob. We

learn his lifestyle and what he was like in comparison

or contrast to Esau. We learn that he was a peaceful

man. We read this in verse 27. But Jacob was

a peaceful man living in the tents. That word

peaceful, it carries the idea that he is more

whole. It's the word that's used for upright

or blameless throughout the scriptures. But it

also carries the idea that he was civilized,

which also says something about his brother who

was uncivilized and more brute than Jacob. In

some ways, it's fair to say that Jacob is more

refined, that he lives with the family, he's

around the people. We don't know exactly what

his trade or what his occupation was. He's probably

aiding or helping with the household and the

family affairs already, or he acts as a shepherd

in some way, shape, or form at this time. Now,

we're tempted to come to Jacob and think, oh,

well, his character surely is far beyond the

character of Esau. It is better than Esau, brothers

and sisters. But he's not perfect, and Jacob

will see clearly and outrightly sins in this

altercation and this interaction. It's different,

but he's still a sinner, and it's obvious and

clear from the text. We see that he's crafty.

This is true even of his birth. Why does he get

his name? Because as soon as he's born, he's

already trying to get one step ahead of his brother

to pull his brother down underneath him so he

can get in front of him. He's already overly

ambitious in life. In a sinful manner. He's selfishly

ambitious. with regards to getting ahead, with

regards to getting what he wants, with regards

to getting what he likes. He's crafty. He's deceitful.

He's manipulative, brothers and sisters. The

language in this text with regards to this altercation

between the two, the Hebrew is very clear. It's

the language of a trap. Meaning, Jacob, the younger

brother, sets a trap for his older brother Esau.

Why? So that he can take advantage of him and

so that he can exploit his moment of weakness

so that he can obtain and get what Jacob wants.

He's deceitful. He's manipulative. He's overly

ambitious. But we have, in spite of all of these

things, We have to recognize something. In spite

of his sin, in spite of his flaws, what did Jacob

want? He wanted the birthright. In spite of all

of these issues in his life, Jacob wanted that

thing that God had promised to him. Jacob longed

for the very thing that God had promised would

be his possession. Now, does he go about it in

the right way? No. We saw that in the life of

Abraham, didn't we, brothers and sisters? He

wanted the promise of God to come about, and

he resorts to the flesh to get it. But we also

see that Abraham is gradually and progressively

sanctified more and more and more in his life,

and we'll see the exact same thing in the life

of Jacob, who would become Israel. where at the

end of his life he can say that God has been

the shepherd of his life all his days. So, yes,

he has his issues, but he wants the promise.

He wants the blessing. His life is oriented toward

the promises of God, where Esau's life is going

the opposite direction. Jacob's going toward

the blessing, toward the inheritance. He's seeking

for it. He wants to lay hold of it while Esau

casts it off and rejects it and wants nothing

to do with it whatsoever. And he gets it. He

obtains it. It comes into his possession. We

see the younger brother prevailing. over the

older brother just as the Lord stated would take

place. Jacob receives the promise, the inheritance,

and the birthright. He is the sole heir just

as the Lord declared he would be. Now we have

to come to this, and just like we did with Esau,

we have to ask the question. Why? Why did Jacob

come into possession of the birthright and not

Esau? Why did Jacob become the heir and the next

patriarch and not Esau? Why would the Messiah

come through the lineage of Jacob and not Esau?

Why would he become the father of the church

in a sense just like Abraham and not Esau? What's

the difference? Why him? Why does he get the

promise and the blessing and be the heir and

not his brother Esau? Is it because of his family?

Well, they're a part of the same family. Was

it because of his birth? Well, they come from

the same womb and the same environment. Was it

because of his virtuous character? No. His character

was just as flawed as his brother's character

was flawed. He was a sinner just like his brother

was a sinner. Jacob did not deserve the inheritance

or the birthright any more than Esau deserved

the inheritance or the birthright. Yet it comes

into his possession and he becomes the blessed

recipient of it. Why, brothers and sisters? That's

the question, isn't it? This leads us to the

last thing we have to answer. We're the last

thing we have to consider. Not just Esau, the

older brother, who does not inherit the birthright.

Not just Jacob, the younger brother, who does

inherit the birthright. But we have to consider

the sovereign grace of God. That's the basis

and reason that Jacob does receive the inheritance

and the birthright. We have to remember that

last week, When the Lord gave a prophetic word

to Rebekah in verse 23. He declared that these

events and this appointed end would come about.

Let me read it one more time just for clarity's

sake. Two nations are in your womb. And two peoples

will be separated from your body. And one people

shall be stronger than the other. And the older.

shall serve the younger. In our text today, we

see these ordained events coming to pass. Don't

we, brothers and sisters? We see two boys, two

men, two nations in conflict, fighting. It's

an altercation between the two. There's enmity,

there's hostility between these two. That's why

Jacob sets a trap for his older brother Esau.

There's hostility and conflict between the two.

But we also see that one of them, and one of

them alone, becomes the heir. One of them is

supreme, and one of them prevails, and that is

the younger brother having victory and prevailing

over the older brother, just like... God declared

it would come about. Now, understanding that

the sovereign will of the Lord is coming to pass

helps us understand the source of the distinction

between these two. It helps us grasp the distinction

between Jacob and Esau. And the distinction between

the two is God's choice of Jacob and not Esau.

Turn with me to Romans chapter 9, if you would.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

In Romans 9, we see the Apostle Paul working

an argument for his recipients. We see that he's

teaching the recipients that... Just because

a person is Jewish or a part of ethnic Israel,

that does not mean that they can presume upon

grace and salvation. Meaning just because they're

a part of ethnic Israel or they're physical descendants

of Abraham, they are saved. That's not the case.

Paul wants them to understand this and see this

clearly. So he says this, starting in verse 3,

For I could wish that I myself were accursed,

separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren,

my kinsmen, according to the flesh who are Israelites.

To whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the

glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the

law, and the temple services, and the promises?

Whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ?

according to the flesh, who was over all, God

blessed forever. Amen. But it is not as though

the word of God has failed. For they are not

all Israel who are descended from Israel. He

wants his readers to be well aware. Just because

you come from ethnic Israel does not mean you

are saved by grace. It doesn't mean that you're

automatically in Christ. So what does he do?

We read in verse 7, Nor are they all children

because they are Abraham's descendants, but through

Isaac your descendants will be named. That is,

it is not the children of the flesh who are children

of God, but the children of the promise are regarded

as descendants. For this is the word of promise.

At that time I will come and Sarah shall have

a son. Now, he's saying that those who are saved

and those who have been saved have always been

saved by the promise of God with faith. He's

already cleared this up in Romans chapter 4.

Romans 4 · chapter mention

And we see that they are justified by faith in

Romans chapter 4 and Romans chapter 5. And that

Romans 4 · chapter mention Romans 5 · chapter mention

they're in Christ. This has always been the case.

But listen to what he says next. And not only

this, but there was Rebecca also referring to

the circumstances we've been studying in Genesis.

When she had conceived twins by one man, our

father Isaac. For though the twins were not yet

born, and had not done anything good or bad,

so that God's purpose, according to his choice,

would stand. Not because of works, because of

him who calls. It was said to her, the older

will serve the younger. Just as it is written,

Jacob I have loved, but Esau I hated. What shall

we say then? There is no injustice with God,

is there? May it never be. For he says to Moses,

I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I

will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

So then it does not depend on the man who wills,

or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

The reason that a person, Jew or Gentile, comes

to be saved is not because of their will, their

effort, their merit. It's because of the divine

choice of the living God to place his grace upon

them. What is the distinction between Jacob and

Esau, brothers and sisters? The grace of God.

What is the difference between Jacob obtaining

the promise, receiving the promise, and Esau

being a reprobate and rejecting the promise?

It's the will of God and the fact that he is

merciful and gracious and he saves those whom

he wants to save. It's the fact that God sets

his merciful love upon them. He chooses them.

He inserts his grace into their lives and redeems

them. That's the distinguishing mark between

Jacob and Esau. This means the absence of God's

electing grace and love in Esau's life leaves

him a natural with a reprobate heart and a reprobate

mind. Now, I did not say that the absence of

God's grace makes him a reprobate, did I? No.

The absence of God's electing grace and love

in a person's life leaves them a natural, carnal

man. It leaves them who they are in reality.

Those born with a sin nature. Those born under

the wrath of God. Those who are sons of disobedience

from the moment of their birth. Those who willingly

and freely cast off the very promise of God and

the gospel of Jesus Christ. It leaves them, carnal,

natural men, to live the life they want to live.

In this world. God does not make men. To be rebellious.

Men are born rebellious. God does not make men

to be depraved. They are born depraved. And they

want to be depraved. They want their sin. They

want their pleasures. They want their carnalities.

All outside of Christ are exactly where they

want. To be brothers and sisters. The absence

of God's grace. Does not make men. Reprobates.

It leaves them natural. And carnal men. Esau.

Was born natural. He lived. As a natural man.

And he cast off. Willingly. Without compulsion.

Freely. The blessed inheritance which was his

by birth. He gave it up because he wanted to

give it up. He despised it of his own free will,

brothers and sisters. This also means the free

and sovereign grace of God. is the sole cause

of Jacob's reception of the birthright and the

promise. That means that Jacob wasn't born worthy

of the promise or the birthright, but that God

graciously gave it to him because he's merciful.

That God chose to bestow this merciful gift.

God gave him that which he promised freely and

graciously. And God worked in Jacob's life to

bring that about. His providence guided him and

directed him that his good purposes in Jacob's

life would in fact be brought about. The question

is not for us today. The question is not, have

you discovered the grace of God? The question

is not, have you found God's grace in your life?

That's a bad question. That's the wrong question

to ask. The question is not, have you found God?

Have you sought out His grace? The question is,

has God's grace been placed? Has it been set

upon you? Has God's grace found you, friend?

Has God's grace entered into your life? Has His

love been set upon you? Has His grace accomplished

a mighty work in your life of transforming your

heart? Has His grace given you a new nature in

Christ? Has His grace regenerated your heart

and caused you to be born again where you have

new life welling up in your soul? Has His grace

changed your desires and your longings so that

you are oriented towards the gospel of Jesus

Christ and not immediate gratification like Esau?

Has the grace of God given you a new heart? So

that you love Christ. And you look to faithfully.

In the power of the Holy Spirit. The obedience.

To his revealed will. Has his eternal love. Given

you faith and repentance. Has his eternal love.

Given you a trust. In Christ. And a forsaking

of sin. As Pastor Nick. taught this morning in

catechism. Has God in His great mercy and His

great grace provided you with the ability and

the gift of faith to believe the promises of

God, to move toward the promises of God in your

life? Has He granted you repentance from sin?

Has God's grace brought about other graces in

your life? has His grace, or is His grace now

changing you powerfully? Is the Spirit of God

actively at work in your heart as a believer,

changing you and transforming you? Is there vital

power in your soul that is actively stirring

and moving, changing you? Do you know that the

living God is at work in your soul? Are you conscious

of His work in your heart? Is He sanctifying

you and transforming you? Or do you never think

about the things of God? Do you never think about

the Word of God? Do you never think about the

Gospel? Do you never think about Christ? Do you

never think about sin? Do you only look this

far and this far only? Is God changing you by

His grace? If your answer is yes, praise God.

If your answer is yes, then Jesus Christ and

everything He possesses, the world and all that

is in it, is your very birthright, brothers and

sisters. Everything that is Christ is yours.

The Father is yours. The world is yours. The

new heavens and the new earth is yours. Eternal

life is yours. Eternal joy is yours. A resurrection

in glory is yours if His grace has been set upon

you. Has it been? Do you have eternal life? Has

He given you faith to trust in the gospel of

Jesus Christ? Have you trusted in His blood on

the cross? His atoning death. Have you trusted

in the resurrection for new life and power and

hope beyond the grave? If it has and if it is,

then Jesus Christ and everything that He has

promised is yours. It cannot be taken away. It

cannot be revoked. Because it's of grace. Everything

that He's promised to you will be yours. Not

because of your performance. Not because of your

righteousness. Not because of anything you say.

And not because of anything you do. It's purely

and wholly and completely of sovereign grace.

And it's based on the work of Jesus Christ. That

means that everything that is the Christians,

everything that is a blessing as a result of

salvation, is fixed. and complete and absolute

because of the perfect, completed, objective

work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

That's why it's important that we understand

salvation is of grace. If you answer no to any

of those questions, If God's grace has not discovered

you, if God's grace has not broken into your

life and changed you, if God's grace is not actively

changing you and you are not conscious of it,

you don't know if you're a believer or not. That's

concerning. If your answer is no, then we should

assume that you're not a Jacob. But that you're

an Esau. That you're in rebellion against the

living God. You're still in need of repentance.

And you're still in need of faith. And you still

need to receive the blessed promise of the gospel.

I don't want you to be an Esau. I don't know

if you're an Esau. I don't know if you have a

carnal mind and a carnal heart, but the living

God does. I want you to be a Jacob who is the

recipient and heir of all the good promises and

all the good blessings that God has promised

in the gospel of Jesus Christ. But listen, the

only way that comes about is if you turn from

your sins and you trust in Christ. Now, if you

give up everything and your pride and your arrogance,

if you forsake your sin and your iniquity and

you come to the cross empty -handed saying, I

have nothing to offer and you trust in the righteousness

and the blood, the atonement and the work of

Jesus Christ, then you will be It was Jacob.