The Seismic Aftermath

All right, well, let me invite you to turn in your Bibles to Genesis 27, we're gonna pick up in our Study through the Book of Genesis this morning and we come this morning to verse 30. And my goal this morning is to look at Genesis 27:30-45. A few weeks ago, the last time we were in Genesis, we, studied the first part of this chapter and the title of the message was the blessing purloined or the blessing stolen. What we're gonna see today is the seismic aftermath.

of the theft that occurs in the first part of this chapter, and it is indeed seismic. When I was a kid, my dad had a pretty large travel bag. That contained a pretty sizable coin collection that was valuable to him and to my shame. There were times during my middle to teenage years when I needed some spending money.

And I would rifle through that bag of my dad's and I would steal some of his coins so that I could go buy something. My conscience was semi-operational though, because I would always look at the dates of the coins, and I was always careful to only steal the most recent. of the coins that were in my dad's coin collection, but every, every coin in his collection was valuable to my dad and my theft from my dad was a sin against God, and it was a sin against my dad and a sin against my own soul.

When I was 19 years old, the Lord got a hold of my life and I responded by surrendering my life to the Lord.

I knew right away that there were some things that I needed to make right. with some people, some wrongs that I had done, and one of those things that I knew immediately in my conscience that I needed to make right was regarding my theft. From my dad's coin collection. I knew I needed to tell my dad what I had done and ask his forgiveness and offer to make restitution and make things right with him.

so one day, again, I was about 19 years old, my dad and I climbed into the car to go somewhere and with fear and trembling, I spoke up and told my dad that I had something to confess. and ask his forgiveness for And with dread in his voice, my dad said, What have you done? And I still remember the exact spot on the street where we were in our neighborhood when we came to this point of the conversation. I said to my dad, I said, Dad, over the years, I have stolen coins from your coin collection and used them for spending money.

My dad immediately let out a groan. Like he had been punched in the stomach. I asked him, will you forgive me for what I've done and let me make things right with you? And the first words out of my dad's mouth was actually a question.

He said to me, what year were the coins? And I said to him, Dad, I promise I never took a coin any older than in 1964. And it was then and only then that my dad then said to me, I forgive you And when I offered to make things right, he said, no, just consider the debt canceled and forgiven. It was a big moment for me and my walk with the Lord.

And in my relationship with my dad, I've found myself thinking back to that moment. Thinking back on the sound of my father groaning. When He discovered what I had done and I found myself thinking of that moment as I studied our passage for today because in our story, today, we're going to see a father discovering a theft that his son had committed, a deception and a theft. And we will see a father trembling upon learning of this theft that was committed by his son.

Right under his nose. Isaac, the dad will realize that his son Jacob had deceived him and stole from him the blessing that Isaac had intended to give to Esau. In verse 33, the text is going to tell us, then Isaac trembled violently. Upon realizing what Jacob had done, and in verse 34, We are told that Esau, Jacob's brother, will let out a cry.

Verse 34, we're told that he will cry out with an exceeding great and bitter cry. In response to what his brother had done, and that's just the beginning of the aftermath of Jacob's theft. Jacob's theft did not get resolved nearly so neatly as my theft from my dad's coin collection. The consequences of his theft will leave his family in shambles.

And mark the rest of Jacob's life. Before we get into the text this morning, let me just review as Briefly as I can, you guys will recall that Isaac is the son of All right, let's start back in Genesis 12. Isaac is the son of Abraham, and he carries the blessing of Abraham with him. And at some point over the age of 100 years old, Isaac is thinking that he is about to die.

His eyesight is gone, and he tells Esau to go and hunt some game for him. So that they could have a ceremonial meal together, after which point Isaac would officially give to Esau the blessing of Abraham. This was actually a sinful plan on Isaac's part and it ran contrary to the word of Jehovah back in Genesis 25, but Isaac loved Esau more than he loved Jacob, and this is what he was going to do. As one commentator says, had this been a proper deathbed farewell, all the sons should have been invited to receive a blessing.

But that's not what Isaac intends to do here. Isaac has two sons, Esau and Jacob, and he's got only one blessing that he intends to give, and he only intends to give that blessing to Esau, who was his favorite son. So Esau obeys his father and runs off to go hunt some game for the blessing ceremony. And while he is gone, Rebecca, Approaches Jacob and convinces Jacob to follow her scheme to deceive Isaac and get Isaac to give Jacob the blessing.

That he had intended to give to Esau. Jacob obeys his mother and goes along with her plan. Because he buys into the lie that in order for him to be truly blessed of God, he must receive this blessing from his father, even if he has to deceive, to get it. So Rebecca prepares the meal, she dresses Jacob and Esau's clothes, and she puts animal skins on his neck and his hands, and then she places the meal into Jacob's hands to present to his father.

And that's where we'll pick up just in terms of reading the text this morning. Let me begin reading in verse 18. Then he, Jacob, came to his father and said, my father, and he said, Here am I. Who are you, my son?

Jacob said to his father, I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you have told me. Get up, please sit and eat of my game that you may bless me. Isaac said to his son, how is it that you have it so quickly, my son?

And he said, because the Lord your God caused it to happen to me. Then Isaac said to Jacob, please come close, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not. So Jacob came close to Isaac, his father, and he felt him and said, the voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau. He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands.

So he blessed him and he said, Are you really my son Esau? And he said, I am. So he said, Bring it to me, and I will eat of my son's game that I may bless you. And he brought it to him and he ate.

He also brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father, Isaac said to him, please come close and kiss me, my son. So he came close and kissed him, and when he smelled the smell of his garments, he blessed him and said, see, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. Now may God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and an abundance of grain and new wine.

May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. Be master of your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you and blessed be those. Who bless you And that's the blessing that Isaac speaks over Jacob thinking all the while that he is delivering this blessing to Esau.

We have seen as we've gone through Genesis that years earlier, Jacob exploited his brother Esau's hunger and got him to sell. To him, his birthright for just a single bowl of stew. And now here Jacob is exploiting his father's blindness and stealing the blessing. that his father had intended to give to Esau.

And this is where we left off a few weeks ago, the last time we were in Genesis. Today, what we're going to do with the time that we have is witness six developments in the story of the seismic aftermath of Jacob stealing the blessing that Isaac had intended to give to Esau. And the first of these developments is that Esau returns from his hunt. He returns to receive the blessing from his father.

Observe what happens in verse 30. Now it came about as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father. That he saw his brother came in from his hunting. In other words, they just missed each other.

If this were a movie, the camera would show the scene of Isaac. Eating And then Isaac blessing Jacob and the camera would keep cutting to Esau who is fast approaching the house, and we, the audience would be on the edge of our seat. Thinking that surely Esau was going to come walking into the house before the blessing was delivered or before Jacob left the house. But it turns out that Jacob gets the blessing.

And leaves Isaac's presence just in the nick of time before Esau returns. Once Esau came into the house, he doesn't go to his father right away. There's no hurry in his mind. He busies himself with getting the food ready for his dad.

Look at verse 31. Then he also made savory food, and once he was done preparing that food for his father. The text says, and brought it to his father, and he said to his father, let my father arise and eat of his son's game that you may bless me. Imagine how surprising this would be for Isaac to hear these words.

In Isaac's mind, he just did this. He just blessed Esau. In his mind, Esau had just come in several minutes earlier and said, I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me.

Get up, please, sit and eat up my game that you may bless me. Verse 19. In those earlier moments, Isaac had had its doubts and wondered if it was Jacob who had entered the room, but Isaac was eventually put at ease and he spoke his blessing over Esau. He thinks, yet here is his son Esau.

Again bringing food to him and saying, let my father arise and eat of his son's game that you may bless me. Imagine how confused, blind Isaac had to have been at this point. Observe Isaac's response in verse 32. Isaac, his father said to him, Who are you?

And he, Esau, said, I am your son. Your firstborn Esau Isaac's initial thought had been that whoever the second person entering the room is, they must be the impostor. But very quickly the reality of what had happened begins to dawn on Isaac, and this leads us to the second development in the story of the aftermath of Jacob stealing the blessing that Isaac had intended to give to Esau. Number 2, Isaac discovers and informs Esau that Jacob had taken away his blessing.

Observe Isaac's response as he begins to realize what has happened. Verse 33. Then Isaac trembled violently. Literally, the Hebrew reads, then Isaac quaked, a great quaking to the uttermost.

This is not just a quick shutter. This is a spasming of Isaac's body as he realizes that he has just given Esau's blessing to someone else who had tricked him into thinking that they were Esau. Verse 33, then Isaac trembled violently and said, Who was he then that hunted game and brought it to me so that I ate of all of it before you came, and I blessed him. Isaac is asking Esau this question.

Perhaps he's thinking that Esau might have seen the impostor. When he was coming into the house, but Isaac really does not need for Esau to answer this question because Isaac is realizing the answer to his own question while he's asking the question. Which is probably why Isaac says what he says next in verse 33. He says, yes.

And he shall be blessed. This one I just blessed. He shall be blessed. Commentators suggest that in this moment, Isaac is realizing that the impostor was indeed Jacob.

And that God had allowed things to happen in such a way that Isaac's sinful conspiracy to give the blessing of Abraham to Esau was thwarted and given to Jacob. Instead, whom God had intended to receive the blessing of Abraham all along. So Isaac is deciding in this moment that what he has said to Jacob will stand. It is the will of God that Jacob received the blessing of Abraham.

And years of rebellious intent. And Isaac's heart perhaps dissolve in a single moment. Isaac has unwittingly done the will of God. that God had revealed.

Back in Genesis 25. In giving the blessing of Abraham to Jacob, Isaac's sinful plan to give the blessing of Abraham has been defeated. Or to give that blessing of Abraham to Esau, that's been defeated and something in this moment shifts inside of him. And he basically says to Esau, yes, the one who just got my blessing a few minutes ago.

He shall be blessed. And when Esau hears Isaac say these words, he is absolutely devastated. Observe his response in verse 34. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry.

Literally, the Hebrew reads, he cried out with a great and bitter cry to the utmost. His cry is not simply that Jacob had tricked his father, but that his father has just said that the blessing that he spoke to Jacob will stand. And Esau cries out verse 34 and said to his father, bless me, even me also, oh my father. Esau's panic in this moment was unspeakable.

He pleads with his father to give to him the blessing that Isaac had originally intended to give to him all along. But Isaac won't budge. Look at verse 35. And he, Isaac said, your brother, and he said, your brother came deceitfully and has taken away.

Your blessing Isaac is communicating 3 things here. First, he's telling Esau that it was Jacob. His brother who did the deed. Second, he tells Esau that it was a deceitful deed, tricking Isaac into giving a blessing that he would have never given to Jacob had he known that it was Jacob.

And 3rd, he's telling Esau that Jacob has succeeded in effectively taking away Esau's blessing. Isaac will not be retracting what he said to Jacob. And now he cannot say to Esau what he had originally intended to say. He cannot give the blessing that he had originally intended to deliver to Esau.

There's literally no blessing left to give. Observe how Esau responds in verse 36. Then he, Esau, said, is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.

We could translate the Hebrew this way. Esau is saying, is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has Jacobed me. These two times. First, Jacob successfully got Esau to sell him his birthright.

And 2, Jacob now has successfully taken away Esau's blessing and brought that blessing onto himself. And please don't miss this in the text, guys. Notice how Esau puts all the blame on Jacob for taking away Esau's birthright. Speaking of that earlier occasion, Esau says that he took away My birthright.

As one commentator says, Esau conveniently forgets his own part. In that earlier deal. The truth is that on that earlier occasion, Jacob didn't take anything away from Esau. Back in Genesis 25, Esau gave it away foolishly.

He sold it for a pot of stew and thus, the writer of Genesis tells us in Genesis 25:34, he, Esau despised his birthright. But Esau's talking about that earlier moment now and he's saying Jacob took it away from me. This is the way it is with the godless, they shift blame for their own failings onto other people rather than accepting responsibility for the choices that they have made. They think of themselves always as the victim.

Rather than seeing their own sins. They prefer to complain about the sins of other people rather than confess their own sins. Esau is not repentant here. For his earlier despising of his birthright.

He's not repenting of his own sin. He's regretting merely his circumstances, and he's blaming Jacob. For his circumstances. Well, Esau is not prepared to give up just yet.

He realizes that Jacob has taken away the blessing that Isaac had intended originally to give to Hi, but he's thinking that maybe his dad has some leftover blessing to give to him, and this leads us to the 3rd development. In the story of the seismic aftermath of Jacob stealing from Isaac the blessing that he had intended to give to Esau, and that is, Esau pleads for a blessing from his father, any blessing, give me something, Dad, is basically what Esau begins to do. Observe what he says at the end of verse 36, and he, Esau said, have you not reserved a blessing for me?

His question is, is there not something that you withheld from the earlier blessing that you spoke to Jacob that still might be available leftover as it were for me.

Surely you didn't give him everything, did you? That's what Esau is asking here when he's asking his dad, have you not reserved some blessing for me? But look at Isaac's response in verse 37, but Isaac replied to Esau, Behold, I have made him your master, and all his relatives I have given to him as servants, and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. Now, as for you then, what can I do, my son?

That's the great question that Isaac is now asking himself. What blessing is left for a son when you just gave his brother everything? What blessing is left for Esau? When you just made His brother His master The language that Isaac is using here makes it clear that all along he only had one blessing that he intended to deliver.

And that was the Esau, but Jacob stole it. And now that he stole that blessing, there's literally nothing left. To give to Esau. Esau though is not giving up.

In a way, you gotta hand it to Esau. In verse 34, he says to Isaac, bless me, even me also, oh my father. In verse 36, he says to his dad, have you not reserved a blessing for me? And he's getting shut down at each of these points, but now look at verse.

38. Esau said to his father, do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, oh my father. So Esau lifted his voice.

And wept. As one commentator says, the poignant pathos of this scene is unsurpassed. In Genesis. We learned from the writer of Hebrews why Esau is weeping here.

He's not weeping at this point because he's not getting a blessing from his dad. He's weeping in order that his tears might persuade his father to give him. A blessing somehow. In Hebrews 12:17, the writer of Hebrews says of Esau, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Esau here is seeking for This blessing from his dad, and he's using tears in order to get his dad to bless him. But it is all to no avail at this point. Esau does not succeed in changing his father's mind. But Isaac does make a prophetic announcement over Esau, and this brings us to the 4th development in the story of the seismic aftermath of Jacob stealing the blessing that Isaac had intended to give to Esau, and that is that Isaac gives Esau an anti blessing.

Commentators use this expression. He, in a way you could call it a blessing, but there's really no blessing in it. It's an anti blessing. Observe what Isaac does in verse 39, then Isaac, his father, answered and said to him, Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, and away from the dew of heaven from above.

By your sword, you shall live, and your brother you shall serve. But it shall come about when you become restless that you will break his yoke. From your neck. This is the blessing.

That Isaac speaks upon Esau. Yet it reads more like an anti blessing, which actually does come true. Esau and his descendants will end up settling. In the region that is known as Edom.

And what Isaac says in verse 39 fits the general description of the geography of this area. The land of Edom did. have some fertile slopes and, and valleys, especially in the eastern portion of Edom. But this region is thoroughly waste and barren in the western regions, consisting of what one writer describes as the most desolate and barren mountains probably in the world.

When you live in a desolate area like this, you have to provide for yourself somehow, and many in such circumstances resort to the sword. In verse 40, Isaac says to Esau, By your sword, you shall live. By your sword, you shall live. The positive of this statement is that at least he will live and his descendants will live, but the negative is that it is by the sword that Esau and his descendants will live.

They will be a people who are violent to provide for themselves by the use of a sword that is wielded against other people. They will live by the sword. As for Esau and his descendants' relationship with Jacob and Jacob's descendants, Isaac says, and your brother, you shall serve. This is exactly what the Lord had said would happen back in Genesis 25:23 when he had said that the older will serve the younger.

And now Isaac. is aligned with the will of God in what he is saying finally, and he's speaking prophetically in a way that is consistent with the revelation that God had delivered earlier. But Isaac delivers. One hopeful proviso.

Which features maybe the only positive note that this anti blessing contains. He says to Esau, but it shall come about when you become restless that you will break his yoke. From your neck This does not speak of a day coming when Esau's descendants will completely and permanently throw off Israel's rule over them, but rather he's just saying that there will be moments of rebellion. And restlessness when the descendants of Esau will temporarily be able to throw off Israel's rule.

They will experience temporary reprieves and victories when they rise up against Jacob's descendants, the people of Israel. But basically, guys, this blessing, this is, this is it. This is all that Esau gets. He had pleaded for a blessing from his father, and this is what he gets from his father instead.

And I'm sure we can all imagine how Esau must have just loved this blessing from his dad. This was supposed to be the best day of Esau's life, and now it has come to this, and Esau, as you can imagine, is absolutely furious. And this brings us to the 5th development in the story of the seismic aftermath. Of Jacob stealing the blessing that his father had intended to give to Esau.

Number 5, Esau resolves to kill Jacob. Observe his response in verse 41. So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. Esau is mad at the anti blessing that his father had just spoken over him, and he's angry at the greater blessing that his father had accidentally spoken over Jacob, pretty much giving to Jacob everything and nothing to Esau.

And we're told that Esau bore a grudge against Jacob. The idea is he cherished animosity. In his heart against Jacob with the intention of eventually acting out that animosity against Jacob, which is exactly why the text goes on to say, and Esau said to himself, literally, he said in his heart, the days of mourning for my father are near, then I will kill my brother, Jacob. Isaac actually still has a few decades to live, but Esau does not know that at this point.

He thinks his father will be dying very soon, and as soon as his father dies, Esau intends to kill his brother Jacob. Rather than repenting, of despising his birthright years earlier. He puts all the blame on Jacob. And knows how to solve his problem, and that is to kill him.

Maybe Esau expressed his thoughts out loud as he talked to himself. People do that sometimes. They talk to themselves or maybe he ended up confiding. And others regarding his plans.

However, it happened. His plan for murder reaches the ears of his mother, Rebecca, and this leads us to the final development in this ever widening aftermath of Jacob stealing the blessing that Isaac had intended to give to Esau. Number 6, Rebecca urges Jacob to flee for his life to Harran. Observe what happens in verse 42.

Now, when the words of her elder son Esau were reported to Rebecca, she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, behold, your brother Esau is consoling himself concerning you by planning To kill you You're really in a bad place. When your only comfort is the thought of killing your brother. But that's where Esau is right now. He's beside himself with anger at this point.

Murder is in his heart, and Rebecca is telling Jacob this news about Esau's plans and about Esau's state of mind. And she doesn't mention to Jacob the point about Esau wanting to wait until his father's death before he killed his brother. Maybe Rebecca didn't even know about that detail. It seems that as she speaks to Jacob, she truly fears that Jacob's death might be imminent if he hangs around.

The house too long. And she tells Jacob what to do about it. Look at verse 43 and following. She says, now therefore, my son, obey my voice and arise, flee to Huron, to my brother Laban.

Stay with him a few days until your brother's fury subsides, until your brother's anger against you subsides, and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send and get you from there. By the way, notice that she describes the whole thing in verse 45 as what you did to him. I can imagine Jacob is hearing his mom's choice of words and thinking, shouldn't you say what we did to him?

Because wasn't this your idea in the first place? Jacob doesn't go there evidently, but imagine Rebecca's horror here. She initiates this deceptive scheme and commands her son Jacob to do what she is saying. He obeys her and now Jacob's life is under the threat of murder.

And Esau has become the man plotting his brother's. Murder. This is a double loss for Rebecca. Her language here that she uses.

As she speaks to Jacob, indicates that she's hoping against hope that Esau's fury subsides and that his anger against Jacob subsides, but what are the chances of that ever happening? If his anger ever did subside, Rebecca is hoping to be able to call for Jacob. And tell him you can now return. It's safe to return home.

At the end of verse 45, she asked Jacob a rhetorical question, probably because she observed that Jacob was reluctant to leave. She says, Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day? Rebecca knows that her relationship with Esau is dead at this point because of her participation in the scheme to rob him of the blessing. She's lost Esau.

And if Jacob doesn't flee right away, she may be losing Jacob also. So she urges Jacob to flee to Iran. She talks like she will send for Jacob in a future day after everything blows over. Yet the day that she can call for Jacob, as you read through the rest of Genesis, never happens.

By all indications, this is the last time Rebecca will ever see her son Jacob. Which is a part of the price that she pays for her sinful scheming. And the price Jacob pays for participating in this scheme. We're basically done working through the text at this point, but I got a few things I want to talk about right now.

first of all, what a sad mess this family has become. Amazingly, this is the family on which the genuine blessing of God rests. This is the family of Abraham's son. This is the family of the man who has upon him the very blessing of Abraham.

And yet this handoff of the blessing of Abraham gets handled in a way that tears this family apart and leaves this family in shambles. Isaac is conniving in this chapter with Esau against Jacob and Rebecca and seeks to give the blessing to Esau in a secret ceremony in which the others in the family are not invited to. Rebecca's conniving with Jacob to deceive Isaac and to get the blessing that Isaac had intended to give. To Esau.

Isaac gives to Esau an anti blessing, and Esau is now furious at Jacob and can't wait for his father to die so he can kill his brother Jacob. And Rebecca is now pleading with Jacob to get out of town and run. For his life. One commentator points out that we never see the whole family together anywhere in this chapter.

In scene 1, it's Isaac and Esau, Scene 2, it's Rebecca and Jacob, Scene 3, it's Isaac and Jacob. Scene 4, it's Isaac and Esau, Scene 5, it's Rebecca and Jacob. And the last verse of the chapter that we'll look at next time, it's Isaac. And Rebecca, this family could have really used a family meeting where everyone in the family gets together to try to work things out, but that never happens.

Satan hates the family, and he's a master at keeping family members apart and getting them caught up in their own petty, selfish agenda. And that's what's happening in Isaac's family in Genesis 27. This is a family that is broken up into factions with members working against each other and each serving their own interest. And yet, guys, this broken, messed up family is in possession of the genuine blessing of God.

This shows us that it is possible to have the genuine blessing of God in your family and still experience brokenness. And in a weird way, that's encouraging to us. The experience of brokenness in your family relationships at any given moment does not have to be taken to mean that God's blessing must not be in your life. At the same time, this story shows us that having God's blessing in your life does not mean that you can't make stupid choices that lead to a whole lot of unnecessary hurt and pain for you and for the members of your family.

Be careful, guys, of the choices that you make. Do not think that God's blessing upon your life today means that you can't make wreckage of your life tomorrow. But I think there's a wonderful thing we can draw encouragement from as this chapter unfolds and then the subsequent chapters. Of how God's redemptive sovereignty prevails over the folly of men.

Isaac's family is a wreck right now. The damage that has been done is actually going to be permanent. This family will never be the same again. They'll never be together, all of them again.

Yet God is still in control, and his redemptive plan is moving forward, unaltered through all of these crazy developments. Jacob will soon be fleeing for his life to Haran as a consequence of the sinful choices he's made, and he will flee for his life right into the arms of a woman named Leah. From whom our Messiah will descend. As R.

Kent Hughes, the commentator says in the midst of all of this wreckage, we see something of immense beauty and grandeur. The invincible determination of God to keep his word despite the prevailing unbelief and unfaithfulness of his people. As his plan of redemption is continuing to move forward even through all this mess. But we do see here that choices.

Have consequences. Everyone's sinful choices in Genesis 27 have huge consequences and especially Esauce. Let's focus on that for a moment. The narrative of Genesis does not make this obvious, but the writer of Hebrews makes it clear that Esau's earlier choice to sell his birthright.

To Jacob for a pot of stew is what sets in motion a providence that leads to Esau's loss of the blessing now in Genesis 27. A fact which leads The writer of Hebrews to deliver this warning to all of us. Listen to what he says and notice the connection. He says, see to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

For 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. Don't be like Esau who sold his birthright, the scripture says. Why?

Because after Esau did that, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. And his rejection seems to be tied to the fact that he had earlier despised and sold his birthright. So it turns out that a careless decision that Esau made. On an ordinary day when he was hungry, turned out to set in motion a series of events.

Which led to enormous loss for him and for his descendants. Yes, right now in Genesis 27, Esau is treasuring the blessing of the first born. He's pleading for it with tears, yet he didn't treasure it years earlier, when he sold it all away for a single pot of stew. As one commentator says, seeing Esau grieving and pleading with his dad with tears for the blessing.

Right now presents us with a startling case of seeking a good thing. Too late When he should have treasured that good thing. Earlier. This warning goes out to all of us, but young people, I plead with you to listen to the sound of my voice.

Treasure today. What is truly worth treasuring. Even in the seemingly ordinary moments of your life. Treasure God's word, treasure the privilege of prayer, treasure God's people and the privilege of being with God's people, treasure Christ's church, treasure the things of God, treasure the tender workings of God's spirit inside of you, treasure a tender conscience, treasure all such things.

Or you may find yourself one day without those things and unable to find your way back to them. Like what is happening to Esau here. Be warned, what you fail to treasure today might be stolen from you tomorrow. And your failure to treasure.

Today, what is truly valuable. may be what contributes to God allowing that thing to be taken from you later. Given what happens in our passage. Today we may be asking the question, some of you may be asking the question, what becomes of Esau's descendants.

If you read through the Old Testament and into the New Testament, you observe how true Isaac's words to Esau. ended up proving to be Esau's descendants will end up settling in a region very much like what Isaac describes in his pronouncement to Esau. The descendants of Esau will be called the Edomites. They will be a thorn in Israel's side for many centuries.

They will refuse to let the Israelites pass through their territory when God was leading them from Egypt into the promised land. They will be among Israel's greatest enemies for many centuries. They will end up being defeated by King Saul and subjugated by King David. They will try to revolt.

Under the reign of King Solomon, and they will fail in that revolt. They will successfully rebel under the reign of King Joram. But then they will be subjugated again under King Amaziah. They will come against Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20.

And their army will be left completely destroyed as a result of that. They will rebel successfully under the reign of King Ahaz. But then they will be subjugated again in 129 BC. And at that time they will be forced, we know from history from Josephus and others.

That the Edomites will be forced to undergo circumcision and convert by force to Judaism. There's one hopeful sign that I think we can all be encouraged by though in Mark chapter 3. Verse 8, we're told that people were flocking to Jesus. And those flocking to Jesus were coming from Jerusalem and from Idumea.

And Idumea, guys, is the Greek word for Edom. So this means that some of the descendants of Esau are flocking. To Jesus, which gives us some room for hope that at least some from among the descendants of Esau came to faith in Jesus and saw him as their Messiah. We know that the message of the gospel is for all the nations, and we would include the descendants of Esau in that.

We know that in a future day there will be gathered around God's throne, people from every tribe and tongue and nation. And among those we know would have to be descendants of Esau. Among that number, so we can be encouraged by That ray of hope and the grace of God that goes even to the descendants of Esau. But it may surprise you guys to know that there are a few descendants of Esau who show up in the New Testament narrative.

who they are? I'll give you a hint Every one of them has the word Herod in front of their name. Yes, all the Herods of the New Testament descended from Esau. Around 40 BC or somewhere around there, the Roman Senate made the surprising choice.

To install Herod Antipater. As a puppet king over Judea, and there were several Herods who followed him, who descended from him. The Herodian dynasty of the New Testament was of Edomite descent, which means that they would trace their genealogy back to Esau. By the time the New Testament rolls around, it will be Herod the Great, who sits on the throne.

And it will be this son of Esau who will slaughter many children in Bethlehem. In his attempt to slay the Christ child. Esau resolved to kill his brother, Jacob. Herod was resolved to kill the Christ child.

But he failed in that. Herod's son, whom we call Herod Antius, will be the Herod who orders the beheading of John the Baptist. He didn't want to behead John the Baptist. He liked listening to John the Baptist.

He wouldn't have minded keeping John the Baptist around, but he loved his brother's wife and loved his wickedness more than he loved the preaching of John the Baptist. And he also made a careless oath. To his daughter that he would give her anything she wanted up to half of his kingdom. She asked for the head of John the Baptist, and he honored her wishes and gave her the head of John the Baptist.

Trading his soul away. It's this very Herod who will have Jesus brought before him. And rather than respecting and worshiping and honoring Jesus as the Messiah, we're told in Luke 23:11 that Herod treated Jesus with contempt and was mocking him. Esau despised his birthright in Genesis 25, and this descendant of Esau.

will have the actual Messiah standing in front of him, and he will treat him with contempt and with mocking. It will be Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great, who will lay his hands on some who belong to the church. In order to mistreat them in Acts chapter 12 verse 1, it is this Herod who will have James, the brother of John, put to death with a sword. He will also imprison Peter with the intent of killing Peter too, yet the angel of the Lord will deliver Peter.

It will be Herod Agrippa the 2nd, near the end of the book of Acts, whom Paul will stand before in Acts chapter 26 verse 28. Paul will tell his story and he will preach the gospel to Herod Agrippa the 2. Paul will make the case for Christ and he will ask Agrippa, do you believe the prophets And Agrippa will know in that moment the inescapable logic of Paul's question. If he says he believes the prophets, then he must believe in the Christ to whom these prophets pointed.

Many commentators suggest that the best way to translate Herod's response to Paul in verse 28 is as a question. Where he says to Paul, in such a short time, are you persuading me to be a Christian? In other words, do you think you can convince me to become a Christian with such few words? This descendant of Esau felt the tug of Paul's scriptural reasoning, but he resists in the end, unpersuaded that Jesus was the Christ, the one that he should value and honor and believe in.

These Herods mentioned in the New Testament will one day stand before Jesus Christ, and they will confess that he is Lord. They will realize too late that they despised what they should have valued. They will plead with tears to inherit the blessing of eternal salvation on that occasion, but It will be too late. See to it See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God.

That there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal, for 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 Now is the accepted time. Today is the day of salvation. Do not harden your heart to the opportunities that are presented to you today in the Lord.

If God's spirit is working in your heart today, even now, In this service, cherish the working of the Spirit of God in your heart and believe in Christ today. Don't put it off till tomorrow. Don't despise the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for your salvation. Don't think so little of Christ that you think that he's unworthy of your faith and allegiance today.

That's what you're saying when you put it off till tomorrow. You're saying Jesus is not worth my allegiance and my faith and my honor today, maybe tomorrow, but he's not worth it today. So I will wait until tomorrow. Don't do that.

Believe in Christ as your Lord and as your Savior and as your greatest treasure, and he will be so pleased to save you. And do this while you have the opportunity today before it's too late. You don't want to be among those on judgment Day standing before God. Who will be wanting a good thing.

Too late This is your day. To believe in him Let's pray together. Lord, we can so often be so careless with things that are of such immense value. May we treasure you, Lord Jesus.

May we treasure you enough that Every heart in this room would say, yeah, I'm not waiting till tomorrow. I'm not. I'm not waiting until an hour from now. Jesus, you can have all of me.

I have known as a pastor, people who have gone off into sin. And they've actually said, I'll repent later. Presuming upon your grace that your spirit will even be working in them, leading them to repentance. And I've seen those same people later.

Who Have no desire to ever repent again. If there's anyone in this room, Lord, that is feeling the convicting work of your Spirit and the tug of your spirit towards Christ, I just pray that You would so work in them that they would treasure that. That's a wonderful thing. And I pray that You would save.

That you would humble the proud. And lift up the humble and save. And create a flourishing in all of our hearts, Lord, that we would treasure. The ultimate treasure.

Today We thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to give of our offerings to you. We pray that you would do much with all that is given. To support the work of Christ around the world, we pray for Team Utah, Lord, that you would just open wide doors of opportunity and ministry. Help them to be a blessing to the missionaries that they're with and Save souls through their outreach efforts.

May you be with them and may they feel your pleasure in the work they're doing. And bless all those, Lord, in this congregation and missionaries around the world that are Representing the name of Jesus. So beautifully. And holding him high.

So receive this offering that we give to you this morning as we give ourselves to you also in Jesus' name. And all God's people said,