The Peach and the Nectarine (Part 2)

It was a broken man who cried out, “Bless me, too, my father!”  Possibly for the first time, Esau realized that he truly had lost his position as firstborn.  He was supposed to take his father’s mantle. But he had already sold his birthright to Jacob and now his father’s blessing was impotent to restore it.  Instead his father affirmed Jacob as the first and Esau as the last.
From a human perspective, Esau was right: Jacob stole his blessing and took his birthright.  (And Jacob was surely wrong in tricking his father and exacting his brother’s birthright through usury, instead of making way for God to keep His promise.) 
But we are clearly told that this is only half of the truth.  Jacob took the birthright -- he wanted badly enough to do anything to get it.  But Esau despised it -- and wouldn’t give up anything to keep it.
Esau did not respect God’s blessing on his life and was willing to trade what was eternal for what was temporary.  And who among us can say we have never done the same?  No one.  Our decisions reveal the true loyalty of our hearts and betray us – just as they did Esau. 
He was ungrateful for his unprecedented godly heritage and instead walked by the dictates of his own heart. Genesis 26:34-35 tells us Esau married pagan women who grieved the heart and mind of his parents.  They didn’t love God and so were unfit to raise up godly offspring to build a people for God.  How could a chosen people, dedicated to God, come from these unions?
But God kept His promises to Esau.  His herds grew.  His family expanded.  And God plotted out a kingdom for his descendents, called Edom which fell into gross immorality because Esau despised his birthright.
God was Esau’s birthright.
God is our treasure and deserves to be treated as such.  I guess the only question now is: God, will rearrange me until You really are my treasure?
 “The fear of the Lord is His treasure.”  -- Isaiah 33:6

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