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Jacob inherited firstborn rights with a bowl of lentil stew

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[ Genesis 25:34 ]

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.

He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

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There were two sons born to the ancestor of faith, Abraham's son, Isaac and his wife Rebekah. Those two sons were twins, it was hard to believe.

But they were so different from each other to believe that they were really twins.

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There were big differences in their appearance. The first born son, Esau, was a hairy man and very reddish. The name of the second born was Jacob who had smooth skin and did not have much hair at all.

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These two guys were very different in personality as well.

Esau liked hunting so he liked to go outside more than staying at home.

On the other hand, Jacob was shy and liked to cook inside the house.

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Their father Isaac always loved the first born Esau more.

Especially he loved the special dish which was made from the meat hunted by Esau.

Isaac relented to Esau that he would be the next head of the household and retain the family.

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Jacob was sad by his father's love for Esau. Jacob could not understand that he became the second born by holding Esau's heel when he was born with Esau on the same date.

Jacob had up his mind that he wanted to become a breadwinner like his father.

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As Jacob was always silent and stayed at home and cooked, his mother, Rebekah loved Jacob more than his older brother Esau. Rebekah thought that the one who is a family man, like Jacob, should be the breadwinner.

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But one day, Esau brought his equipment for hunting as same as any other day.

And Jacob stayed at home.

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But that day was very hard and really tiring for Esau even though he was an expert in hunting. He could not catch anything though he tried his best throughout the entire day. Unwillingly, Esau gave up everything and returned to the house because he was so tired.

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It was the smell of delicious food that welcomed Esau who was so tired he could have collapsed. Esau followed the smell and ran over to where the smell came from. There he found Jacob cooking really delicious lentil stew.

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Esau said to Jacob,

"Jacob, I am dying from hunger, I will become strengthened again if I have one bowl of your lentil stew. Give to me now one bowl of your lentil stew. "

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As Jacob always coveted for the position as the first born, he bargained with Esau.

"Okay, give to me your authority as the first born. Then, I will give you one bowl of my lentil stew. " Jacob asked that to Esau because he really desired to have the first birthright.

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But Esau did not take it seriously. He just thought that it was just for fun, so he readily accepted it. "Hey brother, as I am almost dying by hunger how is my authority as a first born of any importance? Yes, you take it. From now on, you are the first born son, Jacob.  

Ha-ha." Hurry up and give me that stew!

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Once again Jacob said to him.

"So can you swear what you have told me is not a lie?"

"Ah, yes. I can do that, I swear to God so give me that bowl of lentil stew already."

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Jacob happily filled one bowl of lentil stew and gave it to him.

So, Esau ate hungrily and the tiredness faded away.

Esau took his authority as the first born lightly which had been given from God.

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Esau was a great hunter and was famous among the people but he was not interested in keeping his faith. Esau was deprived of everything as he took the easy way and ignored the authority as a first born which had been given to him.

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But afterwards Jacob got the blessing from his father, Isaac, instead of Esau and got the authority and blessing that originally was Esau's. Jacob knew how important it was to keep the faith. So, Jacob’s name is in the ancestoral lineage of Jesus.

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Therefore, dear faithful friends, you must keep your faith precious like Jacob and always be attentive to stand on the position where you can receive God's love. Being glad in worship to God and in following God's words are ways to receive faith. I hope that you will be good children of God, who put greater attention on faith.