8 “And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?” Esau asked. Jacob replied, “They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship.” 9 “My brother, I have plenty,” Esau answered. “Keep what you have for yourself.
(Genesis 33:8-10 NLT)
9 “My brother, I have plenty,” Esau answered. “Keep what you have for yourself.”
What a response!
If you go back to the book of Genesis 27:1-46, the Bible tells us a very interesting story about how Jacob, enticed by his mother Rebekah, agreed to steal Esau’s blessings.
As the story goes on, the Bible recounts that one day, when Isaac was old and turning blind, thinking that his time to die was near, he called for his older son, Esau, and asked him to go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for him.
He (Isaac) instructed his son Esau to prepare his favorite dish so he could eat it and then bless him in the Lord’s presence before he dies.
But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to his son Esau. So when Esau left to hunt for the wild game, she instructed her son Jacob to go out to the flocks, and bring to her two fine young goats, which she was going to use to prepare the father’s favorite dish, and then take the meal to his father to eat it and bless him, before his father’s death.
So making a long story short, after the meal was prepared, Jacob took it to his father Isaac, who after a series of questions, decided to eat it and then blessed him.
But the story didn’t end there.
In Genesis 27:30, the Bible recounts that as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and just before Jacob had left his father, Esau returned from his hunt.
Esau prepared a delicious meal and brought it to his father. Then he said, “Sit up, my father, and eat my wild game so you can give me your blessing.
But Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”
Esau replied, “It’s your son, your firstborn son, Esau.”
Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably and said, “Then who just served me wild game? I have already eaten it, and I blessed him just before you came. And yes, that blessing must stand!”
So when Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry;
“Oh my father, what about me? Bless me, too!” he begged.
But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.”…
Then Isaac said to Esau, “I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine - what is left for me to give you, my son?”
At this point, just by reading the above verses, we can see how limited we human beings can be. Isaac had run out of the good blessings and there was almost nothing left for Esau.
But this is not the case with our God. He never runs out of blessings for His creation, so there is no reason for us to be jealous of others when we see them prosper. If God blessed them, He can bless us as well. We just have to align our wills to His will; and if we delight ourselves in God, our desires become His will. (Psalm 37:4 NLT)
So in Genesis 27:38, the Bible tells us that Esau was so upset and disappointed that he broke down and wept. He was so angry at Jacob that he actually failed to see his own wrong when he gave away his birthright in the first place.
But finally, his father Isaac decided to bless him saying:
“You will live away from the richness of the earth, and away from the dew of the heaven above. You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother, but when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck.”
And now please note:
The point I am trying to make here is that, even though Isaac had already blessed Jacob with the good blessings and there was almost nothing of good to bless Esau, God still allowed Esau to prosper in life; just as it is written in Genesis 33:9 saying, “My brother, I have plenty,” Esau answered. “Keep what you have for yourself.”
You see, though Esau was angry at Jacob because of what he had done in the past, he actually forgave his brother Jacob.
You also see that despite the type of blessings he received from his father Isaac, God did not leave him alone. It was by God’s grace that he forgave his brother. Esau was so satisfied with what he had that he didn’t even mention what happened in the past.
So in the end, it is not what people may say about you, or even what your parents may say, God is ultimately the final decider. If we again align our lives to God’s will, with prayer and supplication, the course of our lives may change.
But then I ask:
- Does this give us the right to rebel against our parents, seeing that God is the final decider? Of course not, we must respect and obey our parents and most of all. We must stop taking things for granted and we must be grateful in life.
- Does this give you the right to curse or put others down with your words?
You better not. You never know who God has blessed. Lest in doing so, the same curses you cursed someone may come to you, twice or more. Just as it is written in (Numbers 22:12 NLT) saying, but God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”
So you see, in this verse, God is warning Balaam to watch out or else. We cannot curse what God has blessed and because we do not know who is blessed or not, it is better not to curse anybody, lest that same curse comes back to us. Additionally, Christ exhorts us in Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
We must be mindful of God’s creation.
Many people, because of their pride, they tend to look with disdain on others as if they were self made people and whatever they have achieved in their lives, was a result of their efforts. What a foolish way of thinking?...
Then you may ask: Can I still be saved after all the bad I have done? Of course.
When God’s grace allows us to realize that we have wronged others because of our pride, either in thought, word, deed or lack thereof, we must turn to Christ immediately. There is always hope in Christ. Sometimes when people receive a full view of the sins that they have committed over the years, the tendency of the devil is to accuse us over and over and tell us that we are too sinful, that God could never forgive us for the wrongs we have done. And we fall helplessly into the sin of despair.
However, whenever you receive that message from the enemy you must rebuke it in the name of Jesus and confess as quickly as possible. Go with a repentant heart to your pastor/priest and release all that the accuser plagues you with and immediately you will find the peace and the relief you have been looking for.
We should also look at the example of Jacob and seek to make amends for the wrong we have done to others, whether or not God has blessed those that you have cursed. Seek to ask for forgiveness without fear.
Let us pray,
Father God in heaven, we are so thankful that you are so loving and so merciful to your creation. Please forgive us for those moments that, out of pride, we have let others dawn with our evil words.
We have a willing heart to abide in you and to do what is right before you, so please, O loving and merciful God guide us, in Jesus Name. Amen.
