Gen. 27:41-4541And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. 42And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. 43Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; 44And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away; 45Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? (Genesis 27:41‑45)
“AND ESAU hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.” v. 41.
Now appeared Esau’s deep-rooted character as he revealed himself a murderer at heart, and his thoughts were set on vengeance against his brother. But is not such the story of every one of us by nature? “There is none that seeketh after God... There is none that doeth good... With their tongues they have used deceit... Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God bore their eyes.” Rom. 3:11-1811There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known: 18There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:11‑18). This is not a very pretty picture of ourselves. But this is how God sees all who have not accepted His way of salvation and the Scripture states: “God is angry with the wicked every day.” Ps. 7:11. Yet, in His wondrous love He “is not willing that any should perish,” and is pleading with all to come to Him in repentance, through the finished work of Christ who died on Calvary to save sinners from judgment.
Esau, whose evil thoughts were at first “in his heart,” was soon expressing them to others. We cannot long conceal what is in our hearts for “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Rebekah, alarmed at this news, sought the safety of Jacob, her favorite. “And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to thee. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; and tarry with him a few days, until brother’s fury turn away... then I will send, and fetch thee from thence.” vv. 42-45. Rebekah could not look into the future or she would certainly have devised some other means of escape for her son, for she was never to see him again in her lifetime. It was not her voice, but other circumstances that later turned Jacob’s feet homeward from Haran. How much better, had mother and son been before God at time, asking for His direction.
Here lie further lessons for us and we are reminded of the scripture: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what day may bring forth.” Prov. 27:11Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1). We surely know not what the morrow will bring, but God knows the end from the beginning and that faith will be rewarded when trusting Him for the future. Again the admonition is given: “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continua there a year, and buy and sell, all get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” James 4:13-1513Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. (James 4:13‑15).
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