Tuesday 3 October 2017

The Esau Syndrome


Esau the twin brother of Jacob was a man who turned out a loser according to the scriptures.
Right before Esau and Jacob were born the scriptures show God's heart towards each of these individuals who could not be more different in appearance, personality and character though they were twins.
"Jacob I have loved, Esau I have hated" is what God said about them.

Though Jacob who became Israel is more of the focus of the Bible, Esau is my focus for this article.
There are many things we can learn from Esau.
Esau is the character well known in scriptures for selling his birth right to his younger brother for a pot of porridge.
There are also many things I discovered about Esau which is worth noting, communicating and sharing with people so that they don't make the same mistake Esau made and become victims of life.
Unfortunately there are many Esau's about in todays World.

Like Esau there are people about in our day who are daily selling their birth rights.
Your birth right is anything God has given you that is valuable, that gives your life a meaning, a purpose and honour.
Your birth right can be your children. They are your right to be called a father or mother.
They will continue your generation after you leave this earth.
Your birth right may be the good spouse the Lord has given you.
That spouse gives you the social respect and dignity that comes with marriage.
Your birth right can also be spiritual. It can be both spiritual and material things.
Your birth right is also your spiritual inheritance.
Esau's birth right was his right to be the first born of Isaac between Isaac's twin children.
Esau gave it up because he didn't know the value of his birth right.

Many people have what I call the Esau syndrome.
The Esau syndrome is an anomaly found in todays age.
Esau was so carried away by his 'hunger' for food which is temporary, and sacrificed his life long right as the first born child of the family.
Many men by the day are rejecting and turning down what would be their spiritual inheritance for the "porridge" of this World.
Daily, many people are rejecting their God given opportunities and settling for less due to the need for instant gratification.
There are men and women who have rejected their God given spouses because of the occasional perfume, clothes, food and whatever form of gift.
Daily from one part of the World to the other, there are men failing their children (their birth right) by their examples, lifestyles and choices.
Like Eve of old in the garden of Eden, there are many women still being seduced away from what is theirs.
Eve had a great home, vibrant health, God's glory, a perfect husband, animal companions and God's blessing upon her life. These gifts from God were her birth right.
Like Esau, because of what some people see as benefits, they have given up their birth right.

Esau showed prospects.
Esau showed a lot of potential, Esau showed a lot of prospects, Esau had a lot going for him.
But Esau didn't appreciate what he had as the first child.
In those Bible days of old, first born male children were favoured by their fathers as their heirs.
Esau was well positioned to receive his fathers blessing. Esau had his father Isaac's love.
Esau showed proved himself to be a man  who had it all together.
In addition, Esau was a skilled hunter, a good cook who knew how to cook his father's favourite meal - venison, in the way his father likes it cooked.
His father probably saw him a real man, an achiever, a man of the field who knew how to make a living, a worthy heir who deserved his blessing.
Many people today who are losing their birth right, their God given privileges, and opportunities like Esau did, have prospects. They have a future, and could be better and go further, but like Esau they don't know, see, or understand the value of what they have been given.

Esau wept.
Esau wept about the loss of his birth right when he realized his foolishness.
Like demands wisdom from us.
Esau wasn't wise.
It is a sad thing for the Esau's among us.
Esau's eventually weep.
Esau's realise their foolishness.

It was too late for Esau.
It's usually too late for an Esau if wisdom is not acquired in time.
"Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done."

I can only pray and hope that everyone reading this article will not be an Esau.