Esau Vs Jacob

Published on 2 February 2026 at 15:52

The Sons of Perdition Series

Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me! (1)

Jacob wrestled with God. Esau also wrestled with God. Esau was under pressure but in the end he gave in. He gave up. Jacob wrestled with God but did not give up. He persevered. He believed. Because Jacob chose not to give up, instead he got better, he took every moment and opportunity to improve and get better as he wrestled with God but he did not give up. Esau had everything, the love of his father, the talents of a mighty hunter but when the pressure came he fell into the trap. Because at every point God comes to glean, to chop and remove the things that are not doing well, that which is without Faith, a Faith to persevere. He is the vinedresser and we are His vine. There are branches that will be cut off if it is not well, if it is not hot but cold or even lukewarm (2) and there will be branches for pruning to bear much fruit if they choose to persevere. This pruning could even be losses, like Job; the perseverance of Job (3) but because he kept his faith he reaped two fold after he endured all his losses and kept his faith in God (4).

I imagined in the case of Esau that he also wrestled with God in a way and this was the pressure he experienced right before he looked to his brother's stew. Esau was under pressure and there he looked, he saw and then he gave in. Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me? (5) This birthright is Faith. Esau was desperate, pressure coming all around and you look to your brother and see the lovely stew that he is enjoying. What is this birthright to me? What is this faith to me to keep fighting, when I can just have what my brother has already without the hassle, without the sacrifice? Look my brother is happy, my brother is enjoying his stew. I don't want to hunt for this "game" (meat) anymore. Who needs Faith in a Promise from my forefather Abraham when I can just enjoy the benefits ready and available now just like my brother.

So Esau sold his birthright because he did not believe. He did not believe in the Promise of his fathers for an inheritance that was an eternal covent through the seed of Abraham. Yes Esau got weary (6) and coveted the stew of his brother Jacob. He did not see, nor value the reward and testing of a Faith that believed and persevered to hold unto even when the pressure rises and all hope seems lost. Truly he did not understand. Therefore when tested he failed. He failed and he did not acknowledge nor repent before God from the heart and later reaped the consequence of his prior decision when the blessing of the birthright was taken from him in unrighteousness (7).

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? (8)

God is always passing us through the tests of time the pressure that separates the wheat from the chaff (9). The one who will persevere from the one who will give up in the end. Short look into the story of Tamar and the birth of her twin sons reflects this imagery very effectively.

Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah. (10)

As soon as the first drew back, the other one then came forth. This was what happened to Esau. As soon as he drew back from the Promise, from the covenant and inheritance of the Seed that would come through the genealogy of Abraham from father to son and exchanged it for lentils when the pressure mounted in that moment his brother Jacob took his place, took his inheritance.

Jacob on the other hand faced the pressure he wrestled with God. Remember that God brings the pressure, allows the pressure to cut off or to prune. Well Jacob was pruned. What is your name? Jacob. Well you will no longer be called Jacob but Isreal because you wrestled with God and with men and you have prevailed (11). And this is the same statement that is pronounced from the heavens to all those who persevere, who do not give up. Yes, you may be tired, you may be weary. Jacob even loss a hip meaning he was incapacitated but he did not give up and his incapacitation even became a memorial (12) for the moment he wrestled with God and prevailed!

That's the example we have to look to. Remember there are times that we will not do well. We may not be the Abels of our peers or even family but don't forget what God advised Cain If you do well will you not be accepted? but if you do not do well sin lies at the door and its desire is for you (13). The desire of this sin, this unbelief is to cut you off. How? When you give up. Don't give up, rule over it!(13) Keep going until you get it right, until you are accepted, don't let go, don't give up and when you finally do well you too will have a new name.