Esau IV

Esau was gifted, strong and blessed, but he could not see his enabling as assets conferred to look after and care for his younger brother. He would not be responsible for Jacob the thief. The self-made and evidently successful man in Esau could not conceive the notion of having to serve another, let alone the one who posed a constant irritant and competitor. He claimed to be the over lord by right of birth. He could not see or accept the charge of servanthood and would not be his brother’s keeper.

Esau had always been his own man. There is no record of him ever seeking the LORD. He bewailed the loss of his blessing but not, the loss of his birthright; the right of priesthood for the family. He considered all his achievements by the strength of his own arm, and had always thought himself to be independent. Old Blue-eyes could probably represent Esau best in his song, “My way”. The song resonates unashamedly, with defiant exultation, the sentiment and warrant of stubborn independence. Many would chorus and echo the song, proudly thumping their noses at all and sundry including the LORD . Esau’s continued success would lead his generations to establish themselves wealthy and wise, mighty and strong beyond dispute. They would nestle themselves like eagles in the cleft of a rock, upon a high ground, reserving for themselves a humanly impregnable fortress. Then, they would think of themselves as vaunted amongst the stars; not dissimilar to Lucifer’s thoughts about himself. It might be prudent not to aspire too far towards stardom, being superstars can be quite hazardous to one’s wellbeing. Then again, we have moved on to seeking to become “idols”.

There is an idiocy that confounds most . Everyone will appreciate the futility and severe consequences, but it is almost impossible to council the man who would be blind. Esau was a believer in the blessing, yet he could not bring himself to reckon that every curse or action he imagined or heaped on Jacob would rebound and come crashing back on himself. He did not see that forgiveness was the better for himself, and that his bitterness would goad him to hate his brother more, spiraling himself ever deeper into the sink-hole. The willful despise and disregard of the LORD’s umbrella is sheer arrogance, if not, madness. No one can expect to pit himself against the Almighty. Yet his sons were to be found , standing in the company of invaders, participating in the sacking of the Jerusalem, the pillage and plunder of the Temple, goading and rejoicing over the fall of Jerusalem and with a vengeance, preventing the escape of fugitives.

Esau, is not for us to despise. He was an example made to teach and advise. We are all Esaus by greater or lesser degree. Be careful with success. The LORD has always hated the proud and haughty; the unthankful who would not honor or regard Him. Those who would claim total independence and self-sufficiency, forgetting or disclaiming that it is the LORD who has provided. Herein is where I surmise, the reason , why the LORD would say that “Esau, He hated”. Esau was proud and haughty, a man who did not seek or honor the LORD. He thought he was self-made. Mankind has only one hero; the Man, Christ Jesus, all the rest, are either bruised or broken reeds. It is a dangerous thing; to think ourselves wealthy and wise, strong or mighty, even if it may look so; less we forget and behave like Esau . It is pitiful that only some of Esau’s widows and some of his children would remain; the LORD did so promise. But it is pitiable that Esau would not pay heed. The LORD will destroy all the wise, the mighty and proud men of Edom. The proud and haughty are an abominable thing unto the LORD.

God bless.



/ckh

Esau III

Was the LORD unfair towards Esau? A recount would confirm some salient definitives; Esau was first-born and clearly the more aggro between the two. He was a strong man; of the field and a skilled hunter to boot. Though Jacob had misappropriated his blessing, he nonetheless lacked nothing. He had his wives, children, his flocks in the lush land of Seir, with a private army thrown in. For all that Jacob would offer him, as if in recompense and appeasement, Esau was not materially impressed as he declared that he had enough of his own! The LORD did clear the land of Seir for Esau and four centuries later would still expressly forbid the children of Israel from any ideas with regard to the land of Seir. Although one can not find a trace of Esau seeking the LORD, he was definitely gifted, blessed, and provided for, both physically and materially. An assessment between Jacob and Esau would not find Esau behind by any physical margin. As a matter of fact, Esau was already occupying Seir when Jacob returned from his sojourn with Laban. From this standpoint alone, Esau was ahead. Esau had no one he wished to appease. Esau did not see himself as needing mercy.

An examination of the Isaac’s blessing leaves us with a conundrum. There is a stark difference in the translations between the KJV and presumably some earlier works when compared to the NIV and later translations. The later works gives the impression that Esau is disadvantaged in that he is removed from the dew and fat of the ground and consequently from grain and wine. Jacob is conferred lordship over his brethren and a very specific umbrella of blessings and curses. Esau on the other hand was gifted with superiority in arms with a caveat that he should serve to protect his brother till the promised release, at some point in time. History will still confirm Esau’s plenty. Esau was no pushover; neither pauper nor stranger to wine and grain. True to form, he had commandeered an army, confirming his adeptness and terror, in the art of war. One could also wonder over the importance and appropriateness of dew and fatness of the earth, for a man of the sword. Would he be more himself wielding his sword or pushing a plough? A hunter? Found sitting under a fig-tree? Or wandering around his vineyard groves? He would be stressed to watch sheep over chasing bandits. A physical and terrible man, of gut and gore, would not likely be fattened, with wine and grain, or at ease on soft cushions and skins in a tent. Would not, the lean and mean Esau, be in his element; astride on his majestic snorting, sweaty horse, charging and thundering into battle, howling his battle-cry preferring death with glory rather than from a soft bed? Esau was not yet an old man when he received his father’s blessing; a warrior in his prime, not quite ready to be put to pasture. Was Isaac’s blessing really so far off base though Esau would bitterly lament?

We know that Esau had come riding out with his 400 to deal with Jacob; what is not so clear was his intent. We do not always recount, that it was Jacob who first sent messengers to inform Esau of his return. Esau had already intimated that he would come out with his men to meet and receive him. He clearly said so. Jacob was afraid, but was it, his own fear, of his own past, and his own lack of faith? Yes, his brother was of terrible repute, but does that make him already guilty. A warlord raising his army for war and pillage does not vacillate and on a whim, change his mind. Unlike even the pagan Laban, Esau had received no warning from angels. Jacob, on the other hand, took some debatable measures in his own trepidation; he sent the gift animals first, then his handmaid wives with their young, followed by Leah and her children, and lastly his personal favorite Rachel with Joseph, to facilitate possible flight. He put the others first in the line of fire. The forerunners would serve as fodder and warning for those in the rear. His favoritism and priority exemplified! It was either, his redeeming act in that he himself went ahead of his family to meet Esau, or it could well have been, Hobson’s choice. Jacob’s servants were tutored to appease, and Jacob did expeditiously bow himself to the ground before Esau. This however does not discount the record that Esau dismounted, ran to, embraced his brother, falling on Jacob’s neck and weeping together. This demonstration does not jive well with the presupposition that Esau was clearly intent on spilling blood. And whilst some of the children may have been too young to know or understand, there are always those who will not let them forget. This episode would continue to haunt the families and probably account for some of the sibling resentment felt towards Joseph and the enmity between them for generations.

A survey could find Jacob in worse standing than Esau. In the least, we would concede an impasse. Wherefore then, the reasons and foci on Esau?

(To be continued)

God bless.



/ckh

''Guys, think small

One kelisa, 3 guitars, 5 champions.''

Ming Yue's quote.





Today, im gonna teach you how to travel light,

You have a backpack,

You stuff these kind of stuff in,



Your clothes,





Then you stuff these kind of stuff in,



Your shoes,





Then you throw in other kinds of crap including,

Boxers,

Facial wash,

Toothbrush,

Bible,

Books.

The little things,





The backpack is pretty full huh?





Then you throw in her,







Your girlfriend/wife/fiancee'





She takes up alot of space right?

Then you throw in,

Your Family.





You're practically weighed down,

There's more,

Your friends,

Relatives,

Workmates,





There's also your dreams,

Becoming a rockstar,

engineer,

sucessful doctor,

pilot.





I know, I ll sound like George Clooney asking you to burn and let go of all those things,

That's bullcrap,

These things are most essential to you, besides the clothes part although you may need them,

BUT,

Do not let go of these things,

You probably won't end up like George Clooney flying around the world and have that ''Im not willing to commit attitude'',

So my say?,

Carry these things with you,

Sure the backpack may tear apart,

Get a new one.

These are the things that you will never get to have again when you die.

Do me a favour guys,

Appreciate the little things will ya?

Fork In The Road

Hey guys! Ian here

Im going to be contributing to the blog from now on so please visit it more often as I have alot of things to tell you!.

As you all know, you guys are practically still growing through your teenage years, through lots of teenage angsts and much more,

I would like to share with you a video by one of my favourite indie bands,

You'll have to watch the video before knowing what im elaborating about,

Im just going to elaborate about the first part about the pregnant girl.

The first girl in the video found out she was pregnant that's obvious but what I want to tell you her is how one small decision can ruin your entire future and even life.

When you make that decision to give in to temptation,

You already have given the devil a foothold on you,

Trust me I've been through alot of things and sometimes it all boils down to one very hard decision,

Sure everyone may be doing it but you take the stand and say no,

Stand firm with your decision and who cares about what other people say about you,

They may laugh at you,

But God won't.

He knows that you're facing the pressure

He's there to comfort you,

Guide you,

Help you when you're down.

You were made to be pure,

To remain pure until the time of marriage arrives,

Not to throw something so sacred away to someone who just wants 10 minutes of fun.

No.

Remember that.

Not just pre marital sex but other things as well,

Hold me accountable

If any of you are pressured to do things that are not pleasing to God's eyes,

Call me or text me,

I ll come and get you,

Be it you're tempted to try a smoke,

Drink alchohol till you get drunk,

Buying things that are just not worth your money,

Just gimme a call or text me.

Take care, God bless.

Im signing off now.

Ian.

Esau II

Esau was not a strange fellow; it is not difficult to identify with him. He was an accomplished person, a credible leader of men and a man of estate. He was confident, self-sufficient, independent, capable and successful; proud of his achievements. His controversial lapse in the estimate of his birthright would seem insignificant when compared with the failings of other personages in scripture. With Esau’s indiscretion, were there not other extenuating or mitigating circumstances? To be more pointed, this birthright referred to clearly his personal positional office. On the other hand, Jacob did nudge and persuade Esau in the first and then did conspire to steal his blessing also, with his own mother as the agent provocateur. If Esau had sold his birthright for pottage, did not Isaac sell Esau’s blessing, for not even venison; he could have been more exercised in caution, diligence and discretion with Jacob’s pretense. He was already suspicious in more than one area. Why the hurry to eat? Why do we castigate the son more than the father?

The blessing was of greater substance and consequence, it conferred generational investiture. Why should Esau not be disappointed and bitterly angry? Not only with his mother, Jacob, but most of all, with his father? Was he not the favored son searching for him the venison he so loved? The blessing had been ceremonially handed down. The passing of the baton disabled even Isaac from reprimanding or cursing Jacob, less the curses would rebound on himself. The blessing, irrevocable, was for all future generations; this was not just about Esau’s personal conferment. Would we fault Esau for wanting, in that season, to kill his brother? Was forgiveness the custom of the day, or was it “an eye for an eye”? Did Esau believe in a scorched-earth remedy? We chastise Esau for despising his birthright but wish him to turn the cheek when the blessing for all his future generations was stolen. Really? Would we be quite so charitable when our substance are so misappropriated? Sure, Esau consoled himself and planned to kill Jacob, but he did not. Yes, he was incensed and incandescent with livid rage; still, he sought remedy from his beloved father only to receive less. At the final count, and for whatever reason, he did not kill Jacob. David planned to kill Uriah, and did, and for much less a reason; Bathsheba with his unborn child. Between Esau and David for a friend, your choice?

We are mostly ambivalent in our regard for Esau. Afterall, the LORD Himself declared that Jacob, He loved and Esau He hated. Our Sunday school stories and “happily ever after” disposition persuades us that Esau is the necessary villain. But do the proceedings support the case? Why is Esau targeted so? Is the LORD being unfair?

(To be continued)


God bless.



/ckh