Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau – Past, Present and FutureEsau – Past, Present and Future
Purpose of this study To examine the character of Esau individually
and nationally. Extract the exhortation for believers in every
generation from his example. Visit the Judgement Seat in advance. Follow the bitter struggle between the
descendents of Jacob and Esau. Confirm who Esau represents nationally
today in relation to fulfilling prophecy. See what part Esau plays in the future.
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau, Edom and IdumeaEsau, Edom and Idumea The name Esau occurs 100 times in Scripture
(O.T. & N.T.) Edom, Edomite and Edomites occur 107 times
in only the O.T. Idumea (same as Edom) occurs 5 times in
Scripture – once in N.T. Dumah (Isa. 21:11Isa. 21:11) is an anagram for Edom. Seir occurs 39 times (O.T.) Total of 252 occurrences Jacob occurs 377 and Israel 2575 times in
Scripture Abram/Abraham occurs 311 times
Esau – Past, Present and Future
The Birth of Esau - The Birth of Esau - Gen. 25Gen. 25 V.20V.20 – “the Syrian” – In Hebrew, Syria
and Edom have similar consonants – confused by translators 2 Sam. 8:12-132 Sam. 8:12-13.
V.25V.25 – “red” – admoniy – reddish “hairy” – sa’ar – hair (dishevelled) “Esau” – hairy, rough. Akin to asah – to
do or make in the sense of handling; hence rough (sensibly felt). The idea is that Esau was “fully made” from birth. He never changed from what he was at birth.
אד םEdom
אר םSyria
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Two manner of peopleTwo manner of people Esau Jacob
"red all over" "Fully made" from the
womb Cunning hunter Man of the field Isaac loved Esau Despised his natural
birthright Called Edom (akin to
Adam) for his profanity Hated by God – Mal.1:3Mal.1:3
Normal at birth Hand on Esau's heel at
birth A shepherd A plain man Rebekah loved Jacob Sought the birthright for
spiritual reasons Finally became Israel
and prevailed with God Loved by God – Mal.1:2Mal.1:2
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau in ManhoodEsau in Manhood Fornicator – a notorious womaniser. A polygamist by choice (after the
example of Lamech). Noted for ‘double standards’ (duplicitous). Totally lacking in spiritual perception
(marriage to Ishmael’s daughter illustrates – Gen. 28:6-9Gen. 28:6-9).
Small-minded and egotistical (illustrated by Gen. 32:6Gen. 32:6).
Hated his brother Jacob – the first Anti-Semite – Gen. 27:41Gen. 27:41.
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Character of Esau and JacobCharacter of Esau and Jacob“The free, easy, frank good-nature of the profane Esau, is ruined and rendered useless by fickleness, unsteadiness, weakness, want of faith and principle. The craft, duplicity, timidity of the religious Jacob is turned to lasting good by steadfast purpose, resolute sacrifice of present benefits for future ones, and a fixed principle which ultimately purified and elevated even the baser qualities of his character.”
A non-Christadelphian commentator
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau – Man of the fieldEsau – Man of the field
“Now therefore take, I pray thee,
thy weapons, thy quiver and thy
bow, and go out to the field, and
take me some venison”
Gen. 27:3Gen. 27:3
Esau – Past, Present and Future
The Stolen Blessing – The Stolen Blessing – Gen.27:27-29Gen.27:27-29 INHERITANCE "The dew of heaven" "The fatness of the earth" "Plenty of corn & wine"AUTHORITY "Let people serve thee" "Nations bow down to thee" "Be Lord over thy brethren"PRIESTHOOD "Let thy mother's sons bow down to thee" "Blessed be he that blesseth thee"
Relates to the rights of the firstborn in the present.
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Away from the Away from the fatness of the fatness of the
earth!earth!
“Behold, away from the fatness of
the earth shall your dwelling
be…” – Isaac’s words to Esau in
Gen. 27:39Gen. 27:39 (R.S.V.)
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Edom – Dry and barren landEdom – Dry and barren land
The soils of Edom matched the redness of Esau’s hair
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Separation of Two FamiliesSeparation of Two FamiliesSPIRITSPIRIT
Gen. 28:1-5Gen. 28:1-5 - Blessing of faith – building of the divine family (v.1v.1).
Wife from Abrahamic family (v.2v.2).
El Shaddai – strength of the nourishers (v.3v.3).
Ecclesia (qahal) formed – “a multitude” (v.3v.3).
Abrahamic promise extended (v.4v.4).
FLESHFLESH Gen. 28:6-9Gen. 28:6-9 - Esau
takes wives to build the family of flesh.
Motivated by feelings of jealousy towards Jacob (v.6-7v.6-7).
Realises wrong choice of wives (v.8v.8).
Ignorantly seeks a wife with family link (v.9v.9).
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau’s Way or the Birthright?Esau’s Way or the Birthright?Hebrews 12Hebrews 12
Theme - "children" and chastening v.5-11v.5-11
V.8V.8 - "bastards" - nothos - spurious or illegitimate son - Esau is the example selectedEsau is the example selected.
EsauEsau - no chastening - fornicator and "profane" - Gr. bebelos - permitted to be trodden, accessible (a threshold); unhallowed, profane - despised his birthright - the failed firstborn - v.16-17v.16-17.
V.23V.23 - The general assembly and ecclesia of the firstborns (plural) - equates with "chastening" and "the spirits of just men made perfect".
Esau – Past, Present and Future
A fearful looking for judgementA fearful looking for judgementHebrews 10:25-29Hebrews 10:25-29
Not forsaking the assembling together
Exhorting as day approaches
No mercy for willful sinners
Fearful expectation of judgement
Trodden under foot Christ’s sacrifice
Counted covenant profane (common)
Hebrews 12:14-17Hebrews 12:14-17 Follow peace and
holiness Looking diligently lest
others defiled Fail of the grace of
God Esau found no place
of repentance Cross the threshold -
spiritual fornication Sold his birthright as
a common thing
Esau – Past, Present and Future
The Esau Class at the Judgement SeatThe Esau Class at the Judgement SeatLuke 13:27-30Luke 13:27-30
V.27 V.27 - “workers of iniquity” - cp. Esau's profanity and immorality - Heb.12:16Heb.12:16.
V.28V.28 - “weeping and gnashing of teeth” - cp. Esau - Gen.27:34,38; Heb.12:17Gen.27:34,38; Heb.12:17.“Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob” – The promise to Jacob - Gen.28:13Gen.28:13.“thrust out” - cp. Esau - Gen.27:39Gen.27:39 (RSV); Heb.12:15Heb.12:15.
V.29V.29 - “the east....the west...the north...the south” - cp. Abrahamic promise - Gen.28:14Gen.28:14.
V.30V.30 - “there are last which shall be first” - the “elder shall serve the younger” - Gen.25:23Gen.25:23.
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau is Edom Esau is Edom Stated 5 times in Gen.36Gen.36. The name Edom occurs 11 times in Gen.36Gen.36. There are 11 dukes in the final list -
Gen.36:40-43Gen.36:40-43.
(Eleven is the number of incompleteness and failure - see Ex.20:3-17Ex.20:3-17; Acts 1:26Acts 1:26)
Edom - "red" is from adom - rosy. The root word is adam - to show blood in the face; flush.
Hence, Esau is Edom (Adam) = Failure, incompleteness
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau and the Nations Esau and the Nations Esau produced many ‘dukes’ - Gen.36:40-43Gen.36:40-43. Edom became the name by which God
denominated all anti-Semitic nations - see Obadiah 15 & 16Obadiah 15 & 16.
The “all nations” who oppose Christ at Armageddon and beyond are called “Edom” - Isa.34:1-6Isa.34:1-6.
70 - number of the nations - Gen.10; Deut.32:8Gen.10; Deut.32:8. The “generations of Esau” listed in Gen.36Gen.36 lists
70 different names of the off-spring of Esau (exclude the names of cities, nations and women, and count male off-spring only once).
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau represents the nationsEsau represents the nationsIn this way, Babylon and the Goat-nations are “made to drink of the wine of the wrath of the Deity, prepared without mixture in the cup of his indignation.” Esau will have had the dominion over Jacob long enough; and the time will now have arrived to prove to mankind “that there is a God that judgeth in the earth”. Esau has lived by his sword, but not righteously. He crucified the king of Israel, persecuted and killed his brethren, corrupted the faith, trod under foot the Holy City forty and two months, and poured out the blood of Jacob like water upon the ground. But they who war against Zion and her sons “shall be as nothing, as a thing of nought”.
Bro. Thomas – Eureka Vol. 5 pg. 50
Esau – Past, Present and Future
Esau – Past, Present and Future
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