Running Conversation: What is the deal with Esau? Hebrews 12:17 For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.
What!?!?! I thought all you had to do was say a prayer and you walk through the pearly gates. (I actually don’t think this.) However, this passage has perplexed me for years.
Continuing On With Life As We Love It
There are people that want the blessings of God but they don’t want God. Praying the right prayer, and carrying on with life as we love it, and believing our ticket to heaven is secure is no way to live.
What if it’s more than that? What if Jesus knew what he was talking about when he talked about repentance? **Repentance is changing from one direction to another.**
Esau was totally cheated, but before he was cheated he was already on a destructive path. Genesis 26:34-35 Esau married women that were not of his same faith and he and his wives made life bitter for his parents- Isaac and Rebekah.
Path of Distruction vs. Path of Life
Esau was on a self-serving rebellious path early on and he stayed on that path in his life. Once we take that road, we make life miserable for ourselves and all who surround us. As he went through life on the self-serving, impulsive path he was taken advantage of. He was hungry and was presented with a deal to sell his birthright for a single meal. He was only interested in feeling comfort and satisfaction in the moment. Nothing beyond the moment and instant gratification, held value and was worth waiting for, on the path he was traveling down.
Read ahead in the New Testament in Hebrews, and we are still reading about Esau. The passage doesn’t focus on the fact that Esau was cheated, because he certainly was, it is a recap of when he sold his birthright for a single meal. It also talks about the time he sought a blessing, that was coming to him, and he was rejected.
This is unsettling. This verse says he was very sorry, to the point of weeping, but he didn’t repent. He never changed to the way, truth and life that God had for him. Jesus came and gave very clear directions, and the direction and instruction is to repent. He didn’t tell them to repeat a prayer and you are headed to heaven. He preached repentance. Repent, change directions from self seeking in the here and now, to God seeking now and forever.
No Repentance = No Change = No Inheritance
Esau’s life was on a self-serving path and continued moving in that direction, he never changed direction. It is the most discouraging to see people who know God and believe in him and pray and ask for blessing and the assurance of heaven with no repentance, no change of direction in life.
Repentance is changing the direction, from living for self to following the path that leads us to Jesus, who is the way, truth and life.
We Can Cry If We Want To
It doesn’t matter how much we cry about how things are going, or if we cry about how we have been cheated, if we never find the chance to repent and change the direction of our lives we will face rejection.
