13th September 2026 (am) - Genesis 36

The difference between these two brothers, Esau and Jacob, at least as far as Moses was concerned, as far as he would have us understand, is that Esau, the oldest brother only really by a matter of seconds, did not value that position, did not value that birthright that it gave him.

He was not as bothered about those things that were promised for him for the future as he was bothered about what he could have right now.

You ever met people like that? Really just bothered about what's in front of them, never really looking forwards, certainly not looking beyond this life.

Esau sold his birthright to his brother for a bowl of stew.

His belly was empty.

And an inheritance way off in the future was not going to fill his belly.

So he sold his birthright.

He gave it up there and then.

That's Esau.

Jacob certainly is in contrast.

He certainly did care about the inheritance.

He cared about the future.

He was very concerned about the future.

He was a schemer, but a schemer about the future.

And it didn't matter who might get hurt as long as Jacob got the advantage down the road.

He knew clearly what his brother was like.

He doubtless knew exactly when, where and what kind of stew would have the desired effect to get the results.

And it didn't take much persuading from his mother.

Also, it seems quite a schemer to get him then additionally to deceive his blind old father, Isaac.

Imagine that.

I mean, it's pretty low, isn't it? And so we read the story and it's disgusting.

Jacob dresses up as his brother.

He puts on some kind of a low voice, I'm guessing, and he lies.

He presented himself as Esau and took the lion's share of the blessing that should have gone to his older brother.

So there's not much to pick between these brothers, is there, really? They're both scoundrels, I would have thought, at least at this point in their lives.