What is the significance of the birthright in Genesis 25:29-34? I'm unsure what the birthright refers to, but Heb. 12:16-17 seems to relate it to the spiritual blessings of the covenant of grace. How does the birthright connect to these blessings, and what is the significance of Esau selling it?
The Birthright in Genesis 25:29-34
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The birthright was--legally speaking--Esau's inheritance advantage as the firstborn son. His was a double portion of his father's estate, the lion's share. Now, ordinarily along with the family business and leadership of that going concern, spiritual leadership was entailed on the covenant family. Esau was naturally in line to receive the birthright and the blessing of the covenant promises. The story of Jacob and Esau gets into greater detail of Jacob's taking of the blessing, which Isaac intended to give to Esau. Both elements are significant for the whole story, even thought the loss of the birthright proper is covered in only a few verses.
Scripture puts the loss of the birthright in perspective, by telling us plainly that Esau despised the birthright--something he should have valued for its own sake, and that it was his from God, not merely from a natural accident. This advantage meant no more to him than a passing hunger pang. We should note that he did not "trade" his birthright double portion for Jacob's single; after the transaction Jacob stood to inherit his father's entire estate in property terms, which he "bought" for a bowl of soup, taking advantage of his brother's casual indifference. By the way, this maneuver doesn't reflect well on Jacob's character.
We also know Esau was profane, and did not share the faith of his father. Yet, this lack of true faith did not mean he saw no earthly advantage to possessing his father's special relationship with Deity. Esau reckoned a great advantage was due him when Isaac indicated he would pass his blessing along to his favorite son. Isaac's present wealth was destined for Jacob; but Esau's calculus was that the God-of-blessing would oversee his future (as he had done for Isaac) and he would be quite secure in earthly terms as he pursued his own aims. Isaac was planning on severing the blessing from the birthright, as Jacob's securing the one did not compel the other to his own interest.
Yet God had other plans for Jacob, as his chosen seed. The path Jacob took to obtain the spiritual blessing of his father and the leadership it conferred was ungodly, yet God allowed sinful deceit to be the means of providing it to him. Still, Jacob had a long time to learn his lesson that spiritual blessings are not obtainable by carnal--let alone sinful--effort. In earthly terms, he stole the blessing from his brother; but in heavenly terms God gave the blessing to whom he would, and withheld it from whom he would. Moreover, it is vital that the recipient of such blessing come to realize that the earthly good that was bound up with the blessing served only as a sign of the spiritual good, the Reality pointed to. Jacob, by coming to faith in the God of his fathers, also came to value the Promise and the Giver above the gifts. Esau would never have valued the Reality, had he any idea what the signs even meant.
Scripture puts the loss of the birthright in perspective, by telling us plainly that Esau despised the birthright--something he should have valued for its own sake, and that it was his from God, not merely from a natural accident. This advantage meant no more to him than a passing hunger pang. We should note that he did not "trade" his birthright double portion for Jacob's single; after the transaction Jacob stood to inherit his father's entire estate in property terms, which he "bought" for a bowl of soup, taking advantage of his brother's casual indifference. By the way, this maneuver doesn't reflect well on Jacob's character.
We also know Esau was profane, and did not share the faith of his father. Yet, this lack of true faith did not mean he saw no earthly advantage to possessing his father's special relationship with Deity. Esau reckoned a great advantage was due him when Isaac indicated he would pass his blessing along to his favorite son. Isaac's present wealth was destined for Jacob; but Esau's calculus was that the God-of-blessing would oversee his future (as he had done for Isaac) and he would be quite secure in earthly terms as he pursued his own aims. Isaac was planning on severing the blessing from the birthright, as Jacob's securing the one did not compel the other to his own interest.
Yet God had other plans for Jacob, as his chosen seed. The path Jacob took to obtain the spiritual blessing of his father and the leadership it conferred was ungodly, yet God allowed sinful deceit to be the means of providing it to him. Still, Jacob had a long time to learn his lesson that spiritual blessings are not obtainable by carnal--let alone sinful--effort. In earthly terms, he stole the blessing from his brother; but in heavenly terms God gave the blessing to whom he would, and withheld it from whom he would. Moreover, it is vital that the recipient of such blessing come to realize that the earthly good that was bound up with the blessing served only as a sign of the spiritual good, the Reality pointed to. Jacob, by coming to faith in the God of his fathers, also came to value the Promise and the Giver above the gifts. Esau would never have valued the Reality, had he any idea what the signs even meant.
Polanus1561
Puritan Board Senior
It is the line of being the promised seed line.
Nevertheless, Esau could have repented and dwelt with Jacob. But he didn’t.
Nevertheless, Esau could have repented and dwelt with Jacob. But he didn’t.
Does this mean Jacob (ordinarily) was not in line to receive the blessing of the covenant promises? What does this blessing refer to? Is it more than being a partaker of the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant (which I guess Esau was already outwardly)?
So for Jacob to have the birthright, he should have had the blessing, but Isaac severed this connection?
Does this refer to the genealogical line from which the Christ would come, or the distinction of the godly and ungodly lines?
1. Jacob was second by birth, and naturally would have been further blessed (as in his youth) through a continued connection to the singular or principal heir of the covenant--presumably Esau if he had been worthy. But as we know it was never God's intent to so regard Esau, a thing prophesied in the birth oracle.
Jacob was the divinely designated heir, and in his line of descent should eventually come the Seed and Heir. Hence, the true meaning of the blessing. Earthy blessing was unto the end of divine fulfillment in Christ. It was vital to realizing that end the heir to the blessing be a man of faith, Abraham's faith.
2. Isaac's experience was that the birthright and blessing were a unit of sorts. In the case of his own sons, apart from the divine decree he might assume his life was the pattern for the next and future generations. Yet, this was not to be. Jacob took his elder brother's inheritance, however Isaac did not for that reason assume to Jacob was now due the blessing and consequent spiritual leadership. Honesty compels us to admit that neither son was noteworthy early for display of faith, but each shows cause why he is spiritually unworthy. Isaac seems to have sought to bless Esau for raw favoritism, but then the father hardly had any viable measure of their characters by which to tell them apart spiritually, thereby to make a wiser choice.
When later it comes to Jacob to bless his sons, first we see him make a spiritual judgment in the case of Joseph (clearly not the firstborn), which leads at long length to a double portion birthright going to him (via Joseph's two sons). Ultimately the whole family is blessed when they recognize God's approval of the rejected one, and receive their blessing in connection to him. On the other hand, leadership of the covenant community is distributed at the close of Jacob's life to Judah and Levi, anticipating their descendants sitting the one on a throne and the other presiding at the national altar. So, there is no automatic expectation the elements of birthright and blessing may not in principle be divided, while at some level we see together they belong to the One Seed.
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