Genesis 25:27-34

The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob. Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.”

Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”

Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”

He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

A person is a first-born because God chose them to be first-born. When we despise what God has given us, it shows something about us. Notice that Esau willingly chose to throw away what He was given by right. God didn’t take Esau from his rightful position by force. Even though God pre-determined that Esau would not be the leader, Esau also chose it. This is a pattern we see in the Bible. God chooses first, then we choose later. Both choose, but God is greater. This means that God chose what we would choose before we chose it. That’s how to understand predestination. That may not seem very helpful, but it does make sense by simple faith. We must accept that God is powerful enough to decide what we will decide. We know it as our own decision, but we can choose to recognize God’s power in the matter because of what He said.

As Christians we have chosen to accept God’s favor. Non believers choose to cast off all concern about the future and God’s favor for them. Even though we choose God’s way as Christians, we recognize and believe in His choice in the matter. We love Him because He first loved us.