Summer 1984
Choosing His Best
The Hearts of Jacob and Esau
Wade Taylor

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Rom. 9:13)

When the Lord chooses, He looks at the hidden motives of the heart and chooses those that choose Him above all else.

Esau and Jacob were brothers with very different natures. Esau means “ruddy” (with strength); Jacob means “deceiver.” Although Esau appears to be the better of the two, there is something in the heart of him that is not apparent externally. He wanted the blessing, for that meant he would inherit all the wealth and prestige of his father. His cooperation was a natural, carnal response related to prosperity and blessing, not to trails and the fellowship of sufferings.

In Genesis 25:32 we find the key which reveals Esau’s inner man. When he relinquishes his birthright, he is in essence saying, “What good is the supernatural when the needs of the physical are not met?” He despised his birthright, the call of God, and chose the sensual satisfaction in a pressure situation. The Lord saw this in Esau and, therefore, chose Jacob. The Lord would rather change the nature of a deceiver than choose one that would choose less than Him.

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son” (Rev 20:7). Often the Lord will choose an individual who has problems and is struggling, because He recognizes a determination within the heart of such a person that will cause him to choose and choose until he finally overcomes.

“And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him (Jesus Christ in a theophany) and when He saw that He prevailed not against him, He (the Lord) touched the hollow of his thigh and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint” (Gen.32:24). When the angel said, “Let me go,” Jacob countered with, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” The angel could not prevail against Jacob’s strength and self-will; so, through divine intervention, the Lord touched the hollow of this man’s thigh and weakened him. Now Jacob could submit and the Lord could overcome in his life.

The important factor here is that Jacob made the choice. He would not let the angel go until the Lord prevailed. Under pressure, Esau chose a bowl of soup; Jacob chose the blessing of the Lord. Esau said, “I’m about to die; what good is the birthright?” Jacob, on the other hand said, “I’m about to lose everything, but I’d rather have the blessing of God,” and he pressed the angel for it. When the angel asked what his name was, Jacob confessed and said, “Deceiver.” Because he confessed his nature and was willing to choose the blessing of God above his possessions, the Lord spoke thus: “Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with man, and hast prevailed.”

The secret of an overcoming life is this: choosing God in the heat of a most crucial situation. Jacob’s nature was changed through a weakening of his self-will; now he could submit and come to a place of victory in God.

The Lord knows what is in our heart and He brings us to that place where we can be tested and proven. He’ll arrange a set of circumstances wherein we will have to make a choice. The miracle of God is that He does this more than once and, in His grace, gives us ample opportunity to be tested over and over again until we “come through!”

In the pressures that we face, the Lord will bring us forth. We can then become a prince with God and have power with God and man and will bring forth the Lord, our King, in all His glory!