God rewards cheaters, lias, thieves?

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I was re-reading the story of Jacob stealing Esau’s blessing, and it seems that he got a huge reward for cheating, lying, and stealing his brother’s blessing. We never hear much more about Esau (doesn’t he eventually just forgive and forget and welcome Jacob home?) but Jacob becomes the honored father of the twelve tribes.

What are we supposed to make of this? Does God not care that Esau was cheated of his birthright? Did he want Jacob to be the figure he was, and would it have happened even if he hadn’t stolen Esau’s birthright? Might he have been greater if he hadn’t? Where was God for Esau?

I find this story disturbing. Like some other stories in the Bible, the ‘hero’ does all sorts of awful things, and God’s blessings just continue to flow, or so it appears, with no protest against the way some of these people hurt the others in their lives.

I’d love any (name removed by moderator)ut to help me understand this story.
 
I think the point of the Jacob and Esau story, is that it was God’s will that Jacob be blessed, anyway Isaac also told something to Esau that was a blessing in a sense, he said ‘One day, when you can’t take being under your brother anymore, it is you who will have dominion, and you shall brake his yoke from your neck.’

‘break his you from your neck’ was also mention in Isaiah, and we all know he was an apocalyptic prophet, so maybe it will have a deeper meaning during the end of the world? :confused:
 
ktp said:
I was re-reading the story of Jacob stealing Esau’s blessing, and it seems that he got a huge reward for cheating, lying, and stealing his brother’s blessing. We never hear much more about Esau (doesn’t he eventually just forgive and forget and welcome Jacob home?) but Jacob becomes the honored father of the twelve tribes.

What are we supposed to make of this? Does God not care that Esau was cheated of his birthright? Did he want Jacob to be the figure he was, and would it have happened even if he hadn’t stolen Esau’s birthright? Might he have been greater if he hadn’t? Where was God for Esau?

I find this story disturbing. Like some other stories in the Bible, the ‘hero’ does all sorts of awful things, and God’s blessings just continue to flow, or so it appears, with no protest against the way some of these people hurt the others in their lives.

I’d love any (name removed by moderator)ut to help me understand this story.
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I know what you mean! Poor Esau, right from the description of his birth, he is described in a less than favorable light. Let me try to help you understand the perceived unfairness with a bit of help from my Bible study workbook The Great Adventure by Jeff Cavins et. al. First, keep in mind that it was Hebrew tradition that all glory and honor went to the first born son.
  • God chose Jacob while he was in his mother’s womb, and not because of any faithfulness on his part or his own merit
  • “God chose Jacob before he’d had a chance to do anything good or bad to show that God’s people did not rise ‘naturally’ or according to worldly skill or wisdom but because of His initiative. They were not chosen because they were better than others but simply out of what the Catechism calls God’s ‘sheer gratuitous love’ (218)”
  • Jacob did not fair as well as it may appear. Look at the hip injury he suffered when he finally realized that it was not Esau but God he was struggling with
  • A major disgrace occurred when Jacob’s sons avenged the rape of Dinah
  • Esau was not concerned with the Lord; he was more caught up in immediate physical needs
  • Jacob had a surprise switch happen to him. What of the wedding night when he married Rachel, only to find out he had married Leah instead? Then he must work another seven years for Rachel before he can leave. What goes around, comes around.
  • What happens to Jacob’s favored son, Joseph? His brothers sell him into slavery.
    Hope this points you to another direction. Remember, God really is merciful but the stories need to be seen part of the bigger picture in order to clearly see the message.
Peace be with you,

Kelly
 
As Kelly points out, Jacob is to suffer. He was deceitful but God remained faithful in His blessing but Jacob would pay for it later on.
The homily on EWTN I think Fri/Sat and today had a lot to do with this subject if you want to hear what the priests had to say about it, they, the homilies, are archived on their page.
Don’t think that Jacob and his descendants didn’t suffer because of this. God is just. God is merciful.

God Bless
 
Kelly, you’ve got it so right.

What does Uncle Laban do to Jacob when he asks for Rachel’s hand in marriage? After working 7 years for the right to her, Laban switches Rachel for Leah (who’s name mean’s “cow”). Jacob, who tricked his older brother out of his inheritance, gets tricked with the older sister as a wife instead of his beloved Rachel. He would get to marry, but he was forced to work an extra 7 years in the bargain.

God does have a sense of humor!!! 😛

Then, in the ultimate irony, Jacob’s own sons pull a deception on him far worse than Jacob’s on Isaac. They smear blood on Joseph’s coat to show that he has been slain by a lion. Joseph, of course, was Jacob’s favorite son (the first born of his wife Rachel).

What do the son’s use as blood in the deception? Goat’s Blood!!!

What did Jacob use to deceive Isaac in thinking he had the hairy arms of Esau? Goat’s hide!!!

I don’t think Jacob got off Scott-Free in his little deception of Esau!!!
 
From what I understand, Esau sold his birthright for a meal, thinking more about his stomach than his birthright. I think there is a parallel meant in that we sell out our birthright for our material appetites. Esau wasn’t paying attention to what he should have been. I think the story of Cain and Abel have similar connotations.

I think we are supposed to look at all the Bible stories with their moral sense as well as the historical realities which could more or less be factual accounts. Everything in life that happens is supposed to have this moral sense to it.
 
I am confused on this passage too. Although, I wonder if it conveys that because the blessing was thought to be Esau’s…then, really…Jacob wouldn’t feel good about stealing it. I didn’t see God blessing him, but the man wanting the blessing to go to Jacob. If people steal, cheat…commit crimes and get away with them–are they blessed? No. It just seems that way.

Does this make sense–anyone?🤷
 
whatevergirl said:
I am confused on this passage too. Although, I wonder if it conveys that because the blessing was thought to be Esau’s…then, really…Jacob wouldn’t feel good about stealing it. I didn’t see God blessing him, but the man wanting the blessing to go to Jacob. If people steal, cheat…commit crimes and get away with them–are they blessed? No. It just seems that way.

Does this make sense–anyone?🤷
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I can’t imagine God being keen on blessing Esau either - the man was ready to give away his inheritance (including God’s blessing that came with it) for a bowl of soup for Pete’s sake. Talk about messed up priorities!

Perhaps the story is meant to convey that Jacob was wayward in youth and more or less grew into wisdom and holiness. Certainly if Esau could reconcile with him, as he later did, God could too.
 
LilyM said:
I can’t imagine God being keen on blessing Esau either - the man was ready to give away his inheritance (including God’s blessing that came with it) for a bowl of soup for Pete’s sake. Talk about messed up priorities!

Perhaps the story is meant to convey that Jacob was wayward in youth and more or less grew into wisdom and holiness. Certainly if Esau could reconcile with him, as he later did, God could too.
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yes–agreed! Hi Lily…I like your new sig…is that you?🙂
 
whatevergirl said:
I am confused on this passage too. Although, I wonder if it conveys that because the blessing was thought to be Esau’s…then, really…Jacob wouldn’t feel good about stealing it. I didn’t see God blessing him, but the man wanting the blessing to go to Jacob. If people steal, cheat…commit crimes and get away with them–are they blessed? No. It just seems that way.

Does this make sense–anyone?🤷
Click to expand...
Did posts 3 & 5 cover it adequately?
 
ktp said:
I was re-reading the story of Jacob stealing Esau’s blessing, and it seems that he got a huge reward for cheating, lying, and stealing his brother’s blessing. We never hear much more about Esau (doesn’t he eventually just forgive and forget and welcome Jacob home?) but Jacob becomes the honored father of the twelve tribes.

What are we supposed to make of this? Does God not care that Esau was cheated of his birthright? Did he want Jacob to be the figure he was, and would it have happened even if he hadn’t stolen Esau’s birthright? Might he have been greater if he hadn’t? Where was God for Esau?

I find this story disturbing. Like some other stories in the Bible, the ‘hero’ does all sorts of awful things, and God’s blessings just continue to flow, or so it appears, with no protest against the way some of these people hurt the others in their lives.

I’d love any (name removed by moderator)ut to help me understand this story.
Click to expand...

I beg to disagree 🙂​

Jacob:
  • earned his brother’s hatred
  • had to leave his home as a fugitive
  • never saw his mother again
  • had to work for his uncle
  • was deceived by him
  • had to work seven years more than the seben he had worked to gain Rachel
  • had to marry Leah first
  • & all because he cheated his brother & deceived his father; he paid heavily for doing so.
As for Esau - the author is interested in Jacob because he was the father of the Twelve; Esau is important in so far as his life affects Jacob’s, but, on the whole, not otherwise. Which is why the descendants of Abraham through Hagar & Keturah don’t receive the attention Isaac son of Abraham & Sarah does.

Equally, despite the sins of the Patriarchs, God’s promise declared to Abram in chapter 12 is not derailed - He is still faithful to his promise, even though they do not always behave as they should; & this is how he treats the Chosen People descended from them. And, of course, the Church. 🙂

The fact that God is true to His promise underlines two very important facts:
  • He is a God Who chooses people - election is a major theme in both OT & NT
  • He is a God of grace - this is also a major theme in both Testaments
  • & it is in Jesus Christ that the full meaning of both these themes is made fully clear.
 
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