Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing.
Esau’s resentment
I. IT WAS CARNAL.
II. IT WAS OVER-RULED FOR GOOD. (T. H. Leale.)
Lessons
1. Esau’s wicked hypocrites hate always bitterly those whom God loves dearly.
2. God’s blessing on His own is the cause why the wicked do so much hate and curse them.
3. The hearts of the wicked are meditating mischief, and their tongues belching it out against the righteous.
4. Pretended mourning for the dead is the hypocrite’s cloak for the death of the living.
5. Mischievous hypocrites in the Church, stick not to hasten the death of parents when they hinder from their ends.
6. Resolutions of the wicked are for the slaughter of the righteous and blessed, were it in their hands. (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. Providence ordereth the counsels of the wicked to be revealed that they may be prevented.
2. God maketh sometimes the instruments of their straits to be instruments of deliverance to His. So Rebekah was to Jacob.
3. It is but meet that such who bring into danger should be solicitous to prevent it.
4. Timely advice for safety should be taken with greatest heed, as given with greatest care.
5. The murder of the innocent is the comfort of the cruel and wicked man. Revenge comforts the hypocrite, when no harm is done to him (Genesis 27:22).
6. The mother’s voice must be heard when it tends to the good of children.
7. Flight from danger into exile is many times the lot of persecuted saints.
8. God can make the wicked’s habitations sometimes shelters to His people (Genesis 27:43.)
9. Gracious parents and children would part but for a little time if it might be.
10. Time wears out anger and memory of all pretended injuries in the wicked (Genesis 27:44).
11. Tender mothers long to preserve the lives of children, evil and good.
12. To be childless, or bereft of all, is an evil deprecated by the saints (verse Jeremiah 31:15). (G. Hughes, B. D.)