Jump Start # 3493

Genesis 27:42 “Now when the words of the elder son Esau were reported to Rebekah, she sent and called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, ‘Behold your brother Esau is consoling himself concerning you by planning to kill you.”

One of the sad and disheartening things we find in the Bible are the broken and dysfunctional families that make up the Bible story. Cain killed his brother. Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him but were talked into selling him. Here, angry Esau plans to kill his brother. Throughout the Bible story we read of kings killing off siblings to protect their reign.

Our verse tells us that Esau consoled himself by devising this wicked plan. The ESV uses the word “comfort.” Thinking evil brought comfort to Esau. If Jacob were dead, then the birthright would fall back to Esau. His foolish act of trading his birthright for a common meal was his own shallow and empty choice. Once the deed was done, it could not be reversed. But if Jacob were dead, it would fall back into his hands. Wicked thoughts. Evil plans. Cold hearted. No regard for life. Esau had a plan. These wrong thoughts brought him comfort. He felt good about thinking bad. No love for his brother. Selfish and learning nothing from the story of Cain, he was walking in those same steps.

Rebekah learned of this wickedness. She told Jacob.

There are some powerful lessons for us:

First, some spend most of their time thinking evil and planning wickedness. That is their world. Generosity, kindness, grace and forgiveness are as foreign to them as a foreign language. They have no desire to be nice or to do good. Self is all they ever think about. If their words or actions hurt others, they don’t care. If lying, stealing and cheating gets them what they want, they will do that and it will not bother their conscience in the least.

In the days of Noah, the thoughts and the intents of the people were wicked all the time. In the days of Lot, the citizens of Sodom vexed the soul of the righteous by what was being said and done. Killing babies didn’t bother either Pharoah or Herod.

The Proverbs warns us not to envy the evil doer. Hollywood has glamorized on film the bank robber, the thief and the wicked. Their lives are not good. They leave a trail of destruction and pain.

Second, Esau got comfort from wicked thinking. A diseased heart will do that. Others get comfort from a bottle of alcohol. Some from drugs. Some from stealing. Wrong brings satisfaction to those with a wicked heart. It bothers us that some can do wrong and it not bothers them. Their conscience is seared. It’s broken. They have no heart. Evil terrorists plan to destroy and hurt the lives of the innocent. They get joy in thinking how much harm they can cause.

Until evil comes to their front door, most wicked people do not see what they are doing. Their eyes are blind and they have no desire to do what is noble, right and godly. How hard it is to turn such wicked hearts. A culture of godlessness, evil and selfishness has created such wicked hearts. Homes without God, guidance and goodness will easily lead to such indifference to life and such utter selfishness.

Even among God’s people, there are those who delight in hurting others. They do not make plans to kill anyone, but by their gossipy ways, they ruin reputations, hurt feelings and splinter the unity of a congregation. And, worse, there are those who delight in doing such things. They may attend, and even believe that they are Christians, but they stand with the likes of Cain and Esau. There is no comfort in planning evil against someone—whether in actions or words; whether in person or on social media.

Third, God knows. He always knows. He knows the thoughts and the intents of the heart. God knew that Esau was scheming and devising to kill Jacob. Was it just luck or the workings of God that Rebekah found out and she told Jacob? And when the innocent suffer because of the hands of the wicked, God knows. David was chased about the countryside for more than a decade by King Saul who wanted to kill him. Our Lord had many attempts on His life before He saw the time to lay down His life.

We want God to stop the wickedness right now. Put an end to these evil plans. Don’t allow the plans to come about. But, this isn’t Heaven. Broken lives are often bent on continuing to do wrong. They will not stop until the Lord brings their lives to an end. But that won’t be the end. They must give an account to the Lord for all the evil that they have done. God’s grace ignored, His word violated, His way abused, Heaven will not hold a place for wicked hearts.

Our comfort is in the Lord. Our comfort is in doing good to others. Our comfort is in helping others see Jesus.

Comfort in evil—that’s not the way to live.

Roger