Well, my dear friend, this is a very good question! The Scripture describing this event is found in Genesis 25:33-34, and in verse 34 we read a most telling statement: “…thus Esau despised his birthright.” The word “despise” is a strong word indeed, and it means to not value something. As you might recall, Esau and Jacob were twins, but Esau was older by a few minutes, and as the older son, he would have been entitled to the birthright…a double portion of what any other son in the family could receive as an inheritance; and, he was then to be the tribal or family head after the father’s death. This was a very important role, but Esau did not appear to care much about that. Perhaps Esau did not realize that the line of the Messiah was to be traced through Abraham, Isaac, and Isaac’s son; but just the same, one must find the promises of the Lord to be most precious, and Esau apparently did not!  And receiving this blessing would have been something to value.  Not only land, seed and blessing forever as promised to Abraham regarding the future of God’s chosen people, but to be in the very line of Christ, through whom all the nations were to be blessed! Now, I realize that Esau and even Jacob may not have fully realized the significance of God’s promise in terms of the Christ, but certainly they should have valued the promise of blessing given by God, and Esau obviously did not. Esau only valued what he needed for the moment to satisfy his physical desires, and there was apparently no thought whatever of the full value of the role and inheritance of the firstborn. Thus, he carelessly gave away his birthright, that of being the head of the line of God’s special blessing.  Now, neither man demonstrated a great deal of holiness in their ways, as we see that Jacob chose to lie in order to actually get Isaac’s blessing (Genesis 27:1-40). But, here I believe that we see both God’s Grace in forgiving Jacob for his shortcomings, and God’s sovereignty in choosing Jacob to be the chosen one to be the father of the nation of Israel, God’s earthly people, and as well, one in the very line of Christ.

Now, as to the lesson for us in Esau despising the gift of God, I think we get a hint in Hebrews 12:14-17. I believe that in this portion, the Jewish believers are being taught not to despise the gift of salvation through God’s grace by faith alone, which some were apparently apt to do by returning to the law in an attempt to earn salvation through adherence to works of the law.  William MacDonald in his commentary on Hebrews 12:17-18 says: “Later Esau was remorseful at the loss of the older son’s double portion, but it was too late. His father could not reverse the blessing. So it is with an apostate. He has no real regard for spiritual values. He willingly renounces Christ in order to escape reproach, suffering, or martyrdom…. There may be remorse but no godly repentance…12:18. Those who are tempted to return to the law should remember the terrifying circumstances that attended the giving of the law and should draw spiritual lessons from them….”   

To conclude, I’ll share what J. N. Darby said of Genesis 25 in his Synopsis of the Bible: “In Jacob there was nothing naturally attractive; but Esau despised the gift of God; his judgment of what was valuable had its origin from self. He was profane; though God in His secret counsels, had ordained the blessing in Jacob. Esau saw nothing beyond the earthly advantage of the gift, and nothing of the Giver or relationship with Him. Present things governed him, his own present enjoyment; and God’s promise had no further importance. Jacob, however wretched his way of getting it, valued the promise for its own sake; gave up present things, poor things no doubt, but enough to govern Esau’s heart, to get it.”  (SF)  (589.3)