Too late for repentance

October 16, 2020 (Friday)

 

After Jacob is blessed, Esau takes his meal to Isaac expecting blessing. As we read through Genesis 27 emotions wash over the story. Esau begins to regret. “When Esau heard what his father said, he let out a loud agonizing cry and wept bitterly. He said to his father, “Bless me! Me too, my father!” [Genesis 27:34 CEB]

  

Let me circle back to this verse, after I finish the story. I have been camping on the character flaws which disqualified Esau from carrying the Abrahamic covenant. Let me finish with one more. In the New Testament Jesus notes, the danger of bitterness and hate. Here is one example: “Esau was furious at Jacob because his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, When the period of mourning for the death of my father is over, I will kill my brother.” [Genesis 27:41 CEB]

 

Twice Esau has lost out. Jacob has taken his birthright due to his foolishness. Now he is being cheated of the blessing by his parents…. Err… Jacob. Why do I suspect his parents involvement in the plot. The way the story is written, Rebekah just happens to overhear Isaac promise Esau the blessing and plants a very complex bit of trickery in Jacob’s mind. Isaac just happens to claim the blessing cannot be revoked. Rebekah and Isaac cook up the excuse of sending Jacob away to keep him from marrying a Hittite. Isaac never condemns Jacob for the trick.

 

Let’s circle back to Esau’s tears. In Hebrews 12, Esau is held as a model of someone who is “ungodly.” Hebrews 12:16 – 17 details the charge against him. “…He sold his inheritance as the oldest son for one meal.” [Hebrews 12:16b CEB] Why is this ungodly? I think it is because Esau did not accept the possibility of God’s blessing in his life. He rejected it for food, women (in the negative sense), and pride.

 

The truly sad part is found in the next verse, “You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.” [Hebrews 12:27 NLT] Other translations are unclear in the meaning. The NIV states, “he could not change what he had done.” The ESV reads, “he found no chance to repent.” Even the “literal” translation ASV (1901) has to add words to make sense of the text, it reads, “for he found no place for a change of mind in his father.” (Whenever you see italics in a Bible, it means words that are not in the Greek text.)

  

Let me say this as simply as possible. Being “sorry” is not repentance. It’s a good step in the right direction but bitter tears do not make repentance. Repentance is a clear change of the mind and behavior. This change is a clear as night and day, life and death. There are things and times in our lives when it is “too late for repentance.” This is where we need to make an attempt to “make amends” or restitution for the damage we have done. Broken people require humility. I think Esau eventually learns this, but he has already become a negative example.

  

Wait, isn’t Esau’s story a tale about God’s selection and purpose? Yes, but in Hebrews it is a cautionary tale to encourage peaceful and holy living. “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” [Hebrews 12:14 NLT] Humble pie anyone?