MANTLES OF SHADOW AND LIGHT
"On the day of Abraham’s death, Esau had been out in the fields as usual. He had lost his way and was trying to find his way back, when King Nimrod arrived with two servants. Esau hid behind a rock, and when Nimrod was left unguarded, he killed him and fought the two servants who rushed to the aid of their master. Esau escaped with King Nimrod’s clothes. These were Adam’s garments which later became the property of Noah; Noah’s son Ham, who was Nimrod’s grandfather, had subsequently become their owner, and finally Nimrod had acquired them. These divine clothes had made Nimrod a powerful and skillful hunter and a mighty ruler over all other kings. Now Esau had come into possession of the most valuable and cherished property a hunter could desire."
ESAU WAS A TAKER.
This study of Jacob and Esau from Jewish history site www.chabad.org describes Esau as a "man of the fields who resorted to any number of tricks to avoid studying." He did not want to patiently learn his way into power. Esau took what he wanted, and in so doing killed King Nimrod, the mighty hunter, architect and ruler, and stole his vestments, Adam's own clothing (not reported in the Bible that I know of, but reasonable in light of the fact that God clothed Adam and Eve before kicking them out of Eden). The clothing gave him incredible knowledge and power, but his manner of acquiring it showed a disrespect for divinity and authority. It was dirty and bloody when Esau returned.
In light of this context, it is simple to surmise that Esau threw over his birthright because he had stolen Nimrod's mantle.
Having stumbled into proximity with Ham's grandson Nimrod, Esau's first instinct was to kill him and to take his influence, not to offer himself as a servant or an apprentice, and so earn his mantle. Esau was cowardly and opportunistic in obtaining Nimrod's gear. He hid and waited for an unguarded moment to kill the king and steal his goods. Escaping with the king's clothing, Esau then sold his birthright to assuage his growling belly.
In many ways, we are as much like Esau as we are like Jacob. Only when we are pressed by situations in life do we become willing to sit at the feet of Wisdom. Why patiently and meticulously learn God's will for our lives when we can satisfy ourselves with the things that money buys? Why fast and pray when you can FaceTime and WhatsApp?
Finding your Dominion, with a capital "D" means finding equilibrium. There must be a balance between pursuit and and prayer as we seek to fulfill God's will for our lives.
"Understanding Seasons," Dr. Romero Maridjan
Esau had no concept of the cyclical nature of God's blessings, mainly because he was a hunter, and no time of the year need be ruled out as good for going out to kill for meat.
Jacob, on the other hand, was certainly more mindful of the times and seasons ordained by God to guide men through life successfully. He listened to his father and grandfather; spent time with his mother learning the wiles of women, and Jacob was pious, as well as studious and reserved. He maneuvered his older brother out of his birthright out of fear of God more than for his own gain.
Esau's dating habits were already making God mad. (Genesis 36:2)
When we act out our fleshly desires, we become blind to the spiritual repercussions of what we are doing. It feels good to buy that, date that person, hate that other person, ignore still another person--but we are surprised when favor favors the person right next to us, who has a more honest relationship with the Holy Spirit than we do. Even though we genuinely love the Lord, if we are constantly blowing Him off for the pleasures His grace has afforded: cars, homes, vacations, beer--then how can we expect to know and follow His will for us? How easy is it for Satan to step in and turn your blessing into a shopping addiction, or a money pit, or insurmountable credit card debt, or a massive gut?
We must live within the world's systems, that is true. To do so according to God's rules requires commitment, integrity, and courage. In exchange for this, God grants us mercy. He shows us favor, and He gives us peace.
When we have mercy, favor, and peace from God, we have obtained Dominion. We can master any circumstance because we have surrendered all situations to God for disposal. Both in the figurative sense of taking care of something and in the sense of getting rid of a thing, God can do it. When we access this portion of God, we walk in dominion--over the world's systems, its economy, its pitfalls and its snares. Dominion empowers us to show forth the Kingdom of God until Jesus comes, so it is important to pursue it.
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