MANTLES OF SHADOW AND LIGHT

MANTLES OF SHADOW AND LIGHT

Esau Kills Nimrod

"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

Dr. Romero Maridjan's YouTube Channel

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.

DOMINION AND DESTINY

DOMINION IS DESTINY!

Jacob, now Israel had a favored son.  The story of Joseph is one of the most well-known Bible stories, and it is instructive.  Dominion was a long time coming for Joseph.

Israel received his dominion at Bethel in Canaan:

"God said to him, '"Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel."  (Genesis 35:10)

"And God said to him, I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number.  A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body.  The land  I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."  

(Genesis 35:11-12)

None of us has been so fortunate as to have God Himself sit down with us and explain that He is giving us our dominion with such specificity.  Israel memorialized the time and the place accordingly, and after three thousand years, this place can still be visited. Part of establishing dominion is memorializing it for future generations.  Whether it is an heirloom, a road named after a hard-working ancestor (there is a lot of that here in North Carolina), or a given name that appears in each generation--I am the current William-holder in my fam--it is important to bring the efforts of past lives into the present for the future.

Corbett Athletic Facility, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.

Just because you get dominion, doesn't mean things get easier.  The next thing that happened to Jacob after he got his new name and the promise of dominion was that his beloved Rebekah died in childbirth.  Then his eldest, unloved Leah's child and Israel's firstborn Reuben, "went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it." (Genesis 35:22)  In the Bible days. a son slept with his father's concubines to establish dominion.  David's son Absalom did it with ten wives on a rooftop, in front of the entire city of Jerusalem.  He thought he was going to be king.  

Reuben did it as a sign of disrespect for his father, and to tell the world that one day he was going to be the leader of the tribe.  Dominion can be stolen, but not usurped.  Apparently Reuben disregarded what God told his father, and decided that he could just work around the Sovereign Plan.  Israel didn't mention it until much later.

Meanwhile, Esau also had twelve sons.  It says in Genesis 36 that Basemath was the "daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nabaioth."

  

The Mystery of Esau's Wives

This blog goes a long way in helping to sort this out!

The rivalry between Israel and Esau was NEVER concluded.  It rages on, after a fashion, to this very day.

Seventeen years later, Joseph began to learn the same hard lesson.  Achieving dominion is never easy. He was his father's favorite.  His brothers knew it.  So it did not help when he snitched on them at the beginning of Genesis 37.  Then, "Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more."  (Genesis 37:5)

Joseph's dream was one of dominion.  God told him that he would rule over his brothers.  Joseph never thought that maybe he should not tell them that.  When your dominion arrives, not everyone will be happy for you.  It is best to be prudent.  Better yet, just proceed to live it out, and don't say anything about it to anyone!  

"Here comes that dreamer!" They said to each other.  Come now, let's kill him...then we'll see what comes of his dreams."  (Genesis 37:20)

Reuben wanted to save him; Judah wanted to sell him.  "after all, he is our brother," said he. (Genesis 35:27)  So they waited for a caravan, pulled the young man out of the cistern where they'd imprisoned him and sold him for twenty silver shekels. Stripped him of his beautiful robe--the signifier his father's favor.  Reuben was not there to prevent it, and though he had impugned his father most grievously, he went and broke the news. Joseph was gone from them.  They  took the robe they were so jealous of and dipped it in goat's blood.  They likely ate the goat they'd slaughtered to supply the fake evidence, and then went and told Israel the story they'd manufactured.   It was a lie, but Reuben's distress was genuine.  

One can only guess at how Joseph felt:  first in the dark cistern, a dry well that flooded and stayed full after a rare desert rain--often for years; then callously sold by his brothers, and finally, carted off to an unknown land.  He was sold yet again, and wound up in Egypt.

As a practical matter, you could be anywhere along this dominion continuum.  You could be basking in the glow of learning that God has big plans for you.  You could be impetuously, imprudently bragging to your haters about those plans.  Or, you could be carried away on a swift tide of unforeseen events, traumatizing happenstance designed to prepare you for your destiny.  Dominion could appear far away on a dim horizon.  You could spend years trapped in oppressive circumstances.  Someone could take advantage of your brains, your looks, or your assets--and you might be helpless to stop them.

Just don't give up on dominion.  Stick to your values and your principles, as Joseph did.  Don't give up on helping people when opportunity presents itself.  Like Joseph, if you persevere, your dominion will come.

Your dominion can overtake you at any point in your life.  Joseph was a young man with a bright future.  Circumstances led him to his dominion and his destiny.  He was prepared by adversity to meet them when they arrived.

We will talk more about Joseph's road to dominion.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog.

WHAT IS DOMINION?

Dominion is "supreme authority."  It is "the power to rule," according to Webster's Dictionary.  Webster's also provides us with the definition of 'dominion' as an order of angels in the Celestial Hierarchy.  They are fourth from the top, below thrones, cherubim and seraphim.  

Dominion is a state of holiness.

God blessed man with supreme authority and the power to rule in Genesis 1:28  He created us "in his own image" (Genesis 1:27), and God is the Supreme Authority on earth and in heaven.  Our authority mirrors His authority.  

If we recognize our dominion to the smallest degree, then we are able to become powerful agents for the work of the LORD.  

The dominion that God provides for us is pure in its intent and function.

As with anything God provides for us, free will is integral to that function.  Consider Esau and Jacob.

Esau was ruled by the flesh.  He was short-sighted and impetuous as well.  He is described in Genesis 25:27 as "a skillful hunter, a man of the open country."  He was also his father's favorite (25:28), a position he took for granted.

When we think of the traits of the hunter, we recognize him as stealthy; a solitary sort who wanders without considered direction in search of prey.  A hunter must be hard. He is a predator. Instinctive and cunning, he must hunt and kill without pity or remorse.  He is responsible to skin and butcher that which he has hunted, more often than not.  He cannot be squeamish. A hunter is not sensitive, though he may have high regard for the animals he kills for food.  

Clearly, Esau was not given to planning.  He had no contingency for the times his effort produced no results. Nothing salted and put away for later, it seems. Consequently, he was at Jacob's mercy one day when his skill at hunting did not serve him.

 "I am about to die," he exaggerated to his crafty brother in Genesis 25:32.  "What good is the birthright to me?"

And so he cast his God-given dominion away for a bowl of stew: "He ate and drank, and then got up and left."

"So Esau despised his birthright."  (Genesis 25:34)

"Offense: It's Not Worth It!"  Pastor Shyami Maridjan, Crusaders Church, The Netherlands

Because his belly was growling, Esau cast away dominion.  

Esau was rash and reckless to a fault. He married two Hittite girls, who "were a grief of mind" (Genesis 26:35, KJV) to Isaac and Rebekah, his parents.  Likely they were the only women who could contend with such a roughneck as Esau. He took no thought to the Hebraic custom forbidding intermarriage with other tribes, nor did he care that his parents were vexed by their daughters-in-law.  The Hittite 'sons of Heth' were a ferocious people whose ethnic label corresponded to "Sons of Terror;" literally, their name meant "to beat down."  Ancient tablets depict them trampling helpless opponents with their chariots.  Elon, Basemath's father, was a strong chieftain.  Beeri, his other wife's father was likely a rich man--his name means 'deep well.' 

http://worldlightreview.com/scripture-commentaries/bible/old-testament/

By the time their father was enfeebled and foggy-eyed enough to be deceived by the goat hair strapped to Jacob's neck and wrists, it was too late for Esau to make things right.  Long before, Esau had shown God how little his dominion as firstborn son meant to him. Circumstances will work against you when you choose not to appreciate the blessings of God.  Esau's eavesdropping mom pounced on the opportunity to steal his blessing and give it to her favorite.  Without compunction she schemed for Jacob to get it, and God permitted her to succeed with the deception because Esau had already shown contempt for His provision!

Isaac was not fooled.  Not completely.  He asked point blank in Genesis 27:24 "Are you really my son Esau?"  

"I am," Jacob lied, and Esau's dominion passed to him:

"Be lord over your brothers and may the sons of your mother bow down to you." (Genesis 27:29)

God has got His way.  He will DO stuff in a manner that is undeniable. "Jacob had scarcely left his father's presence" (27:30) when Esau appeared from the hunt.  In complete ignorance, he prepared the game for his father, fully expecting to receive his blessing.  It simply never occurred to him that relinquishing his birthright might have lifelong (not to say, historic, generational) consequences.

"Eat this, Pop, so I can get my blessing," (27:31) was Esau's attitude.

A shaken Isaac broke the bad news:  "I blessed him...indeed he will be blessed!" (27:33)

Esau was without introspection.  He "gave a loud and bitter cry," begged for a blessing, and squalled, "He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!"(Genesis 27:36)

So Esau hollered and cried as his father explained that not only had Jacob "supplanted him," as it says in the King James version of events, but Esau would be subject as a servant to Jacob, "and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion (my emphasis), that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck." (Genesis 27:40, KJV)

Fourteen years passed before the brothers met again.  Jacob was terrified, and took steps to ensure the safety of his family group. Sending them on ahead, he tarried alone by the Jabbok stream. Jacob wrestled with God's angel all night prior to meeting up with Esau again, and came away with a limp.  Unlike Esau, who cried and begged for any kind of leftovers, Jacob demanded a blessing from the angelic man, who had to dislocate his hip to get him to quit fighting!  

His refusal to accept less than a blessing is an example for all Believers to follow.

Jacob, now Israel, knew how to take dominion over a situation.

Esau seems to have left all animosity in the past when finally reunited with his twin brother.  Jacob still did not trust him, though Esau embraced him and kissed him with joy.  The brothers wept. "Who are these with you?" asked Esau. (Genesis 33:5)
Israel introduced them and they all bowed down to Esau, who was mystified by the obeisance and the gifts.  He had grown wealthy. Possibly he thought he had received the birthright after all. Jacob had run off to Laban's house, leaving Esau with their father's wealth. Perhaps this is the dominion to which his father referred.    Subsequently, Esau became father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.  But, consequences tend to persist when their originating causes are not rooted out.

Esau's life typifies the principles of dominion.  Even though he achieved a surface reconciliation with his brother Jacob, his descendants never stopped opposing the Israelites.  They refused to let them pass through their land during the Exodus from Egypt; from that point on, any opportunity to oppress or impede their Israelite kinsmen was taken up.  Generations after the life and death of the twin brothers, God meted out His retribution against the peoples of Edom.  We can surmise that Esau's reconciliation with his brother never touched his inmost being, never took root in his soul. This lack of repentance was borne out in future generations.

The lesson we learn from Esau's callousness and lack of consideration is that it stripped his dominion from him during his lifetime, and caused generational ripples which led to the annihilation of his descendants.  There is no reason to think that our lack of repentance and humility will not cause the same kind of problems for our descendants.

NEXT:  Dominion and Destiny.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog.