Jacob
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From before the birth of the twins God has already stated that Jacob would be the one to receive the inheritance though he was the younger.
Compare Romans 9:10-13.
This does not mean that Esau was damned before birth, because he was also to become a great nation.
God wanted Jacob to be the head of His chosen nation, would we have chosen him?

Esau represents what is natural, the flesh, while Jacob represents the spiritual life. The lives of these two brothers always in competition is similar to the Believers two natures, the old nature of the flesh always fighting the spiritual nature.
In Esau we see the nature which has no desire for the things of God. In Jacob we find a nature which desires the things of God, unfortunately, Jacob used the wrong way to achieve the promises of God.

Jacob’s lifetime was one continual battle, it is an interesting fact that God does not hid the failures but records all the good and bad of his life.
As a Believer we will all have a battle between our two natures. But the record of Jacob shows that God is prepared to work for a long time to bring someone into the situation that He wants.
Jacob shows considerable selfishness throughout his lifetime, but eventually God brings Jacob to depend fully on Him.

God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of His chosen nation, Jacob was one of the stages in fulfilling this promise.
In Isaiah 41:14
Jacob is called "a worm," that is quite an animal to be compared with. God does not always chose the strong or clever to carry out His plans, more often He uses the foolish and weak. No flesh will glorify in the presence of God,
1 Corinthians 1:25-29.
Compare what was prophesied of Jesus in Psalm 22:6-8.

Birthright

The parents of Esau and Jacob had their favorite, Isaac loved Esau," because he did eat of his venison:" and Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite,
Genesis 25:28,
Favoritism often causes problems.
Before the birth of the twins Rebekah had been told by God that "the elder shall serve the younger,"
Genesis 25:23,
We have to assume that this was known by all the family and probably caused some of the favoritism of the two parents.

In the Old Testament times owning the birthright was a most desired facility, it came with power and a large section of the inheritance and other special blessings.

Esau sells the Birthright.

see Genesis 25:29-34.

Esau appears to have little care for the birthright because he was prepared to sell it to Jacob just for a meal. Following hunting, Esau felt he was "about to die of hunger," but this was rubbish, he just had no respect for the birthright, which was still in the future and he did not really have it to sell at the time. What’s a future promise against a nice hot meal.
Jacob had probably been waiting for the chance to obtain the birthright from Esau, but though he had been promised it by God, Jacob was prepared to use Esau’s flesh nature to obtain it instead of waiting on God. Using flesh nature to obtain spiritual desires is not acceptable to God. Jacob had to wait another 30 years before he was able to benefit from the birthright.

There was no excuse for the attitude of Esau to the Birthright,
in Hebrews 12:16,17,
We find a divine comment on the action by Esau.

Jacob spent many years plotting how to get the birthright, but it is interesting to note that God did not permit him to benefit from it until Jacob first accepted that Esau was the rightful owner. How different Jacob’s life would have been if he had waited upon God.

Unfortunately, there are many Christians who are concerned with the present and what it offers, not considering their future eternity in the presences of God. We must, as Believers, always wait on God.
Consider Romans 8:16,17,22,23,32,
From this passage we see that Believers are joint heirs with Christ, a spiritual birthright.
See also Ephesians 1:3-7;
Ephesians 2:5,6;
Colossians 1:18,27;
1 Corinthians 12:13.

The Stolen Birthright.

Genesis 27:1-4

The biggest problem was to occur when Isaac felt that he was approaching the end of his life and wanted to give the blessing to the heir of the family. According to the normal family arrangements of the time, and still tends to apply today, was that the oldest male would receive the inheritance and blessing. Esau and Jacob were twins and so had the same date of birth, but Esau was the first born so would normally have been the senior child.
Isaac would have know of the promise by God that "the elder shall serve the younger," yet still he planned to give Esau the blessing. Esau, was willing to do anything to restore his birthright, he too must have known of God’s promise. Unfortunately, Rebekah had other plans, neither were trusting God to fulfill the promise His way.

Rebekah’s Plan.

Genesis 27

Rebekah overhears Isaac speaking to Esau and his plans, so while Esau goes of to hunt for the venison Rebekah explains to Jacob what must be done. Jacob has great doubts of the plan working and he will end up being cursed by Isaac. His main doubt was that Esau was hairy and probably smelt of animals, while Jacob had smooth skin.
Rebekah lacks faith that God also has a plan to bless Jacob and so sets her plans in motion. She prepares a meal made of meat but adds seasoning so that it tastes like venison. Meanwhile Jacob goes off to find animal skins to cover his smooth skin.

Because of her lack of faith in God, Rebekah in giving God "a helping hand," but all she has done is to dishonored Him, she felt that God must need her help to carry out His plan.
This reminds us that Sarah also thought she could help God along, by offering Hagar to Abraham to have his child, what a disaster that ended in.
Jacob is more worried about the reaction of Isaac if he should realized what he was doing than his sin action against God, he lives up to his name "Deceiver."
Genesis 27:18-29:
Once the plot starts one lie leads to another, Jacob even lies that God has helped him in his hunting. Isaac is suspicious but on examining Jacob he said, "The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." Isaac eats the fake meal.
Genesis 27:26-29:
Just as with Jesus the kiss is part of the betrayal, Isaac is deceived and gives the blessing to Jacob, but it will be another 30 years before Jacob is to receive the benefits of the blessing.

Esau returns soon after with the prepared meal. Jacob was found out,
See and consider Numbers 32:23;
2 Corinthians 5:10.

Isaac’s reaction is strange, he realized he had been deceived but "Isaac, trembled very exceedingly, said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed." In horror Isaac realized that not only had his plan to bless Esau had not worked but he had tried to overrule the will of God by his action. God did not forgive and accept Jacob’s sin. God has now used it to wake up Isaac to his relationship with God, and the will and plans of God.

Isaac makes no attempt to change the blessing,
Hebrews 11:20,
Submitting to the will of God. Isaac and Jacob’s sin were not recorded by a loving God,
in Hebrews 11:20.
Esau, referred to as a "profane person," Hebrews 12:16,17
This was suggesting that Esau never submitted to the will of God.

Esau’s Reaction

Genesis 27:34-40

After Esau heard that Jacob had for a second time taken advantage of him, first with the purchase of his birthright for a meal and now the loss of his blessing, he hated his brother Jacob. He becomes desperate with weeping for some sort of blessing from Isaac, verses 38, but Isaac will not change his blessing of Jacob instead gives Esau the following, "Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck." verses 39,40.

Though Jacob removed the birthright by deceit Esau was also guilty because of his personal attitude to the birthright, it made it easy for Jacob to cleverly get the blessings.
Following the loss of the blessing Esau hates Jacob so much that he wants to kill him, but he thinking that Isaac was soon to die was prepared to wait A FEW DAYS to punish Jacob, unfortunately, though Isaac was 137 years old when he gave the blessing he was to live for another 43 years.
Rebekah has heard of Esau’s threats and plots and warns Jacob to leave immediately and go to her brother Laban in Haran until Esau’s anger ends, she will tell him when it was safe to return. She again tells a lie to Isaac for the reason of Jacob’s departure. Toget a wife from their family, not to take a wife from the local Hittites as Esau had done.
Rebekah never realized the sadness of her action, she was never to see Jacob again.

Trust God

We must learn to wait on God in our Christian life, He knows the right action, time and reason. Though Jacob sinned against God in the events looked at, His grace can be seen much in action.

Read and think on the following verses.

1. Romans 11:33-36
2. Romans 5:20
3. 1 John 1:9
4. Isaiah 46:9,10