Was there a place in God’s plan and kingdom for Esau? Yes, it was prophesied over him at birth: he was to serve his younger brother Jacob. When Esau failed in this, was there a place of repentance for him? Yes, until the root of bitterness that he allowed into his unsubmissive and profane heart choked out any appeal of the grace of God that he follow holiness and live at peace with all men – specifically the man he was ordained to serve: Jacob.

The word of God for Esau found no place to take root in his heart. He was called to serve, yet he served no one. His focus was in roaming the hills in conquest to satisfy his appetites, both as a hunter and as a fornicator. It is no wonder that he ended up with heathen wives who grieved his parents. It is no wonder he sold out his birthrite for a bowl of stew.

His service of his own lusts and appetites brought him to a point where he had no more ability to discern what was precious and what was vile. His conscience was seared. Later he begged his father sincerely with tears to give him the blessing, but his appeal was rejected by his father and thrown out of the court of heaven; because he had utterly disqualified himself from receiving the blessing.

No cry of true repentance is ever rejected by Father. Esau’s strong cries were really cries of not getting what he wanted, and they came out of the same spirit that moved Saul to tear Samuel’s robe and beg Samuel to come back and support him politically before the troops. Father listens closely when people cry out in repentance, and the cry must be a heartcry of “What have I done?!”

The entire issue is the rebellion of a man’s devotion to his individual course, which God sees as a horse running headlong into battle. It is instinctive, self-consumed, destructive and unturnable. It ignores the grace and call of God until it finds itself finally cornered and inescapably facing the same destruction it has given itself over to. Even at that point it has no intention of changing its ways – it just wants out of judgment.

Acts 3:19 is one of the most amazing calls to true repentance witnessed in the entire Bible. Here it is in the Amplified translation, which really brings out how rich the call is, how wide Father is throwing the door open: 19 So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.

Look how closely this parallels Father’s appeal in the Old Testament in Hosea 6!
1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Come take the blood of the Lamb who was brutally betrayed and murdered for you; and once and for all be free! Come follow on to know the one who was raised in newness of life for you, and walk as he walks.