I have always been a strong believer in the biblical scriptures, and one of the most captivating ones was Esau’s story. Esau, the eldest son of Isaac, is seen as a sinner who did not respect his birthright by selling it to his brother and failing to repent. God’s hatred towards Esau also made me question Esau’s final resting place when he died. The main question that most believers like me would want to know is, “Did Esau go to heaven?
Some scriptures, such as Hebrews 12:15–17 and Romans 9, speculate that Esau did not go to heaven because, despite sinning by selling his birthright for a bowl of soup, he still had no place for repentance, which angered the Lord.
In this article, I will extensively take you through the story of Esau. I will uncover if the Bible says Esau went to heaven, whether there is any indication in the Scriptures that Esau was saved, whether Esau lost his salvation, and if Christians believe Esau went to heaven. Finally, I will also unveil whether Bible commentators believe Esau went to heaven. Continue reading this article to find out.
Does the Bible say Esau went to heaven?
There is no specific Bible verse that states that Esau went to heaven. However, in Genesis 33, Esau’s subsequent behavior does not show repentance for his sin of selling his birthright for a bowl of soup. This shows that Esau rejected God’s covenant blessings, including salvation. Hebrews 12:15–17 paints a dark picture of Esau by showing that he is a godless man. Furthermore, Paul talks about God rejecting Esau as a demonstration of the way the reprobate is predestined by God to hell, as shown in Romans 9. This leads us to believe that the Bible does not support the claim that Esau went to heaven.
Is there any indication in the Scriptures that Esau was saved?
There are some indications in the Scriptures that lead us to believe Esau was saved. For instance, most biblical scholars believe that he was because, when selling his birthright to Jacob, it showed that he believed in the Abrahamic Covenant and its blessings, suggesting that he had faith. The only fault Esau had was that he was overpowered by his appetite. He lost his inheritance, which he later sought with tears, though he never repented. The author of Hebrews uses Esau as a demonstration to Christians to represent the dangers of spiritual blessing, which suggests that Esau was saved.
Did Esau lose his salvation?
Hebrews 12:15–17 and Romans 9:6–13 have led many Christians to question Esau’s salvation. In these two scriptures, we see that Esau sinned by selling his birthright to Jacob. We also get to know that he was rejected when he had the desire to inherit the blessing. The reason for this is stated in the scriptures: “he found no place for repentance’. In the Bible, several passages teach that God welcomes anyone who is repentant towards Him, and we see that Esau did not take the opportunity he had to seek repentance. This makes most Christians believe that Esau lost his salvation.
Do Christians believe Esau went to heaven?
Many Christians have conflicting opinions on this topic. Some believe he went to heaven because he had a change in heart, as seen in Genesis 33. Other Christians also believe that Esau did not go to heaven since he sold his birthright and failed to repent.
Do Bible commentators believe Esau went to heaven?
Most Bible commentators believe that Esau did not go to heaven and instead went to hell. They link this to Romans 9:13, which states, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’ Both hate and love are figures of speech used to refer to God’s choice, and the figure of speech is at times referred to as Semitism. According to John Murray, we are obliged to find this word a declaration of God’s sovereign counsel since it is concerned with the final destinies of men. Other commentators also believe that Esau did not go to heaven since he failed to repent after sinning by selling his birthright to Jacob.
However, some commentators still believe that there is a possibility that Esau went to heaven because they believe that believers are not always loving, faithful, and kind. They even say that they would be surprised if Esau were not in heaven.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
