What does faith have to do with knowing right from wrong in Esau’s case?
Faith enables a person to know right from wrong automatically. Esau, being destitute of faith, was incapable perhaps of knowing right from wrong. Scripture describes him as a profane and immoral person, which explains why God sovereignly chose Jacob, not Esau, for the Messianic line.
Les explains that when a person has faith, he automatically knows right from wrong. But Esau was a man destitute of faith and was perhaps incapable of knowing right from wrong. Isaac realized this and trembled when Esau became upset, yet Isaac would not take back the blessing, saying, "and he shall be blessed." Esau then cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry because he had missed the material blessing. Hebrews 12:16-17 describes Esau as an immoral or profane person, which helps explain why God in His sovereignty designated Jacob for the line of the Messiah rather than Esau.