Genesis 27:41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
The lifespan of a wormwood seed over which it remains viable is about 10 years. The seed grows prolific plants even after 10 years! ‘Wormwood’, the bitter toxic herb, is a metaphor for bitterness and resentment in the Bible. When we are hurt, harmed or abused, the experience can be forgotten but if the seeds of the suffering remain on the shelves of our heart, they will spring back into toxicity and hatred, when triggered. This is why couples bring back the painful past incidents, even after decades, during an argument or a disagreement. Get rid of the poisonous seeds of pain buried deep down in your heart. If not, the bitter seeds will retrigger, revive and remain in the bloodline of our generation.
The dispute between twin brothers Esau and Jacob was more than sibling rivalry; it was deep-seeded animosity! Esau hated his brother Jacob as he was tricked by his crafty brother to sell his birthright as the firstborn, for a cup of lentil stew. Then, he impersonated Esau and took Esau’s blessings from his father. The anger of Esau turned into deep-rooted hostility in him. Further, the Edomites, the generations of Esau, remained enemies to the Jews until the lineage disappeared from history (Numbers 20:17). Esau was a warrior and so was his generation – fierce and rugged. Both the skill of hunting and the seeds of wormwood remained and resurfaced in the Edomites as the old hatred and antagonism in their bloodline. Hoarding and holding onto the pain of the past will poison the heart with hatred.
Seeds of Bitterness:
1. Hoard: Esau and Jacob reconciled later on in life but the seeds of hatred were passed on to the Edomites. Countries that hate each other such as Palestine and Israel, Ukraine and Russia or Taiwan and China have seeds of animosity that have sprung up as national crisis. The core of the issue between national enmities is grudge and deep-rooted bitterness that goes back many generations.
2. Hold: It is important to clean the shelf of our hearts and get rid of the seeds of bitterness. When we are tempted to reverberate the past insults or hurtful incidents over and over again, we relive the past and intensify, magnify and prolong the suffering. Bitter seeds are planted and replanted when we refuse to let-go the seeds of bitterness.
3. Hate: Hatred has poisoned the hearts and contaminated the bloodstream of the nations that hate each other. What they need is a heart transplant and blood transfusion. Only the holy blood of Jesus can set them free of hatred.
Seeds of bitterness must be destroyed before the soil of the heart replants and grows wormwood bitter shrubs.
Numbers 20:18 But Edom answered: “You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, search me O’ Lord and see if there are seeds of bitterness hidden in my heart and help me to get rid of them. Amen.
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