The Bad Bargain Of Esau
Genesis 25:29-34
One of the saddest figures in the Bible is that of Esau.... Firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Jacob - Gen 25:21-26. Esau loved by his father Isaac, a skillful hunter - Gen 25:27-28. Esau was a man who had his good side.... He showed kindness to his brother who had deceived him – see Gen 33:1-16. He helped bury his father Isaac - Gen 35:29. Yet on two occasions he was manipulated by his brother Jacob.... The first when Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of pottage - Gen 25:29-34 “Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now." Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” The second when Jacob stole the blessing designed for Esau - Gen 27:1-41. In this study, we shall focus our attention on the first occasion, and lessons we might glean from this unfortunate circumstance in Esau’s life...
Esau sold his birthright. First, let’s look at what his birthright consisted of. The physical advantages of the birthright contained a double portion of the father’s inheritance - Deu 21:17 “but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.” The amount would have been very great, for what he eventually received was also great - Gen 36:6-7 “Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock.” He would have been offered rule and authority over other members of the family - Gen 27:29 “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"’ The spiritual advantages of this particular birthright would be becoming the patriarch and priest of the house on the death of his father (Barnes, Clarke). Chief of the chosen family, and heir of the promised blessing (Barnes). Able to invoke Abraham’s blessing, regarding the promise - Gen 28:4 “May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!"’; 12:1-3 “Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."’ -- Such were the issues at stake when Jacob and Esau bartered over the birthright.
Esau chose the sensual over the spiritual, thus making a bad bargain. He gave into the cravings of his hunger - Gen 25:29-34. He valued the red pottage (stew) more highly than his birthright. For this reason he was called “a profane person” - He 12:16 “that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.” Esau chose the present over the future. He tossed away future rewards for present gratification. The pottage may have assuaged his hunger for the day, but what of the morrow? This too made him a “profane” person. -- For temporary, physical pleasures Esau sold his birthright; what a bad bargain!
Certainly we would not think of making the same kind of bargain, would we? Perhaps not with an inheritance we might receive from our parents; but what of our spiritual inheritance...? Are we selling our birthright? Our birthright as Christians is that we are heirs according to the promise made to Abraham - Ga 3:29 “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.” We are joint-heirs with Christ - Ro 8:16-17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” We are heirs according to the hope of eternal life - Ti 3:7 “so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” We are heirs of the kingdom which He has promised - Ja 2:5 “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”; 2 Pe 1:11 “For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” In Him, all things are ours - 1 Co 3:21-23 “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.”; Re 21:7 “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” An inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, reserved in heaven - 1 Pe 1:4 “to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,” -- What a wonderful birthright, and not just limited to the hereafter! - Mk 10:28-30 “Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Are we making a bad bargain ourselves? How might we sell our birthright? We would do so by succumbing to the passing pleasures of sin - He 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” Lusting for things of the world - 1 Jn 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”; Ja 4:4 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Walking after the flesh rather than after the Spirit – (See Ga 5:16-26).
How might we hold on to our birthright? By Pursuing peace and holiness - He 12:14 “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Be careful not to fall short of God’s grace - He 12:15 “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;” Exercise discipline and godliness - 1 Co 9:24-27 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”; 1 Ti 4:7-8 “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Esau made the mistake of depreciating the value of his inheritance by succumbing to the desires of the flesh. We can make a similar mistake.... By not appreciating the value of our inheritance in Christ! Giving in to the allure of immediate gratification of the flesh!
If we are not careful, the time will come when it is too late; no matter how many tears we may shed, it will be too late to change God’s mind (cf. He 12:17). That is why we need to heed such warnings as that one given by the apostle Paul:
“We then, as workers together with Him, also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Co 6:1-2)
Are you in danger of selling your birthright as a Christian?
Genesis 25:29-34
One of the saddest figures in the Bible is that of Esau.... Firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Jacob - Gen 25:21-26. Esau loved by his father Isaac, a skillful hunter - Gen 25:27-28. Esau was a man who had his good side.... He showed kindness to his brother who had deceived him – see Gen 33:1-16. He helped bury his father Isaac - Gen 35:29. Yet on two occasions he was manipulated by his brother Jacob.... The first when Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of pottage - Gen 25:29-34 “Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now." Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” The second when Jacob stole the blessing designed for Esau - Gen 27:1-41. In this study, we shall focus our attention on the first occasion, and lessons we might glean from this unfortunate circumstance in Esau’s life...
Esau sold his birthright. First, let’s look at what his birthright consisted of. The physical advantages of the birthright contained a double portion of the father’s inheritance - Deu 21:17 “but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.” The amount would have been very great, for what he eventually received was also great - Gen 36:6-7 “Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock.” He would have been offered rule and authority over other members of the family - Gen 27:29 “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"’ The spiritual advantages of this particular birthright would be becoming the patriarch and priest of the house on the death of his father (Barnes, Clarke). Chief of the chosen family, and heir of the promised blessing (Barnes). Able to invoke Abraham’s blessing, regarding the promise - Gen 28:4 “May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!"’; 12:1-3 “Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."’ -- Such were the issues at stake when Jacob and Esau bartered over the birthright.
Esau chose the sensual over the spiritual, thus making a bad bargain. He gave into the cravings of his hunger - Gen 25:29-34. He valued the red pottage (stew) more highly than his birthright. For this reason he was called “a profane person” - He 12:16 “that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.” Esau chose the present over the future. He tossed away future rewards for present gratification. The pottage may have assuaged his hunger for the day, but what of the morrow? This too made him a “profane” person. -- For temporary, physical pleasures Esau sold his birthright; what a bad bargain!
Certainly we would not think of making the same kind of bargain, would we? Perhaps not with an inheritance we might receive from our parents; but what of our spiritual inheritance...? Are we selling our birthright? Our birthright as Christians is that we are heirs according to the promise made to Abraham - Ga 3:29 “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.” We are joint-heirs with Christ - Ro 8:16-17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” We are heirs according to the hope of eternal life - Ti 3:7 “so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” We are heirs of the kingdom which He has promised - Ja 2:5 “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”; 2 Pe 1:11 “For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” In Him, all things are ours - 1 Co 3:21-23 “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.”; Re 21:7 “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” An inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, reserved in heaven - 1 Pe 1:4 “to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,” -- What a wonderful birthright, and not just limited to the hereafter! - Mk 10:28-30 “Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Are we making a bad bargain ourselves? How might we sell our birthright? We would do so by succumbing to the passing pleasures of sin - He 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” Lusting for things of the world - 1 Jn 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”; Ja 4:4 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Walking after the flesh rather than after the Spirit – (See Ga 5:16-26).
How might we hold on to our birthright? By Pursuing peace and holiness - He 12:14 “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Be careful not to fall short of God’s grace - He 12:15 “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;” Exercise discipline and godliness - 1 Co 9:24-27 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”; 1 Ti 4:7-8 “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Esau made the mistake of depreciating the value of his inheritance by succumbing to the desires of the flesh. We can make a similar mistake.... By not appreciating the value of our inheritance in Christ! Giving in to the allure of immediate gratification of the flesh!
If we are not careful, the time will come when it is too late; no matter how many tears we may shed, it will be too late to change God’s mind (cf. He 12:17). That is why we need to heed such warnings as that one given by the apostle Paul:
“We then, as workers together with Him, also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Co 6:1-2)
Are you in danger of selling your birthright as a Christian?
