The Character of Joseph

The Character Of Joseph
Genesis 37:1-50:26

When we think of “the patriarchs”, the following likely come to mind.... Abraham, was a man of faith; Isaac, a son of promise; and Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Yet consider this about the patriarch Joseph.... More space in Genesis is devoted to him than the others. There is not a single word of reproof against Joseph. Indeed, “The Character Of Joseph” is worthy of careful study.... His nobility of character, his purity of heart and life, and His magnanimity as a ruler and brother make him, more than any other of the Old Testament characters, an illustration of that type of man which Christ was to give to the world in perfection (ISBE). Let’s review the life of Joseph, and be reminded of the wonderful character displayed by this man of God.

We begin with Joseph as a son in Canann, hated by his brothers. Telling on his brothers didn’t help - Gen 37:2 “These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.” Favoritism by his father certainly hurt - Gen 37:3-4 “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.” His dreams made it worse - Gen 37:5-11. They eventually sold him as a slave - Gen 37:12-36. He was spared initially by Reuben who intended to free him - Gen 37:21-22. He was spared death by Judah, who suggested slavery instead - Gen 37:26-27. Please read the above passages for the complete story.

Joseph was faithful to his father. Some children rebel against their parents to win approval from their siblings. Joseph remained faithful to his father, willing to obey his wishes - Gen 37:13 “And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am."’ One might think such ill-treatment, followed by separation from country and kin, would produce bitterness and hopelessness in such a young man.

Yet “The Character Of Joseph” really shines as we consider Joseph as a slave in Egypt. He became an overseer in Potiphar’s house. Blessed by God, Joseph found favor in Potiphar’s eyes - Gen 39:1-6. Though a young man, he proved industrious and trustworthy. He made the best of the situation, and God blessed him and Potiphar. Handsome in appearance, Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife - Gen 39:6b-20. She tried time and again to seduce him. He resisted, out of faithfulness to Potiphar and God - Gen 39:8-9. Her advances spurned, she spitefully accuses him wrongfully angering her husband thus resulting in his imprisonment.

Blessed by God, Joseph is favored by the keeper of the prison, becoming the overseer - Gen 39:21-23. He was placed in charge of the other prisoners, with complete trust. He prospered in his new role by God, who was with him. As an interpreter of dreams, Joseph is forgotten then remembered - Gen 40:1-41:36. He interprets the dreams of the butler and the baker, acknowledging God as the interpreter - Gen 40:8. The dreams are fulfilled, yet Joseph was forgotten - Gen 40:20-23. He interprets the dreams of Pharaoh, again acknowledging God as providing the answer - Gen 41:16,25,32, offering advice in regards to the dreams’ fulfillment - Gen 41:33-36. Falsely accused, then forgotten by man, many might wonder “Why bother to be righteous?” But Joseph maintained his integrity and was not forgotten by God. Just as he found favor in the eyes of Potiphar and the keeper of the prison, so he enjoyed favor in the eyes of Pharaoh.

Joseph as a prince in Egypt was wise in his service to Pharaoh. At the age of thirty, Joseph is exalted to rule over Egypt - Gen 41:38-46. His wisdom manifested in his administration showing foresight during the years of plenty - Gen 41:47-49. Showing shrewdness during the years of famine - Gen 41:53-57; 47:13-26. Mindful of God’s blessings - Gen 41:50-52.

Joseph was merciful in his treatment of his brethren and was finally reunited with his brothers and father - Gen 42:1-45:15. He arranged for them to live in Goshen - Gen 46:16-20,28-34; 47:1-12. He reassured his brothers that he has forgiven them when he first revealed himself to them - Gen 45:4-8; and when their father Jacob died - Gen 50:15-21. Joseph believed in the providence of God. That God could make good things come out of evil intentions - Gen 50:20. That God would keep His promises made to His people - Gen 50:24-25.

In the life and story of Joseph, we see the value of a character centered in faith and trust in God. One devoted to serving God and man with honor and dependability. The life of one unwilling to be deterred by the hatred, betrayal, and forgetfulness of others. Willing to forgive the wrongs committed by others. Able to see the big picture, God’s wonderful workings in the affairs of men. This noble character can be useful in all the seasons of life.... As a youth, tempted and tried with no help from family or friend(s). As a mature individual, charged with important responsibilities. As an aged person, knowing that death is imminent. May “The Character of Joseph” serve to inspire us to develop our character as well, that in some small way we too can be...
“..an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Ti 4:12)
Certainly this is the case with the patriarch Joseph!

I have left a number of textual references open for the reader to examine themselves. JMN

The Forgotten Vow of Jacob

The Forgotten Vow Of Jacob
Genesis 35:1-7

We begin our study today with a reading of Gen 35:1-7 “God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau." So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone." So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem. And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.”

We find God telling Jacob to go to Bethel in which he is to build an altar. Why did God command this? Nearly thirty years earlier, Jacob had made a vow. But he seems to have forgotten about it, and God is now calling him to fulfill it. There are several lessons that can be gleaned from this “forgotten vow of Jacob” which can be easily applied to our service as Christians. But before I point these lessons out, a little more historical background might be helpful.

Thirty years before, Jacob had made a vow. It was made as he was fleeing the wrath of Esau (for Jacob had stolen Esau’s blessing from their father Isaac). Leaving Beersheba, he headed toward Haran (consult a map). On the way, he stopped at what is now called Bethel (consult a map) - Gen 28:10-15 “Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."’ There he had a dream, in which he saw what we commonly call “Jacob’s Ladder” (angels ascending and descending on a ladder between heaven and earth). In this dream, God promises to be with him and safely return him to his home. The dream prompted Jacob to make his vow - Gen 28:16-22 “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you."’ Jacob promised to make the LORD his God, if God carries out His promise. He vowed to sanctify the stone upon which his head had rested and which he has set up as a pillar and to give God a tenth of all that God will give him.

For the next twenty years, Jacob dwells in Haran. As God promised, He was with Jacob. Jacob prospered both in family, and in gaining wealth - Gen 29-30. Upon Jacob’s return, God kept him safe from Laban, who was pursuing him - Gen 31. God kept him safe from Esau, who was coming to meet him - Gen 32-33. By the time of our Text (Gen 35), Jacob had been living in Cannan ten years. He had settled near the city of Shechem (consult map) - Gen 33:18. But he had not bothered to go back to Bethel, where the Lord had appeared to him and where he had made his vow. So it appears that Jacob had forgotten his vow, and for this reason God commands him to return to Bethel (Gen 35:1).

What lessons or principles of truth can we learn from this? There are several there several applications we can find. First, God expects us to keep the vows we make. He does not take vows lightly, and neither should we - Ecc 5:2-5 “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.” So let’s be sure to keep any covenant or vow that we make with God; for example, the “vow” we made when we became Christians, to turn from sin, and to follow Christ with all our heart. -- Are we faithfully keeping this “vow”?

Second, we are prone to forget our vows when God has fulfilled His side of them. We saw where God fulfilled His side, but Jacob had not. This “forgetfulness” seems to occur most often when vows are made in times of trouble. Like those made in a foxhole. Or those made in an airplane during extreme air turbulence or mechanical problems. Or those made in an effort to solve marital problems. But such vows are just as binding as those made upon careful reflection!

Third, we are prone to forget our vows when things are going well. Just as in the case of Jacob. He had a nice family. He had become extremely wealthy. He had settled down in his home country. The same is often true of many Christians. Many obey the gospel at times in their lives when they are troubled. But later, especially if they enjoy financial security, they forget their commitment to God and Christ. But consider God’s warning to Israel against forgetfulness after they entered the “promised land” - Deu 8:11-20

Fourth, we are prone to forget our vows when we have allowed ourselves to be influenced by the world. Note that Jacob’s family had accepted the foreign gods of the people around them - Gen 35:2 “So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.” In similar fashion, many people do not live up to the vow they made when they became Christians - 2 Ti 4:10 (Demas) “For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.”

For example, many teen-age Christians; zealous at first but when influenced by their peers, popular music or humanistic teaching in the schools, they often lose interest in spiritual matters. Another good example is, many adult Christians, who are influenced by the materialism and immorality of our society. But again, this is no excuse for “forgotten vows”.

Fifth, if we have forgotten our vows, we need to go back to the beginning. We noticed that Jacob was told to go back to Bethel. In a similar way, Jesus told the church at Ephesus to go back to the beginning - Re 2:4-5 “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” They had left their “first love”. They were told to “remember...from where you have fallen”. And to “repent and do the first works”. For Christians who have left their “first love”, they too need to “do the first works” (the fundamentals, such as Bible study, prayer, etc.).

Finally, when we fulfill our forgotten vows, there are renewed blessings! When Jacob fulfilled his vow, God appeared to him and renewed the promises that had been made to Abraham and Isaac - Gen 35:9-15. So it can be with us! It may be that we have forgotten the original commitment we made when we first obeyed the gospel of Christ. But if we will just return to Christ in full repentance and prayer, and fulfill our vow of service and devotion to Him, all the spiritual blessings that He has to offer can be ours again! - 1 Jn 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Are you a Christian, but not living the dedicated and committed life that God expects...? Then, like Jacob, you have forgotten your vow you need to come back to the Lord in full repentance. The blessings of heaven await you if you do! If you are not yet a Christian, these same blessings can be yours if you will only accept the gospel of Jesus Christ - Mark 16:15-16 “And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

The Faith Of Abraham

The Faith Of Abraham
Genesis 15:6

One of the greatest men in history has to be the patriarch Abraham.... Three religions look to him as their spiritual progenitor (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Christians view him as “the father of all them that believe” - Ro 4:11 (“He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,”). What is most noteworthy about Abraham was his faith.... Paul made reference to his faith time and again - Ro 4:3 “For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."’, 9 “Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.”, (11,16-22;) Ga 3:7-9 “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” James used his example to illustrate saving faith - Ja 2:21-23 “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God.” Both Paul and James make reference to the following OT statement about Abraham’s faith:
“And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” (Gen 15:6; see also Ro 4:3; Ja 2:23)

What was it about Abraham’s faith that so pleased God? Do we have the same kind of faith? Let’s take a closer look at “The Faith Of Abraham”. Abraham’s faith was based on revelation. God revealed himself to Abraham several times in several places as follows:
In Ur of the Chaldees - Ac 7:2-4; Gen 15:7
At Haran of Mesopotamia - Gen 12:1-4
At Shechem in Canann - Gen 12:6-7
After Lot moved to Sodom - Gen 13:14-17
And many times more - cf. Gen 15:1-17; 17:1-27; 18:1-33; 22:1-19
-- By revealing Himself to Abraham, God provided Abraham ample evidence for him to place his faith and trust in God.

Our faith must also be based upon revelation. Not that God reveals Himself to us as He did to Abraham, but a faith that comes through the Word of God - Ro 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” It contains evidence that we might believe - Jn 20:30-31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” The more we read, the more God is revealed to us, especially in the person of His
Son Jesus Christ! -- If we desire to have “The Faith Of Abraham”, we must be receptive to God’s revelation of Himself through His Word!

Next, it is important to note that Abraham’s faith was an obedient faith. By faith, Abraham obeyed God. He left his country - He 11:8 “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” He sojourned in a foreign land - He 11:9-10 “By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” He offered his son Isaac - He 11:17 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,”; Ja 2:21-24 “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” -- Abraham’s faith was not a dead faith (Ja 2:20,26 “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” – “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”), but a dynamic faith expressing itself in obedience!

By faith we must obey God. For the gospel calls for “obedience to the faith” - Ro 1:5 “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,”; 16:25-26 “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith” We must “obey from the heart” the doctrine of Christ - cf. Ro 6:17 “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,” Woe to those who do not “obey the gospel” - 2 Th 1:7-9 “and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,”; 1 Pe 4:17 “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” -- If we desire to have “The Faith Of Abraham”, we must have a faith that “works through love” (Ga 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”)

While works are an essential element of a saving faith, it is crucial to note that it is the faith behind the works that pleases God (and not the works per se)! Therefore we point out that Abraham’s was a trusting faith. Abraham trusted in God, not his works. Return to our text, and note what is said - Gen 15:6 “And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” Abraham believed in the Lord. “It” (his faith) was reckoned or considered for righteousness. It was Abraham’s faith in God that greatly pleased God. Paul stresses this point in his epistle to the Romans - Ro 4:1-3 “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."’ Abraham was not justified because of his works. Abraham was justified (declared blameless) because of his faith! -- Though he had a faith that works, he did not trust in his works; rather in God who justifies the ungodly (Ro 4:5-8 “And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."’)

Likewise, we must trust in Jesus, not our works. As noted before, we must obey God which involves certain “works”. Such as faith, which is a “work” - Jn 6:28-29 “Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."’ Even baptism, which is more a work of God than a work of man - Co 2:12-13 “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,” But when all is done, we must not put our trust in our obedience as though we somehow earned our salvation. For Christ taught us to realize we are still unworthy - Lk 17:10 “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'" -- It is the faith or trust in Jesus prompting us to obey that pleases God, not some meritorious value of the work done to receive God’s grace!

So “The Faith Of Abraham” was an obedient faith that placed its trust in God who justifies the ungodly. To be “the sons of Abraham”, we must have the same kind of faith. Finally, observe that Abraham’s faith was a growing faith. Abraham grew in faith. There were times when his faith was weak. He had Sarah his wife tell a half-truth to save his life - Gen 12:11-20; 20:1-18. He questioned God when he and Sarah did not have children - Gen 15:2-3. He showed weak faith in the case of Hagar - Gen 16:1-4. He offered an alternative to God when he thought it would be impossible for he and Sarah to have children - Gen 17:17-18. But God was patient with Abraham, and his faith grew. He had faith, even against hope, and was able to conceive - Ro 4:18-22. He had faith that God could raise Isaac from the dead, and so was willing to offer him as commanded - He 11:17-19 -- “The Faith Of Abraham” was not a static faith, but an ever-growing faith that came through being “a friend of God” (Ja 2:23 “and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God.”)

We must likewise grow in faith. Just as the apostles of Christ did.... From men with little faith and easily afraid - Mt 8:25-26 “And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”; 14:31 “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"’ They grew to be men of great boldness - Ac 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Like the Thessalonians whose faith grew - 2 Th 1:3 “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” Their faith was growing exceedingly. Our faith needs to grow likewise -- Our faith will grow, if we are willing to “walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had” (Ro 4:12).

We have seen that “The Faith Of Abraham” was based upon revelation. Abraham’s faith was an obedient faith, a trusting faith and a growing faith. Why do we need this same kind of faith...? Because “those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham” - Ga 3:7. Because “those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” - Ga 3:9. Indeed, those who have “The Faith Of Abraham” are truly the recipients of the promise made to Abraham:
“In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Gen 18:18). Are we walking in the steps of the faith of Abraham, obeying the Word of God given today through the gospel of Christ, even as he obeyed the word given to him?

The Bad Bargain Of Esau

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?

The Choice of Lot

The Choice Of Lot
Genesis 13:10-12

The examples of men and women as recorded in the Bible can provide valuable lessons.... From Abraham we can learn the value of faith in God. From Joseph we see the workings of God’s providential care. From Job we learn the importance of patience and faith under trial. From Lot, the nephew of Abraham, we can also glean valuable lessons in the art of decision making and the importance of making proper choices. In this lesson we will first take an overall look at the life of Lot, and then focus upon a decision he made and how it affected his life.

Lot’s choice, in the book of Genesis, is initially introduced to us as Lot being the nephew of Abraham who sojourned with him - Gen 12:5 “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan.”; 13:1 “So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.” Lot was a man who like his uncle became quite wealthy - Gen 13:2-5 “Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD. And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,” Because of the combined wealth of Abraham and Lot, they were forced to separate - Gen 13:6-9 “so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."’ Given the opportunity to choose where he could go Lot made a choice, which on the surface was a good one - Gen 13:10-12 “And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.”

As good as it may have seemed, it resulted in much sorrow and hardship for Lot! As a result of his choice, Lot suffered war - Gen 14:8-11 “Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way.” Kidnapping - Gen 14:12 “They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.” Lot suffered oppression and torment by the citizens of Sodom - 2 Pe 2:7-8 “and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard)”; (see the details in Gen 19:1-11). Lot lost of all his material wealth - Gen 19:15-16 “As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city." But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.”, 24-25 “Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” Lot suffered the death of his wife - Gen 19:17 “And as they brought them out, one said, "Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away."’, 26 “But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” Lot suffered the shame of incest with his daughters – see Gen 19:30-36. -- All these things happened despite the fact that Lot was a righteous person – see 2 Pe 2:7-8

The example of Lot should impress us with the importance of making the proper choices in our lives. In view of what happened to Lot, we will now consider:
w Some of the choices we make that greatly affect our lives
w Some suggestions on how to make the right decisions
w What to do when we realize that we have made the wrong ones
Consider, then our choices. What choices do we make that greatly affects our lives…?

Choosing to follow Jesus. The one that will affect your life more than any other!. It will determine your place in eternity. It will have a bearing on every other choice you make; for as a follower of Christ you will be concerned with doing His will, not your own.
Choosing your career. The choice you make can have a lasting effect upon your marriage, family, and your service to God. Even from a worldly viewpoint, your choice is important, for the job market can change drastically.
Choosing your mate. The decision made will to a great extent determine your degree of happiness in this life. It will have a permanent bearing on your children and their emotional well-being! You may think you can simply divorce a person who turns out to be a bad choice. But once you have children, there is no way to reverse the choice you made as to who is the mother or father of your children!
Choosing your friends. Having close friends can be a wonderful blessing - Pro 17:17. But the wrong friends can be a curse for the righteous - Pro 12:26; 1 Co 15:33. Choosing where you will live. It was in this choice that Lot made his mistake. It might just be there are some modern-day “Sodoms” and “Gomorrahs”!

How can we more likely make the right choices...? We can ask God for wisdom - Ja 1:5-8 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” We can seek advice from others - Pro 11:14 “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”; 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Discuss your alternatives with older, mature Christians. Consult the wisdom found in the Bible (especially in a book like Proverbs). Whatever you do, do it for the Lord’s sake - Psa 37:5-6 “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”, 23-26 “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.”; Ja 4:15 “Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."’

What should we do when we realize our choice was wrong…? Do what Lot did... Heed the word of God (as in fleeing Sodom and Gomorrah). Do what is right without reservation (remember Lot’s wife!). Do what Peter did after he denied Christ... Repent, if there is sin involved in the choice made. Resolve to serve the Lord. Do what Paul did after persecuting the church... Accept the forgiveness Jesus provides. Determine to live for the Lord the rest of your life to the best of your ability. The wrong thing to do is to continue in the choice because of pride or some other reason! (although there are some choices we must live with...).

The example of Lot should serve to teach us that making the proper decision is very important. Lot’s example should warn us not to make our choices lightly. Remember Lot the next time you are faced with an important decision.... Seek to make that decision based upon the will of the Lord and not your own. Your eternal destiny (and that of those you love) might rest upon your choice!

Have you made the most important decision you will ever face? Have you made the decision to follow Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not today? - Mt 28:19-20; Ac 2:38