1. How old was Isaac when he was married? "And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Aramean." (Genesis 25:20)
2. How old was he when his two sons were born? "And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel, and his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was three score years old when she bore them." (Genesis 25:26)
3. What were their names? "And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, ... and his name was called Jacob." (Genesis 25:25-26)
4. What difference was there between them? "And the boys grew; and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents." (Genesis 25:27)
5. How did the parents regard them? "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; but Rebekah loved Jacob." (Genesis 25:28)
6. What did Jacob have as Esau came in one day from a hunting trip? "And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint." (Genesis 25:29)
7. What did Esau say to Jacob? "And Esau said to Jacob: 'Feed me, I pray you, with that same red pottage; for I am faint'; therefore was his name called Edom." (Genesis 25:30)
8. What did Jacob reply? "And Jacob said: 'Sell me this day your birthright.'" (Genesis 25:31)
9. How did Esau reason concerning the birthright? "And Esau said: 'Behold, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birthright do to me?'" (Genesis 25:32)
10. What transaction was thus made by the two brothers? "And Jacob said: 'Swear to me this day'; and he swore unto him; and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright.'" (Genesis 25:33-34)
11. What was the birthright, and what was its importance to anyone?
12. How did Esau regard his birthright? "Thus Esau despised his birthright." (Genesis 25:34)
13. How highly did he value it? He considered it worth no more than a meal of victuals to satisfy present necessity.
14. What language is used concerning Esau for this proceeding? "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright." (Hebrews 12:16)
15. How did he afterward feel concerning the blessings of his birthright? "For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." (Hebrews 12:17)
16. Relate, in brief, the circumstances. (Genesis 27:1-40)
17. Was he able to get back the birthright? "For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected." (Hebrews 12:17)
18. Why not? Because he had deliberately sold it, and could not alter the trade.
19. What is the exhortation given to us in this connection? "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." (Hebrews 12:14-17)
20. If we are children of Abraham, what is our birthright? "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." (Romans 4:13)
"Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." (Colossians 1:12)
"Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knows us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:1-2)
21. Through what are we made heirs of this inheritance? "Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14)
22. What does the Spirit through Paul say of one who despises his heavenly birthright? "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:28-29)
23. How may we do this? "For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica." (2 Timothy 4:10)
24. What can you say of the condition of one who deliberately barters his interest in the blood of Christ, and his hope of eternal life, for a little present enjoyment? "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, says the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:29-31)
Notes:
Esau might have had a share in the promise if he had wanted it. True, Paul says that before the birth of Jacob and Esau, it was said unto Rebekah: "The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." (Romans 9:12-13)
But this was simply because: "God, who ... calls those things which be not as though they were, (Romans 4:17) could foresee just what kind of character Esau would develop. God is no respecter of persons, and He does not bestow His favors arbitrarily. Esau was rejected, not simply because he deliberately sold his right to the promised inheritance, but because of the utter lack of faith, which led him to so lightly esteem the promises of God.
The objector will no doubt say that Jacob appears in a worse light than Esau does, and that if God is a respecter of character, and not of persons, Jacob was less entitled to regard than Esau was. But that is a very superficial view of the case.
So far as character is concerned, there is no man that has by nature anything that is worthy of the approbation of God. Even the zealous Paul, whose great aim was "to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men," (Acts 24:16) and who could say before the Jewish council: "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day," (Acts 23:1) said that he had suffered the loss of all things that he might win Christ, "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Philippians 3:9)
God respects an upright character, but since there can be no perfect character except through the faith of Jesus Christ, (Galatians 2:16) it is evident that His promises and favor must be extended to the one whose faith gives promise of a growth toward perfection.
So far as the record shows, at the time of which our lesson treats, Esau had naturally the advantage of Jacob; but Esau lacked faith, and Jacob possessed it, and from that time we see a growth for the worse in Esau, and for the better in Jacob. God never showed any approval of Jacob's course in securing the blessing; on the contrary Jacob had to suffer grievously on account of his duplicity; but through the faith that Jacob had, although it was crude and uninstructed, God could work for his complete moral reformation.
Peter shows the work of true faith, when he says to the people of God that they may suffer manifold temptations, "that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:7)
And in that day this will be found to be the case with Jacob. The case of Rahab may be taken as an illustration. James says that Rahab the harlot was justified by works when she had received the messengers and sent them out another way: "Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?" (James 2:25)
And Paul says that "by faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." (Hebrews 11:31)
Yet in concealing the spies, for which she received the promise that she should not perish, she deliberately lied. (See Joshua 2) She was not saved because of her falsehood, but because of her faith that the God of the Israelites was the true God. She acted up to the best light that she had. Among the heathen it was esteemed a virtuous thing to lie, and she knew no better. But her faith brought her into relation with God's people where she could learn the way of truth. Thus we see that "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, [for,] the just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17)
Esau is not the only one who has sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. An old pipe, a plug of tobacco, a jug of whiskey, the pleasure party, the card table, and other "good things" of this life have been sufficient to cause many to turn their backs on their heavenly inheritance. Esau said: "Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" (Genesis 25:32)
Thousands of others when brought face to face with some duty, the performance of which would interfere with their worldly interests, have virtually said the same thing. They have said: "I know that this is the truth of God, but if I should obey it I couldn't make a living," thus intimating that they did not believe the promises of God would be of any profit to one who should die for them. It is more than probable that many who have accepted the truth, are putting self and selfish pleasures above the service of God, and are thus bartering their birthright. Let such beware lest they complete the sale and then find it too late to repent. And, "let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12)--Signs of the Times, March 30, 1888--Lesson 15 - Sabbath, April 14--Original title: The Commentary--Genesis 25:20-34.
E.J. Waggoner