Dear class,
We read of the birth of Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah.
Today's readings are taken from Genesis 25,26 and Romans 9:1-15.
The account is pretty familiar to us. Some would note how fickle and "cheap" Esau is to actually sell his birthright for a meal (perhaps Jacob was a great cook!). Others might think, what's the big deal with birthright? It's just a name. Anyway, Isaac loved Esau more.
The truth is, birthright at that time was a big deal! Firstborn were supposed to get a double portion of the inheritance (c.f. Deut 21:17). And later in the law of Moses, all the firstborn, livestock inclusive, belonged to God and where necessary were to be redeemed. (c.f. Ex 13:13-15).
The bible tells us that it goes deeper. Esau was basically a carnal minded person who cared the least of spiritual things. As Paul wrote of him in Hebrews 12:16 -
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Over to the passage in Romans, we see that Esau did indeed make himself rejected of God. (v.13) Didn't he have a choice? Was he chosen to be rejected? He was indeed not the chosen line, yet he was not chosen to be profane!
Paul explained in v.17 of Hebrews 12 -
For ye 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.
Esau was given a second chance. But blew it away. He was sorrowful but only after a worldly sort. He was repentant only because he regretted not to have killed his brother earlier!
Today, we can still fall into Esau's state. We have a birthright in Christ. And what a great birth right it is! Imagine the cost that came with it (1Pe 1:18,19), the great privileges now and beyond (Eph 1:3; 1Pe 1:3,4), the fact that we are "joint-heirs" with Christ (Rom 8:17)! How could we ever despise our birthright and sell it for anything in this world? Indeed as Paul wrote in Heb 10:29, we would be treading Christ underfoot!
Yet every time we sin, every time we choose to place the lures of the world over the work of the Lord, we have pulled an "Esau" over God. But thanks be to God, there is hope for the repentant. Esau was a lost case. Let not history repeat itself on us. Let us be diligent to "serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:" (Heb 12:28) and be swift to make right should we fall (Heb 12:12,13).
The Lord help us and bless our day ahead.
In Him
Paul
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ~ Hebrews 3:13
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. ~ Acts 22:16
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