The Despised Birthright

By: Keith McNeely 

            Esau and Jacob are well known in the Old Testament. They are descendants of Abraham; actually they are the sons of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Genesis 25:29-34 records an incident in the boy’s lives with far reaching effects, and it is worthy of our study in these modern times. 

The text indicates that Esau, the hunter, has been out in the field in pursuit of game and as he returns home Jacob has prepared a pot of beans, or “lentiles”.  Esau is hungry and says to his brother “feed me”.  He further says he was at the point of death! In exchange for his birthright Jacob says “Sell me this day thy birthright” (Genesis 25:31), to which Esau agrees, and reports “what profit shall this birthright be to me?” (Genesis 25:32). We live in a time where the exalted invitation to spend eternity in Heaven is disdained just as Esau did his precious birthright.

The birthright in the Old Testament culture allowed an individual a receipt of the father’s rank as head of the family, a double portion of inheritance along with other blessings as life progressed. This birthright was not normally given or withdrawn on a simple whim of the father, but yet, as the text indicates could be sold.  The pen of inspiration calls Esau a “profane person...who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” (Hebrews 12:16).  Profane means to show “disrespect for God”. We to are guilty of disrespecting God when we refuse to faithfully follow Christ.

Some quick lessons are available. First, Esau “despised his birthright”; simply put, he disregarded his benefit. Often in our society individuals put the cares, riches and pleasures of this world above the spiritual riches of eternity (Luke 8:14). Second, Esau was extremely shortsighted. Friend, the Christian life can at times present challenges and difficulties, and we certainly do not want to be shortsighted like Esau and sell out our eternal reward for a brief pleasure of sin in this life.

Friend, be encouraged in your Christian life to take the long term view.  Remember that God rewards those that continue faithful until death (Revelation 2:10).

“For What Is Your Life?”

James 4:14

By: David P. Brown

            We must die! We have no choice! By mortal observation and sacred declaration do we realize that “death” is our last appointment on the agenda of our earthly pilgrimage (Hebrews 9:17). It is a migration of our spirits we struggle to comprehend, but our finite minds cannot fathom. Only one possible alternative exists; to be shrouded in this tent of flesh when Christ returns at the end of the world. But in either case our state of being must undergo a radical and eternal change. For “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:50-52). So we wait; for we do not know when either shall appear (Matthew 24:36).

            In the light of these sobering facts our sojourn here takes on new and vivid meaning. Material things are seen in a different light; for we hunger and thirst after those things that shall transcend death. We want to go into the judgment with the characteristics that shall abide and receive the blessings of Jesus. In summation, we want to go to heaven. We want to live so as to hear our Saviour say to us: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

            We become, therefore, more aware of the inner man and its needs rather than the needs of the outward. “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened” (2 Corinthians 5:4). We understand more fully why Paul said:

“but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”                                                                       2 Corinthians 4:16-18 

            O how marvelous! O, how wonderful! With the father of the faithful we can look “for a city which hath the foundations, whose builder and make is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

            Where at one time we were worldly minded with “…all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life…” (1 John 2:16); we now know for our spirits to be prepared for our “long home” (Eccl. 12:5) we must,

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

(Eccl 12:13-14) 

            For our spirits to be prepared to make their flight into eternity we must mold them with a love that always brings about a close submission to the will of Jesus (John 14:15). Because “whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:5). If man does not have to obey Christ in order to manifest his love to him, what other way is available to do so? We must say with Paul that all that really matter is “…the keeping of the commandments of God” (1 Corinthians 7:19).

            We no longer are anxious about the present because we are anchored in the future (Matthew 6:33). Men cease to cause fear in us because we are servants of God and fear him (Luke 12:4-5). Contentedly we work in the church of Christ adhering to the principle of “….whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).

            Of course we do not know when our appointment with death will be or when Christ shall appear the second time. But, because we are faithful, we know we are prepared and we rejoice in the “exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4).

            With a prayer on our lips and these peaceful and sublime thoughts in mind we can pillow our heads in rest at the end of a weary and toilsome day. We can now drift into a pleasant sleep having the last cares of day vanquished from our spirits by the words of the sweet retrain

There’s a land that is fairer than day,

And by faith we can see it afar,

For the Father waits over the way,

To prepare us a dwelling place there.

“From The Foundation”

By: Dennis R. Smith

In describing events at his second coming, Jesus made a statement of promise to those on his right hand by saying, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). While much has been said about the kingdom, I am afraid there might be a lesson here which we have often overlooked. A scriptural study of this word will lead the free thinker to understand that the kingdom and the church are one and the same (Mt. 3:2, 4:17; 16:18-19; Col. 1:13). But what is the lesson which we might have overlooked? It is the “when” in the text verse which strikes one’s mind and heart for it shows that God was thinking far in advance of the soul-security for us all and was making a way in which redemption from our sins could take place. It is true that God allowed hundreds of years to pass in his effort to bring up a people worthy to become citizens of his kingdom. The ancient law of Israel became the “schoolmaster” to teach the world this truth (Gal. 3:24). It is here that we find all this was made possible through Jesus Christ. What a great God, even though he created mankind and loved them dearly, already had a plan for their redemption in case they sinned and broke His covenant. The plan was put in motion through Jesus Christ who is the foundation and anchor of our souls (1 Cor. 3:11; Heb. 6:19). What a thought!