Genesis 25:19-34

Jacob and Esau

Esau Sells His Birthright to Jacob

 

25:19 This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac.

 

Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

 

21 Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren.

 

The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

 

22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.

 

23 The LORD said to her,

 

"Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

 

24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.

 

25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.

 

26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

 

27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents.

 

28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

 

29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished.

 

30 He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. )

 

31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."

 

32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"

 

33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

 

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

 

So Esau despised his birthright.

Esau sells his birthright to Jacob

A birthright is a very special honor given to the eldest son in Israel's tradition.

The older son with the birthright receives double portions of the inheritance and is named the leader of the clan.

So, this was no minute trinket Esau was giving up when he decided to sell his birthright to Jacob.

We are tempted to place all the blame on Jacob for taking advantage of Esau but there is another angle to this story. Esau showed that he cared very little about the spiritual gifts he had received and traded it away without much thought for a bowl of soup and some bread.

If Esau had decided to keep his birthright he would have received untold blessings in the future.

Yet, he decided to go after the immediate pleasures of life instead of waiting for what was rightfully his. Esau reacted to this situation primarily on impulse without a second thought of how it would affect his future and the future of generations to come.

Do we sometimes elect to act on our immediate emotions when situations arise?

Most things that happen in our lives has a possible decision we can make. We can go for satisfying our immediate needs and the future can take care of itself or we can consider what our decision today will bring later.

We may feel full and satisfied with the "now" decision and may even feel as if we have conquered and feel powerful by taking immediate action but sometimes acting in haste has consequences such as Esau's, if not always on as great of a scale.

I know this experience from when I decided to quit smoking years ago. I found that the urge for a cigarette only lasted about three minutes so I felt that if I could reject it for that period I would be set for the next urge with each lasting a little less in time.

Using this method I'm happy to say that I am still smoke-free and don't have those urges now.

Whether it's smoking that haunts you or a sexual desire which may make a marriage vow seem less important take a moment of pause, remember that the temptation won't last forever and you'll find that you can overcome these tempting moments which are certain to come your way with God's help.

Let's not give away our birthrights.

Love in Christ

- Bob

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