Sunday, April 11, 2021

Lessons from the Life of Esau

I. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  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. Hebrews 12:16,17
 
"Esau's sin consisted in his willingness to sell the Covenant blessing at such a price as that—yet how many nowadays are selling their souls just as cheaply as Esau sold his birthright! 
 Some sell their souls for what they call "pleasure.
 We have known some sell their souls for gain.
 Alas, some have even sold their souls for the cup of the drunkard.
 Others have sold their souls for lust.
 
Esau did not care for the spiritual, 
at least not enough to let go of the carnal.
 
*Esau did not seem to care that Jacob had the spiritual blessing. As
he could not get that, he appeared willing to be content with a temporal one. 
 
*Remember that if you leave this world without getting this blessing, you will, like Esau, find no place of repentance, though you seek it carefully with tears.
 
I would that, this very hour, from many hearts there might arise this cry of Esau, only giving it a far higher meaning, "Have you but one blessing, my Father? Bless me, even me, also, O my Father." (Gen.27:38).....the Hospital of Grace has room in it for all the patients who ever come to it!

II. And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. (Gen.33:8)
*Now, in Esau’s case, he declined his brother’s present until he was pressed to accept it–....His brother had planned this gift to propitiate his favor, but he tells him that he does not need it, that he loves him without the present–and he has enough–so does not require it. 
Esau said to Jacob, “I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have unto yourself.” (Gen.33:9). Still, there is an evil side to this contentment - a contempt of Divine things– Esau says, “I have enough,” yet he had lost his birthright, he had lost all the blessings of the Covenant, he had lost all part and lot in God and goodness. It is an awful contentment when man can be satisfied without God!" Charles Spurgeon