Grateful for opportunity to preach
Goal with sermon today---preach God’s word
Share verses about God’s word
Luke 24:29 “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning himself.” The Bible is all about Jesus.
○
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness,
” The Bible is God-breathed.
○
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts
and intentions of the heart.
” The Bible is alive and very powerful.
○
Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
” The
Bible outlasts everyone and everything. It is a firm foundation.
Pray
●
●
●
Genesis 3:15 Promise as our windshield as we drive through this text.
Another windshield, Genesis 15 covenant created by God.
And, of course, Jesus’ statement in Luke’s Gospel that the Bible is about Him. He is the fulfillment.
This is another part of the windshield.
Genesis 25:1-34
Abraham's Death and His Descendants
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian,
Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and
Leummim. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of
Keturah.
●
v. 1-4 One of the first things to notice is that Abraham takes another wife. Her name is Keturah. In 1
Chronicles 1:32, we find that the author mentions Keturah, describing her as Abraham’s “concubine”
. We
also see here in this chapter (verse 6) that Abraham had concubines. We know the name of one (Hagar). So
the other is Keturah (these two are all we know of). For reminder's sake, a concubine was a sort of
lower-status wife that was usually a slave. Why is it worth the time to mention this? Well, it is important for
us to note that Abraham (and many others in the Old Testament) were wrapped up in the cultural practices
of the day. The Holman Bible Dictionary sums up what we need to hear very well,
“Although the taking of
concubines was not explicitly prohibited, monogamous marriage was set forth as the biblical pattern (Gen.
2:24; Mark 10:6-9). In every case in Scripture where concubines were taken, bad results, such as family
disharmony or jealousy, followed in the wake.
” It is important for us to remember, as Bible readers and
studiers, that some things in the Bible are described and some things are prescribed. Not everything
described should be prescribed to our lives. The Bible does not promote and encourage the taking of
multiple wives (or concubines), but rather it promotes and encourages one man and one woman for life
(great example of this being the qualification for eldership in the church---
“husband of one wife” 1 Tim.
3:2. Elder behavior sets the tone for the church and serves as an example for church members to follow.
The implication is that the members will imitate “one man. one woman.
” marriages.)
Application for verses 1-4:1. AS CHRISTIANS, WE ARE CALLED TO STAND OUT, NOT BLEND IN. Salt and light stand out. You
know when food has salt in it and you know when it doesn
’t. You know when a light turns on and you know
when it goes out. This is what we are called to be as Christ followers.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if
salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be
thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give
glory to your Father who is in heaven.
” Matthew 5:13-16 / It seems like Abraham had a cultural blind spot.
If we surveyed our lives, our hearts, would we find some blind spots too? Would we find some areas where
we have gone with the current of culture, leaving God’
s word in the dust? A great prayer to pray along with
the Psalmist is:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be
any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
” Psalm 139:23-24
a. OUR STANDARD IS GOD’S WORD, NOT CULTURE. Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the
flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
” The Bible outlasts everyone and
everything. It is a firm foundation, whereas culture shifts and changes based on the whims of
fallen humans like ourselves.
b. LOVE JESUS. CHANGE CULTURE. The more we love Jesus the more we will love the culture
around us. And the more we love the culture the more we will want the culture to love Jesus. Want
not to blend in? Want to leave a lasting impact for generations to come? Want to be a city on a
hill? Draw near to Jesus.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
” (James 4:8)
5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was
still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
●
v. 5-6 Abraham gives all he has to Isaac. This is inheritance-type language. If that is the case, then this
seems to be an act of faith on the part of Abraham. Why is this? Because Isaac is the child God promised to
build into the great nation that would bless the nations (the families of the earth). / Abraham is still
generous to the rest of his family (he gives them gifts). This seems to be a little glimpse and perhaps
mini-fulfillment of Genesis 12:3, the nationS being blessed by THE nation. / Abraham sends the rest of his
non-Isaac family eastward (the same direction Adam and Eve are driven after their fall in the Garden),
away from Isaac, the son of the promise. Again, this may be an act of faith---a desire to do things God’s
way and in God’s order---the promised great nation will be realized through Isaac and then all others
can/will be blessed and partake in the promise in/through the great nation.
7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good
old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in
the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field that
Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11 After the death of
Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.
●
v. 7-10 Abraham dies at 175 years old and is “gathered to his people”
. First off, this appears to be a rather
clear pointer to life beyond the grave. You do not get “gathered to your people” if there is no afterlife. /
Secondly, chronologically, Abraham actually does get to see Isaac’s children. The math (not my favorite
thing to do) is that Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born (Gn. 21:5). Isaac was 60 when his twins (sneak
peak) arrived, meaning Abraham was 160 years old when they arrived. Abraham dies at 175, meaning he
saw the twins grow up for around 15 years. / Thirdly, and most importantly, Abraham did not get to see a
total fulfillment to what God had promised to him. He would become a great nation that would bless
nations. His family line would transform the world. And yet, here Abraham is…dead. Hebrews 11:8-16 is a
beautiful place to turn for further insight (let’s turn there).
“8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an
inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in theland of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the
same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and
builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the
age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as
good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the
innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the
things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that
they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they
are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out,
they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a
heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a
city.
” Hebrews 11:8-16
Abraham would die only owning the burial plot for Sarah. Abraham’s body (his feet) wouldn’t walk on
very much OWNED promised land, not yet at least. But there will be a day when his resurrected body,
rejoined to his soul, will. God’s mission for Abraham was done and so he was “gathered to his people”
. His
soul went on to be with God, which is why God refers to Himself as
“the God of Abraham, and the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob…not the God of the dead, but of the living.
” (Matt. 22:32) Abraham’s body,
laid dead in the land of promise, will one day come alive to walk, not just the land of promise, but the
whole renewed, fully-inherited earth. Brothers and sisters, it is the same with us. It is the same with us.
●
v. 11 God continues on with His plan. He is faithful to what He told Abraham He would do. He blessed
Isaac and his sons and their families, onward all the way to Jesus.
Application for verses 7-11:
2. HOPING TOWARD OUR TRUE HOME ENCOURGES PRESENT FAITHFULNESS. In life, or in
death, our true home is with the LORD. God’
s timing is not our timing. Keep hoping. His promises WILL be
kept. We quote Revelation 22:20-21 every week. We ought to really hope Jesus comes back during our
lifetime (and live that hope out daily). But it’
s possible that we, like Abraham, could leave our bodies before
the culmination of all things. And ya know what? That’
s okay, because to be absent from the body is to be at
home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). In an Ask Pastor John podcast episode titled “10 Seconds After You Die
”
,
John Piper talks about the priorities of the believer in Christ (in this order---1) Jesus to come back, to stay
in our body and see everything restored, including us, 2) Depart (body dead) and be with the Lord now.
Absent from the body, home with God, 3) Stay in current condition, press on, be faithful to what He has
called us to.) Whatever happens and whenever it happens, our hope is the same and God’
s promises will
come to pass. We, like Abraham, can look forward in hope of the full arrival of all that God has promised.
And I think that this hope, the more we meditate on it daily, the more faithful and focused we will be in daily
life. Our guaranteed future home energizes our faithfulness in the present.
3. ALL OF LIFE IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT GOD, NOT US. Notice how the show goes on without
Abraham. The author of Genesis moves on with the narration after the death of, yes, even
‘Father
Abraham
’
. Remember that the Bible, and all of life, is about Jesus. We tend to think others are always
evaluating us and thinking about us. This is partly true, but mostly untrue. People are not always thinking
about you, why? Because they are thinking about themselves. Part of our fallenness is that we are bent
inward. It is important for us to remember that, as Christians, our lives have been made new. We are now a
Christ-centered, others-focused people. Our lives and our work matters but only insomuch that we do it for
the Lord. C.T. Studd refocuses us on what/Who ultimately matters,
“Only one life,
‘twill soon be past, only
what’
s done for Christ will last.
”
12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to
Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the
firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish,and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their
encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years.
He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is
opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled[a] over against all his kinsmen.
●
v. 12-18 Here we see the family tree of Ishmael, who dies at 137 years and is also “gathered to his people”
.
What is the purpose of this family tree of Ishmael being included? I believe one reason is to highlight, yet
again, the profound, but simple, truth, that God keeps His word. He told Hagar in Genesis 21:18-20,
“Up!
Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.
” 19 Then God
opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy
a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up.
” God kept His word to Hagar. Ishmael was taken
care of by the LORD.
The Birth of Esau and Jacob
19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old
when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean,
to be his wife.
●
v. 19-20 The author of Genesis now begins going into the family tree of Isaac (something that, really, the
entire rest of the Bible is about---the lineage of Jesus). Isaac is 40 years old when he marries Rebekah.
Supposedly, according to an entry in the Moody Bible Commentary, 40 years old would have been rather
late in life in comparison with others (even with the longer lifespans) for beginning your marriage. So,
there was a decent season of waiting for Isaac before he found his bride, before God’s promise moved
forward. This sounds familiar. Think of how long Abraham and Sarah waited for Isaac’s arrival.
Application for verses 19-20:
4. WAITING IS OFTEN PART OF GOD’S PLAN FOR HIS PEOPLE. WE CAN TRUST HIM. Have you
had to wait to see one of God’
s promises come to pass? Reality is, we have all had to wait (and all of us are
waiting right now…waiting for Jesus to return ultimately). Here are several encouraging verses, as we
wait:
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” Ps. 27:14
“Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on
when the wicked are cut off.
” Ps. 37:34
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
” Ps. 62:5
“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
” Ps. 130:5
Issac, in moments of doubt, could look back on what God had spoken and on what He had already done.
The same is true for us.
21(a) And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren.
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v. 21(a) This sounds familiar too doesn’t it? Genesis 11:30,
“Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.
” We
know how this goes don’t we? Abraham and Sarah doubt God’s way (they doubt His promise) and decide
to try to make God’s promise happen for Him (enter Hagar onto the scene). Abraham and Sarah, after a
serious lapse, end up seeing God deliver on His promise as Sarah gives birth to baby Issac (no doubt a
humbling experience after not trusting God). There is some speculation here…but I wonder if young Isaac
learned from his mom and dad what TO do and what NOT to do. Had Abraham and Sarah instructed young
Isaac and taught him what to do when at a crossroads? Remember, at this point, Issac bears the mark on his
body (circumcision) that communicates GOD. WILL. DO. IT. It seems that Isaac learned from his parents’
mistake. Instead of doubting God and sinfully trying to go around Him, He goes TO God instead. He brings
the concerns to God. God made the promise. He’s been faithful. He’ll make a way. This seems to be an
early example of discipleship and successful parenting.Application for verse 21(a):
5. OUR FAULTS CAN BE GREAT LESSONS FOR THOSE UNDER OUR CARE. There seems to be a
good word for parents (and for anyone caring for anyone) here. Our parental hearts (or discipler hearts)
should desire the absolute best for our kids or those under our care. We should show them our faults and
God’
s faithfulness to us despite our faults, in hope that our faults will not be their faults. As we work out
our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12) we, though secure in Jesus and destined for heaven, will
mess up, make mistakes, and stumble as we journey to Zion. We do not need to be afraid of our kids, our
friends, our families, our coworkers, our neighbors, hearing of our weaknesses. If the Christian life is all
about repenting and believing the Good News of Jesus, it is a good thing when those under our care see our
repentance and belief in the Good News of Jesus. This, of course, requires a sort of humble, trusting,
death-to-self that only our Father can give---
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
” James 1:17
a. I want to share some beautiful lyrics from a guy named Benjamin William Hastings. The song is
called “A Father
’
s Blessing
”
:
Listen up, kid, I love you to bits
And I wish life would learn to be slow
But there'll soon come a day, and God, I hope I'm well-aged
When I tell you it's my turn to go
And death's cruel, I'll admit, but mourn for me quick
And look after those kids of your own
And just make different mistakes than your ma and I made
And make our ceiling look like your floor
[Chorus]
So may the road rise up to meet you
May we be intentional with our children, teaching them to trust the LORD. The things we have faced in the
past and are facing now will be the things our children face tomorrow. Let’
s be good guides for them.
21(b) And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
●
v. 21(b) This is beautiful. God invites His people to participate in the unfolding of His plan. God promised
the family of Abraham that they would become a great nation. This great nation is brought about (yes, by
the totally in-control, sovereign LORD) but also simultaneously through the prayers of His people. What
would have happened if Isaac would have never prayed to the LORD? That is an impossible question to
answer. God’s plan was for the barrenness, for the prayer, and for the answer to the prayer---Rebekah’s
pregnancy. This is a good time to say with Paul,
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of
God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” Romans 11:33 Also, assuming
that Isaac began praying for Rebekah around age 40 (when they married), he did not see an answer until 20
years later!
Application for verses 21(b):
6. WE GET TO WORK FOR GOD AND WITH GOD. God has ordained that His plan unfolds through the
good works of His people. This is wild! Will the nations be discipled? Yes! Will everyone who is going to
believe the Good News hear it and believe? Yes! But here
’
s the deal…God calls us to be the means through
which this occurs.
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Rom. 10:15)
Practically speaking, your neighbor is not a Christian---you share the Good News of Jesus with them---they
believe/give their hearts to the LORD---was it always God’
s plan for them to come to know Him? Yes! He
chose them before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) Even still, you were one of the instruments used to
get them there. AMAZING! We get to participate in God’
s kingdom-building work! For every single one of
His people, He has good works that He has prepared for us to walk in (Eph. 2:10) What if you beginpraying (or keep praying) for that coworker, student, friend, enemy, neighbor, family member? What might
happen? Brothers and sisters, this is what we have been saved to do. We have been saved to participate
with God in the building of His kingdom.
7. ENDURE IN PRAYER. Pressing on in prayer is hard when we see no answers. We need to continue
seeking the LORD in prayer, knowing the Judge of all the earth will do what is right (Gn. 18:25), according
to His perfect will. Our job is to keep seeking Him, trusting that He is always at work, even if we cannot
clearly see just yet. When we pray sometimes the answer occurs almost immediately. Other times God
begins making it clear to us that our intentions behind the prayer are impure and He sanctifies us, altering
the heart posture of our prayers. Still other times, He calls us to wait, and wait, and wait, which teaches us
to trust Him.
22 The children struggled together within her, and she said,
“If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”[b] So
she went to inquire of the Lord.
●
v. 22 The presence of struggle here is a reminder of the Genesis 3 fall and consequence of the
multiplication of pain in childbearing (Gn. 3:16). We also see Rebekah asking a question we have likely all
asked at times,
“Why is this happening to me?” Rebekah makes the right move here, though. She brings
her concerns/fears/questions to the LORD. May we do the same.
Application for verse 22:
8. GOD CAN HANDLE OUR QUESTIONS, DOUBTS, CONCERNS, AND FEARS. Jesus teaches us to
call God our Father. We are His children. In Jesus, we have access to Him. When questions, doubts,
concerns, and fears arrive this week, may we escort them one by one to the LORD.
“Humble yourselves,
therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your
anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
” (1 Peter 5:6-7)
23 And the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you[c] shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the older shall serve the younger.
”
24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red,
all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand
holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob.[d] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling
in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
●
v. 23-28 The LORD discloses His plan to Rebekah. God tells her that two nations are in her womb and that
these nations will be divided---that one will be stronger than the other---and also that the older child will
serve the younger (a total reverse of the norm). There is SO much here. Hearing of the division produces
sorrow in our heart. The division in the womb hits close to home---be it division in our families, divisions
at work, divisions in our nation---division is a consequence of the fall away from God that first began in the
Garden. This division is tragic. Shalom---a word meaning peace, wholeness---peace with God and
others---is broken because of our sin nature and cut-offness from God. But remember, in Jesus, the dividing
walls of hostility fall down (Eph. 2:14). We will see later in Genesis a sort of partial reconciliation between
Esau and Jacob. Yes, these nations will be divided but an encouraging reminder is that these (and all)
nations who trust in Jesus, surrendering to Him, will be brought back to shalom with God and one another.
There will be no more division on the renewed earth.●
v. 23-28 Another thing to take note of here…God’s attributes are put on display in that we see His
omnipotence (all-powerfulness), His omniscience (all-knowingness), and His omnipresent
(ever-presentness). He is completely sovereign over all things. He tells Rebekah the future, which
highlights His control over the future. How can He do this? Because He is God. He is the One who is high
and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, the one whose name is Holy. (Is.57:15) Will the babies in the womb
grow up, make decisions, love God, reject God? Yes. Is God completely in control of it all? Yes. Both are
equally true. God is sovereign. Man is responsible.
○
J.I Packer, on this topic of God’s Sovereignty/Man’s Responsibility, says,
“We shall not oppose
them to each other. Nor shall we qualify, or modify, or water down, either of them in terms of the
other, for this is not what the Bible does either. What the Bible does is to assert both truths side by
side in the strongest most unambiguous terms as two ultimate facts; this, therefore, is the position
we must take in our thinking. C.H. Spurgeon was once asked if he could reconcile these two truths
to each other.
‘I wouldn
’t try,
’ he replied;
‘I never reconcile friends
’
. Friends? – yes, friends. This
is the point that we have to grasp. In the Bible, divine sovereignty and human responsibility are
not enemies. They are not uneasy neighbours; they are not in an endless cold war with each other.
They are friends, and they work together.
”
○
A great place for further study on this topic is the book of Romans, specifically Romans 9.
●
v. 23-28 Another important point is that Esau came out of the womb first, so he was the firstborn. This will
come into play at the close of the chapter here in a few minutes.
Application for verse 23-28:
9. IN JESUS, DIVIDING WALLS FALL. WE ARE PEACEMAKERS. Just thinking on the topic of division
and how there will be none of it in Heaven and on the renewed earth…I want to encourage us to pursue
peace with one another. In Jesus, we are one. May the division-ridden world look in on Harbor Community
Church, see a peace that surpasses understanding, and ask how they can know that sort of peace. And then
may we take them by the hand and escort them to the Prince of Peace, Jesus.
10. GOD IS GOD, WE ARE NOT. MAY HIS GREATNESS CAUSE OUR KNEES TO BEND. When we
encounter a tough to understand, mind-bending truth about God as we read our Bibles, our natural instinct
is to apply our tainted, young, human logic and try to figure it out and declare what God can and cannot
do. But who are we to do this? When we catch glimpses of His glory in the Bible and in daily life, our
instinct needs to be worship, leaning the full weight of our trust into the arms of our loving God, our Savior,
who says in Isaiah 55:8-9,
“
...my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares
the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts.
”
Esau Sells His Birthright
29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to
Jacob,
“Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.[e]) 31
Jacob said,
“Sell me your birthright now.
” 32 Esau said,
“I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”
33 Jacob said,
“Swear to me now.
” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau
bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
●
v. 29-30 The scene is set with Jacob cooking stew and Esau coming in from an undisclosed amount of time
in the field. He comes in from the field “exhausted”
. The word “exhausted” is
ʿāyēp ̄ (aw-yafe'). It is used in
the Bible to describe weariness, faintness, and exhaustion. Three times it is used to refer to thirst. So Esau
is in a weakened state. We’ve all been there haven’t we? A weakened state. You know as well as I do…we
do not think very clearly in a weakened state. Esau was the firstborn and therefore the possessor of the
birthright. What all is involved in birthright-possessing? Well, the birthright fell to the firstborn son and
involved receiving double of what the father had to offer inheritance-wise. It also carried with it a great dealof responsibility and authority, as the firstborn assumed the role of head of the family. One Bible Dictionary
notes that “he (firstborn)…generally received the blessing, which placed him in close and favored
covenant-relationship with Yahweh.
” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). So land, possessions,
headship, authority, responsibility, and special covenant-relationship with the LORD on the one hand. And
stew on the other. The difference is laughable, is it not? Birthright, stew…birthright, stew…birthright,
stew…
“Give me the stew”
, Esau says. But remember, he was weak. He was in a sort of compromised
state. He was exhausted. He felt, in the moment, he was about to die. And so the trade was made. Jacob has
Esau sign with a swear that the birthright would be his (Jacob’s). Hebrews 12:15-17 certainly comments on
Esau’s actions in a negative way,
“15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no
“
root of bitterness
”
springs up
and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy
like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he
desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought
it with tears.
” Hebrews 12:15-17
Commenting on Esau’s indifference toward his firstborn status, the ESV Study Bible states:
“He (Esau)
does not grasp the significance of all that God has promised to fulfill through the unique line descended
from Abraham, of which he is the natural heir.
” What did Esau miss out on? What did he trade for
temporary satisfaction? The opportunity to be in the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus, the Savior of the world.
The stew, in probably 5-10 minutes, would be no more…whereas participation in the arrival of Jesus would
have come with eternal joys. This is a tragic trade.
Application for verses 29-34:
11. IN OUR EXHAUSTION, MAY WE RUN TO JESUS, NOT OUR OWN IDEAS. Esau
’
s exhaustion is not
unlike the exhaustion, the fatigue, the faintness we feel at times throughout the week. In the presence of
bright lights, stained glass, fellow believers, and open Bibles we laugh at Esau
’
s trade.
“Stew?”
we think to
ourselves…
”Really?” But in the weak times…the times when our guard is down and our minds are not as
sober, compromise becomes a real threat doesn
’t it? Laziness, lust, pride, greed, bitterness, hate…they all
come calling in moments of physical and spiritual exhaustion. Esau made a tragic trade, but we do not
have to. Press on, brothers and sisters. No burst of anger, neglect of responsibility, lustful pleasure, prideful
disposition is EVER worth it. In moments of weakness, we ought to fix our eyes on Jesus, submit ourselves
to God, resisting the devil, knowing that he will flee from us. We ought to draw near to God, knowing he
will draw near to us. May our hands be clean and hearts pure. May we not be double-minded. (James
4:7-8)
In conclusion…GOSPEL
Jesus, the Messiah/Savior from the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is called “the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation.
”(Col. 1:15) Being fully God, of course, there was never a time when Jesus, the eternal Son
of God, was not in existence. HE IS GOD. He is called the firstborn to communicate that He has supremacy over all
creation…the Father has given all things to the Son (John 3:35). The world and everything in it are His (Ps. 24:1)
And guess what the Bible says about us, church? “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him
in order that we may also be glorified with him.
” (Rom. 8:16-17) Church, we have
“
an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven
” for us. (1 Peter 1:4) Let me remind you, if you have trusted
in Jesus, every single one of your past, present, and future sins against God have been dealt with in FULL. The
firstborn of all creation took our punishment on that cross, where He uttered the words “It is finished”
. What was
finished? Everything necessary for you and I to be made right with our Father in heaven. When we trusted in Him,
we were born again and left the “in Adam” status behind, receiving a forever, a FOREVER “in Christ” status. When
Jesus rose from the dead, you and I rose too. We are forever joined to Him. He represents us before the Father and
on judgment day, we get to hear “Well done!” because we are “in Him”
. Church, in Him we have a foreverinheritance. We are co-heirs with Jesus. We WILL live on the renewed, sin-free earth as coheirs with the LORD.
Maybe you are discouraged or even frightened this morning, fearful that you will trade away or lose all that you
have in Christ…making an Esau-like trade. Maybe you have made some mistakes this past week…or maybe even
fallen into some repetitive sins. Brothers and sisters, look to Jesus. He is our hope and guarantee of Heaven, not
ourselves. As one well-known pastor once said,
“If you could lose your salvation, you would.
” But we didn’t save
ourselves and so we cannot unsave ourselves. Our being attached to Jesus by faith ensures our arrival Home. And, in
Christ, we will be Home one day, count on it.
If you are here today and feel far from God…you know the bad things you’ve done, the bad things that have been
done to you…you feel the weight of your sin and the darkness of this world covers you…I encourage you to come
speak to someone around you about Jesus. He is the Answer. The curse on our world is reversed in Him. And He can
make You new, new forever.
Pray