BIRTHRIGHT
GENESIS 25:29-34
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION
1. One of the saddest figures in the Bible is of a man named Esau
a. He was the firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah and the twin brother of Jacob. (Gen 25:21)
b. He was loved by his father and was a skillful hunter. It was because of Esau skill as a hunter and Isaac love for wild game caused him to love the eldest son more.
2. Esau was a man that had his good side (good before the bad)
a. He had showed kindness to his brother Jacob, who had deceived him. (Gen 33:1-16)
b. He helped bury his father Isaac (Gen 35:29)
3. Yet on two occasions he was manipulated by his brother Jacob…
a. The first came when he sold his birthright for a bowl of stew
b. The second came when stole the blessing designed for Esau
4. This morning I want to touch on the first incident and see if we can glean any insight and application for our lives
SCRIPTURE
Genesis 25:29-34 (NIV)
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.
OBSERVATIONS
1. Esau’s BIRTHRIGHT
a. Physical advantage to the BIRTHRIGHT
The Birthright was a double portion of the family inheritance.
i. The amount would have been very large.
ii. We know that what he eventually received was great according to Genesis 36:6-7 that records that the family, livestock, and property of both brothers was so great that the land could not support them both.
b. Spiritual advantage to the BIRTHRIGHT
i. Esau would have become the Patriarch and Priest of the home after his father’s death.
ii. He would have been chief of the chosen family and heir to the promise of blessing
iii. Able to invoke the blessing of Abraham, regarding the threefold promise (Gen 28:4; 12:1-3)
1. Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
2. That blessing however was given to Jacob as we read in Genesis 28:3-4
Genesis 28:3-4 (NIV)
3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham.”
c. The Birthright was not just a trivial momento passed down from generation to generation, but had significant physical and spiritual blessing that were connected to it.
2. LETS MAKE A DEAL
a. Esau comes in and is famished from a long day of hunting, but no reward of game. Jacob says, Esau, brother of mine, firstborn of my father and holder of what I want…LETS MAKE A DEAL
b. Esau chose the SENSUAL over the SPIRITUAL
i. He gave into the cravings of his hunger (
ii. He valued the stew more highly then his birthright
iii. For that reason he was called a godless person
1. Godless = Greek word bebēlos, “profane, unhallowed, desecrated”
c. Esau chose the PRESENT over the FUTURE.
i. He tossed away future reward for present gratification
ii. Jesus was tempted to do the same in the desert by satan. He was hungry and the devil said you can make these stones bread. Jesus could have fulfilled his physical desire for food in an instance, but would have forfeited His future Glory. Esau succumbed to his flesh and forfeited his future.
d. In a fraction of a moment a tummy was filled, but a promise was lost. ESAY MADE A DEAL AND IT WAS A BAD ONE!!
i. Maybe you are wondering where in the Bible Esau was called a godless man. Hebrews 12:16
Hebrews 12:16 (NIV)
16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
3. Esau despised his birthright
After Esau had eaten and had his fill he regretted what he had done, but could not take it back.
a. This causes a growing seed of anger and bitterness in him towards his brother.
4. MY BIRTHRIGHT AS A CHRISTIAN…
a. Physical Inheritance
i. He is the God who heals
ii. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
iii. God has blessed us with our families (my wife and children)
1. Proverbs 19:14 (NIV)
14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD
Psalm 127:3 (NIV)
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.
iv. God has blessed us with food and clothing
1. Matthew 6:25-26
2. Deut 8:18
b. Spiritual Inheritance
i. I AM an heir according to the promise made to Abraham
Galatians 3:29 (NIV)
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
ii. I AM a co-heir with Christ
Romans 8:16-17 (NIV)
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
iii. I AM saved by grace through faith
Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-
iv. I HAVE an incorruptible inheritance
1 Peter 1:4 (NIV)
4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you.
v. GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ARE ALSO APART OF THIS GREAT INHERITANCE (HEALING, WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE, PROPHECY, PASTORING/TEACHING, EVANGELISM
1. APPROPRIATION
a. Taking hold of, possession of what God has for each of us.
2. APPLICATION
a. Daily use of – wish stewardship of such gifts that help us to fulfill God’s will for our lives.
3. ADMINISTRATION
a. How we conduct ourselves in the application of such gifts in a way that would bring glory to God.
b. Along with that also means the act of discipline and encouragement in the use of Gifts. Encouraging Christians to use their gifts in biblical ways and bringing correction to those that have stepped out of the intended purpose for those gifts.
APPLICATION
1. I will walk (worship) by the SPIRIT and not by the FLESH
a. I will live in the promise of my inheritance and not in the present of my life
i. Our lives are always full of some kind of struggle. The enemy is always tempting us to act upon our flesh, just like Esau desire for food, it cause him to make a rash decision that changed his life.
ii. I must determine everyday that I will walk in the blessing and provision of my birthright, given to me through my adoption into the family of God through the blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary.
b. Philippians 3:2-3 (NIV)
2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh –
c. There are two things I know of that help me to walk I the Spirit –
i. The first is stay in God’s word. Our minds are like video recorders taking all kinds of stimulus every moment. It can be very easy to let our minds wonder
1. Lustful thoughts
2. Bitter angry thoughts
3. Thoughts of conspiracy
4. Thoughts of revenge
ii. The second is using my prayer language on a daily basis. One of the most beneficial things I have is my prayer language and not just praying in the spirit but singing in the spirit.
1. Ephesians 5:19 (NIV)
19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.
2. Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
3. SPRIRITUAL SONGS = ᾠδαῖς πνευματικός = songs from the spirit. These are songs that are birthed out of communion with the spirit of God.
2. I will live in PEACE and HOLINESS
a. Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)
14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
3. I will exercise DISCIPLINE and GODLINESS
a. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
CONCLUSION
1. Esau made the mistake of…
a. Depreciating the value of his inheritance
b. Succumbing to the desires of the flesh
2. We can make the same mistake…
a. Not appreciating the value of our inheritance in Christ!
b. Giving in to the allure of immediate gratification of the flesh!
3. Esau made the choice and he could not go back. We never when we might handing over our BIRTHRIGHT and then in that istant we cannot regain in back just as Esau could not.
We need to head the words of the Apostle Paul when he says,
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NIV)
1 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
