This passage of Scripture deals with the lives of Esau and Jacob of whom the Lord declared, "Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated". This seems like strong words but as we look at the character of these two men in their early lives we get a hint of what character traits we are to cultivate if we are going to please God.
Genesis 25:29-34 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
In these verses there is a valuable lesson for all of us. Esau has returned from a long hunt. He is famished and finds that Jacob has cooked bread and lentils. It would be like coming home from a long trek in the woods to find the wonderful fragrance of red beans, rice, and cornbread assaulting your senses. Esau wants this food but there is something that Esau has that Jacob wants as well--his birthright. Now the birthright of the oldest son was two-thirds of all the father possessed regardless of how many siblings he had. For Esau this would also mean that the prophesied Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, would be his descendant. Esau willingly traded all of this for a bowl of beans and a piece of cornbread. So why did God record this in the Bible?
You and I can be challenged by this narrative to examine our priorities and our method of prioritizing. Do we make our decisions based on immediate gratification like Esau or do we look at the eternal consequences of our decisions? It is very easy for us to live our lives and even "serve God" like Esau looking for and only doing what brings immediate pleasure. This is the reason the Gospel is not proclaimed throughout the cities we live in and that churches close due to lack of interest and participation. The Bible directs us to set our hearts on things above not things on the earth if we are really Disciples of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.).
Jacob looked past the momentary discomfort and risks to prepare for the future. This meant 14 years of labor for a wife and 7 years of labor with uncertain wages for his cattle and herds but he endured looking to the future benefits. This is the character trait that we must cultivate. We must learn to live for eternal results instead of temporary pleasures. For example, Bible reading, study, and memorization may not be all fun now but our ability to utilize the word of God to witness and minister to others will reap eternal benefits as men repent, believe the Gospel, and become worshipers of our great God. Are you living for the moment or do you patiently continue in doing right even when there is no immediate gratification? This will mean pushing ourselves. This will mean denying ourselves. This will mean selfless service to others. Let us labor to cultivate this attitude because we have the promise of God that if we continue in well-doing that we will reap if we faint not.
Daily Devotional: Leviticus 5:14-19 Sacrifice Required Under Law
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