All right, let's take our Bibles
and turn with me to the book of Genesis chapter 25, Genesis
25. I'd like to look at verses 24
to the end of the chapter, but just as a quick update with
the conception of Rebecca, a struggle. raged within her. The scripture says in verse 21,
and Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife because she was
barren and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebecca, his wife,
conceived and the children struggled together within her. And she
said, if it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the
Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two
nations are in thy womb, two manner of people shall be separated
from thy bowels, and the one people shall be stronger than
the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger, which
was really completely opposite of the norm. The elder was always
the one that was given the right of birth, the birthright, the
heritage, not every bit of it, the vast majority of it, and
was always the firstborn. So here we immediately see, according
to the will and revelation of the Lord, that Isaac and Rebekah
was taught that earthly position, has no bearing upon the eternal
matters when it comes to the will and purpose of Almighty
God. The Lord chooses to show mercy
to one and to leave another to himself. One obtains by the grace
of God sonship in Christ and the other is reckoned a stranger. One receives the blessing of
the Lord and the other doesn't. And the cause of this distinction
is found totally according to the will of God. And as we've
read before, the Spirit of God moved Paul the apostle to say,
is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Hold your place. Turn to 1 Corinthians
1. 1 Corinthians 1. Verse 26 to 29, For you see your
calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh,
not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God
has chosen the weak things that of the world to confound the
things which are mighty and the base things of the world and
the things which are despised, hath God chosen ye and things
which are not to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh
should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption. that according as it is written,
he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. So the Lord does
as he will. And he told Rebecca, the elder
is going to serve the younger. Well, back in Genesis 25, verses
24 to 26, and when her days to be delivered were fulfilled,
behold, there were twins in her womb, And the first came out
red, all over like a hairy garment, and they called his name Esau.
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on
Esau's heel, and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was three
score years old when she bared them. Now, this struggle that
was found within Rebekah continued even after delivery, when they
were born. Lord had already told her before,
there's two different manner of people, two different nations. Now these boys are twins, conceived
at the same time. One of them comes out, first
one comes out, red, ruddy, red all over, like a hairy garment. A garment made of hair. He was
covered. And they called his name Esau. And Esau means hairy. And this
was his appearance right into adulthood. The way he was born,
it was like he was already a little man. When Rebekah turned to Genesis
27, 11, whenever Rebekah would have Jacob go in to meet Isaac,
we'll look at this, Lord, we'll in the next few weeks, in Genesis
chapter 27, verse 11, when Jacob was gonna go in to receive the
blessing, he says, Jacob said to Rebekah, his mother, behold,
Esau, my brother, is a hairy man. and I'm a smooth man. So this characteristic of Esau,
when he was born, he was born like a hairy garment. And after
Esau was born, back in Genesis 25, his brother Jacob was born,
the second born comes out, and it says he seizes Esau's heel,
grabs his heel. And he named him Jacob, heel
holder or supplanter. So here we find these two boys
being born according to the promise of God made to Rebekah. And we're
gonna behold the Lord's good pleasure to show mercy and compassion
to the one that he will. Verse 27, 28, and the boys grew. And Esau was a cunning hunter.
man of the field. Jacob was a plain man, dwelling
in tents, and Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison. But Rebekah loved Jacob. Now these boys grew, and as they
grew, the bent of their nature became obvious. Esau was what
I guess most fathers, I'm sure, would desire from a son. Scripture says he was a cunning
or he was a skilled hunter and a man of the field. He was outdoorsy. He was either hunting or he was
out there in the field tilling and sowing the ground, a real
outdoors type man. And Isaac loved Esau, because
he did eat of his venison. And Jacob, on the other hand,
the scripture says, was a plain man. And that word right there,
it's not what you would immediately think. It means sound, wholesome, Mr. John Gill wrote this concerning
that word. He was an honest, plain hearted,
quiet man. Peaceful, peaceful man. Now that
word plain is the same word used by the Spirit of God to describe
Job. In Job 1.1 when it said there
was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job and that man was
perfect. and upright, one that feared
God and eschewed evil." So this word plain, it was concerning
his integrity. He was a man of honor. And so when Scripture says, the
boys grew, Esau was a cunning hunter, man of the field, knew
how to handle himself. He got it done. And Jacob was
a plain man, on her, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau, that
was his preference, because he did eat of his venison, but Rebekah's
preference, her love, was for Jacob. The scripture says in verses
29 to 34, and I'm gonna read these verses, and then I'm gonna,
we're gonna look at the verses. I'm gonna read the last of the
verses, verse 29. And Jacob sawed pottage, and
Esau came from the field, and he was faint. 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, or red. Esau was the father of the Edomites. And Jacob said, sell me this
day thy birthright. And Esau said, behold, I am at
the point to die, and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
And Jacob said, swear to me this day. and he swear unto him, and
he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and
pottage of lentils, and he did eat and drink and rose up and
went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright."
Now, Jacob was cooking. He was a man that was knowledgeable
cooking and Esau was hungry. Conversation that took place
between these two brothers can only be described as that which
would bring to light the Lord's will. Esau wanted that which
would satisfy him right now. He was hungry. I'm hungry. I
want something to eat. Give me what you're cooking.
Now here Jacob said to his brother, Jacob said to Esau, sell me this
day thy birthright. What Jacob wanted Esau to surrender
was his right of primogeniture. That's a big word, primogeniture. What it is, it's the right of
the firstborn, the first legitimate child, to inherit the parent's
entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all
or some of the children. I want you, for me to give you
this pottage, I want you to sell me your right to inherit everything. That's what I want. This right, this birthright,
it was the right of inheritance. Humanly speaking, I'll show you
in a minute what it pictures. You know what it pictures, but
this right of inheritance belonged, according to the word of God,
turn over to Deuteronomy 21. Deuteronomy 21. this right, this birthright,
belong to the firstborn. And Deuteronomy 21, verse 15
to 17 says, now, if a man have two wives, one beloved and another
hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and
the hated, and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated. Then it shall be, when he maketh
his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make
the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated,
which is indeed the firstborn. He shall acknowledge the son
of the hated for the firstborn by giving him a double portion
of all that he hath, for he is the beginning of his strength.
The right of the firstborn is his. So here's what he's saying. The firstborn of a man's family
has the right, has the birthright, the right of inheritance, And
therefore, Isaac, Jacob, tells Esau, this is what this bowl
of pottage is gonna cost you. You're gonna have to sell me
all of your rights of inheritance so that everything that you would
have had goes to me. What he's looking for, that birthright
that Jacob desired, was typical. It was typical of the spiritual
blessings promised by God and given unto Jacob's father, Isaac,
and unto his grandfather, Abraham. Turn back to Genesis 22, 15 to
18. Covenant mercy. Almighty God in covenant mercy
said something to Abraham and he said, I'm gonna tell you your
inheritance. Genesis 22, 15 to 18. Right after Abraham was stopped
by the Lord from stabbing his son, Isaac. God stopped him. And we pick
up right here. Genesis 22, 15, and the angel
of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven a second time and
said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou
hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son, that in blessing I will bless thee, in multiplying I
will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, as the sand
which is upon the seashore, and thy seed shall possess the gate
of his enemies. And thy seed shall be, and in
thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because
thou hast obeyed my voice. Almighty God had told Abraham,
I'm gonna bless you. This is my promise unto you.
He promised Abraham. Turn back to Genesis 21. Look
at Genesis 21, in verse 12. Said the same thing to Isaac.
Jacob and Esau's daddy. Genesis 21, verse 12, And God
said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because
of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman, and all that Sarah
hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice. For in Isaac
shall thy seed be called. Here's the line. Here's the bloodline.
Here's the promise. Here's the promise of inheritance.
Here's God's promise. And the firstborn was Esau. But
God had promised Rebekah, Jacob and Esau's mama, the elder is
going to serve the younger. The Lord had made his will known
unto them, unto Rebekah and to Isaac. And the blessing of Jacob
was even confirmed to Jacob. Later, Genesis 32, look over
Genesis 32. Genesis 32, this is when Jacob
wrestled with the man, wrestled with the Lord. Genesis 32, verse
24. In Genesis 32, 24, Jacob was
left alone and there wrestled a man with him to the breaking
of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him,
he touched the hollow of his thigh and the hollow of Jacob's
thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said,
let me go for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee
go except thou bless me. And he said unto him, what is
thy name? He said, Jacob. Now listen to
this blessing. And he said, thy name shall be called no more
Jacob. For as a prince hast thou power
with God and with men, and hast prevailed. So the Lord told Rebecca, the
elder's going to serve the younger. You'll be in servitude. That
was opposite of what was normal. But God rules. God has the right. to do as you will, to whom he
will, how he will. And he said, now, the younger's
not gonna serve the elder. The elder's gonna serve the younger.
He's gonna be subjecting to him. And what would normally go to
the elder is gonna go to the younger, because God Almighty
said so, going to that right of inheritance. So Jacob's desire
for that birthright was his looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ and
being found in him. Colossians 118, him who is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature,
doesn't mean that he was firstborn in this world, it means he's
the creator. He's the sustainer of every creature. Verse 18 of
Colossians 1, and he is the head of the body, the church, who
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things
he might have the preeminence. So what that birthright represented
was being found in Christ, him who is the firstborn, the only
begotten Son, who was sent of the Father, to save His people. Turn to 1
John 4, 9. Who was sin of the Father to
save His people from their sins? 1 John 4, 9. In this was manifested the love
of God toward us because that God sent His only begotten Son
into the world that we might live through him. God sent his only begotten son. Colossians 1, Colossians 115. Here's the question. Being the
only begotten son, he is, as we just read, he is the firstborn. Colossians 1, being the firstborn,
that is, you know this according to His blessed humanity and covenant
mercy. As God, He was never born. In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. Christ was never born. Well,
the Lord Jesus Christ was born of a woman, yes. But God himself,
he was never born. He's always, he's the eternal
God. But according to covenant mercy,
he was born of a virgin. He was made flesh. And being
the firstborn, according to his blessed humanity, look at Colossians
1, 15 to 18. Colossians 1, 15, who is the
image of the invisible God, firstborn
of every creature, for by him were all things created that
are in heaven, that are in earth, visible, invisible, whether they
be thrones or dominions Principalities or powers, all things were created
by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him
all things consist. And he is the head of the body,
the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have preeminence. So being the firstborn,
everything belongs to him, Matthew 28. 18, the scripture says, all
power is given unto me of the Father. He owns it all. He made it all. He owns it all.
He's the firstborn. Psalm 24 once says, the earth
is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the world, and all they
that dwell therein. Now what hope, turn to Hebrews
12, what hope does a sinner have in having any part, any part
of God's inheritance. What hope. Everything belongs
to the Son. He's the firstborn of every creature. Made them all, sustains them
all. The only begotten of the Father. Full of grace and truth. He is the only begotten Son. and everything, all power given
unto him, thou hast given him power over all things, all people,
that he should give salvation, eternal life to as many as thou
hast given me. Everything belongs to him. Now, question. What hope does a sinner
have in having part in God's heritage if everything belongs
to Christ? What part? I must be found in Him. I must
be one with Him. One with Him. Hebrews 12. Hebrews
12, verse 18. Hebrews 12, 18, for ye are not
come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with
fire, nor into blackness and darkness and tempest the sound
of the trumpet, the sound of the words which voice they that
heard entreated that the words should not be spoken to them
anymore, for they could not endure that which was commanded. And
if so be, much as a beast touch the mountain, it must be stoned
or thrust through with a dart. And so terrible was the sight
that Moses said, I exceed in quake and fear and quake. You're not coming to Mount Sinai. That set forth the law. You're
not coming to that, but you're coming to Mount Zion, under the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable
company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all,
and to the spirits of just men made perfect, into Jesus, the
mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling
that speaketh better things than that of Abel. This is where you're
coming. You're coming to Mount Zion. And you're coming in Him. That's
what you do. What is my hope? of having any
part, that birthright set forth, that it pictured, that which
belonged only to Christ. That's what all of that pictured.
Jacob says to Esau, sell me your birthright. All
that which Jacob desired was that which pictured, being set
forth as being pictured, having union with Christ, Christ. And as that earthly firstborn
received the inheritance, Father, our inheritance with God is Christ
Jesus. Psalm 16.5, the Lord is the portion
of mine inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my lot. If we have him, we have everything. We have everything. If we be in Christ, we're heirs
of God. What is His is ours in Him. We are heirs of God and joint
heirs with Christ. Oh, the blessing that that birthright
pictured. That's what that birthright was
all about. That's what it set forth. that
everything went to Him, the inheritance of all, the inheritance of the
family. Earthly family, yeah, but what about the family of
God? The blessing of being found in the Lord. Well, so when he
saw, and I'll try to wrap this up, when he saw without reserve,
without reserve, I, Jacob said in verse 31, sell me this day
thy birthright. I want your right of birth. I
want the inheritance. I want that which pictures Christ.
I want that which pictures being found in him. That's what I want.
That's what I want. I want the promise, be found
with the Lord. Sell me your birthright. And
Esau said, behold, I'm at the point to die. And what profit
shall this birthright do to me. Saul, without reserve, sell his birthright for a bowl
of pottage. That set forth that the natural
heart places no value upon Christ. That's what it's saying. When
the Lord is not truly known, His glory and all of the promises
of God in Him are, to the one that doesn't know Him, they're
valueless. What is this? What is all this
being found in Christ? Look, you know, you might say,
I can't believe that He would sell His birthright for a bowl
of pottage. Men do it every day, every day,
every day. Whatever is more important than
Christ is nothing but a bowl of pottage. The things of this
present world are everything to an unbeliever. What he can
see, he values because he walks and is governed by sight and
not by faith. Everything in the future is just a matter of vague
uncertainty. That's, I got time, I got time. Not even worried, not even, no
concern. Esau's justification for his
action revealed his heart. There was no fear of God, no
concern for his eternal soul, and when Jacob said, sell me
your birthright, Esau's response was, behold, I'm at the point
to die, and what profit shall this birthright do to me? His
very answer, exposed his ignorance. He said, time is slipping away
to me, it's fading, and I see no need for this birthright.
But he saw the present, that's what he was, he was only looking
at now. I told you before, brethren, this is less than a blip in eternity. The amount you heard that sound
right there, That sound compared to our life on this earth, compared
to eternity. That sound right there lasted
a whole lot longer. He said, I see no need of a birthright. What he was saying is, I see
no need to a heavenly inheritance. That's what the birthright pictured.
What profit shall this birthright do to me? Scripture says Esau
despised his birthright. Started to say a moment ago,
the very reason that Esau gave to sell his birthright was the
reason he should have cast himself upon the mercy of God. I'm at
the point of dying. I've said before, the older I
get, that becomes more and more a reality. Second Peter says, 2 Peter 3,
11 to 13. Seeing then that all these things,
everything we're looking at, shall be dissolved, what manner
of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness
looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God?
Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and
the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we,
according to his promise, Look for new heavens and new earth
wherein dwelleth righteousness." Everything, according to the
word of God, everything we see is gonna be gone. It's gonna
be gone. What then? Scripture says, follow
peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see
the Lord. looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace
of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and
thereby many be defiled, lest there be any fornicator or profane
person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright." What he was saying, as I said
a moment ago, Jacob said, sell me your birthright. Sell me your
right of birth. Sell me that birthright that
sets forth being found in him. Sell it to me, he said. Esau
said, you can have it. I don't need it. He gave him
some bread, gave him a bowl of pottage. He ate it and he got
up and walked away. Esau despised his birthright. I pray God, teach us through
this. of the need of casting ourselves
upon the mercy of God for His glory and our good. Amen.