Birthright, Despising

Martin Collins, cautioning us to properly value the infinite blessings that God has given us, warns that underestimating God's gifts can lead us to undervalue the spiritual or overvalue the physical. Esau, despised his birthright, preferring a bowl of lentils to placate his stomach; Lot's wife, preferring material prosperity, became a pillar of salt; Achan chose the spoils of battle; Saul allowed the people to persuade him to amass the spoils of battle, disobeying God's command by sparing King Agag; Judas betrayed his Savior for 30 pieces of silver. God commands us to set our minds on things above and not on the earthly, seeking the eternal Kingdom of God rather than perishable treasures of this world. As we prepare our offerings, we must discern the countless spiritual gifts God has given us, realizing that God's gifts are priceless. Only God can measure what is in our hearts.

The twin sons of Isaac, Esau and Jacob, are perhaps the classic model of sibling rivalry, and their contentious relationship has had a tremendous impact on history. Richard Ritenbaugh introduces the ancient people known as the Edomites by examining the life of the original Edomite, Esau.

The story of Esau and his selling his birthright for a bowl of soup is a cautionary tale for Christians today. What it is we really value? What we treasure will ultimately determine our destiny.

Everyone knows the story of Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew, but what does it mean to us? This article shows that each of us has the potential to do just as Esau did—each of us has a bowl of lentil stew!

The Bible mentions eating around 700 times, highlighting the broad practicality of the Bible's instruction. Its lessons for us are drawn from life itself, and eating is a major part of everyone's experience. Regardless of race, wealth, education, gender, or age, everybody eats. By studying eating in the experiences of others, we plumb a deep well of instruction from which we can draw vital lessons to help us through life.

The Bible frequently uses analogies from physical life to explain spiritual principles. Food and eating are no exceptions. In fact, there are over 700 references to eating in Scripture. The lessons we can learn from them must be important!

John Ritenbaugh focuses upon the metaphor of eating as a symbol of fornication or the regarding of something as profane, illustrated by the harlot dismissing her affair as if she were consuming a meal,(Proverbs 7:18) and Esau, who regarded his birthright as profane, preferring the immediate gratification of a meal. (Genesis 25: 29-30). Jacob, on the other hand deceptive and cunning as he was, realized the intrinsic holy value of the birthright, willing to curb his appetites and delay his gratification as Christ curbed His appetite in His temptation from Satan to qualify as our Savior and High Priest. Like Jacob and Christ, we must learn to delay gratification, learning to distinguish holy from profane.

John Ritenbaugh warns that we dare not allow a root of bitterness to spring up in us as a result of the trials we go through - those burdens intended by God to strengthen us and perfect us. We are warned not to emulate the example of Esau, whose worldly mindset blunted his ability to distinguish the sacred from the profane, leading him to give up his birthright to satisfy a bodily craving. We have superior promises (of future Eternal life and a place in God's very family as well as current access to God's presence through the work of Jesus Christ). The intense admonitory quality in the twelfth chapter stems from the stark, inescapable reality that God will not budge one inch on sin. Far from being an indulgent lenient parent, God is a consuming fire to those who will not obey. We need to develop the same white-hot hatred for sin as does our Heavenly Father. Finally we are admonished to (1) increase our fellowship with our brethren, (2) practice hospitality, (3) sympathize and empathize with those going through trials, (4) strive for pure and chaste marriages, (5) resist covetousness, and (6) ease the ministry's burden