© 11 Colin Melbourne
First, absorb the background to Gen. 25:19-34 by reading Gen. Chs. 27 and 28 in the KJV Holy Bible. Then you’ll see the significance of this incident between two slippery twin-brothers.
In this first scripture, the charming English expression, sod pottage, means boiling up a stew, Gen. 25:29-34 KJV;
The Trickster and The Fool
And Jacob sod 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.
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 sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
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.
Born to Greatness
We are staggered to read how little Esau cared for his birthright as firstborn of the Patriarch Isaac.
He knew by heart the epic story of his Grandfather, Abraham, the Friend of God.
In a world of decadence and unbelief, Abram remained humble and alert to the Spirit of God, who called him to leave the land of his birth, and go to a far country.
Abram ventured into the unknown, risked all he had, steadfastly obeying what the Spirit of God bade him do.
A magnificent testimony that thrills our hearts, but it gets better, much better.
You know the complete story; that because of Abram’s faithfulness, God promised to bless all nations on Earth through him.
That very Promise is being fulfilled right now as you read this.
God bestowed upon Esau’s Grandfather the most wonderful familial blessing it is possible to have, and it was Esau’s birthright to enjoy and pass on God’s inheritance.
All it required was faith.
Old Wives’ Tales?
Red-headed Esau heard his family’s history countless times from his mother’s knee, just like Jacob.
I imagine him yawning, contemplating dinner, as he pretended to pay polite attention to Isaac and Rebekah (Rebecca) re-telling the details.
He was familiar with the climax; the heart-stopping drama of Isaac offered in sacrifice, and how, at the last possible moment, the Lord provided a substitute.
We have the benefit of perspective to see the foreshadowing of Christ, the Lamb of God, the only begotten Son, who takes away the sin of the world. (Jn. 1:29)
But the story bored Esau senseless, he feigned interest, whilst longing to be out deer-hunting amidst the verdant hills of Beer-Sheba.
Despite hearing the truth from eye-witness Isaac, Esau couldn’t care less.
To him they were perhaps “fairy tales made up by old people”, and he felt he had “better things to do”, like eating and having fun.
You know people like that don’t you? We all do.
When you relate to them the immeasurable love and mercy of God held out in the Gospel, and tell of the miracles you’ve personally witnessed, you notice their eyes glaze over as their minds drift elsewhere.
You might as well be talking to the door-post.
The Devil’s Bargain
One day Jacob was cooking a stew (sod pottage in the KJV) and Esau, weary and famished from a hunting expedition, sold his birthright to Jacob for a plate of red lentils and bread.
The dummy!
He was so spiritually dense and irresponsible, he exchanged the most precious thing he owned, for a plate of kidney beans.
It was, without doubt, the most expensive serving of chilli con carne in history.
Jacob took advantage, and ripped him off.
Both were villains at heart, just like us before we were saved.
Jacob and Esau are “types” of the unsaved.
The significant difference between the twins, was that one coveted the divine Promise, and the other disdained it.
Jacob grasped the spiritual value of the firstborn’s birthright, just as he’d physically grabbed Esau’s heel at parturition. (Gen. 25:26)
Jacob got the birthright, it became legally his, sealed with an oath before God, and he also managed to trick his sibling out of Isaac’s death-bed blessing too.
No wonder Esau wanted to kill his sneaky twin-brother.
But let’s look and learn from Esau’s folly.
Salvation: Worth More Than a Can of Beans
Oh Glory, now we begin to see, don’t we?
Esau is a “type” of sinners pursuing the lusts of the flesh, coveting the things of the world, and rejecting the inheritance that belongs to those willing to trust in the Promise of God: The LORD Jesus Christ.
The option to inherit eternal life belongs to them, because Christ came into the world to save sinners. (1 Tim. 1:15) All they need do is believe the Gospel, and receive Christ as LORD.
We stand amazed that Esau-type people could be so foolish, to revel in the brief pleasures of sin, full-knowing they forfeit the eternal blessing of Almighty God.
Then we recall that we were the same, and understand their folly, because we were stupid too, until the Lord in His mercy opened our spiritual eyes.
Praise Him you saints, who through faith in Christ Jesus have inherited the blessings of Abraham, and become heirs, the children of Promise. Gal. 3:29, 1 Jn. 3:1-3 KJV;
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Therefore, we choose not the sod pottage of Esau’s bum-deal, we reject the things of this world, and look for the continued fulfilment of the Promise. That through our lives sown for Christ, and sharing the Seed of God wherever we go, we inherit our eternal reward: Which is bringing glory to Almighty God.
It’s all we live for.
Thank you Lord, that in your mercy you granted us faith to grasp the importance of believing, receiving, and obeying your word from our hearts. We know not to count the short-term cost, trusting that the eternal fruit will be divine abundance and glory to your Name. Amen
Waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness
I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
Malachi 1:2-3 KJV
Don’t be a Dummy like Esau: Believe the Promise
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Rom. 9:13 KJV
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Jn. 1:12-13 KJV
In the same way that Esau forsook his inheritance, in like manner many Christians fail to take hold of all Christ died to give them: Not only forgiveness of sins, but also perfect physical and mental health through faith in His atoning Sacrifice.
Healing The Sick by Dr. T.L.Osborn is by far the best treatise ever written on divine healing. It answers every question you may have using scripture, the word of God building faith in your heart to receive your miracle. Read it often, and receive your Blood-bought healing.
© 11 Colin Melbourne