Esau got his mess of Pottage!

by Dillan Thurman

One of the great lessons from the Old Testament is the example of Esau, the grandson of Abraham, and son of Isaac! He had noble lineage, was in line for the birthright and blessing, but through fleshly lust, he lost them both! How often we hear Esau held up to ridicule and scorn, as one who was shallow, improvident and shiftless! How often he is derided for having "sold out" so cheaply! For after all, his great inheritance was despised, and his promising future sacrificed for his carnal appetite for one mess of lentils!

Review the story in Gen. 25: Esau, the cunning hunter, came in from the field feeling faint, and asked Jacob, his twin brother, for a mess of pottage. Jacob demanded, and got, his birthright for the meal! Esau's lament was, "I am at the point of death: what profit is a birthright?" Despising his birthright, he sold it for a mess of pottage! Because of his churlish actions, he is held up before us as a bad example! Thus we are warned of defilement, "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." (Heb. 12: 16-17). We have a bad example from a sordid life!

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ESAU

Even though Esau despised a great inheritance, and sold it for a mess of pottage (lentils), this man still stands head and shoulders above many in Israel this day! After all, Esau traded his birthright for a nourishing meal; but there are members in God's family who are "selling out" for a few moments of sensual pleasure! Esau got that which would sustain life for a brief time; but these current "profane persons" receive only the sinful pleasures that destroy spiritual life! They go further than did Esau, for as Jude said, "Likewise these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. " (Jude 8) Their lewd, lustful behavior defiles the body, but also brings reproach on the Body of Christ, whom they claim to serve! There are those claiming to be enlightened who are still selling out more cheaply than Esau!

During Paul's first imprisonment in Rome, he sent greetings from Demas, as one who was with him (Cot. 4:14; Phile. 24). They had faced trials together, and were true companions! Yet when Paul wrote later to Timothy, this chilling note is recorded: "Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica." (2 Tim. 4:9-10) For one who had been in the company of the peerless apostle Paul, it is almost unthinkable that he would turn back! Yet Demas had "sold out" because of his love of the world! Is it then strange that John would warn all: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world; the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (I John 2: 15-17) Demas sold his birthright and inheritance because of his love of this world! He didn't even get a mess of lentils in return!

Demas does not stand alone as one whose love of the world caused him to "sell out". We must also look to our weather vane to see where the winds of popularity are driving us! After Jesus Christ had spoken some hard saying, it was recorded: "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6:66). When the testing time came, many would "sell out" rather than face a "poor market." Jesus could say of His disciples, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17:14) But having called them from the world, He would see them tempted and tried by an alluring world! He would see them by the enticing aroma of worldly lust and carnality. But divine instructions were given to them: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Rom. 12:2) They are to give up something but not their birthright.

The modem Esau is despising the cascades of blessings God freely gives, and turns to seek the fickle adulation of throngs. We are moved to ask with Paul: "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Rom.2:4) As ancients sought to build the tower of Babel as a memorial to perpetuate their name, so frivolous youth tries to do this in his exploits. Boys, who have been abundantly blessed by a gracious God with a fine body and great ability, forget the God who made them, and immediately demand a "million dollar contract" for playing a game! They have the ability to serve God; but they have "sold out" to make their name! Jeremiah is still asking: "Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not." (Jer. 45:5) Neither health nor contentment is found at the end of that rainbow. What counsel is given such fine young men? "Rejoice, O young man in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of they youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." (Eccl. 11:9) The Preacher thus concludes: "Let us heart the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be bad." (Eccl. 12:13-14).

The modern Esau despises his birthright as he fervently strives for this world's riches! His lust for gold burns more brightly than does his ardor for God's message of salvation! He has forgotten the words of Jesus: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or e/se he will ho/d to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt. 6:24) Esau chose pottage over his birthright; and all too often the modern Esau chooses this world's rewards over what God has promised! But Paul warned: "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." ( I Tim. 6:9-10) While the lure of this world dangles before our eyes, Christ still warns: "Take heed, and beware of covetous- ness,' for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." (Lk. 12: 15) I once heard J.D., Tant say, "You can't take it with you! And if you could, it would be burned up the first night after you got there." That is still true of all who trust in uncertain riches!

It is said, "Every man has his price." This being true, how do you price your spiritual birthright? Esau sold his birth- right for a mess of pottage; his brethren sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver; Judas sold the Christ for thirty pieces of silver; Ananias and Sapphira sold their birthright for pretending liberality and lying about it to get the glory! None of these can accuse Esau too strongly; but this is not to vindicate Esau. He got his mess of pottage -now what is your price?

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Page last updated: March 03, 2003