The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-02-28
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH 4.
Lesson Text: "Selling the Brit,
right" Genesis XIV, 2S-34
Golden Text: Luke xiii,
23-Commentary.

The topic in this section Of eight verses is
''Salling the Birthright." Evidently the
committee were not looking for the rich
est and most instructive selections In
Genesis. but we will find something even
here The intervening events have been the
death Of Sarah. aged 127-said to be the only
woman whose age is recorded in Scripture
and the purchase OF the cave OF Machpelah
at Hebron as a burial place (chapter x1iii.).
Isaac marries Rebekah (chapter XIV.
Abraham dies, aged It's. and is buried by
Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael dies at the age
OF 1877. When Isaac was sixty years OF age,
Jacob and Esau are born (chapter XIV,
1-26), and that brings US to the lesson.
q. "And the boys grew. and Esau was
cunning herder. man of the field, and
Jacob was plain man, dwelling In tents"
Why should the Spirit write '.And the boys
grew" Don't all boys grow? Yet the
Spirit saw fit to write concerning Jesus
And the child grew Guke H., 40l, and Of
Samuel it is said. "And the child Samuel
grew on, ,"And Samuel grow" q Sam. H.,
ill.,. 19>. The same is written Of Isaac,
Ishmael, Moses and Samson (Gen. xxi. 8.
statement should be made OF these seven
ordinary boys and OF Him whose name is
Wonderful let some one tell who knows. It
is worthy OF note that the Old Testament
word signifies to become great. Nimrod,
who built Babel and other cities (Gen. K,
8-10), is the only other person spoken OF as
mighty hunter. Neither his record nor
Esaus are among the best. In the R. V.
margin it Is said Jacob was quiet, harm
less. perfect man.
%. "And Isaac loved Esau. because he
did eat Of his venison. but Rebekah loved
Jacob" So each of the parents had their
g.. Ia fokh hAx
mothers boy. This would not tend to peace
in the household nor to love between the
brothers. If it were wrong in their day, with
their comparatively little light, how much
more to be condemned in the light In which
we live. Then how humiliating to see Isaac
partial to Esau for his stomachs sake. But
1t is an everyday story. In the church at
Philippi there were those whose god was
their belly and who minded earthly things
(Phi. ill.,, 49,. And such may be found to-
day:
came from the field, and he was faint" The
food and pleasant to the senses (Gen. Ill. g..
The Lord Jesus when He had tasted forty
days and was afterward an hungered, was
able to resist the devil, saying. MAN shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out OF the mouth Of God"
(Math. iv., 2, ~. He atterward taught,
Take no thought for your life what W
shall eat or what ye shall drink" Labor not
for the meat which perisheth, but Tor that
meat which endureth unto everlasting Lire,
which the Son Of Man shall give unto yos1"
(SIatb. vi, 25; John vi, 27.
30. "Aad Esau saidto Jacob, Feed me,
pray thee, with that same red pottage, for l
am faint Therefore was his name called
Edom." See the margin for the meaning OF
Edom. One OF the interesting things In
Genesis is to note words used for the first
time and trace them on through Scripture;
Also the origin of Nations. The Hretched
origin OF the Moabites and Ammonites Is seen
in Gen. xix. 30-3S. and now We have the orr
gin OF the Edomites, and you can hardly
meet them anywhere in Scripture without
thinking OF the hunter who was 80 hungry
for red pottage. He did not know the words
OF our text. The life is more than meat and
the body than raiment," nor those words OF
the Spirit. 'The kingdom OF God IS not meat
and drink. but Righteousness and peace and
Joy in the Holy Ghost
81. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy
birthright." What i lovely brother that
wouldn't give his poor, hungry. only brother
food without arecompense Alb, Jacob, you
are poor specimen! Gods grace to you
was wonderful, and it is the same to us. In
you wesee too oft ourselves. From Deut.
xxi IT, we learn that one item In the BIRTH
right was a double portion ofthe inheritance.
And from I Cbron. ", 2. We see that the birth
right did not always fall to the first born, Tor
while Reuben was the first born the birth
right became Joseph's.
32. And Esau said, Behold, I am at: the
point to die, and what profit shall this birth
right do to me?" Some one thinks 1t as II ne
ia
may ut any time be cut of. My birthright
is OF little value and never did me any good.
If Jacob thinks he can do something with 1t,
let him have it. Give me the pottage! Let
the birthrignt go" Or it may be that he was
80 faint he actually thought he would then
die. for afterward we find him earnestly, but
vainly, seeking the blessing with tears (Heb.
XIII, 16 17). How many there are who say,
What profit is it to serve God? Dob XXI,
IS Nal. ill.,, 14), and are sorry when it Is
too late? How lew lay to heart the solemn
words, ''What shall it profit a man though he
gain the whole world and lose his own soul,
or what shall q man give in exchange for his
soul?" (Math. xvi, 26). Esau represents
those who prefer q present enjoyment and
are willing to let the future look out for It
SELF while jacob, with all his crookedness,
thought Of the future.
SO. And Jacob said, Swear to me this
day. And he sware upon him, and he sold
his birthright unto Jacob" In Heb. xi.
Jacob has honorable mention among those
who had faith in God, but there is no room
for faith in this transaction. 1t was selfish
and crooked and scheming. Faith would
have said, If God means me TO have the
brthright. He knows how to give it to me;
if not, am content. Anyhow, 1 will love my
brother and do right before God. But such
was not jacobs way at this time.
81 "Then Jacob gave Esau bread and
pottage of lentiles. and he did cat and drink
and rose up and went his way. Thus Esau
despised his birthright." Israel despised the
pleasant land they believed not His word.
They also despised and rejected Him who
came as their Messiah and Redeemer and
made light OF His invitations (Ps. cyi., "a; E;
Isa liii., 3; Math. xii, 81. Man has no
heart for the things OF God. The present is
everything with him until he is born from
above, and even then, unless he Is filled with
the Spirit, he is apt to despiss the riches OF
Gods grace and glory. A right spirit will
think more OF the things Of the kingdom than
OF all present things. Lesson Helper.