The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-28
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
LESSON IN. FIRST QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH, 4.
Text of the Lesson. Gen. NXv. 2a-3f-
Memory Verses. 3I-a4-tsotden Text.
Luke Mi. 23-COmmentary by ,he
Rev. ID. VI. Stcarns.

The topics i'm this section of eight
verses is selling the Brthright-" Eli
IDENTIFY the committee were not looking
for the richest and most instructive Sc
lections 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 us a burial place (chapter
xxiiD. Isaac marries Rebekah chapter
XIV. Abraham dies, aged 10, and is
buried by Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael
dies at the age of 49,. When Isaac was
sixty years Of age. Jacob and Esau arc
born (chapter XIV, 1-26), and that brings
US to the lesson.
q. And the boys grew. and Esau was
a cunning herder. man Of the field, and
Jacob was a 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
duke ii. 400, and of Samuel 1t is said.
And the child Samuel grew on And
Samuel grew q Sam. ii. %; iii, 49,.
The same is written of Isaac, Ishmael,
ii. 10: Judge xiii. pa Why this state
ment should be made of these seven or
binary boys and Of Him whose name is
Wonderful let some one tell who knows.
II is worthy Of note that the Old Tesla
ment word signifies 10 become great.
Nimrod VINO built Babel and other
cities Gen. Y, S-10D. is the only other per-
son spoken Of as a mighty hunter
Neither his record nor Esaus are among
the best. In the r. V. margin it IS said
Jacob was a quiet, harmless, perfect
man.
2S. And Isaac loved Esau because he
did eat Of his venison but Rebekah loved
Jacob" So each of the parents had
their favorite: one was fathers boy and
one was mothers boy. This would not
tend 10 peace in the household nor to
love between the brothers If it We're
wrong in their day, with their compar
atively little light. how much more 10 be
condemned in the light in which we
live Then how humiliating TO see Isaac
partial 10 Esau for his stonlach's sake.
But it is an everyday story In the
church at Phillippi there were those
whose god was their belly and who
minded earthly things (Phil. iii, 49,. And
such may be found today.
29. And Jacob had pottage, and Esau
came from the field, and he was faint"
The first sin was through something
good for food and pleasant to the senses
II.
had tasted forty days and was afterward
all hungered, was able to resist the devil.
saving Man shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that proceedeth
out Of the mouth Of God" (Math. ~, ? A..
He afterward taught. Take no thought
for your life what We shall eat or what
We shall drink Labor not for the
meat which perisheth, but for that meat
which endureth unto lasting life, which
the Son Of Man shall give unto you
CMath. vi. %: John vi. %.
80. And Esau said 10 Jacob, Feed
me. l pray thee, with that same red pot
tage for I 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 wretched origin
of the Moabites and Ammonites is seen
in Gen. xix. 30-3S. and now we have the
origin of the EdomiteS, and YOU can
hardly meet with them anywhere in scrip
ture without thinking of the hunter who
was so 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 "A lovely brother
that wouldn't give his poor, hungry. only
| brother food without a recompensei All,
Jacob, you are a poor specimen Cod
| grace to YOU was wonderful, and it is
| the same To us. In YOU we see too Oft
ourselves. From Deut. xxi, IL. we learn
| that one item in the birthright was a
| double portion of the inheritance. And
| from ! Chron. V, ,, We see that the
birthright did not always fall TO the
first born. for while Reuben was the
| 30. And Esau said Behold I am at
| the point to die, and what profit shall
| this birthright do to me% Some one
| thinks il is as if ne said: How exposed
| is my manner of life, 1 may at any
| time be cut off. My birthright is Of little
value and never did me any good. II
/ Jacob thinks he can do something with
| il, let him have it. Give me the pottage.
| Let the birthright co. Or it may be
that he was so faint he actually thought
! he would then die, for afterward we
] find him earnestly. but vainly, seeking
the blessing with tears QIeb xii, 16.1O.
| How many there are who saw, What
4 profit is il to serve GOd?" dob xxi, IS;
| Nal. ill., 14 and are sorry when il is too
| late. How few 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 man give
| in exchange for his soul2" (Math. XVI,
/ 26). Esau represents those who prefer
| a present enjoyment and are willing to
| let the future look out for itself. while
/ Jacob. with all his crookedness, thought
| of the future.
80. "And Jacob said, Swear to me this
| day And he swOre unto him, and he
! sold his birthright unto Jacob" In Heb
| ri Jacob has honorable mention among
| those who had faith in God. but there
| is no room for faith in this transa ton
/ tt was selfish and crooked and scheming
| Faith would have said. if God means me
| TO have the birthright, He knows how
| to give il to me; if not, L am content
| Anyhow. | 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 eat 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 ops. evil
| "a; Isa. lii. 3; Math. xii -. 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 filled with the Spirit, he is apt
! to despise the riches of Gods grace and
! glory A right spirit will think more Of
| the things of the kingdom than of all