The Yale expositor., 1907-03-15
JACOB
AND ESAU
Sunday School Lesson for March IL, 1907
! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Specially prepared for this paper.

GOLDEN TENT.-"Lying lips are an
lbomination TO the Lord, but they that
Zeal truly are his delight. PROV. 1922.
understanding To Bible margin
Esau sold his birthright about lS0e Il. C..
l6 years after the death OF Abraham, and
Jacob gained possession of IL 20 years
later b. G. 1880
pI4ACE.-Jacob's early home was at
Beersheba. He fled far 10 the north to
sharan near headwaters of Euphrates.
SCRIPTURAL EXPERIMENTATION
lespisng his birthright; Heb. 1916, II.
Jacob chosen instead of Esau: Rom.
AHA: Nal 1:2; Obadiah 1913; Jer 1875.
Our birthright: Rom. S:14-l7; John 3:16;
Rev. 221-5. Selling our birthright: Matt.
G:2G: l9:lG-22: 1855: Mark S:37; Rev. 1873.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Two Brothers.-The two broth
ers were twins. but Esau was the
elder They were born and reared at
Beersheba. They were as different
from one another as Isaac and Re
bekah, but with a difference. Esau,
in whom Rebekah's nature was empha'
sized. was the favorite of Isaac, while
Jacob, who grated the shrewdness
er's family upon the homeloving and
religious and thoughtful nature Of his
father, was the favorite of Rebekah.
Esau failed because, though brought
up in a religious atmosphere, he chose
to go with bad companions and marry
heather wives. His fatal steps were
not tie passionate impulse of mo-
ment mo man sells his birthright
on the spot He who sells his birth
right sells it many times in his heart
before he takes it openly To the mar
ket. He belittles il and despises il
and cheapens it, at any rate to him
self, before he sells il so cheaply to
another" So "Esau had hunted for
years with the brothers of Judith and
Bashemath. He had eaten and drunk
en- and danced with the Hittite inhabi-
tants of the land. He had sacrificed
and sworn and vowed to their false
gods of the fields and the streams and
open definance of all decency and re.
ligion, he brought home two Canaanite
wives to his fathers covenanted
camp. Alexander Whyte.
Jacobs career was a growth and
development We see his choice of
the better things gradually overcom'
ing his faults and imperfections. His
progress is slow and difficult, with zig.
gag motions. with reactions. like the
chilly days and snowstorms of spring.
but it is moving on toward the sum.
mer harvests and autumn fruits.
The Birthright.-"The first-born is
the head OF the patriarchal family, and
the right of the first-born includes
the representative privileges derived
from this exalted position. "-Delitzch.
"Esau was. by right of birth. the
head of the family, it's prophet. priest.
and king; and no man can renounce
such privileges, except as a sacrifice
required by God. without despising'
God. who gave them. But more than
this: he was the head of the chosen
family; on him devolved the blessing
of Abraham that, in his seed all fam.
/ lilies of the earth should be blessed !;
and, in despising his birthright, he put
himself out of the sacred family, and
so became 'profane person His sin
must not be overlooked in our indig.
nation at the fraud of Jacob. which,
as we shall see presently. brought its
own retribution as well as it's own
gain. WIN. Smith.
The crafty Jacob, instead of sharing
his meal with the brother, who had
doubtless, often given him venison,
| drove a hard bargain. and Esau sold
! his birthright for a mess of pottage.
And knowing well Esau's fickleness,
Jacob made him take solemn oath.
Il am dying of hunger" said the elder
brother with characteristic eXaggera-
ton, and what is birthright to me?''
Our 8irthright.-As children of God
we all have a birthright far more val.
liable than Jacob or Esau could dream
Of We have promises beyond the
range of their highest imaginations.
The child in Christian home has
for his birthright the Sabbath day,
and the Lords table. and the society
Of the best people in the city. and
! first a youthhood. and then man
hood, of purity and piety and the ser.
vice of Christ in His church: A birth.
right of trust and honesty and honor
and chastity Alexander Whyte.
We are heirs of God, of his charac.
/ ter. his love and care, his heavenly
home. his Joy and peace. Our souls
may be temples of the Holy Ghost
full of 1.-The desirable things of all ma
tons" We have an Inheritance in.
corruptible and indebted. and that
fadeth not away" "a far more ex
ceeding and eternal weight of glory
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard
neither have entered into the heart OF
man, the things which God hath pre-
pared for them that love him
Selling Our 6irthright.--Many a
man sells his birthright for a mess OF
pottage,--his character. his conscience
his usefulness, heaven itself. for pride
for worldly gain. for honor, for pleas.
ure.
Practical Points.
Never sell your birthright for any
inducement whatever. nor make light
nf Religions things or conscience or