The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-04-02
Sunday School Notes
Side Lights on Next Sundays Lesson
for Teachers and Pupils.
Edited by Charles X. Meyers

April 6-Jacob and Esau Gen. %
1854; 27:1-45.
Our lessons for the coming quar-
ter will be upon the histories O
Jacob and his son Joseph. The les
son Of today takes up a portion of the
life history Of Jacob and Esau, who
We're the sons Of Isaac. Those who
have read the book Of Genesis will re
member how Isaac came to be mar
ried to Rebekah. Their first children
were twins. Esau was the first born
and Jacob the younger. According
to the custom of that day Esau was
entitled to the greater share of his
faher's possessions upon the death OF
Isaac and to be the head OF the tribe
1t would appear that Esau did not
grow up to be a man deserving, in his
makeup, to assume the place which
custom and law would give to him !;
and that he did not appreciate the
responsibilities and possibilities of
his birthright Esau was hunter and
the record tells us that one day, re-
turning tired and hungry from hunt
ing he earnestly asked his borther,
Jacob, for some of the food which he
was cooking. Jacob, who seemed to
understand what the birthright of the
first born meant said to Esau, "Sell
me this day thy birthright." Esau
replied to the effect that he was so
hungry that unless he had some of the
pottage he would die and then the
birthright would profit him nothing.
So he sold his birthright to Jacob for
the pitiful pay of one meal. In Gen.
1854 it is recorded "Thus Esau
despised his birthright."
The sale of the birthright was not
known to their father, Isaac, but prob
ably was to Rebekah, their mother.
Then came time when Isaac, coming
to old age, felt it his duty to give
special blessing to his older son, Ssau.
TO gain this blessing for himself
Jacob and his mother devised plan
to deceive Isaac and this they success
fully carried out. Isaac being blind
and believing that his son, Esau, was
in his presence, gave him full bless
ing for the future, promising him
power and influence. Soon after this
Esau came in and when he found that
the Blessing had been bestowed upon
his brother he was broken hearted
and cried out unto his father, BLESS
me, even me, also, o my father
There are a number of important
lessons for us to learn from the his
tory of Esau While the first born Of
one of the greatest men of the his
tory of the Jewish nation, he appeared
not to appreciate that fact, but was
ready to barter away his future for
a trife. 1t is declared in the New
Testament that each one Of us is a
child of the King, and thus a joint
heir with Christ to heavenly inner
itance. Get, how oftimes we see men
and women spurning this inheritance,
defying the will of God as set forth
in the teachings of Jesus and st. Paul.
For day, for a week, of sinful doings
there looms up a loss of blessed
eternal life. This can only be re-
stored by repentance and faith in
Jesus. Esau could not regain his
birthright although as the scripture
SAYS he sought it with tears. The ma
iority of us have birthright OF a
healthy body and a good constitution
which, if cared for, will give us
long and useful life, but alas, how
many spurn that brthright, mistreat
their body until it is wrecked, and
they must, like Esau, lament with
tears their foolishness.
At no time have l tried to cOndone
or cover up the deceit Of Jacob in OBJ
tanning the blessing from Isaac under
false pretenses. Because of this his
life was ever a SOrrOWful one. He
fed in fear from his brother, and in
later years passed through great sor-
rows on account Of the supposed death
of his son Joseph. 1t is true God cared