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For What Will You Sell Your Birthright?
Bible study on sin and salvation.

"Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, 'Please feed me with the same red stew, for I am weary.' Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, 'Sell me your birthright as of this day.' And Esau said, 'Look, I am about to die; so what profit shall this birthright be to me?' Then Jacob said, 'Swear to me as of this day.' So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:29-34).

The Biblical account quoted above has spiritual application (Heb. 12:12-17). Therefore, I would like to suggest three characteristics of human nature revealed through Esau selling his birthright.

First: Do not allow yourself to become weary over earthly "things" whereby there is no fight left for spiritual things. Esau was weary (worn out in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness; having one's patience, tolerance, or pleasure exhausted - Webster). He was so tired that he would give anything for physical revitalization - food and rest.

We must guard against allowing ourselves to become weary and tired so that we can no longer fight against sin and Satan. Especially, if we are exhausting ourselves to obtain worldly goods. Remember, "our adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). Therefore, we must "resist him, steadfast in the faith" (1 Pet. 5:9). If we expend every ounce of energy in pursuit of earthly pleasure, then there is no energy left to fight the good fight (2 Tim. 4:7).

Second: Never lose sight of the profitability of your birthright. Esau said: "'Look, I am about to die; so what profit shall this birthright be to me'" (Gen. 25:32)? Esau had lost sight of the profitability of his birthright. He did not see the profit in suffering to obtain it.

We must never lose sight of the profitability of our birthright. Paul tells us the price some have paid for their birthright: torture, mocking, scourging, chains and imprisonment, stoned, sawn in two, tempted, and slain with the sword (Heb. 11:35-37). Our home in heaven is more valuable than life itself; therefore, we must be willing to pay any price to keep it.

Third: Never despise your birthright. Esau sold his birthright; therefore, he despised it. Despise means to: regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful (Webster). Anytime we sell ourselves to Satan, we despise God - we do not consider God very important in our lives at that time. And anytime we sell our birthright, we despise it - we consider it negligible and worthless.

If you are a Christian, you have a birthright. What is your attitude toward your birthright? Do you cherish it and count it as the most precious possession you own? Will you guard it and protect it with your life? Or is there a price for which you will sell it?

Jesus says: ""If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matt. 16:24-26)?