Sunday Morning - May 17, 1998
Text: Genesis 25:24-34 "And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
TYPES
1 Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
We are living in the last of the age of grace, therefore the types in the Old Testament are becoming more relevant to day that ever before.
WITNESS OF ESAU AND JACOB
Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"
The lives of Esau and Jacob are a witness to us about priorities. Esau's witness is negative where Jacob, a man of faith, is positive. Not all of God men of faith were above board and Jacob is a prime example of this.
WARNING FROM ESAU'S LIFE
Hebrews 12:15-16 "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; ...16. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright."
To fail the grace of God is to do your own thing apart from God's will and His power. In type, Esau is like those that are saved but not interested in doing things that would please God. Esau is a type of those who are profane, who have little regard for spiritual things. A profane person is one who is spiritually out of control. 1 Timothy 1:9 "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous [just] man, but for the [saved] lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, ..." One who is profane is not use to waiting upon the Lord and therefore waiting for the birthright has little significance. What I want, I want it now and nothing else matters!
EXPLAINS ELECTION
Romans 9:10-11 "...Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)"
Esau and Jacob is a type that explain the purpose of God in election. We will look at this in the next lesson.
JACOB THE TRIPPER
25. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
Jacob's name means "supplanter" or "one who catches the heel." To catch one by the heel cause them to stumble or fall.
ONE OF THE WORLD OTHER A STRANGER
27. And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD
Matthew 13:38 "and the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the reign, and the darnel are the sons of the evil one,"
From the New Testament we see the field is a type of the World. Esau is a type of a worldly Christian. As a cunning hunter his cares were of the world.
LOOKED FOR A HEAVENLY CITY
Jeremiah 35:7 "Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers."
Jacob on the other hand is a type of Christian who is preparing for an heavenly inheritance. Hebrews 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
CARNAL AND SPIRITUAL
28. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29. And Jacob sod pottage: ...
In type, Isaac responded to Esau's ministry to the flesh. In contrast to Esau, Jacob who sod prophet's food ministered to Rebekah spiritual things.
SOWETH TO THE FLESH
Galatians 6:8 "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Those who sow to the flesh will reap corruption and ruin. Esau reaped the lose of not only the birthright but also the blessing as well.
PROPHETS FOOD - THE WORD
2 Kings 4:38 "And Elisha ...saith to his young man, 'Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.'"
To sod pottage and Jacob did is to be willing to take time to prepare spiritual things to feed others. Jacob ministered spiritual things to those who are interested in spiritual things. In type Esau is a picture of the child of God who realizes that there are time when spiritual food is a blessing, but does not stay around for more.
RENEWED THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD
2 Corinthians 4:16 "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."
When Esau ate of the pottage, his strength was renew, just a those who have a high regard for the word know how to renew the enter man daily and not once in a while.
ESAU WAS FAINT
29. ...and Esau came from the field, and he was faint
In the world the flesh is ministered to. The flesh is weak and therefore it will become faint. Mark 4:19 "And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, ..." will cause the child of God to concentrate on the exhausted flesh.
SOWED TO THE FLESH
Galatians 6:8-9 "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Jacob is a type of believer who sows to the things of the spirit which pertains to doing well and those things that are pleasing to God. We need to be aware of the fact that we can become weary in this as well as becoming weary because of the cares of the World.
NO WAITING UPON THE LORD
Isaiah 40:29-31 "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
To walk and not faint is to wait upon the Lord. Youth runs in the strength of the flesh where those who have grown in the Lord have learned to wait. To sod pottage is to be patient and willing to wait upon the things of the Lord.
PRAYERLESSNESS
Luke 18:1 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;"
Esau is a type of those who do not have time to pray. If you do not take time to pray you will faint. You may not get what you want in your prayer life, but one thing for sure is that you will not be likely to faint.
REGARDED THE JOY AND SHAME
Hebrews 12:2-3 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."
Esau is a type of those who do not esteem the birthright which would come to him in due season. The birthright is a type of the joy that is set before us. That same joy was set before the Lord Jesus Christ, and because the Lord despised the shame of losing the birthright he endured His cross which included contradiction of sinners. We need to lean to endure the trials of life by constantly keeping the JOY and the SHAME ever before us so that we will not faint. Those who are overcomers, as Jesus Christ, will enter into the Joy of the Lord. Matthew 25:21.
FEED ME PROPHETS FOOD
30. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
Esau is a type of those believers who want to be served and not serve. The seek out the head table and the chief rooms. Matthew 20:26 "... whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;" Hebrews 6:10 "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."
LIVED ON BREAD
Matthew 4:4 "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
Esau did not have a regard for the Word of God in type. It was the physical and ministry to the flesh that control his life.
LITTLE DELIGHT IN THE WORD
Psalms 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."
It is easy to walk in the counsel of the ungodly and in the way of sinners. It takes discipline to delight yourself in the Word of God. To meditate on the Word of God takes your thoughts away from the flesh and the things of the World. You can't meditate on the word at night without know the Word.
JACOB ESTEEMED THE BIRTHRIGHT
31. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
A DOUBLE PORTION
Deuteronomy 21:17 "But he shall acknowledge ...the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath...the right of the firstborn is his."
Esau was willing to forfeit a double portion inheritance for one bowl of stew. How many Christians have forfeited future blessings for the same thing or even less.
THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM
Genesis 27:29 "Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee."
Not only did Esau lose his birthright inheritance, he lost the blessing of Abraham that was given to Jacob. Salvation can not be lost but our rewards and position in the coming kingdom of our Lord can be forfeited.
PERISHED
32. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
To die is to perish. If Esau died he would lose everything as well. The word perish in the New Testament carries the same thought. To perish is to forfeit life for the millennial kingdom and not your salvation. Only those who have life can perish.
ESAU WAS SLOTHFUL
Proverbs 12:27 "The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious."
Esau was a conning hunter. To think that Esau did not have game when he came in is to ignore this comment in the text. Esau did not want to roast the game and therefore could be classified as a slothful man. The servant that buried his talent in the field or world was classified as a slothful and unprofitable servant.
A SERVANT OF THE DILIGENT
Proverbs 12:24 "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute."
The slothful are in bondage to others. Esau became the servant of Jacob.
MAKES LITTLE EFFORT
Proverbs 19:24 "A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not ...bring it to his mouth again."
SLOTHFUL IN DILIGENCE
Romans 12:11 "Not slothful in business [diligence]; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;"
Esau was not diligent. We are exhorted to not be slothful in diligence, but fervent in spirit serving the Lord.
ESAU HERITAGE
Malachi 1:3-4 "And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4. Whereas Edom [RED] saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever."
What will the slothful inherit who despise the birthright? Their inheritance will be a wilderness waste land where dragon dwell. They will try to build but the Lord will tear it down.
ESTEEMED THE BIRTHRIGHT
33. And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34. 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."
Jacob new the value of the birthright and the blessing. God promised this blessing to Jacob in Genesis 25:23 "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger."
BE NOT SLOTHFUL
Hebrews 6:12 "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
To receive the blessing of Abraham we can not be slothful, but through faith be diligent and patient so that we can enter in to the inheritance blessing the Lord has for those who will please Him by living by faith.