Misplaced Priorities

“And Jacob said, Swear by me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.”  Genesis 25:33

Abraham’s son, Isaac, was 40 years old when he married Rebekah.  Twenty years passed, and she had not been able to conceive.  In ancient days, having children was the number one goal of wives.  To be barren was seen as a curse.  (Today, many couples choose not to have children for one reason or another, but some of them, as they grow older, come to regret that decision.  Unfortunately, the reverse is also true for some who experience heartache from their children.)  Isaac asked the LORD to allow his wife to conceive, and the LORD granted his request.  Not only did she conceive a baby, she conceived twin boys.  Like most siblings, these two little guys fought even before they were born.  Of course, Rebekah certainly felt that struggle within her womb and enquired of the LORD, asking Him what was going on.  Even though she had never been pregnant before, she realized something out of the ordinary was going on inside her body.

God answered her prayer, by what means we are not told, and said that the twin boys represented two nations with one nation eventually being stronger than the other, and the older twin/nation would serve the younger.  When the day of their birth came, the first baby boy was all red and hairy and would grow up to be an outdoorsman, a “man’s man” as we might say today.  He was named Esau which means “hairy”.  The second baby was born and grabbed onto his brother’s heel as if he was trying to get ahead of his brother and be the firstborn.  It certainly wasn’t going to happen like that!  The title of firstborn was extremely significant in the ancient world.  In Israel, the firstborn would receive two thirds of the inheritance with the remainder going to younger siblings.  The firstborn was also deemed to belong to Jehovah God and would become the head of the family at the father’s death.  The second born baby was named Jacob and as an adult was described as an ordinary man who preferred the indoors.

Both of the boys grew into adulthood with Esau preferring to go hunting while Jacob stay home spending his time, I suppose, being a homebody.  (This reminds me of a time when I was a child for I was also a homebody.  My dad was telling someone about me, but instead of saying that I was a homebody, he said that I was “homely”.  I knew what he meant, but still it wasn’t very flattering.)  Since Jacob stayed home, he apparently developed the talent of cooking delicious food.  Esau had been out in the field, came into the house and was famished.  He asked Jacob for some of the stew that Jacob had prepared.  I imagine that it smelled really good, and Esau was only thinking about his stomach.  They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but in this case, the way to Esau’s birthright was, well, you guessed it.

Jacob was a conniver, a con man, at least when he was a young adult.  He didn’t let an opportunity to get ahead go to waste.  He said to Esau, “Sell me this day thy birthright.”  Esau, only considering his present hunger and not thinking about the consequences of what he was about to do, said, “Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  Talk about dramatic.  His stomach was growling; he wasn’t about to die.  He gave up all the rights that the firstborn would eventually receive for a bowl of stew.  In Chapter 27, we see that not only the birthright, but Jacob also tricked their father into giving him the father’s blessing rather than Esau.

Folks give up valuable things for things that are nearly worthless or that will bring regret at some future time.  Teenagers give up their virginity because everyone else is doing it.  Husbands cheat on their wives and vice versa for a momentary bit of pleasure.  Folks make bad choices because they don’t consider the consequences.  While God has blessed us in so many ways, we have taken for granted that He will still bless us even while we choose other priorities over worship, Bible study, prayer, and helping others.  Just imagine how Judas Iscariot felt after He had betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.  His deep regret led him to commit suicide.  How about Peter when he denied that he knew Jesus three times because of fear?  He was so ashamed, but Jesus forgave him, and Peter became one of the most dedicated disciples after Jesus’ ascension back to His Father.  Jesus asked in Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  I can’t imagine why anyone would give up his or her soul for this sin-cursed world.