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Verse:And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. —Genesis 25:34
It is as perplexing a Bible story as virtually any you will read. A grown man sold his birthright for the princely sum of … a bowl of lentil stew.
And for the simple reason that he was hungry. Esau came in from his wearying work in the fields to find his brother had food ready to eat.
“Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary” (Genesis 25:30), he said to his sibling. Jacob cynically seized the opportunity, saying, “Sell me your birthright as of this day” (verse 31). Esau “swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob” (verse 33). For a bowl of stew, Esau forfeited the double portion of the inheritance he would receive from his father, along with family leadership and authority.
They were valued by him as nothing in comparison to the opportunity to satisfy his hunger. But every day, people sell more for less.
Jesus offers everlasting life to everyone.
At an inestimable cost to Himself, Jesus bore the sins of the world as He died on the cross. He came forth from the grave triumphant over sin and death, and all who choose Jesus’ death in the place of their own sinful heart receive the gift of salvation. It seems incredible that anyone would reflect on this and choose their three-score and ten years on this world over the opportunity to live forever in happiness, without sin, in a land that is fairer than day. Jesus offers everlasting life.
In exchange, we surrender our will and allow Him authority in our lives. To reject salvation, someone must say, “I would rather have my pride than Jesus.” “I would sooner have lust than life everlasting.” “I prefer anger, dishonesty, racism, and a bad temper to the love of Jesus in my life.” Esau could have walked the short distance to his parents’ home to find food without discarding the blessing that belonged to him as his father’s firstborn son. He failed to value the privileges that were his.
Esau’s experience reminds us of the folly of trading everything for nothing, of exchanging everlasting life for the short time we have on this earth.