NOTES by W. | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 30, 1888

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 13.

NOTES.

By W.

THE term "birthright" denotes the special privileges belonging to the first-born. Among these were, that he should have a double portion of the inheritance, and that he should succeed to whatever position was held by his father. Among the Jews the first-born was considered as especially devoted to God; and since the Jewish people were the chosen people of God, and the Jewish nation was the church of that time, it may justly be concluded that special spiritual blessings were considered as part of the birthright. When Esau sold his birthright, he deliberately sold all claim to the promises made to Abraham and Isaac, and afterwards to Jacob. He had no trace of the faith of Abraham, and he despised the promises of God.

ESAU might have had a share in the promise if he had wanted it. True, Paul says that before the birth of Jacob and Esau, it was said unto Rebekah, "The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" (Rom. 9:12, 13), but this was simply because God, who "calleth those things which be not as though they were," could foresee just what kind of character Esau would develop. God is no respecter of persons, and he does not bestow his favors arbitrarily. Esau was rejected, not simply because he deliberately sold his right to the promised inheritance, but because of the utter lack of faith, which led him to so lightly esteem the promises of God.

THE objector will no doubt say that Jacob appears in a worse light than Esau does, and that if God is a respecter of character, and not of persons, Jacob was less entitled to regard than Esau was. But that is a very superficial view of the case. So far as character is concerned, there is no man that has by nature anything that is worthy of the approbation of God. Even the zealous Paul, whose great aim was "to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward man," and who could say before the Jewish council, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day," said that he had suffered the loss of all things that he might win Christ, "and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Phil. 3:8, 9. God respects an upright character, but since there can be no perfect character except "through the faith of Jesus Christ," it is evident that his promises and favor must be extended to the one whose faith gives promise of a growth toward perfection.

So far as the record shows, at the time of which our lesson treats, Esau had naturally the advantage of Jacob; but Esau lacked faith, and Jacob possessed it, and from that time we see a growth for the worse in Esau, and for the better in Jacob. God never showed any approval of Jacob's course in securing the blessing; on the contrary Jacob had to suffer grievously on account of his duplicity; but through the faith that Jacob had, although it was crude and uninstructed, God could work for his complete moral reformation. Peter shows the work of true faith, when he says to the people of God that they may suffer manifold temptations, "that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:7. And in that day this will be found to be the case with Jacob.

THE case of Rahab may be taken as an illustration. James says that Rahab the harlot was justified by works when she had received the messengers and sent them out another way (James 2:25), and Paul says that "by faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." Heb. 11:31. Yet in concealing the spies, for which she received the promise that she should not perish, she deliberately lied. See Joshua 2. She was not saved because of her falsehood, but because of her faith that the God of the Israelites was the true God. She acted up to the best light that she had. Among the heathen it was esteemed a virtuous thing to lie, and she knew no better. But her faith brought her into relation with God's people where she could learn the way of truth. Thus we see that "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith," for "the just shall live by faith."

ESAU is not the only one who has sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. An old pipe, a plug of tobacco, a jug of whisky, the pleasure party, the card table, and other "good things" of this life have been sufficient to cause many to turn their backs on their heavenly inheritance. Esau said, "Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" Thousands of others when brought face to face with some duty, the performance of which would interfere with their worldly interests, have virtually said the same thing. They have said, "I know that this is the truth of God, but if I should obey it I couldn't make a living," thus intimating that they did not believe the promises of God would be of any profit to one who should die for them. It is more than probable that many who have accepted the truth, are putting self and selfish pleasures above the service of God, and are thus bartering their birthright. Let such beware lest they complete the sale and then find it too late to repent. And "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." W.