Do You Help Or Exploit?
Gen. 25:29-34; 27:6-8, 15-19, 34-36 Feb.
24, 2008
Introduction
This battle over a birthright seems unusual to us. Jacob and Esau knew
the importance of this blessing but
Esau, famished with hunger, sold it for a meal of bread, beans, and
lentils. His appetite ruled him; one
commentator asked how many church members would look at their watch and
think of food if the preacher goes
past noon? Well moving right along, what kind of a brother makes his
brother promise his birthright before he
will give him anything to eat? Probably some of us have seen examples
of sibling rivalry that could equal Jacob
and Esau. We need to ask the question when opportunities for service
come, Do You Help Or Exploit?
1. Do You Help Or Exploit Through Your . . Self-centeredness? 25:29-34
A. Self-centeredness To Exploit A . . Birthright.
25:29-31
29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in
from the field, exhausted. 30 He said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of
that red stuff, because I'm exhausted." That is why he was also named
Edom. 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."
B. Self-centeredness To Exploit . . Bread and
Food. 25:32-34
32 "Look," said Esau, "I'm about to die, so what
good is a birthright to me?" 33 Jacob said, "Swear to me
first." So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. 34 Then
Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to
Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his
birthright. HCSB
2. Do You Help Or Exploit Through Your . . Schemes? 27:6-8, 15-19
A. Schemes . . Concocted By A Mother. 27:6-8
6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Listen! I
heard your father talking with your brother Esau. He said, 7
'Bring me some game and make some delicious food for me to eat so that
I can bless you in the
Lord's presence before I die.' 8 Now obey every order I give you, my
son.
B. Schemes . . Carried Out By A Son. 27:15-17
15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of her older
son Esau, which were there at the house, and had her
younger son Jacob wear them. 16 She put the goatskins on his hands and
the smooth part of his neck. 17
Then she handed the delicious food and the bread she had made to her
son Jacob.
C. Schemes . . Corrupted With Falsehood. 27:18-19
18 When he came to his father, he said, "My father."
And he answered, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?" 19 Jacob
replied to his father, "I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you
told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may bless
me."
Rebekah concocted a
scheme, that Jacob carried out through their corrupt methods. They
schemed to trick Isaac. This is certainly not an example to follow. In
the background of this story we know these brothers
were twins and fought even before they were born. Rebekah love Jacob
more than Esau, and Isaac loved Esau
more than Jacob, (Gen. 25:28). Parents should not love one child more
than another, but many times one child
expresses ways and manners that identifies them more to one parent that
other. Esau loved the outdoors, and
Jacob preferred a shepherd's life.
3. Do You Help Or Exploit Through Your . . Secondary Blessings? 27:34-36
A. The . . Request For A Secondary Blessings.
27:34-35
34 When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out
with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless
me--me too, my father!" 35 But he replied, "Your brother came
deceitfully and took your blessing."
B. The . . Rallying For A Secondary Blessings.
27:36
36 So he said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he
has cheated me twice now. He took my birthright, and look, now he has
taken my blessing." Then he asked, "Haven't you saved a blessing for
me?" HCSB
Esau came in after Isaac mistakenly gave his blessing to Jacob. Esau made a request for a blessing from his father. He sought this blessing through a loud voice and bitter cry. In the traditions of the time Isaac could not revoke the blessing he gave to Jacob. Esau called attention to Jacob's name which means, "heel-catcher, or supplanter." He did this while calling attention to the two times Jacob cheated him. Esau threatened Jacob but in later years did not fulfill his promised threat. Looking at this story may encourage us to help our fellow man rather than exploit him; I would think that is especially true as it relates to family members. Hopefully we can say we will help rather than exploit when we are asked, Do You Help Or Exploit? Amen? Amen!!