In the days of Israel, God had made a promise to His people that if
they would not stop their idolatry; He was going to send them away into
Babylonian captivity. In accordance with His promises, God did just that.
He also promised to bring them out of that captivity into a wonderful
restoration, based on the word of God. It's that restoration in Nehemiah
chapter eight that we're going to be thinking about today that parallels
what's necessary for a Christian and his life to be restored to almighty God.
We want to encourage you to get your Bible, have it ready as we're
going and open it to Nehemiah chapter eight as we're going to study this
wonderful text, about the right heart that isn't necessary, for restoration with
Almighty God.
Let's turn our attention to the predicament that Israel finds itself in
under the Old Testament. In Jeremiah Chapter 25 and in Jeremiah 29, God
had made the promise to His people that if they did not amend their ways, if
they did not stop their idolatry; God was going to send them into 70 years
of harsh captivity under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon.
Israel didn't stop, and as a result they went into harsh captivity. Along with
the promise of captivity, God also made the promise and Isaiah 44:28 and
Isaiah 45:1 that once that 70 years was up, God would bring His people out
of that captivity. According to His promise, by the hand of Cyrus, in the year
536 God did just that. It is this process of coming back to God, began was
Cyrus working through Ezra and Nehemiah. They restored worship; they
restored the temple. They restore their hearts to a right place with God.
In Nehemiah chapter eight, where we're going to be studying today,
there are some ingredients or some steps that are necessary to getting our
heart right and to be restored with God like we ought to.
Think about your relationship, each of us to think about our
relationship with God and let's make sure that we're in the right place and
restored to where we need to be with Almighty God. If not, let's consider
what this text teaches us is necessary.
Look in your Bible in Nehemiah Chapter Eight. Nehemiah 8:1 says,
‘When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Now all the people gathered together as one man, in the open square that
was in front of the water gate and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Law
of Moses which the Lord had commanded Israel.’ Here you've got such an
important and necessary step. If we're going to have restoration, I've got to
be united with God and His people. To have a restored heart to God,
you've got to be one; you've got to be unified. You've got to want unity with
God and His people.
This is so practical and so fresh, on the mind of the Israelites
because for years they had been divided, over spiritual matters. The
kingdoms had been divided, the Northern Kingdom and its tribes and the
Southern Kingdom and its tribes, and then you have a remnant that’s
holding true to the scripture. You also have a whole bunch of adulterous
people. They've been splintered and divided for a long time and yet the
captivity helped them to realize, they needed to be one with each other and
one with God. If restoration is really going to take place, God's people must
have a heart for unity. We must want that oneness with others and that
oneness that God can give us that unity that we can have with God.
In the Bible God has always wanted His people to have unity. Listen
to Psalm 133:1. The Psalmist says, ‘behold how good and how pleasant it
is, for brethren to dwell together in unity.’ Does God want His people
divided? No, God wants His people united. Did you think about the two
words there that are used? Unity is both good and pleasant. There are
some things that are good but aren't pleasant and then there's some things
that are pleasant, but aren't good. Let me illustrate. There are some things
that are good, meaning that they're good for you. One the doctor is good,
getting the flu shot might be good but would you say that's pleasant? No,
not really. Then there are some things that are pleasant, enjoyable but not
necessarily beneficial. Candy for every meal, a chocolate pie for every
meal might be pretty pleasant but is it good for you? No, now think about
unity. Unity is good, beneficial, helpful, and pleasant. It's enjoyable. It's
something every person should strive for in this life.
We're told in Ephesians 4:3, to keep the unity of the spirit, spiritual
unity and the bond of peace. 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul came down hard on
the church in Corinth because there were divisions among them. Paul said,
‘Let there be no divisions among you.’ What's so powerful about unity? Do
we realize that there's great strength in unity? I want you to listen to a
passage, in the book of Ecclesiastes that helps us to understand this idea.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 the Bible says, ‘Two are better than one because they
have a good reward for their labor, for if they fall one will lift up his
companion but woe to him who is alone when he falls. He has no one to
help him up. Again if two lie down together, they will keep warm but how
can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two
can withstand him and a threefold cord, is not quickly broken.’ I can
understand the strength and unity based off these principles and these
ideas.
If you take just one pencil, it is pretty easy to break that one pencilbut if you take that pencil and you multiply it and let's say you had 10
pencils with a rubber band around it, it is very hard to break that. Why?
There's strength and there's power in unity. There's strength in numbers
and that unity creates strength. We can encourage, uplift, and help one
another.
Another powerful aspect of humanity is unity actually proves to the
world that Jesus is the son of God. Jesus prayed for it in John 17:20-21. ‘I
pray that they all may be one, as you Father are in Me and I you that they
also may be one in us.’ Now listen to the reason: ‘that the world may
believe that you sent me.’ What does unity express? Unity between
believers in Christ, Christians, is a powerful exclamation point to
Christianity itself, it proves to the world. We'll stand up and do what's right
no matter what because Christ is truly our all in all.
When we think about having biblical restoration and the idea there in
of being restored to God correctly, we've got to be diligent to strive to
possess spiritual unity. That comes from following the oneness that God
has set in the scripture. There is one Lord, one faith, one body, one
baptism, and one God and father above all. All the ones that are mentioned
in Ephesians 4:4-6, are necessary if we're going to have unity. God wants
us to in the scripture.
I want to direct your attention to another ingredient that is necessary
for biblical restoration found in Nehemiah 8:2-3.’ Ezra the priest brought the
Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with
understanding, on the first day of the 7th month. Then he read from it in the
open square that was in front of the Watergate, from morning until midday
before the men and the women and those who can understand,’ listen to
this, ‘and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.’
Friend what ingredient is necessary, for biblical restoration to take place?
There has to be a desire for unity-unity with God's creation and unity with
God.
There also has to be an attentive heart to the Law of God. They told
Ezra, ‘go get the Book of the Law.’ Ezra went and got a Book of the Law.
He stood and read from it nearly all day and the people stood there with an
attentive heart, attentive ear, and listened to the word of God. They didn’t
listen to what was public opinion, not what was popular, and not what
would make people feel good. They didn't poll the audience and ask them
what they wanted. They said, ‘Where's the Book of God? We want to hear
the book of God.’ When they found the Book of the Law, their ears perked
up and listened to what God had to say. They had an attentive heart to the
word of God.
The Israelites were so attentive to the word of God because they had
lacked that for so long. In that captivity, 70 years of harsh Babylonian
captivity, where were the Bibles then? Where was the scripture then?
Where was their freedom to open the scripture and study it and expound
upon it and read from it? Under captivity, that was a scarce thing because
of the lack of their ability to have God's word in their life for so long. The
only way today that we're going to have a real attitude of attentiveness to
the word of God, is when we realize the great value of God's word.
Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 15:16, ‘your words were found and I did eat
them and they were to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.’
Part of the problem that we face today in our, industrialized world with
printing presses and books everywhere is that there's mass availability to
the Bible and yet, we take for granted how powerful it is and how attentive
we need to be to it. It's readily available. I've got the freedom to read it
anytime I want and yet so many times we just don't. Do we take it for
granted? What a treasure and privilege it is. The word of God is so
important because it's what saves our souls. The Bible says in James 1:21
that we're to ‘receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to
save our soul.’ What's going to save, men and women from being lost for
eternity? The scripture is.
Let's think about how powerful, important, and attentive we need to
be to the word of God because of its great value. Do we realize and do we
remember that the Bible contains the words of life? Not just words of lifethe words of life that which can help us to be saved and live the best life.
Jesus had made some hard statements in John 6:63. Some decided they
didn't want to follow Jesus anymore. Jesus turned to Peter and the rest of
the disciples and he said, ‘Do you want to go away also here's your
chance? Do you want to go away also?’ Peter turned to the Lord and said
‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ John 6:68,
the Bible has everything, all things for life and godliness. The word of God
is able to completely equip us, for every good work, 2 Timothy 3:17. If you
want to live the best life, you want to make sure that you're living in such a
way, you can go to heaven. You want to live the full, complete, abundant
life? The Bible contains the words of life. The Bible has the ability to edify
us to build us up and help us to be closer to God. To the elders in Ephesus,
Paul on the beach of Miletus says, ‘So now brethren, I commend you to
God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and give you
an inheritance.’ Among all those who are sanctified, are you going to be
built up spiritually? You want to make sure that inheritance is yours and
that you can grab hold of it and maintain it. It's the Bible that has the power
to do that. We need an attentive heart to the word of God because it's
God's word that helps us be convicted.
We have sin in our life. None of us probably like to admit that or come
face to face with it, but it's true. From time to time we all sin and fall short.
You know what great value of the Bible is? It helps us to realize that and to
get that out of our live. Acts 2:36 the Bible says, Peter stood up and
proclaimed, ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, God's
made this same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ The Bible
says, ‘Those Jews who heard that and we're attentive to it, they were cut to
the heart.’ What's that mean? The Bible pricked their heart. They cried out:
‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?'
Saul of Tarsus, who had gotten hardened by his zealous Jewish
upbringing, is softened by the word of God. Acts 9 Saul is intent, on
dragging men and women to prison persecuting them. Some of them might
even die. He's presented with Jesus on the way to Damascus. When he
realizes it's truth, his ears perk up. ‘Lord, what would you have me to do?’
God's word is able to help us overcome sin. ‘Your word,’ the Psalmist said,
‘I've hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you,’ Psalm 119:10-12.
If I've got a good working knowledge of the word of God and my heart is
attentive to that, when I find my ways aren't what they ought to be, it
encourages me. I want to get back right with all mighty God.
Then of course the Bible has the power to help us to help us realize
why we are here, where are we going, and where we'll end up. We realize
I'm here as a creation of God, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7. I'm not going to
be here real long. Life is but a vapor, James 4:14. We have 70 maybe 80
years, Psalm 90:10-12. One day I will stand before Almighty God. Every
knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and I'll give an account of how I
lived my life. ‘It's appointed to man once to die and then the judgment.’ If
I've listened to the word of God and I've lived my life by that, on that great
day, I'll hear those wonderful words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’
If I've turned a deaf ear to the word of God, then I'll hear the words: ‘Depart
from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.’ I want to have a
mindset that desires unity with God and others. I want to have an attentive
heart to God and His word.
A third ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is great
respect, in my life, for the word and the authority of Almighty God. Look in
Nehemiah 8:4-5. The Bible says, ‘So Ezra the scribe, stood on a platform of
wood which they had made for that purpose and beside him at his right
hand stood Mattithiah, Shema and Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, Maaseih and at
his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana,
Zechariah and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the
people, for he was standing above all the people.’ Now watch this, ‘And
when he opened it all the people stood up.’ Why? After 70 years of harsh
captivity, it finally dawned upon the Israelites how powerful and how much,
they needed to respect the Bible. As that voice of God is opened before
them, they stand up out of honor and respect for the word of God. We need
today that same respect for God and His word.
Do we realize that this book is the very voice of God speaking to us
today? All scripture is breathed out by God, 2 Timothy 3:16. The pages in
this book are not just ink and paper. It is God's message for me. Holy men
of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and God tells me in
this book how He wants me to live. This is how we please God. Out of
respect for almighty God, I want to respect the scriptures. I want to realize
this is God's word, and I've got to live in harmony in such a way with it that
one day I can bring honor and glory to almighty God in every way and in
every occasion. As we think about God and we think about God's message
and how to please Him and give glory and honor to Him in each and every
way, that's what this is all about in every avenue and in every way.
As we think about this idea, Nehemiah 8:6, I want to give us then
another principle that will help us. Ezra blessed the Lord, the Great God.
‘Then all the people answered Amen, while lifting up their hands, they
bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.’
What's necessary for biblical restoration, from Nehemiah 8:6? There has to
be absolute worship for God with fear and reverence. Look at the people.
They bowed down. The act of bowing one's face to the ground was a sign
of reverence and fear and all of Almighty God. Exodus 3:5, as Moses is
there with that burning bush, he bows down with his face toward the
ground. Isaiah six, Isaiah feels humbled to be in the presence of God. Then
of course, you have John in the book of Revelation. All of these exhibit this
idea of one's face going down, representative of reverence or fear, for all
mighty God in worship.
If we're going to have biblical restoration, it's got to be based on
respect for who God is and how God wants me to worship Him. There's a
lot of seeming disrespect, for God in worship today. When you to look at
some of the things that are done today, you've got so much that it makes
light up what's going on. The people who are jumping around and hollering
and jumping over pews and all this supposedly miraculous stuff that's going
on that people are just trying to make a big show out of- it's almost like a
carnival or a circus as it were today. We need to realize God wants us to
worship Him in a way that brings glory and honor to His name and out of
respect for Him not me. Out of respect for God, I want to worship Him the
way He wants me to. God is a spirit. Here's what he says, “God is a spirit
and those who worship Him, must worship in spirit and in truth.” Our
attitude and the way we approach God, must give Him true honor and
glory.
Then a final ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is to
come to the scripture and try to understand what God wants us to, based
on His word, a proper understanding of God based on the Bible. Listen to
Nehemiah 8:7-8. The Bible says also, ‘Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin,
Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanah
and Pelaiah and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law and
the people stood in their place. They read distinctly from the book in the
Law of God, and they gave the sense or the understanding and helped
them to understand the reading.’ Here you've got people who studied the
scripture a long time. Some of these people haven't for many years
studying the Bible. What did they do to really understand the script? Did
they get out and commentaries and give everybody's idea and taking an
opinion poll? No- they read distinctly to them from the Bible. If we really
want to have biblical restoration, let's turn people back to the word of God.
Let's turn people towards the scriptures. Let's read God's word. Paul said in
Ephesians 3:4, ‘you can understand the knowledge of Christ, when you've
read these things, give attention to reading.’ We want to point people to the
Bible to help understand it. If I want to understand the Bible, I want to let
the Bible be its own best commentary. Then of course, I want to apply
God's message to my life. ‘The things that you've heard and read and
seen,’ Paul said, ‘these do and the God of peace will be with you.’
Too many times people are turned toward entertainment and what
somebody somewhere who is a religious person says-let's turn people to
the Bible. ‘Is there any word from the Lord?’ Jeremiah 37:17. That's how
we're really going to be restored to all mighty God. Just like in the days of
Nehemiah, how wonderful it was that they had the opportunity to get back
right with God. Nehemiah 8 is such an encouraging scene because the
people, regardless of persecution or what it takes, they're going to put God
and His word above all else. We need that same attitude among the Lord's
people today.
May God help each of us to have the right heart for unity to look to
the word of God and be attentive and respectful for what God wants, so
that one day He'll call upon us as His children with words of
encouragement and hope: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’
May God help each of us to live in that way.
Questions for: Old Testament Studies: Lesson 2
1. According to Psalm 133:1, what is good and pleasant?
2. According to Ephesians 4:3, we are to keep unity of what?
3. According to 1 Corinthians 1:10, there are to be no what?
4. How does Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 describe unity?
5. What did Jesus pray for in John 17:20-21?
6. In Nehemiah 8:2-3, what did the people have a desire to hear?
7. How is the word of God described in Jeremiah 15:16?
8. According to James 1:21, what can save our soul?
9. According to Psalm 119:10-12, what can help prevent sin?
10. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, where does all scripture come from?
Esau: Prince of Bad Bargains
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
A philosophy that was popular in the days of Christ and is extremely popular today is: ‘Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ This has long been the motto and philosophy of the Epicureans, and so many people adopt this materialistic, worldly-minded idea. One of the men in the Bible who did that was named Esau.
Today we're going to talk about Esau and the bad bargain that he made. Esau will always be remembered for his bad bargain, his desire for immediate, instant gratification, and for embodying the motto: ‘let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’
I want you to read with me the story of Esau. Then we're going to notice some very powerful lessons that men and women can learn from that. Genesis 25:20 the scripture records these words: ‘Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, ‘If all is well, why am I like this?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.’ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb, and the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called
his name Esau. Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them. So the boys grew, and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the field and was weary. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with the same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I'm about to die. What is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils, and then he ate and drank, and arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.’
As we mentioned, nobody better exemplifies the instant gratification and the giving away of something important than Esau. The story of Jacob and Esau relates to us. The struggle of these two men, but some of it is a little maybe unique to us because of the idea of the birthright. The birthright, under the Old Testament, is something we're not as familiar with. It was a great blessing given to the firstborn to carry on the heritage of the father.
The Old Testament birthright, which was only given to the firstborn male of the father, was a double portion of the father's inheritance that was promised to that child. According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17, the firstborn got 2/3. If there were three children, he'd get 2/3 of that, and so, or if there were two children, he'd get 2/3 and the other would get 1/3. It wasn't split 50/50; he got the majority of everything that belonged to the father. So if there were $100,000, he might get 75,000 of that. If there were 100 acres, he might get 75 acres. It was the benefit given to the firstborn.
We also learn from the Old Testament scripture that it was the firstborn who had the privilege of serving as priest for the family. This is exemplified under the patriarchal law in the life of Abraham. Abraham served as one who went to God, one on behalf of his own family, and of course Job exemplifies this as well. He offered sacrifice for his children.
God spoke directly to Job. There was that great blessing that came along with being the firstborn, as well. Then, of course, there was a great deal of respect. Respect, recognition, and honor was given to the firstborn, regardless of who the father may have been, that was always along with that right. There was almost a sense of awe and reverence that was paid to the firstborn that might not have been given to the other children. Then the spiritual blessing as well of the father was placed upon the firstborn. Genesis 27:27, we can see that happening with both Jacob and Isaac and the children there. In fact, this may have been what was sought after the most, passing on that spiritual blessing given by God. Then, of course, anything the Bible says, anything that was the firstborn, the first fruits of the harvest, the firstborn of the flock, that was specially dedicated to the service of God, Exodus 22:29-31, and so to be the firstborn under the Old Testament was a great privilege and honor.
As you think about that New Testament law that we're under today, there's so many similarities that go along with that, and parallels that Christians have. All Christians today have the blessing and the benefit of being a child of God, and that wonderful birthright. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. My yoke is easy. My burden is light." Jesus said, “You'll find rest for your souls.” As children of God, we are God's firstborn. We are the first fruits of Christ, 1 Timothy 2:4-6. Just like under the Old Testament, there are some parallels to the wonderful blessings that Christians have today as part of their birthright. Christians are promised a full portion of what God has given' to His people. We, like Esau, have that full portion of heaven itself. Romans 8:16-17, the Bible clearly teaches that we are the beneficiaries of God's promises of heaven itself. We're living in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. This is the promise He's promised us, eternal life, 1 John 2:25. I'm not looking' for land. I'm not looking' for numbers or dollars in a bank account. As a child of God, part of the great blessing we have is one day we can be recipients of heaven and all the wonder and splendor of that.
As we think about this idea in relation to the Old Testament birthright, aren't Christians today priests in a spiritual sense? Revelation 1:6, we are a
kingdom of priests, or kings and priests, to God. 1 Peter 2:9, we offer up spiritual sacrifices to almighty God, and so when we think about this idea, the praise of our lips goes up as sacrifice, Hebrews 13:15. We have that honor today, along with our birthright, to give praise and honor to God and to serve in that capacity.
Then just as the Old Testament birthright meant that you wore the name and the honor and recognition of being the firstborn of someone, we today have the privilege and honor of wearing the name Christian, the firstborn of God's creation under the New Testament. What a blessing that is! Acts 11:26 says, they were called Christians first in Antioch. 1 Peter 4:16, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name.
Like under the Old Testament, part of the spiritual birthright today is, we are promised every spiritual blessing from almighty God. The Old Testament birthright meant that there were a host of blessings given down by the father, and it was even tied in a spiritual sense-but how much more today? Every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ Jesus. I can be a child of God, 1 John 3:1. I can look up to heaven and pray, ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ Matthew 6:9. We have the family of God to encourage and lift us up, 1 Corinthians 12:27. We've got forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, and every blessing you can imagine, the Christian has so richly received. Like under the Old Testament, as part of my birthright I am, and you are, if you're a Christian, you are specially reserved and dedicated in service to God.
What's the greatest commandment of all? Jesus was asked that question. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ That's what God wants us to do, and that's how He wants us to live our life in dedication to Him.
In view of that, though, I want you to think about Esau and the great blessing of our birthright, today, as Christians. Think about what Esau sold out. Can you imagine, for a bowl of beans Esau sold his whole birthright? He sold 2/3 of the inheritance, the prestige, the honor, the spiritual
blessing, and all of that, he sold out for a bowl of beans. Why did he do that? He may have been hungry. I'm sure he was. He'd been out hunting. He didn't have any luck. Maybe he was discouraged. You know what we learn about Esau most of all? Esau was shallow; he was very materialistic. He was worldly-focused. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau was profane, that is, he was worldly, selfishly, immorally focused. He sold out his whole birthright for a bowl of soup, or a bowl of beans. What a terrible waste, and what a terrible bargain that he gave into his brother to do that.
This'd be like Bill Gates or Ross Perot giving everything he had for a Big Mac. Can you imagine selling out like that, just to satisfy instant gratification for your belly? Why did he do that? He wasn't thinking spiritually. He was thinking worldly.
Let's take it a step further. Why do so many Christians and so many people who have all those spiritual birthrights and blessings that we talk about, why do so many Christians today sell their birthright for immediate gratification and lust of the flesh, which one day isn't going to amount to anything? How many people have given up Christ and been lost for eternity over some fleshly desire, instant gratification, whether it be of a fleshly, a sexual or immoral? How many people have given up something far greater than what Esau gave up on just to feel better for a little while?
Are we really any different than Esau today? Why do sometimes people sell their soul to the devil for foolish things? I want you to think about some of the things that sometimes people make a bad bargain to the devil for their soul. Sometimes people sell out, and give up on all these spiritual blessings over worldliness, and materialism, and things of this life that one day aren't going to exist anyway. John said, ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world.’ Why not? ‘For all that is in the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, it's not of the Father, it's of the evil one, and the world and all that's in it is one day going to pass away.’ James 4:4, James said, ‘Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore desires to be a friend of the world makes themselves God's enemy.’ God says, ‘Come
out from among them and be ye separate,’ 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. How many people do we know that have sold out for things of this world?
Let me give you a couple that really come to mind in the scripture. Do you remember a man who came to Jesus in Mark 10? This man probably had one of the greatest questions you could ever ask. ‘Good teacher, what do I need to do to go to heaven? What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?’ Great question. Wish there were more people asking that question. Jesus said, ‘Keep the commandments. Do not murder, do not steal, and do not commit adultery.’ ‘All these I've done from my childhood.’ ‘One thing ye lack. Sell what you have, give to the poor, come follow Me.’ You know what happened in that context? The Bible says ‘that man went away sorrowful.’ Why? ‘He had great possessions.’ He let his stuff and the things of this world keep him from inheriting that spiritual birthright. How many people are doing' that today?
We've got to have the finer things in life, and we've got to keep up with the Jones's. We've got to have all this materialistic stuff, worldly stuff, that one day isn't going to matter at all. When the earth and all that's in it is one day burned up with a fervent heat, 2 Peter 3:9-12- then what will all that stuff have mattered? Don't do like Esau and sell out over materialism and worldliness.
Then there are also people who spiritually sell out their birthright for desires of the flesh, specifically sometimes people do that for sexual desires. I've known Christians and people in the body of Christ, and you probably have as well, who got caught up in some immoral practice with some woman or some man, or pornography, or whatever it may be, and they sold out over those things. The Bible clearly warns us to watch out for those things. 1 Peter 2:11, Peter said, ‘I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul.’ The Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 13:4, ‘marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.’ ‘Flee from youthful lust,’ Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:15, following. I've got to have that same armor up, that same guard up. Don't give in like Esau to some instant, immediate gratification of the flesh and lose your birthright over that.
Then sometimes people allow sins of the body, or sins against the body, to cause them to lose their birthright. Alcohol, and drugs, and drunkenness- how many people have given in to that and sold out spiritually? The Bible says, ‘do not be drunken with wine,’ Ephesians 5:18. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler,’ Proverbs 20:1. The picture is so clear in scripture of how harmful that is to the body. Drugs, methamphetamines, marijuana, crack cocaine, or whatever it may be- when people get caught up in that stuff, they're selling out. They're selling over their birthright, just as Esau did, for something that isn't really going to last anyway.
We encourage folks today, as we think about these ideas and as we think about the spiritual nature of Esau, don't be like him. What if Esau had been different? What if he'd stood up to his brother? What if he had endured those temptations? The story would be a whole lot different.
Here's the encouragement for every one of us today. Friend, you can stay faithful, you can endure those challenges, and you can be faithful until death. Don't let things in this life tempt you in such a way that it causes you to turn from almighty God.
I've had some things in this life, some good things to eat. You think about what Esau was going through. He was hungry. He was facing a lot of challenges and difficulties, and probably things weren't going his way in life and that bowl of soup looked good in the moment. My grandmother on my dad's side probably made the best bowl of beans I've ever eaten. I'd sure like to have a bowl of beans and cornbread right now, and I imagine you'd probably think the same thing if you were really hungry. But the question you've got to ask yourself is: Is that worth what it'll really cost me in the end? I'm not talking about a bowl of beans. I'm talking about giving in to materialism, fleshly desires, giving in to drugs, or alcohol, or something like unto that and getting that immediate hit. Is that really worth what it's going to cost me in the end?
I want you to think about this question Jesus asked. Mark 8:36:37. Jesus asked two rhetorical questions. ‘What will it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’ If you bargain your soul over something like that, friend, you've made the worst bargain possible. On the Day of Judgment you're not going to trade something for your soul. If I've not lived right or done right, it won't matter how powerful, or wealthy, or how many pleasures I might have fulfilled. None of that matters.
You know what matters? Did I love God? Did I put Him first? Did I endure suffering, and did I overcome? Those are the things that really matter.
I want you to think about two men. One represents another bad bargain, and the other represents a man who suffered and did right. I want you to think about this first individual with me. We know him in the Bible as the rich fool. Luke 12:15-21. A lawyer comes to Jesus with a question. Jesus answers by giving an illustration of the foolishness of materialism. There was a man who had a great crop year, a man who, when he planted his seed, it just did so well and he excelled so much in his business that he didn't have anywhere to put the entire crop that produced. That's a pretty good problem, right? So he said, ‘Here's what I'll do. I've got so many crops, I'm going to have to tear down my old barns, build bigger barns so I can store it in.’ There is nothing wrong with business, having a good crop year, or preparing for the future. All that was good and well- until this happened: that night that man's soul was required of him. God said to him, ‘You fool. This night will your soul be required of you. Then whose things will those be whom you've acquired?’ And here's the point Jesus made: ‘So is he who is rich but not in godliness.’ What was the rich fool's problem? His problem was not that he was a good farmer. His problem was not that he was a good planner, a good manager, or a good business person. That man's problem was in all his planning and doing. In all his work, he forgot to take care of the most important thing- his soul.
Then think about another man. Luke 16:19-31. You've got the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Rich man had it all. Lazarus is eating crumbs, the dogs are licking his sores, he doesn't have anything, and he's a poor beggar. Lazarus suffered; he had difficulty. He went through a lot of
problems most likely in this life. He was hungry and hurting for a long time, maybe, even. What about on the other side? Lazarus turned out pretty good for him. He's in paradise; the rich man's in torment. He endured; he didn't let that cause him to sell out. He may have been poor physically, but he was rich spiritually. That's what we want to drive home. Don't be like Esau; don't sell out. Whatever we've got spiritually, what God has blessed us with- don't sell that out for some fleshly, immediate, instant gratification that could cost you your soul.
Nothing is more important than your soul. Make sure that we're taking care of it above all else.
If you're not a Christian, we especially want to encourage you to make sure to get right with God.
Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe He is the savior of the world? ‘Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by Him.’ Do you believe that? John 14:6. Do you believe it so much so that you'd be willing to repent and turn from sin and turn to God? Acts 3:19, Peter preached, ‘Repent, and turn, that your sins may be blotted out.’ Would you confess the beautiful name of Jesus before men? Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? Jesus said in Mark 16:16, ‘He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned.’
If you've never obeyed the gospel, then friend we want to encourage you to make the spiritual birthright of Christ yours.
As a Christian, if you're not living like you ought to, friend, don't sell out your soul.
Make sure and get it right, and let's each one of us live in such a way that our lives bring honor and glory to God.
Questions for: Old Testament Studies-Lesson 3
1. According to Genesis 25:20, what did Esau sell his birthright for?
2. According to Matthew 11:28-30, where can we find rest?
3. According to Romans 8:16-17, what are we beneficiaries to?
4. How are Christians described in Revelation 1:6?
5. What does 1 Peter 4:16 tell us about Christians and suffering?
6. What is the greatest command?
7. What does Hebrews 12:14-17 say of Esau?
8. What does James 4:4 say of being a friend of the world?
9. What does John 14:6 say of Jesus?
10. According to Mark 16:16, who will be saved?
