Gen 25:29-34

29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. (NIV)

Gen 27:1-36

1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." "Here I am," he answered. 2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons-- your quiver and bow-- and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die." 5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.' 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.

10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies." 11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I'm a man with smooth skin. 12 What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing." 13 His mother said to him, "My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me." 14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it. 15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins. 17 Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made. 18 He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" 19 Jacob said 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 give me your blessing." 20 Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success," he replied.

21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not." 22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. 24 "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," he replied. 25 Then he said, "My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing." Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me." 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. 28 May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness-- an abundance of grain and new wine. 29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed." 30 After Isaac finished blessing him and Jacob had scarcely left his father's presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. 31 He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, "My father, sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing." 32 His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I am your son," he answered, "your firstborn, Esau." 33 Isaac trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him-- and indeed he will be blessed!" 34 When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me-- me too, my father!" 35 But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing." 36 Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?" (NIV)

v  Esau despised his birthright

Ø  I am about to die, what good is my birthright to me?

Ø  He gave his Birthright away! What is the birthright of the firstborn?

FIRSTBORN

            The "oldest" or "firstborn" son <Exod. 6:14> had special privileges within the family. He received the special family blessing, which meant spiritual and social leadership and a double portion of the father's possessions-- or twice what all the other sons received <Deut. 21:17>. He could lose this blessing through misdeeds <Gen. 35:22> or by selling it <Gen. 25:29-34>

v  Esau gave all his rights and blessings to Jacob.

Rom 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (NIV)

Rom 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (NIV)

v  We have a birthright with Jesus!

Ø  Are we selling it for the first thing that we think we NEED? To the first one that can meet our needs?

Ø  Are we thinking so little of what this means that we ignore the effect that this has in our lives?

v  But what about Jacob?

Ø  Why did he trick his Father? Why didn’t he simply say, “Father that birthright and blessing are mine? Esau gave it to me with an oath?”

Ø  It appears that maybe he told his mother since he was closer to her, but did not tell his Father. V: 12 and v: 35 (The father believed that he took it) so that is why his mother took action to get what belonged to him. Plus she knew from God that the Older would serve the younger. Gen. 25:23

*Here is the problem! He did not take possession of that Birthright openly and honestly before his Father. He felt he had to deceive him to get it.

Through Jesus Christ we have been made part of God’s family. (Given a birthright that we did not earn. We have been given the privileges of the Firstborn. We can come to God to receive his blessings.

Ø  But many are still trying to earn or deceive God into giving them!

·         Who is it?" …"I am Esau your firstborn.

·         Do you know who you are? Take your Position! I am Esau… Come to Jesus get the real thing. I am Jerry!  Take your family Position!

·         I am Esau your firstborn …I have done as you told me.

·         Real obedience? Fake obedience! I have done as you told me… You cannot get instructions till you identify yourself! Have you done what he told someone else to do?

·         How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success

·         Be Real about your relationship with God! Using the Lords name in vain! The Lord gave me success… We start to attribute our flesh to the Lord!

·         Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not…"The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau

·         Don’t just change the outside to pretend you are someone else! Coming to God under false pretences! Come near so I can touch you. The voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau---works do not change who we are!

·         Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," Reality check! Are you really who you say you are?" he asked. "I am,"

·         "Come here, my son, and kiss me."… "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.

·         Fake affection! It’s hard to worship who you do not know! "Ah, the smell…The smell of love and worship are not the same as REAL Worship!

·         Jacob received what was rightfully his, but by deception!

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