One Morsel of Meat
Today’s Verse:
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. ~Hebrews 12:16
What is the most expensive trade you have ever made? Sports teams will trade their players to other teams in the hope of getting one of more players in return that can give them greater depth and competitiveness. Sometimes, these trades are profitable, and sometimes, they are costly. This morning, let us see a gripping story about a trade that involved a morsel of meat.
We see Esau’s condition.
“And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom” (Genesis 25:30). Esau is described as a cunning hunter and a man of the field. The field is the world. He was a man whose concern and focus on life was self: self-gratification, self-worth, and self-dependence. He came back one day after being in the field, and he was faint and at the point of death. He was not really going to die. His description indicates he lived to satisfy his fleshly and carnal desires. He was over-indulged by his father and ignored by his mother. He was allowed to get away with things that he should not have. Instead of living by discipline, he lived for his desires. The Bible commands us to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. He was controlled by his condition.
We see Esau’s contempt.
“And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?” The birthright indicated he was the heir of a double blessing. The father’s blessing was the privilege of the firstborn. He would automatically receive double of the inheritance. The family blessing and continuance was vested in the firstborn. His statement to Jacob reveals his contempt and spite of his father’s will. He showed contempt for the spiritual things of God. He agreed to sell the valuable birthright for a bowl of red pottage and a morsel of bread, or meat. Jesus asked, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Gehazi traded the privilege of serving the Lord for a change of clothing and a talent of silver. Judas traded his soul for thirty pieces of silver. Esau traded the blessing for beans. He traded his future for his appetite. Be careful of making a bad trade! Be careful of being in the place where you despise the things of God.
We see Esau’s cutoff.
“For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Esau’s decision was a very costly one. When he thought that he could still receive his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late. His contemptuous decision many years before had cost him the blessing. He wept, but he did not repent. His lack of repentance ruined any hope of a spiritual blessing in his life. Esau is seen as an angry, bitter, and hateful man. His descendants, the Edomites, were bitter enemies of Israel. The only remedy against fleshly desires is for the flesh to be crucified daily. We can deprive ourselves of answered prayer, peace, and the blessing of God when we value the things of God as one morsel of bread. Let us take all the Bread of Life for the satisfying of our soul.
Have a satisfied God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Matthew 7-8
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