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Twisted Values, February 24
Genesis 25:29-34
Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Genesis 25:34
.
Esau had no love for devotion, no inclination to a religious life. The require-
ments that accompanied the spiritual birthright were an unwelcome and even
hateful restraint to him. The law of God, which was the condition of the divine
covenant with Abraham, was regarded by Esau as a yoke of bondage. Bent on
self-indulgence, he desired nothing so much as liberty to do as he pleased. To
him power and riches, feasting and reveling, were happiness. He gloried in the
unrestrained freedom of his wild, roving life
There are very many who are like Esau. He represents a class who have a
special, valuable blessing within their reach,—the immortal inheritance, life that
is as enduring as the life of God, the Creator of the universe, happiness immea-
surable, and an eternal weight of glory,—but who have so long indulged their
appetites, passions, and inclinations, that their power to discern and appreciate
the value of eternal things is weakened.
Esau had a special, strong desire for a particular article of food, and he
had so long gratified self that he did not feel the necessity of turning from the
tempting, coveted dish. He thought upon it, making no special effort to restrain
his appetite, until the power of appetite ... controlled him, and he imagined that
he would suffer great inconvenience, and even death, if he could not have that
particular dish. The more he thought upon it, the more his desire strengthened,
until his birthright, which was sacred, lost its value and its sacredness
Esau passed the crisis of his life without knowing it. What he regarded as a
matter worthy of scarcely a thought was the act which revealed the prevailing
traits of his character. It showed his choice, showed his true estimate of that
which was sacred and which should have been sacredly cherished. He sold his
birthright for a small indulgence to meet his present wants, and this determined
the after course of his life
Esau represents those who have not tasted of the privileges which are theirs,
purchased for them at infinite cost, but have sold their birthright for some gratifi-
cation of appetite, or for the love of gain
[62]
47
Ibid., 178
.
48
Testimonies for the Church 2:38
.
49
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 1:1094, 1095
.
50
Ibid., 1095
.
61