Basic HTML Version
A Bitter Price, February 26
Genesis 27:30-40
He found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Hebrews 12:17
.
No sooner had Jacob left his father’s tent than Esau entered. Though he
had sold his birthright, and confirmed the transfer by a solemn oath, he was
now determined to secure its blessings, regardless of his brother’s claim. With
the spiritual was connected the temporal birthright, which would give him the
headship of the family and possession of a double portion of his father’s wealth.
These were blessings that he could value....
Esau had lightly valued the blessing while it seemed within his reach, but
he desired to possess it now that it was gone from him forever. All the strength
of his impulsive, passionate nature was aroused, and his grief and rage were
terrible. He cried with an exceeding bitter cry, “Bless me, even me also, O my
father!” ...
The birthright which he had so carelessly bartered he could not now regain.
“For one morsel of meat,” for a momentary gratification of appetite that had
never been restrained, Esau sold his inheritance; but when he saw his folly, it
was too late to recover the blessing....
Esau was not shut out from the privilege of seeking God’s favor by repen-
tance, but he could find no means of recovering the birthright. His grief did not
spring from conviction of sin; he did not desire to be reconciled to God. He
sorrowed because of the results of his sin, but not for the sin itself
Repentance includes sorrow for sin, and a turning away from it. We shall
not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart,
there will be no real change in the life.
There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance. Mul-
titudes sorrow that they have sinned, and even make an outward reformation,
because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon themselves.
But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament the suffering, rather
than the sin. Such was the grief of Esau when he saw that the birthright was lost
to him forever
[64]
53
Ibid., 180, 181
.
54
Steps to Christ, 23
.
63