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Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of Cod; lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold Has birthright. " Hebrews 12:15, 16

The story of Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac, and grandsons of Abraham, is familiar to many of you. Abraham was very rich, according to his day, in flocks and herds, etc., but his special wealth consisted in his favor with God, on account of which he was known as the friend of God. In line with this friendship he became the heir of the great oath-bound covenant, which in few words embraced all of the divine plan for the redemption and blessing of the world of mankind. That promise was to Abraham and his seed, his posterity; and as Isaac had already been accepted of the Lord as the channel through which the blessing would descend to later generations, Esau and Jacob, his twin sons, were in the line of favor. The fact that Esau was born first gave him the natural preeminence, and under the Jewish code he was the heir of two-thirds of his father's property and the sole heir of his titles and dignities, etc., which in this case would include the oath-bound covenant.

Our text refers to Esau as a fornicator and profane person, but these words convey a false impression to the average reader. A more easily comprehended translation of the passage from the Greek to the English would say that Esau was heathenish, a prostitutor or seller of his birthright for base, unworthy considerations. In a word, Jacob had great respect for God's promise and a strong desire to be the heir of that promise; Esau had a less noble mind, and pandered to his appetite at the expense of the higher interests of the future, represented in God's promise. Jacob was not only willing to give up his mess of pottage and go hungry that he might inherit the blessings of the oath-bound covenant but, more than this, he was willing subsequently to flee from his father's house, from his brother's wrath, and be a stranger from home for years on this account.

There were two parts to the blessing, as we have shown. Esau's chagrin evidently was in the thought that he had parted with the larger share of the father's estate. Apparently he cared little or nothing for any share he might have in the oathbound covenant. Jacob, on the contrary, cared nothing for the family estate, and had solely in mind his inheritance of the covenant. This is shown by the fact that when he returned later to the same country he not only made no endeavor to secure the elder-born's share, two thirds, but permitted Esau to keep the entire property and tendered him a present from his own flocks and herds. In other words, the two brothers each got what they preferred-Esau the earthly portion, Jacob the intangible blessing of the future, whose only possession was faith in God and in his oath-bound covenant.

APPLICATION OF THE ALLEGORY

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians (4:2231) refers to incidents connected with Abraham and Isaac, and in general terms informs us that while all those events were literal enough, true enough, their great lessons, their chief importance to us, are as allegories or word-pictures representing great truths applicable to the Lord's people during this Gospel age. In the text he leads the thought in the same direction, and by implication tells us that all of the Lord's people should have a trust in God and in His oath-bound covenant, which would correspond to the confidence manifested by Jacob of old, and that we all should be on guard against any and everything that would in any degree correspond to the attitude of heart allegorically represented by Esau and his course of action.

All this is generally recognized by Christian people, but usually a mistake is made in the application of the matter. The world in general is considered to be the Esau class, which appreciate now God's favor, while the Church, nominal, is supposed to correspond to the Jacob class, which did appreciate and greatly desired a share in the inheritance of the oath-bound covenant. This is a mistake. The world cannot sell its birthright, for the simple reason that it has no birthright-as the Apostle declares, the world is without God and without hope. (Eph. 2:12) The hope we have for the world lies in the future, built upon this very oathbound covenant-that ultimately all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

WHO HAVE THE BIRTHRIGHT

The birthright, the inheritance of the oath-bound covenant, with all of its powers and blessings, belongs to those who are in relationship to God. The Jewish nation occupied a position of relationship to God, and therefore were in the Jacob plane of favor, while the posterity of Esau were outside of the promise and favors and privileges of the same, although they also were children of Isaac and children of Abraham. During this gospel age, in which we have the antitypes of the things of the past, the fulfilment of those allegories, we find that two steps are necessary to bring us into God's favor and to make us spiritual Israelites, heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord. The first step is that of justification through faith in the redeeming work of Christ, whose sacrifice was finished at Calvary. The second step is a full consecration of ourselves to the Lord. Those who have taken these two steps are heirs of God, the antitypical heirs with Christ of the oathbound covenant made to Abraham. This the Apostle shows, saying, "If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:29

THE SEED OF ABRAHAM

It is amongst these, the antitypical seed of Abraham, that we must look for the two classes represented allegorically by Jacob and Esau, and whoever will seek for them in the light of the Apostle's words will find them both. One class of consecrated, spirit-begotten children of God, the seed of Abraham, like Jacob so appreciate the favor of God represented in that oath-bound covenant, so rejoice in the hope set before them, that they are prepared to have it at any cost, at any sacrifice. The thought of inheriting that promise sustains and strengthens them in every discouragement, in every trial, and they are ready to endure all things through Christ who strengthens them. They have appetites, cravings of nature, ambitions, etc., in common with the world, but they forego these. In the Lord's providence matters so turn out that it will test and prove everyone of this class, whether they prefer the earthly favors and blessings and comforts and privileges, or whether they prefer the spiritual blessings which belong to the future and may be enjoyed now only by faith. If they choose the one, they miss the other.

On the other hand, there is also a class of those who have the favor of God, have come to a knowledge of him, have become members of the family, and who are thus heirs to the great spiritual blessings coming, but who are not appreciative, and are ready to sell their hopes and prospects of eternity for temporary gratifications of this present time. These in the allegory are represented in Esau, and their course is briefly pictured in his sale of his birthright.

THE MESS OF POTTAGE

The class of Christian people represented by Esau in the allegory are not always rude and uncouth; they are not always coarse, as was represented in Esau's hairiness. Sometimes they are refined and titled and wealthy, as Esau was titled and wealthy; sometimes they are ministers, doctors, lawyers, judges, merchants, mechanics. In every station the Esau class may be expected, and likewise in every station the Jacob class may be found, though apparently among the Jacob class are not many great, or wise, or learned, or honorable, as the Apostle points out. 1 Cor. 1:26

Coming down to a more particular application of what would now be implied in selling the birthright:We see, for instance, an illustration in the case of the minister who, when asked whether or not he had read the books entitled "Millennial Dawn," answered "Yes." "What did you think of them?" Answer:"There are some very good things in them." "Why do you not preach those good things?" Answer:"Young man, my bread is not buttered on that side." This minister was unwilling to have the truth at any cost. He did not appreciate it as a pearl of great price, for which he would sell all. He appreciated more the good opinion of his fellow-clergymen, his title and position and income. He said to himself, "I prefer these things that are tangible, and am willing to part with my share of the Abrahamic covenant. I will take what is in sight, rather than wait for the good things promised for the future. "

POTTAGE TEST TO MERCHANTS

The Christian merchant comes to the place represented in the allegory, where he must decide as between the prosperity of his business, perhaps, and his faithfulness to the Lord and the truth. He has certain ambitions, and as he finds that he cannot serve God and Mammon, but must choose whether or not he will pursue his worldly ambitions for wealth or name, etc., or whether he will renounce these and pursue the study of the Lord's Word and a life of consecration to him, with greater economy and smaller income, he must decide whether he will have the mess of pottage or be an heir of the Abrahamic covenant. Sometimes the test seems even more severe than this, and it is not merely a question of more business or less business, but perhaps a question of no business for a time if he is faithful to the Lord:we have known instances in which business men have been boycotted for the Truth's sake. Therein they had a test respecting their love for the Lord's favor and their participation in the Abrahamic covenant on the one side, with earthly hopes and comforts, and mess of pottage, on the other.

Sometimes it is the laborer or mechanic who, because of faithfulness to the Truth, because of his love for the Lord and devotion to his service, finds himself hated of all men for the Lord's sake, for the Truth's sake, and find that he will escape such petty persecution by putting his light under a bushel, by holding the Truth secretly, unworthily, contrary to the divine arrangement. It is for him to decide whether or not he will have a share as an inheritor of the covenant, or whether he will choose instead the mess of pottage of present social and earthly advantage.

DOCTORS TESTED BY POTTAGE

The consecrated man who is a physician has also a test along this line of a mess of pottage-earthly prosperity for the seeking, and loss of that prosperity if he gives the attention of which it is worthy to the endeavor to gain the great prize of jointheirship with Christ as an inheritor of the provisions and blessings of the oathbound covenant. In the Lord's providence the Truth has never been popular, and we understand him to teach that it will not be so during this Gospel age. Thus he provides the opportunity for our testing-whether we love the approval of the world and its reward of money and name and fame, or whether we prefer his approval and are ready to risk the cost.

We know of several physicians who are in just such a case. One of these embracing the Truth and seeking to circulate it amongst his friends was greatly opposed by those who nominally were fellow-Christians, and who, like Esau of old, were exceedingly angry with him because of his love for the oath-bound covenant of God and his faithfulness in telling the good tidings. As a result of that faithfulness, from having the largest practice in his city, he today has practically lost it all, but he thanks God as he realizes that he has gained in divine favor and is making sure his hold upon the divine promises, by the faithfulness which has thus cost him something in the loss of earthly advantages.

SISTERS TESTED ALSO

These principles apply not only to the more educated and those in the higher walks of life, but even to the small merchant and to the laborer. Everyone who is in the Lord's family must expect that at some time or other he will be tested to see which he loves the more, the mess of pottage or his prospects for inheritance in the oath-bound covenant and its blessings. The trials are by no means similar in every case. Sometimes they do not at all touch on the question of money. Look at the sisters, for instance-more generally their trials are along social lines.

As an illustration we think of a sister who, having been very prominent in one of the nominal churches in a Southern city, in due time was brought to a knowledge of the divine plan, and saw that the Church of God is one, and that the organization of sects and parties is entirely contrary to divine authority, and that to be faithful to the Lord and to all of his people she should stand simply as a member of Christ's body, the true Church, separate and distinct from earthly organizations, united only to the Lord, and thus united indirectly by heart and faith to all who are his everywhere. She sent a letter to the pastor explaining that she was still a child of the Lord, but that having received greater light upon the meaning of his Word she discerned that it was a mistake to fence herself off from other Christians and to have fellowship only with the one denomination and by so doing to imply separation from the others; that for this reason she must now withdraw, not from the one Church of the living God whose names are written in heaven, but from an earthly sect which God and his Book never authorized nor recognized. The step was taken with the full expectation that it would cost something, but that the blessing of the Lord and a manifestation of her respect for the inheritance in Christ was well worth the sacrificing that might be implied and the enduring of all the difficulties that might result.

A REVEREND EDOMITE

Her pastor was apparently of the Esau class, willing to barter anything for the maintenance of his own standing, and this to him included the standing of the denomination in numbers and influence. Hence, instead of appreciating the character of the sister, who had been one of the most prominent in his congregation-instead of admiring and loving her the more because of her faithfulness to principle, he undertook her assassination-not literally, however, but the assassination of her reputation. He deliberately circulated amongst her friends in the Church a story of her insanity, urging them by no means to see her or speak to her. The Lord blessed the trying experiences of that sister, who through these, we trust, is being polished, to be accounted worthy to be an heir of the oath-bound covenant, while the minister who thus sold himself to evil-doing, falsehood, for the sake of his personal standing and the standing of his sect-what shall we think of him, except that he belongs to the class represented in the allegory by Esau ?

With some the trial comes at home. An unreasonable husband seeks to bind the conscience of his wife, or an unreasonable wife seeks to bind the conscience of her husband. The Esau class is always aggressive, and rarely, if ever, just in such matters. They would be ashamed to have friends or neighbors know of the meanness of their hatred, of the petty annoyances as well as the great ones by which they seek to persecute those who love the Truth and who are desirous of laying hold upon the Abrahamic Covenant and becoming joint-heirs thereto with Jesus Christ the Lord. These persecutors are usually nominal Christians. Sometimes, like our Lord's persecutors, they are scribes, Pharisees, doctors of divinity, whose cause for opposition is the darkness of their own hearts, which love not the light nor come to it lest their secret ways should become manifest. However the test comes to the Lord's people, it is to be taken as one of the necessities of the case. If those who have been begotten of the Spirit succumb, and for the sake of peace and harmony sacrifice principle and truth, they thus demonstrate that they are unworthy of the Truth, that they are unworthy to be joint-heirs of the Abrahamic covenant; they take their place as belonging not to the Jacob class of faithful sacrificers but to the Esau class, who for temporary advantages of this present life are willing to sacrifice the Lord's favor and their prospective share in the coming blessings.

The public would hardly credit the various manifestations of the Esau spirit amongst Christian people in our day. It seems difficult to believe that ministers would deliberately falsify respecting the character and mental condition of Christian people in order to hold their interest and influence in their pastorates, as already stated. But we are to remember that it was the ministers who plotted our Lord's assassination and who trumped up the false charges against him on account of which he was crucified. We remember well that those doctors of divinity, scribes and Pharisees declared that the death of Jesus was necessary for the maintenance of the Jewish system, which they prized above the Truth.

The same spirit is manifest now. Many journals throughout this land today would publish these discourses were it not for the interposition of professed ministers of the truth in opposition. The publishers, usually worldly men, would be glad to print them did they not fear the power of the ministers to institute a boycott. Ministerial power over the people, however, is overestimated. General intelligence is on the increase, and misrepresentations are not as powerful as once they were. One of the journals which publishes these discourses weekly was called upon by five ministers in a body, who endeavored to use their influence in opposition to their publication. The answer they got from the independent manager was that so long as the public wanted the discourses and the proprietors could realize an increase of circulation for their publication, they would continue.

It may be asked, Why should Christian ministers oppose the presentation of Scriptural teaching? We answer, For the same reason that the scribes and Pharisees came upon the apostles and forbade them to teach the good tidings, as we read, "They were grieved that they taught the people. (Acts 4:2) They preferred to have the people in ignorance.

"GRIEVED THAT THEY TAUGHT"

They realized that for the people to have the eyes of their understanding opened would measurably decrease their power and influence over them in proportion as they would find that they had been misrepresenting God's Word and plan.

Where is the Jacob and Esau test in this matter? We answer that the ministers mentioned, for "one morsel of meat," are apparently willing to sell their birthright-their share in the glorious things which God hath in reservation for them who love him and love righteousness. They are willing to prostitute their office and influence to the doing of that which is evil, willing to sell their future prospects for their present advantage. In these various particulars they have the distinctive marks of Esau which the Apostle told us to look for. On the other hand, a small minority are willing, yea, rejoice, to have their names cast out as evil, to have themselves and their teachings misrepresented, slandered, by the Esau class. We are satisfied that this should be our experience, if it is the test which the Lord permits to come to prove our faithfulness to him and to his Wordif by this means or any means we may be of the true Israel class who will inherit the promise, the oath-bound covenant.

In conclusion, dear friends, it is for each of us to decide, first of all, Have we entered the Lord's family at all, so that we could be of either of these classes? Have we been begotten of the holy Spirit, so that we could be heirs of this great promise? If not, the primary work is a full consecration of ourselves to the Lord that we may be accepted of him and become his dear children. If we have already taken the steps of faith and obedience it is proper that we now question ourselves as respects our loyalty of heart to the Lord and the Truth. To what extent do we love this better than we love houses, lands, parents or children, yea, and self also? Are we willing, if circumstances so require, to lay down our lives for the Truth, in its service, etc.? If so we may safely count ourselves with the Israel class, and trust by the Lord's grace to be amongst those "overcomers" to whom he will grant to sit with him in his throne and be associated with all the work of the Millennial Kingdom.

But if we permit ourselves to be dominated by a time-serving spirit, a selfish spirit, it will blind us to the beauties and advantages of the things unseen as yet, and make all the more important before our minds the things of this present time, which the Apostle tells us are not worthy to be compared with the things reserved for us. It depends on which place we have the treasures, with the Lord or in the earth-for where our treasures are there will our hearts be also, and our lives in accord.

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