patriarchs and prophets-第39节

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Rebekah　as　the　great　object　of　their　desires　and　hopes。　With　these　promises
Esau　and　Jacob　were　familiar。　They　were　taught　to　regard　the　birthright　as　a
matter　of　great　importance；　for　it　included　not　only　an　inheritance　of
worldly　wealth　but　spiritual　pre…eminence。　He　who　received　it　was　to　be　the
priest　of　his　family；　and　in　the　line　of　his　posterity　the　Redeemer　of　the
world　would　come。　On　the　other　hand；　there　were　obligations　resting　upon　the
possessor　of　the　birthright。　He

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who　should　inherit　its　blessings　must　devote　his　life　to　the　service　of　God。
Like　Abraham；　he　must　be　obedient　to　the　divine　requirements。　In　marriage；
in　his　family　relations；　in　public　life；　he　must　consult　the　will　of　God。

Isaac　made　known　to　his　sons　these　privileges　and　conditions；　and　plainly
stated　that　Esau；　as　the　eldest；　was　the　one　entitled　to　the　birthright。　But
Esau　had　no　love　for　devotion；　no　inclination　to　a　religious　life。　The
requirements　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。　Rebekah
remembered　the　words　of　the　angel；　and　she　read　with　clearer　insight　than
did　her　husband　the　character　of　their　sons。　She　was　convinced　that　the
heritage　of　divine　promise　was　intended　for　Jacob。　She　repeated　to　Isaac　the
angel's　words；　but　the　father's　affections　were　centered　upon　the　elder　son；
and　he　was　unshaken　in　his　purpose。

Jacob　had　learned　from　his　mother　of　the　divine　intimation　that　the
birthright　should　fall　to　him；　and　he　was　filled　with　an　unspeakable　desire
for　the　privileges　which　it　would　confer。　It　was　not　the　possession　of　his
father's　wealth　that　he　craved；　the　spiritual　birthright　was　the　object　of
his　longing。　To　commune　with　God　as　did　righteous　Abraham；　to　offer　the
sacrifice　of　atonement　for　his　family；　to　be　the　progenitor　of　the　chosen
people　and　of　the　promised　Messiah；　and　to　inherit　the　immortal　possessions
embraced　in　the　blessings　of　the　covenant…here　were　the　privileges　and
honors　that　kindled　his　most　ardent　desires。　His　mind　was　ever　reaching
forward　to　the　future；　and　seeking　to　grasp　its　unseen　blessings。

With　secret　longing　he　listened　to　all　that　his　father　told　concerning　the
spiritual　birthright；　he　carefully　treasured　what　he　had　learned　from　his
mother。　Day　and　night　the　subject　occupied　his　thoughts；　until　it　became　the
absorbing　interest　of　his　life。　But　while　he　thus　esteemed　eternal　above
temporal　blessings；　Jacob　had　not　an　experimental　knowledge　of　the　God　whom
he　revered。　His　heart　had　not　been　renewed　by　divine　grace。　He　believed　that
the　promise　concerning　himself　could　not　be　fulfilled

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so　long　as　Esau　retained　the　rights　of　the　first…born；　and　he　constantly
studied　to　devise　some　way　whereby　he　might　secure　the　blessing　which　his
brother　held　so　lightly；　but　which　was　so　precious　to　himself。

When　Esau；　coming　home　one　day　faint　and　weary　from　the　chase；　asked　for　the
food　that　Jacob　was　preparing；　the　latter；　with　whom　one　thought　was　ever
uppermost；　seized　upon　his　advantage；　and　offered　to　satisfy　his　brother's
hunger　at　the　price　of　the　birthright。　〃Behold；　I　am　at　the　point　to　die；〃
cried　the　reckless；　self…indulgent　hunter；　〃and　what　profit　shall　this
birthright　do　to　me？〃　And　for　a　dish　of　red　pottage　he　parted　with　his
birthright；　and　confirmed　the　transaction　by　an　oath。　A　short　time　at　most
would　have　secured　him　food　in　his　father's　tents；　but　to　satisfy　the　desire
of　the　moment　he　carelessly　bartered　the　glorious　heritage　that　God　Himself
had　promised　to　his　fathers。　His　whole　interest　was　in　the　present。　He　was
ready　to　sacrifice　the　heavenly　to　the　earthly；　to　exchange　a　future　good
for　a　momentary　indulgence。

〃Thus　Esau　despised　his　birthright。〃　In　disposing　of　it　he　felt　a　sense　of
relief。　Now　his　way　was　unobstructed；　he　could　do　as　he　liked。　For　this　wild
pleasure；　miscalled　freedom；　how　many　are　still　selling　their　birthright　to
an　inheritance　pure　and　undefiled；　eternal　in　the　heavens！

Ever　subject　to　mere　outward　and　earthly　attractions；　Esau　took　two　wives　of
the　daughters　of　Heth。　They　were　worshipers　of　false　gods；　and　their
idolatry　was　a　bitter　grief　to　Isaac　and　Rebekah。　Esau　had　violated　one　of
the　conditions　of　the　covenant；　which　forbade　intermarriage　between　the
chosen　people　and　the　heathen；　yet　Isaac　was　still　unshaken　in　his
determination　to　bestow　upon　him　the　birthright。　The　reasoning　of　Rebekah；
Jacob's　strong　desire　for　the　blessing；　and　Esau's　indifference　to　its
obligations　had　no　effect　to　change　the　father's　purpose。

Years　passed　on；　until　Isaac；　old　and　blind；　and　expecting　soon　to　die；
determined　no　longer　to　delay　the　bestowal　of　the　blessing　upon　his　elder
son。　But　knowing　the　opposition　of　Rebekah　and　Jacob；　he　decided　to　perform
the　solemn　ceremony　in　secret。　In　accordance　with　the　custom　of　making　a
feast　upon　such　occasions；　the　patriarch　bade　Esau；　〃Go　out　to　the　field；
and　take　me　some　venison；　and　make　me　savory　meat；　。　。　。　that　my　soul　may
bless　thee　before　I　die。〃

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Rebekah　divined　his　purpose。　She　was　confident　that　it　was　contrary　to　what
God　had　revealed　as　His　will。　Isaac　was　in　danger　of　incurring　the　divine
displeasure　and　of　debarring　his　younger　son　from　the　position　to　which　God
had　called　him。　She　had　in　vain　tried　the　effect　of　reasoning　with　Isaac；
and　she　determined　to　resort　to　stratagem。

No　sooner　had　Esau　departed　on　his　errand　than　Rebekah　set　about　the
accomplishment　of　her　purpose。　She　told　Jacob　what　had　taken　place；　urging
the　necessity　of　immediate　action　to　prevent　the　bestowal　of　the　blessing；
finally　and　irrevocably；　upon　Esau。　And　she　assured　her　son　that　if　he　would
follow　her　directions；　he　might　obtain　it　as　God　had　promised。　Jacob　did　not
readily　consent　to　the　plan　that　she　proposed。　The　thought　of　deceiving　his
father　caused　him　great　distress。　He　felt　that　such　a　sin　would　bring　a
curse　rather　than　a　blessing。　But　his　scruples　were　overborne；　and　he
proceeded　to　carry　out　his　mother's　suggestions。　It　was　not　his　intention　to
utter　a　direct　falsehood；　but　once　in　the　presence　of　his　father　he　seemed
to　have　gone　too　far　to　retreat；　and　he　obtained　by　fraud　the　coveted
blessing。

Jacob　and　Rebekah　succeeded　in　their　purpose；　but　they　gained　only　trouble
and　sorrow　by　their　deception。　God　had　declared　that　Jacob　should　receive
the　birthright；　and　His　word　would　have　been　fulfilled　in　His　own　time　had
they　waited　in　faith　for　Him　to　work　for　them。　But　like　many　who　now　profess
to　be　children　of　God；　they　were　unwilling　to　leave　the　matter　in　His　hands。
Rebekah　bitterly　repented　the　wrong　counsel　she　had　given　her　son；　it　was
the　means　of　separating　him　from　her；　and　she　never　saw　his　face　again。　From
the　hour　when　he　received　the　birthright；　Jacob　was　weighed　down　with
self…condemnation。　He　had　sinned　against　his　father；　his　brother；　his　own
soul；　and　against　God。　In　one　short　hour　he　had　made　work　for　a　lifelong
repentance。　This　scene　was　vivid　before　him　in　afteryears；　when　the　wicked
course　of　his　sons　oppressed　his　soul。

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

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wealth。　These　were　blessings　that　he　could　value。　〃Let　my　father　arise；〃　he
said；　〃and　eat　of　his　son's　venison；　that　thy　soul　may　bless　me。〃

Trembling　with　astonishment　and　distress；　the　blind　old　father　learned　the
deception　that　had　been　practiced　upon　him。　His　long　and　fondly　cherished
hopes　had　been　thwarted；　and　he　keenly　felt　the　disappointment　that　must
come　upon　his　elder　son。　Yet　the　conviction　flashed　upon　him　that　it　was
God's　providence　which　had　defeated　his　purpose　and　brought　about　the　very
thing　he　had　determined　to　prevent。　He　remembered　the　words　of　the　angel　to
Rebekah；　and　notwithstanding　the　sin　of　which　Jacob　was　now　guilty；　he　saw
in　him　the　one　best　fitted　to　accomplish　the　purposes　of　God。　While　the
words　of　blessing　were　upon　his　lips；　he　had　felt　the　Spirit　of　inspiration
upon　him；　and　now；　knowing　all　the　circumstances；　he　ratified　the
benediction　unwittingly　pronounced　upon　Jacob：　〃I　have　blessed　him；　yea；　and
he　shall　be　blessed。〃

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　c