“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” (Genesis 25:29-34).

This must have been some really good stew! I say this in jest. However, to Esau this stew was worth, at the moment, his birthright.

What was this birthright? Certain privileges and responsibilities came with being the firstborn. Later, under the Law of Moses, the birthright came with a double portion of inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) [Note: Some have suggested that this double-portion was to set one up as the head of the family with the responsibility to care for the rest of the family. However, these specifics are not mentioned in Scripture].

Esau, no doubt, exaggerated when he said, “Look, I am about to die…” (Genesis 25:32). However, he was ready to trade. He was so focused on his immediate desire that he was willing to trade his future.

Many are like Esau. They are willing to trade the heavenly inheritance for their immediate desires. I may be for money, possessions, power, position, fame, a man or a woman, pleasure or some other desire.

The Bible warns us. “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears” (Hebrews 12:14-17). Esau came to regret his choice. So will we, if we sell our birthright. It is not worth the price (Mark 8:36-37).