emP.hatic "no; " say, " I will rather dio than pflrt with that.•· Esau may have even smiled at Jacob for caring so much about that which was of such little worth to hiir A deprnved heart made him profane, indifferent, ungrateful, and rash. II. A TIME IS SURE TO COME WHEN THE GOOD WE UNDERVALUED BECOMES OF GREATEST WORTII, AND WIIEN IT MAY BE BEYOND oun REAC11. It was probably about twenty years after Esau had parted with his birthright that Isaac felt one day that his end was approaching, and desired to bless hie son before he died. He was ignorant of the transfer which had been made. Esau deceived his father. He ignored a solemn compact. He would now rob bis brother. He comes back perspiring and exhausted from the field, thinking that anyhow he has earned his father's blessing. He finds that Jacob has acted in his right and obtained the blessing. His own mother frus- trates him, believing that she was acting rightly for her son Jacob. We can see ho1v questionable were her doings, but we must not measure her nor Jacob by present moral standards. Esau weeps, "What, no blessing for thy firstborn?" He gets a blessing, but not the best. Deep his regret. Ho sees now his folly in its true light. "No place for repentance," &c. means no chance of repairing the mischief. Thus things done thoughtlessly in youth may have fearful after-consequences. Neglect of educational advantages, incurring of debt, acquirement of habits, rejection of appeals, and withstanding religious impressions. As the icicle freezes one drop at a time, so character is gradually formed. It depends on the water as to what the icicle will be. If muddy and tinged, the frozen mass will not be transparent; clear or thick, it is frozen and fixed, and will never be altered until dissolved altogether. Where are the warm rays that are to change our character? Esau sought to change his father's mind, but it was useless. Our heavenly Father is always willing to forgive if there be true repentance, but bis forgiveness may not conquer the fixed evil habit. So long as there ie life none should despair. See how David sinned, but he repented too. Esau lacked contrition. His sorrow was only remorse. ,vhat if we are risking the lose of some great spiritual advantage like to Esnu's I We shall discover it on the death-bed or at the judgment bar. There is then a serious warning-!. To those who are trifling with religion. Can you push the cross aside, and laugh on Calvary's mount? 2. To those hardening their hearts in neglect. An old man once said to me, "It is no use talking of religion to me now; I am past it. There was a time once when I felt, but now I cannot." 3. To those who think it will be easier to repent and do the right later in life. God promises pardon when we repent, but ho does not promise to prolong life. Probably there is not one present who has not heard this warning before, therefore it is to be feared it will be as unavailing as the preceding. Oh, Holy Spirit, forbid that it should.-H. Ver. 34.-Neglect of heavenly things. "Thus Esau despised his birtliright." Strange and sad that truths so important as those bearing on eternal life, even where believed, often exercise so slight influence. Yet so it is. How many like to hear the go~pel in its fulness, and to be warned against neglecting it, yet in their lives show little of its power (Ezek. xxxiii. 32). How many live, content to know truth, forgetting that nil our daily life tells for good or ill on our eternal life, and that opportunities arc passing away. How many, believing that in every being there is a soul to be saved or lost, can yet see multitudes living in ungodliness with- out effort or even prayer for their recovery (cf. Luke xix. 41). Is not the spirit of Esau in these? He is called (Heh. xii. 16) a "profane person." Yet no crime or great fault is laid to his charge. There is an attractiveness in his character. We see in him an impulsive, thoughtless man; not what would be called a bad son ; his father's favourite; having some regard to his parent's wishes (eh. xxviii. 8, 9); but swayed by passing things, and without self-denial. Hungry and weary with the chase, he craved the food he saw (cf. Matt. iv. 3). But the price? His birthright, tho claim f.o a special benediction, the domestic priesthood (cf. Exod. xxii. 29), wero as nothing. He did not realise their value (cf. Heh. xi. 1). Tho present was every- thing (cf. 1 Cor. xv. 32). The pleasant, genial, headloug man is pronounced" pro- fane." Observe- L THE GRADUAL EFFECT OD' SELF-INDULGENCE (cf. Matt. xix. 24). The birthright despised not through sudden temptation or any marked step of sin, but by worldly T2 824 THE BOOK OF GENESIS. [err. xxvr. 1-6.
inte;ests tnki_ng· u_p the thoughts .. Cnstoms ~n? maxims of the world tend to neg- lectmg the b1rtlmght (cf. Matt._ v1. 33). This 1s no ideal danger. No sharp line to tel_l. when_ dang;-r be,~·ms. Thmgs perf~ctly allowable, even laudable, may choke spmtual life •. Evc_n rn good work the mmd may be so engrossed in the work itself that commun~on with God fades, There is need of habitual self-denial (John vi. !)8) ; o_f keepmg gua_rd over the tendencies of daily life ; of definite aims, not pass- mg w1Shes ; of makmg personal communion with God an essential part of each day's work. ii. 1:EE DEADENING _EFFECT IN REL~TION TO REPENTANCE. "Time enough" ie IL fatal mistake ( Acts xx1v. 25; 2 Cor. v1. 2). So far as we know Esau never repented Even when Jacob received the blessing he was sorry, but there was no real change· no confC'ssion of error. Self was still the ruling power. ' III. TrrE CALL TO ?ONSIDER _ou~ BIRTB:RIGHT (Rom. viii. 17; 1 John iii. 2). Not n;ierelJ a fu~ure bless!I'l:g·. Tlunkmg of_ 1~ thus leads to its being left out of view. Now there 1s reconc1hation, peace, spmt of adoption, the Spirit's witness in our hearts, freedom of access in prayer, imd promises to be realised in growing likeness to Christ and communion with him. Few would deliberately postpone to the end of life th~ claiming theiz: birthright and ma.king sure of it, the work of repentance and faith, and the casting away what has lnndered. But many without set purpose do delay. Each time the call is put away is a victory for the tempter.-M.
EXPOSITION.