You are of great Value

Genesis 25:29-34

Have you ever had your identity stolen or have you known someone that has happened to?  It is my understanding that it can be very costly, and often takes months to correct the records and get back your identity.  But what if you had no regard for your birthright, what if you gave it to another for some stew?   That’s what Genesis 25:29-34 states that Esau did; “Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted.  And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.)  Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.”  Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”  Jacob said, “Swear to me now.”  So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

There is a lot to ponder in those five verses: First it seems as if Jacob ask his brother a question out of the blue, but it is my belief that they had discussed this issue many times.  What does the phrase “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” have to do with Esau being called Edom?  It was a name change as later on Jacob would be called Israel, and out of Esau or Edom would come a people called the Edomites; it could be translated in English to the word “Red”.  The Edomites would be enemies of Israel and it should be noted that King Herod was an Edomite.

I also found this of interest, that Jacob did not put a price on Esau’s birthright, but Esau did, and he gave it little or no value, the price of a bowl of stew.  Why did Jacob want Esau to swear or give his oath, because an oath sealed the deal, it was more than words coming from the lips of one brother to another, it was a vow before Creator God.   The Wikipedia, free encyclopedia gives the following quote,  “The concept of oaths is deeply rooted within Judaism. It is found in Genesis 8:21, when God swears that he will "never again curse the ground because of man and never again smite every living thing."

It is clear that what Esau swore to Jacob, was of little value, or even worth giving much thought to at that time, but God values each and everyone of us, and it angers him when we put little or no value on ourselves.  Did Jesus not tell us that we are of great value in both Matthew 6:25 and Mark 10:31, did God the Father not send His only Son to redeem us?

The independent living of Esau comes back on his head, but no matter how much he cares or what he says or does, he is going to pay a great price for his lack of regard for what God has said, and what God has placed value on.  Hebrews in chapter 12:16,17, “that ho one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.  For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no change to repent, thought he sought it with tears.”

You are of great value to God, and though we live in a throwaway culture, were so little value is put on the unborn child or the elderly, God the Father and His Son have make it very clear that we are all redeemable, as long as we have breath in our earthsuit.  Faith is agreeing with God, no matter where you find yourself, that He is the only one who can place a value on your life, and he has given you a rating of ten, on a scale of 1-10 and ten being the very best.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice