IT is often the case with men today as with Esau of old; when the things they possess are about to be parted with, they begin to wake up to their real value.
What of all that men possess naturally is the greatest value to them? It is LIFE. “Skin for skin,” said Satan (and he makes man his study). “All that a man hath will he give for his life” (Job 2:44And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. (Job 2:4)). Who has not heard pathetic stories illustrating this statement? Above everything else in the world man dreads death. Vitellius, the Roman Emperor, made himself intoxicated in prospect of death. Mirabeau, who figured in the French Revolution, cried to his attendants when death approached, “Give me opium! I have an age of strength and not a moment of courage!” Louis XI forbade his servants even to mention death in his presence.
Life is valued; death is dreaded. Death means the loss of all that man values in this life. David describes the man of the world “while he liveth” and “when he dieth” (Psa. 49:18,1918Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. 19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. (Psalm 49:18‑19)). “While he lived he blessed his soul.” He congratulates himself on what he possesses, like the rich farmer (Luke 12.). But “when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.” Hence the solemn force of the words of Jesus, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36, 3736For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36‑37)). So with Esau, “I am going to die: what prat shall this birthright do to me?” For what he thought would ward off death, he gave up his birthright. To prolong life he would barter away all right to it. As the Holy Ghost speaks of it (Gen. 25:3434Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:34)), Esau “despised his birthright,” and doing that, missed the blessing too, though he “sought it carefully with tears” (Acts 12:1717But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. (Acts 12:17)).
But why not look at that short sentence of five words in the lips of Esau― “I am going to die”―in the light of your soul’s existence beyond the world in which you now are? Why not listen to the word of Jesus, and ask, “Since I am going to die and part with everything here, why not take the opportunity of making sure of what is beyond death and eternally enduring?” One who had personally listened to the exalted Jesus was able to say, “We know that if the earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:11For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)). “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-1816For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16‑18)).
To part with the momentary possession of “the things that are seen” for an eternal weight of glory was no difficulty to the apostle, when his eye had seen the glorified One and his heart had made the wondrous discovery. “He loved me, and gave Himself for me.” No wonder that he could say, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (or, have Christ for my gain) (Phil. 3:7, 87But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:7‑8)).
Have you faced that short sentence― “I AM GOING TO DIE”? Have you taken your bearings, before and behind, in relation to it? What have you that you will not be compelled to part with, then? Of all that you possess of this world’s goods “you will carry nothing away.” “The glory of man” is as the flower of grass-soon gone; and once lost never regained. Left behind, it is left behind forever. Besides, you are a sinner; you have a conscience, and God has fixed a day of reckoning. He would not have you take your sins with you to that tribunal, and therefore commands you to repent. And with the command He commends to you His love―a love expressed in the death of His beloved Son, and with this glad message comes the assurance that believing on Him no charge in that great day shall be found against you. Christ yours, all is well; without Him nothing is.
“Jesus can make a dying bed
As soft as downy pillows are;
While on His breast I lay my head
And breathe my life out sweetly there.”
But Scripture says, “We shall not all sleep.” The Lord is coming. But whether we fall asleep before He comes or are found alive at His coming, the birthright “title” and the “blessing” are both secure for the feeblest believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
May the reader be of the happy number when that great change comes. GEO. C.