Subtopic : Corruption
Scriptural Reading : Gen 25:26; 29-34: Gen 31:45-54: Gen 32:24-32: Rom 9:10-13: Mal 1: 2,3: Rom 9:14-24: Acts 2:23: Eph 1:4,5:
Salutations beloved saints in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You can't imagine who a believer is ! A believer? Who do you think can qualify to be a believer? Tell me! How can a corrupt person in his life qualify to be a believer? What is the authoritative benchmark ? What is that really should happen to him before we can safely say he is now justified to be called a believer? Is there still anything within himself that he may need to overcome by himself ? Let us take just two examples:
JACOB:
How does the name and personality of Jacob sound to you? A man of integrity and morally pious? An accomplished man of God! A genuine article of a believer? Or a deciever/ supplanter? A morally degenerate man, not any way qualified to be called a believer, leave alone being the third among the Jewish patriarchs. See?
BORN A SUPLANTER:
It is written! And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.( Gen 25:26). Let us take another translation ( AMP): Afterward, his brother came forth, and his hand grasped Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob ( Supplanter). Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.
Look at this little fellow! Even while still in his mother's womb, and in the process of their birth, he struggles with his brother on who should come first from the womb of the mother! What is he looking for? What is in his little mind? What is he struggling for? If his brother Esau has already taken the lead to come out first, why should he not be at peace with that? What is his problem? Eeh! He is already practising corruption in the womb of his mother. Is he not? Well, the parents decided to name give him the name Jacob! You say, what is in a name? Well, certainly, there's something in every name! Jacob means suplanter, a deceiver, and that is what he grew to be until something else happened on the way in his life! See?
JACOB BUYS ESAU'S BIRTHRIGHT FROM HIM:
It is written! And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then 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.( Gen 25:29-34:
Notice! When compared to his elder brother Esau, him looked a pious man and a gentle man who was loved of his father Isaac. See? He is a skilled hunter, and the father enjoyed to eat of his venison. But, the scripture says he was loved of his mother Rebecca. ( Gen 25:28). Did you read your Bible, right? He was loved of God, too! It is written! As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.( Rom 9: 13: Mal 1:1,2).
So, what is the authoritative benchmark before we can say somebody qualifies to be called a believer? And my brother and sister, do you qualify to be called a believer? What makes you think so? What is the qualitative difference between these two children, Esau and Jacob? What was in Esau, and what was the yearning in the heart of Jacob? And how does it compare with you today? Are you a believer, do you think? Why do you think so?
THE IMPORTANCE OF A BIRTHRIGHT:
What is a birthright? And why was it important to the one who possessed it? In the Jewish culture, the birthright represented the rights of the firstborn child ( Gen 25:31-34). The birthright had special privileges that were enjoyed by the firstborn ( Gen 27:36). One of them was the rights to inheritance ( Gen 48:13-19). When Joseph's brethren met him in Egypt, the scripture says: And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.( Gen 43:33). See? In some cases, the firstborn received a double share of the paternal inheritance ( Deut 21:15-17). See? Notice also that God in the Old Testament hallowed to himself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast( Numb 3: 13). In the New Testament, Jesus Christ, the Son of God takes the great honour to be the firstborn among many brethren! ( Rom 8:29: Heb 2:10-12; 12:23). See? Notice something!
BEWARE , YOU DO NOT SELL YOUR BIRTHRIGHT:
Now notice! The birthright could be lost, sold, or transferred to another person due to some character failings! Watch out! For example, Reuben lost his birthright and was given to the sons of Jacob! ( 1 Chron 5:1). Why? He defiled his father's bed! ( Gen 35:22). See?
Look! Esau, for a meal of pottage, sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob ( Gen 25:27-34:). And when later, he wanted the blessings of his father, Isaac( for it was so in them days that the birthright held great blessings to the one who possessed it), it was too late for him. The scripture says he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance even though he sought it with tears( Heb 12:16-17). See?
What is it? Esau had crossed the red line!
And my dear brother and sister, be careful on the matters of your God given birthright today to be a genuine Christian, a genuine believer, a genuine child of God, a genuine son or daughter of God ( Jn 3:3-5: Jn 1:12,13:). See? And this, you can not merit by yourself. It is by the mercy and the grace of God!( Rom 9:16: Eph 2:4,8-10:). It's by the election and love of God. ( Eph 1:4,5: Jn 3:16).
Notice! God, by foreknowledge, knew the end from the beginning. He knew what was in man. He is not willing that any should perish. But God knew who would accept his provided way of salvation and he who would not accept it ( 2 Per 3:9). See? He knows the end from the beginning! Certainly!
Therefore, he knew before the foundation of the world that Esau would despise his birthright! On the other hand, he knew what was in the heart of Jacob . God loved him for that! For Jacob , respected that birthright ! And no matter how he got it, he went for it anyhow! And in that matter, he represents a believer today! No matter what goes and comes, a believer wants the birthright of the baptism or infilling of the Holyspirit in his or her life, just as the disciples did on the day of Pentecost ( Acts 2:1-4). See? The Holyghost is our birthright today! And you can never really say you are a complete believer until you get it as your own personal experience! Right? ( Acts 19:2-7). See? And how many today who call themselves Christians or believers are behaving just like Esau did?
JACOB CHANGED FROM SUPPLANTER TO THE PRINCE OF GOD:
Notice that Jacob, after he got married to the two daughters of Laban, and Rachel, who had prospered, yearned to return to his native land. He had continual problems with his inlaw, Laban, until separation time came. ( Gen 31:45-54). See? On his way to his homeland, he knew he had to face his elder brother Esau on account of his birthright that he had stolen ! On the way, an extraordinary event happened in his life that was to transform both his life , name , and destiny forever! ( Gen 32:24-32). See?
What is it? The scripture says he wrestled with a man until daybreak! Not only that, he prevailed ( or overcame) the man he was wrestling with! The man decided to touch the hollow of his thigh, which went out of joint as they wrestled! The man then pleaded to be let free to go since it was already day break. Jacob told him I will not let you go until you bless me!
Then, came the question! What is your name? He said, "Jacob. He was then told, Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince has thou power with God and with men, and had prevailed! Remember, the Bible teaches that Jacob went and made supplication unto the angel of the Lord( Hos 12:4). And my dear brother and sister, you too must have experienced that supernatural encounter with Almighty God ! Yes, Sir!
Otherwise, can anyone be truly a believer without such an experience? Can you simply only trust in yourself joining any church or be a pious religious person without an inner change in your soul? You certainly need to meet God personally on holy grounds, wrestle with him in prayers and supplications until your change comes too. Jacob, from that time, had his name changed from a supplanter to a prince or soldier of God! Yet, that was not all. He still had to contend with tests and trials in all the days of his pilgrimage on earth( Gen 47:9). See?
BROTHER BRANHAM:
Today, there is a lot of controversy about the life and ministry of that humble servant of God called William Marrion Branham of the USA. While many have chosen to denounce him as renegade and his ministry and message as false, the question still remains: What makes you think like that? What criteria have you used to judge him thus? What makes you think he was not a believer? Or a true servant of Christ? What makes you think because he contradicted himself in several places, in his sermons, it means he is false and doesn't qualify to be the prophet of God? Can you be able to determine where he crossed a red line with God and his word ? Tell me!
Look! Even God declared a change of the name of Jacob to Israel ( Gen 35:10). Is that right? But, elsewhere in the Bible, he is still referred to as Jacob. Does the Bible contradict itself? In the bush, Moses heard God declaring himself saying: Iam the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ( Mk 12:26:Exod 4:5). Will you accuse God of not being consistent in his word? Who dare say that?
Notice! Was not Elijah the prophet a man of like passions as we are( Jam 5:16). Was he not one among the mighty prophets of God? Yes! Even today, a Christian, a believer must work his own salvation with fear and trembling! (Phil 2:12). No matter how mightly you are anointed! Yes!
Does this negate the election of God? Does it dispell his love for his own whom he had foreknown before the foundation of the world? Is there unrighteousness with God? But, the scripture says: So, then it is not of him that runneth, ( even if he is a prophet of God or a great preacher) but, of God that sheweth mercy!( Rom 9: 14-16). See?
Who can boast before him then? Who then is a believer? My dear brother and sister, the question is: Are you a believer ? Remember, after all is done and said, a believer must still have to overcome his or her personal weaknesses ( Rev 3: 31:). See? Look! Even the Son of God in the days of his flesh learnt obedience by the things which he suffered , and for his perfection ( Heb 5:7-9). See? You can't imagine who a believer is ! To be continued.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you . Amen . One more soul . We work till Jesus comes .
Pastor Charles Obwoon
