Heb. 12:17

17 For [gar] ye know [isemi] how [hoti] that afterward [kai] [metepeita], when he would [thelo] have inherited [kleronomeo] the blessing [eulogia], he was rejected [apodokimazo]: for [gar] he found [heurisko] no [ou] place [topos] of repentance [metanoia], though [kaiper] he sought [ekzeteo] it [autos] carefully [ekzeteo] with [meta] tears [dakru]. KJV-Interlinear

17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. NASB

Yesterday we studied the birthright that each of us as believers will receive in eternity, and we should all know that, that birthright, which is our inheritance, has a value which far exceeds our imagination.

Knowing that you have such a valuable inheritance waiting for you should serve as encouragement and motivation to pursue your spiritual life toward spiritual maturity.

Now in this passage we see the repercussions of Esau s lifetime of decisions. He didn t have only one chance to pursue his spiritual life, but he had many daily opportunity s to get his act together. He was apathetic, indifferent, and he took for granted something that he had no automatic right to.

Esau lost it all. And he lost it all because of his own negative attitude and negative decisions toward God and toward doctrine.

There s only one way to secure for certain, your package of phenomenal blessings which will accompany your eternal birthright. Realize of course, that everyone who believes in Christ will for certain go to heaven. That is only one aspect of one s eternal blessings. The really big packing to blessings, which exceeds anything that you can possibly imagine, will be given only to spiritually mature believers.

We have studied lots of passages including lots of parables which teach this principle of doctrine.

Esau lost not only his earthly birthright from his dad, Isaac, but he continued in his negative attitude and he lost his eternal birthright as well.

One important principle that we should all learn is that, even though most of us will not receive much of a birthright or inheritance from our earthly parents, all of us have the opportunity to receive a phenomenal eternal birthright from God.

God does not hold anything back but gives each and every one of us every opportunity to advance to spiritual maturity. God gives each and every one of us the resources and the means to advance to spiritual maturity. And, amazingly enough, it is the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. God does all of the work, we merely have to believe, and wait patiently.

Esau demonstrates the behavior of a two year old, with his tantrum of tears, pleading for something that he wants while refusing to comply with Gods terms.

All people who are negative toward God and who refuse to pursue their spiritual life in accordance with Gods terms will come to the same place of tears and tantrum as Esau did.

God does not honor crying, God does not honor tantrums, God does not honor emotional pleading, when a person has had a lifetime of opportunity for complying with His will, but have refused to do so because of their arrogant stubbornness. All of the tears and all of the emotional pleading will not regain you what you have thrown away and disregarded as useless, over a lifetime of a negative attitude pattern toward God.

The book of Hebrews gives fair warning and a reminder that this life in this world is not all that there is. That, the bulk of your life will be lived in eternity, and if you do not prepare for your spiritual future, then the fault remains solely with you.

You have a better representative in heaven, you have a better opportunity in heaven, you have a better destiny in heaven, and you have a better means from heaven for attaining an extremely successful life.

Esau could have woke up and changed his attitude, but he did not. He had every opportunity just as every person has every opportunity to change their ways in life. He could ve realized that he discounted his birthright, not thinking much of it, and that he tried to cheat his way through life, and he could have changed.

But, Esau was not interested in changing his own lifestyle or attitude. He selfishly wanted everyone including God, to change their ways and comply with his own standards. That kind of attitude is common among people who reject truth.

Now is the time to post a prayer.