Jacob I Loved, Esau I Hated
Chosen of God or Broken vessels?
Some Christians' teach that the only grounds for the distinction of being loved (chosen) or being unloved (a broken vessel) lay in the unconditional choice of God. The following verses are quoted to support this teaching.
Rom.9:11, "Not of works, but of Him (God) that calleth."
Heb.6:1, "If God permit."
Rom.9:13, Jacob God loved, and Esau God hated.
The question is, do some have God's sanction to become Christians' and others rejected? If this is true, what would they be guilty of if God commanded it? Would not their sins have to be laid upon God?
I fully disagree with this teaching.
To be "CHOSEN" of God: What precisely does this mean? Is God speaking of individuals or whole nations of people? Or is it both individuals and groups? Lets look at two words, Chosen and Hated.
Chosen: Chose: 1586 Greek is, Gomer. Past particle, expressing completed action. To lay out together, also to choose out, to select. In N.T. Middle term of a syllogism with which two extremes are separately compared, and by means of which they are brought together in the conclusion. To choose out for one's self, as generally to choose, to select, transitive verb, expressing action that passes from the agent to the object.
Of persons, present participle to sequel to follow. Accommodation, or the application of a passage to something not originally intended by it on the grounds of resemblance or analogy. Simply,
John 6:70, Jesus said, "Have not I chosen you twelve."
John 15:16, Jesus is speaking to His disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you."
Acts 1:2, "He (Jesus) through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen."
Sept. 1 Sam.10:24, God chose Saul.
Sequel, present participle to follow, "of" common, generality, John 15:19, Jesus said to His disciples, "Because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world."
With an infinitive mode expressing the action of the verb. without limitation, implied,
James 2:5, "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? ."
Sequel, among us, Acts 15:7, "Ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe."
With ver.9, "And put no difference between us (Jews) and them (Gentiles.)"
The purpose according to free choice, also the free, spontaneous purpose of God, uninfluenced by external motives.
Jacob I loved, Esau I hated.
Isaac and his descendents may have been preferred because he was the first child of Sarah, Abraham's first wife, the child of promise. While Ishmael, the child of Hagar was born of Abraham's second wife. This was not the case of Rebecca, Isaac's only wife. From her womb came twins, Esau the first born and Jacob after.
Rom.9:11-13, "For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her (Rebecca,) The elder (Esau) shall serve the younger (the younger.) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
The Greek word "Hated," as it is used in the verse under discussion.
Hate: 3404. Hated: 3404. Greek is, miseu. To hate, transitive verb, expressing action that passes from the agent to the object. Passive, expressing action, or the effect of an action of some agent. To be hated, causing or deserving hatred
Specifically, in antitheses with it is, meaning (contrast or direct opposite.) as in not to love. To love less, to slight. Common form, accommodation, or the application of a passage to something not originally intended by it, on the ground of resemblance or analogy, of persons.
Following is how the word is used throughout the Scriptures.
Luke 16:13, Matt. 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or else he will hold (be loyal) to the one, and despise the other."
Luke 14:26, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his won life also, he cannot be my disciple." with,
Rev.2:4, Jesus said, "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."
John 12:25, "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."
Rom.9:13, God said, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Septuagint, "hated," Gen.29:31, "And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated (unloved,) He (God) opened her womb."
Deut.21:15-16, "If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated (loved less,) and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be her's that was hated: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn."
Mal.1:3, "And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."
Concerning God's love for Jacob and His hating Esau, the words, loved and hated refer NOT to God's emotions, but to His choice of one over the other for a covenant relationship.
These words love and hate by themselves do NOT indicate the eternal destinations of Jacob and Esau or their descendents. These verbs refer to God's acts in history toward both men and the two nations that descended from these twin brothers.
The verbs, "I have loved" and "I have hated" are in the perfect tense and therefore express not only God's past relationship with Israel (descendents of Jacob) and Edom, (descendents of Esau) but also His historical present and future dealings with them.
The descendents of Esau worshiped false gods. Today, for the most part, they are Muslims who worship Allah. Both Jacob and Esau have been the receivers of God's judgements. But the LORD repeatedly through time has promised to restore Israel because of His covenant promises.
Deut.4:29, God's promise to Israel and her descendents, "If from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him."
But to Esau and his descendents, God condemned them to complete destruction, never to be restored. Saul fought against the Edomites, David conquered them, Solomon made their gulf cities seaports. The day will come when the Lord Jesus will finish this work,
Rom.12:19, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
In the following we read of the vengeance of the Lord against His enemies.
Isa.63:1-2-3-4, "Who is this that cometh for Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah (a city in Edom?) This that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteousness mighty to save.
Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat (winepress?)
I have trodden the winepress alone; and the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come."
The wicked land of Edom, stands in contrast to the Holy land, as do the wicked people of this world stand in contrast to the saints.
Obad.8-14, "Shall I (God) not in that day, -- even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? -- every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter."
The land of Edom or Idumaean lies to the south of the dead sea. Sodom and Gomorrah lay within the borders of this wicked land. Every attempt to restore this land has failed.
The promised land (Israel) was to the descendents of Jacob. It has been written into God's unconditional promise to Abraham.
To be a descendant of Abraham by blood is not enough;
The ingredients for salvation are, God's mercy, to believe by faith, repent and be baptism in the Holy Spirt. Only in these things will any and all be accepted of God.
Rom.4:3, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
God blessings and curses.
Nothing is a surprise to God, He knows all things from the beginning to the end.
The question, "Was God unjust in His choice of Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau? Is God responsible for the sins of the Edomites? Is God responsible for the sins of mankind, those not drawn by the Father?
Paul states in Rom.9:14, "God forbid," meaning, Not at all. The Greek negative particle (me genoito) with a question, "Is God unjust," implies a negative response, or "Not at all."
This issue does not concern justice, but Sovereign decisions. God is under no obligation to issue justice to anyone. His mercy does not depend on mans' desires or his good works.
Jesus came to a fallen world. A world without hope, a world without God. Mankind regardless of race or color, rich or poor, young or old are born into sin. Sin that must be judged of God.
So the question is, "How can anyone escape?" Are we in the same boat with Esau and his descendents? unloved.
All who believe by faith in Jesus Christ, be they Jew or Gentile, receive Him as He is offered in the Gospel account. In this we have through Christ's shed blood a right to a sonship unto the Father. We are than the sons and daughters of righteousness.
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
"Whosoever," As including the idea of oneness, a totality, all, the whole. In this sense, the Singular is put with a noun having the article; and the Plural also stands with the article where a definite number is implied, or without the article where the number is indefinite.
Only by and through Jesus sacrifice were heavenly blessing purchased. This is the promise of the Father to His Son and to those who bow a knee to the name of Jesus Christ shall they be saved. This promise is to all the sons and daughters of Adam who bow a knee to Jesus Christ and acknowledge that He has come in the flesh.
What an astonishing thought. Sinners can become heirs of the promises. The choice belongs to each and every individual.
Walk in the light and receive the promises made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob; walk in darkness and receive the curses pronounced upon Esau and his decedents. How do you chose?
Again, "Jacob I loved, Esau I hated."
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com