Romans 9:13

Even as it is written, Jacob. loved, but Esau. hated. (Malachi 1:2)

POINT TO NOTE:

We are making. grave mistake if we take this section of Scripture as teaching that God predestined Esau to be. God-hated, eternally dammed man, without any choice of his own.

1. The 'hate' of Malachi 1:2. is to 'love less' (Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26). God had demonstrated greater love for Jacob's descendants in the sense of allowing them to remain. people, and to be allowed to come back and dwell in their homeland (such would not be the case of Esau's descendants). Even though both nations had merited destruction.

2. To apply these verses to the eternal salvation to two individuals doesn't fit the context. For one thing, 'the elder shall serve the younger', refers to the status of their descendants (the nations that would issue from Jacob and Esau- 1 Chronicles 18:12). This wasn't true concerning the individuals Jacob and Esau. Actually, Jacob was more of. servant of Esau (Genesis 32:1; Genesis 33:1). 'For as individuals Jacob came nearer serving Esau' (Whiteside p. 200)

'It is worthy of note that after Esau has been rejected as the chosen vessel to bring forth the Messiah and so have the place of honor before God, he is blessed by faith by Isaac (Hebrews 11:20). So whatever the rejection means we must not make Esau into. God-hated, eternally dammed man. What we say of Esau, we must say of all his descendants: And whatever we say of the choice of Jacob we must say of all his descendants.'

3. Right here, reading 'Calvinistic Predestination' into these verses contradicts Paul's whole point. For in selecting Jacob, many of Jacob's descendants still ended up lost! (The very problem being dealt with in this chapter! Romans 9:1/Romans 10:1-3)

'It is rather odd that this chapter should be used to prove salvation by election when, so far as it bears on election at all, it is wholly an effort to justify God in casting off an elect people (Jews that refused to believe) and choosing an non-elect people (believing Gentiles)'

God excluded various individuals from the 'covenant of promise' (i.e. Ishmael, Esau, Melchizedek), but not from salvation! Paul said that Gentiles had been excluded from the 'covenants of promise' (Ephesians 2:12), but that didn't mean they were automatically excluded from salvation. We know that believing Gentiles in ancient times were justified (Rahab and Ruth come to mind). Paul agreed (Romans 2:26).

'God had made. distinction between children of the same father and different mothers. He had made. distinction between children of the same father and mother. Even while they were in the womb. And it is this kind of activity by God that justifies his making the point that it wouldn't be surprising that He would make. distinction between Jew and Jew.'

***Remember: The 'Distinction' between Jew and Jew is. distinction that each Jew had 'personal control over', i.e. faith would be the dividing line. (Romans 9:32) Like in the past, God had removed privileges from the ground of 'who you were related to', or 'what you had merited'. The same is true with salvation. It's not based on physical ties or what you have earned. Rather it is based on an obedient faith.