Saturday 14 August 2010

Jacob Have I loved, Esau Have I Hated

Paul quoted this verse. It was a statement by God. But notice God didn't say it in the first book of the Bible, before Jacob and Esau were born - He said it in the last book of the Bible long after the two brothers had lived and died.

Yes, before they were born, God declared what the outcome of these two guys' descendents would be, based on His foreknowledge. It wasn't even a statement about the two brothers, primarily. Esau didn't actually serve Jacob during his lifetime. It was mainly a statement about the two brothers' descendants. But the outcome was not without a cause: Esau despised his birthright and chose to allow Jacob to inherit it. The New Testament later actually describes Esau as a profane person - a prototype of the type of Hebrews who were at risk of missing-out on God's promised salvation due to unbelief in Jesus.

Paul told this story to illustrate that it was not without precedent in Scripture that many Jewish people were missing-out on experiencing the promised salvation - it was an outcome long foreseen by the Prophets. God had elected that salvation would be by grace alone, and He foresaw that many, despite being Jewish, would not believe. Therefore the outcome which the Roman believers were witnessing in the first century was quite in-keeping with prophecy and quite in-keeping with God's original promises. Paul's Gospel [the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith] was therefore vindicated, despite its implications for unbelieving Israel.

1 comment:

  1. MANY GREEK SCHOLARS, SUCH AS AW PINK SAY THE WORD FOREKNOWLEDGE IS NOT ALWAYS SEEING THE FUTURE, BUT HAVING AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF A PERSON YET BORN.

    I USED TO TEACH THAT GOD CHOSE HIS ELECT BASED ON HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE THAT WE WOULD BELIEVE, BUT AFTER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I SEE IN ROMANS 9 AND IN EHP 1 THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY WILL.............NOT TO HIM THAT RUNNETH OR WILLETH............ALSO LOOK AT JUDAS

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