FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



I John 4:8..."He that loveth not knoweth not God; FOR GOD IS LOVE."

Rom.9:13..."As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I HATED."

If God is pure love, then how can He have "hate" for Esau? Is this a Bible contradiction? Does anyone ever ask, "WHY"? And how would you answer a new Christian, if you were asked?

We, as Christians, should have answers for these questions. Yet, there are Christians of 10, 20, or 30 years or more who still don't know the answer. Because they haven't searched for it (Proverbs 25:2) or the Holy Spirit has not yet shown them why (I John 2:27).

It's the difference in discerning the "natural"(literal) from the "spiritual" meanings in the Bible. Many don't believe it...and some don't even want to know and get angry with those who do. Anger does no good for anyone. Use that anger to PROVE your point...but do it using Scripture....if you can. That's what the Bereans did...Acts 17:11...and they were called "noble" Christians.

God, in the Bible, uses "types" of people to show spiritual (unseen, but still there) qualities within each of us that he wants us to get rid of. And, though "tribulation", each one of us will accomplish what God wants of us. He is the "Potter"...and he will mold, reform, and even "break" our "clay" until we are conformed to His image. It's through "tribulation" that this happens.

John 16:33..."....In the world, ye shall have tribulation:.." And that's what it's purpose is. It's not punishment, by any means. It's God's way of dealing with those He loves.

Back to "Esau" and why he is "hated" by God:


http://ldolphin.org/edom.html


Among the many examples in the link, the definition of the "spiritual type" of Esau is given:


Esau: A Type of the Flesh

One of the most valuable lessons to be learned from the family history of the descendants of the brothers Jacob and Esau concerns the New Testament application. The New Testament views the conflict between the flesh and the spirit as typified by the conflict between Jacob and Esau:

Scripture in Galatians chapter 5:

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would.

But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like.

I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. (Galatians 5:13-26)


Jacob in many ways typifies the average believer. He was deceitful, manipulative, clever and bent on advancing his own causes for many years. After wrestling all night with The Angel of the Lord at the Brook Jabbok near Peniel, his name was finally changed to Israel (Genesis 32). Though he may have been somewhat slow to fully believe and trust God, Jacob's heart was inclined from his birth towards the things of the Lord.

Esau's heart and motives, on the other hand, were perpetually set on the goals and rewards of the world. He cared not at all about the things that were important to God.

"See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no 'root of bitterness' spring up and cause trouble, and by it the many become defiled; that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears." (Hebrews 12:15-17)

As noted above, the entire book of Obadiah tells us why God hated Esau but loved Jacob, and why it is that perpetual enmity exists within the Christian, between the spirit and the flesh:

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We all have "Esau" within us to some extent...nobody is exempt. It's a battle we fight until we die...

Arlene