The Biblical Account Of Jacob And Esau

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The story of Jacob and Esau is a simple but amazing account relayed in the Bible. From this one story God teaches of heaven and hell, obedience and sin, the earthly man and the spiritual man, the hatred of God and the love of God, and the sovereignty and preeminence of God’s will. The story takes place in the Old Testament but is mentioned by the Apostle Paul several times in the New Testament to make key points. It is the very heart of the excellent doctrines of Election and Reprobation! You cannot have one without the other!

Jacob and Esau were fraternal twin boys born to Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 25:24-26). They both have an impeccable bloodline. Their father, Isaac and their grandfather Abraham, were both Jewish Patriarchs and beloved of God. Both active participants of the covenant of God! From a DNA perspective it is hard to beat a combination like this. If Godly favor was simply a matter of bloodline both boys would be entitled to it based solely on their gene pool. However, just being related to Godly people is not enough to earn the favor of the Almighty God. It’s not about who you know or are related to. John the Baptist at Luke 3:8 settles that matter forever.

God told their mother Rebekah even before the boys were born that there were two nations and two manner of people in her womb and that the elder, Esau, would serve the younger, Jacob (Genesis 25:23). And here is the amazing part of this story: God Almighty predetermined, and predestinated before they were born and before they had done any good or evil to love Jacob and get this… to HATE Esau. Yep, you read right. Even though the false prophets of this day preach on every corner that God does not hate, his plain, revealed word says otherwise. Oh, how does the “God loves everyone” blather hate this story and these verses. Here they are:

Romans 9:8-13 … They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (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, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

You can spend your whole life arguing about these passages but it does not change them. There is no interpretation here. The verses are crystal clear. This story blows to “kingdom come” the notion that God loves everyone and that he does not hate.

God’s hatred is not an evil passion as you find in men. It is God’s perfect, righteous and everlasting determination to send the unrepentant sinner to hell for eternity.

God also says in Romans 9 that He will have mercy on whom He chooses to have mercy and the rest He hardeneth (Rom. 9:18). That is the right of the Creator. From the council halls of eternity God created Jacob according to the election of grace and created Esau according to the election of damnation. Welcome to election, friends and neighbors! Remember, two nations are represented in Jacob and Esau; one destined for heaven, and one destined for hell. I can already hear the rabble complaining and trying to explain away this story. Paul is ahead of you, he anticipates the complaint and asks a rhetorical question “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.” Every time this generation with rote and without ceasing says there is no hatred of God, in the same breath they take away the love of God. They are related – you cannot have one without the other. As it is written, Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated. It kind of reminds you of Ec 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate;

Do you want to complain about that, cry and whine about how unfair it is? Paul anticipates that as well in Romans 9:19-22.

Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

God created this world as He wanted. He, in His infinite wisdom made Jacob to be a vessel of honour. Likewise, He in His wisdom made Esau, before he was born and before Esau had done good or evil, to be a vessel of dishonor to show His wrath. There is no freewill here. Esau had zero freewill. Esau sold his spiritual birthright for some soup because his tummy was hungry. Esau is the man of the flesh, who despised his birthright (Gen 25:34). Paul calls Esau, a “profane person…who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” Esau despised the spiritual things of God in favor of the devilish and earthly things of this world, just like this generation does. Esau caused his parents great disappointment by marrying the filthy daughters of Canaan and when he saw it displeased his parents he married another one (Gen 28:8-9). Esau had murder in his heart for his brother (Gen 27:41). At all the critical points of life, Esau did wrong.

The prophet Malachi opens his book with God’s love of Jacob and His hatred of Esau saying “I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness” (Mal. 1:2-3). The prophet Jeremiah refers to Esau as well: “But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not” (Jer. 49:10).

Here is the essence of this story: obey God, keep his commandments, seek after the righteousness of God, and you demonstrate yourself to be as Jacob. Seek earthly things, go after strange women, sell your spiritual soul for a morsel of bread and live a profane life, and you demonstrate yourself to be as Esau and receive the fate of Esau.

Do not think repentance is given willy-nilly by God; it is not. Heb. 12:17 says Esau“found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” This verse again, blows to hades the notion that God loves everyone. Not so, Esau even sought repentance from God and never was granted it. Again, Esau had no freewill. God hated him, from all eternity past and nothing was going to change that. Not his bloodline, not his begging, nothing. You say again, this is not fair – Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?

Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Jacob and Esau represent the two types of people that are born into this earth. You are one or the other. Christ certifies that most are Esaus here: Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

If you have understanding of these things, lay it to heart, time is running out! The King is at the door! It is the time of the restitution of all things. He that hath an ear, let him hear!

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