Paul presents God’s Purpose in Israel’s Rejection of
Christ Part 2
Romans
9:10-13 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one
man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being
born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to
election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”
As it is written, “Jacob I have
loved, but Esau I have hated.” NKJV
Paul now switches from his analysis of what God the
Father did by opening the previously dead womb of Sarah to give birth to Isaac
and fast forwards 60 years to when Isaac is now married to Rebekah. The couple was
expecting their first child together. Rebekah felt uneasiness and a struggle
going on inside her so she went and inquired of the Lord and He said to her, Genesis 25:23 “Two nations are in
your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people
shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.” NKJV
Paul uses this instance in the history of the Jewish Nation to show forth how
God the Father Sovereignly chose the younger son of the two twins to be in the Abrahamic
Covenant and rejected the other son who would come through the womb of Rebekah
first. Certainly both baby boys were born sinners because we have already read
these words from the Apostle Paul earlier in this epistle, Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”
NKJV
The English word election comes from the Greek word ekloge which means Divine selection. Now
we know from Paul words in Romans 8
that God the Father has predestined some of us before the world was formed to
be conformed into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ according to His purpose
and it is God the Father through God the Holy Spirit right now calling all of
those predestined souls to our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, if we rewind back
before the world was ever formed God looked into the womb of Rebekah and sees
one of His Elect sons Jacob even though he will not be born first to Isaac.
Although neither son had been born yet and committed any evil acts did not or
does not change the fact of Divine Selection. It was not that Jacob was better
than Esau but it is God who calls to fulfill His Divine purposes (Ephesians 1:5-6). However, His Divine
Election or Selection is not by random chance or according to the showing of
partiality or favoritism (Romans 2:11),
but those rejected of God are always confirmed to be un-believers by their own
choice. As with the case of Esau, he sold his own birth right to his brother
Jacob for a pot of stew as documented by Moses in Genesis 25:29-34. Was it God the Father who made Esau sell his
birth right? Paul is making the point clearly by these two twin boys that
salvation is all of God who chooses, but at the same time the point must be
made that Paul is not saying or implying by showing God’s Election of Jacob
over Esau that He (God the Father) Elected Esau to go to hell.
In fact this is what is said of Esau after he sold
his birth right to Jacob, Genesis 25:34 And
Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and
went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. NKJV Esau is the
author of his rejection of God and salvation from His Hand and not God. God the
Father saw Esau sell his birth right and then despise it before He ever formed
anything anywhere in His Universe. God the Holy Spirit even confirms this truth
that it was Esau who rejected God and plunged himself into hell by his willful
rejection through the writer of Hebrews as it is written, Hebrews 12:16 “Lest there be any fornicator or profane person
like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.” NKJV Esau is
labeled by God the Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews as a profane
person or in other words a heathen or wicked person and labeled a fornicator
and whoremonger. It was not God the Father who made Esau reject his birth right
and despise it for the writer of Hebrews goes on to say this, Hebrews 12:17 For you know that afterward,
when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place
for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. NKJV It was Esau’s
choice to sell the birth right that belonged to him and when he saw the
stupidity of his choice he regretted what he did, but there was no way for
repentance or change of mind to help him regain what he sold to another.
The Divine Selection by God of Jacob over Esau was
soundly confirmed in Esau’s hardened heart to sell such a sacred right and privilege.
Jacob and his posterity was regarded with love by God the Father while Esau and
his posterity (future generations) were hated and we read how YAHWEH eventually
destroyed all of the Edomites which were Esau’s descendants. It was not on
account of Esau’s evil works foreseen by God the Father that he was rejected
from the womb, but indeed it is by the fruit shown in his life of faithlessness
that confirmed him as the true un-believer that he was, for we remember the
words of our Lord Jesus when He said, Matthew
7:15-20 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by
their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even
so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good
tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every
tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore
by their fruits you will know them.” NKJV
Malachi
1:2-4 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You
loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved; But Esau I have
hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the
wilderness.” Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, But we will
return and build the desolate places,” Thus says the LORD of hosts: “They may
build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the LORD will have indignation forever.” NKJV
“Rebellion against divine election is often founded on the
idea that the sinner has a sort of right to be saved, and this is to deny the
full desert of sin.” Charles Spurgeon
“The Elect of God deserved nothing but hell, yet
they received Christ and Eternal blessedness, then how could one receive such a
pardon as this and spend the remainder of their sojourn on the earth bearing
the fruit of sin, they cannot as Paul writes in Romans 6:1-2, for if a person does this he or she proves they are
not God’s Elect.” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
If you do not
know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your
heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus,
I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You
shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead
proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my
sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my
life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely
in Christ,
Clifford
D. Tate, Sr.
Author
of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and
Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into
Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s
Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod,
Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners,
Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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