I Have Hated Esau
How is it that God can utter these words? Is this the same God that so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son? What is it about Esau that he hates, while he chooses to love Jacob? Is God arbitrary in his choice or was there something God saw in that deceiver that God would choose him over his brother? Even before they were born God made known to Rachel, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23) It seems that God's rejection of Esau was fixed before the twins were even born. How can God be in the right in his choice of one over the other before they had done neither right nor wrong? It is my opinion that God's rejection of Esau is fully justified based on Esau's rejection of God and his plan for salvation.
At the core of the issue is the story of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob. In Genesis 25 it tells the story of how one day after coming in from a (presumably unsuccessful) hunting expedition Esau demanded some lentil stew his brother had cooked. Taking advantage of his brother's hunger, Jacob responded that he would only feed him if he sold his birthright. Esau replied with, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” (25:32) Esau exchanged great riches to come in order to satisfy the physical appetites he had at the moment. In order to understand the severity of this offense, we must understand what it was that Esau sold. He sold far more than the right to a double-portion of his father Isaac's material possessions, though that certainly was a part of it. For any other man during this time and culture, this would be the extent of what birthright meant, but not for the son of Isaac the promised son of Abraham. God had promised to Abraham, that he would become a very great nation, and that through through them that all the people of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3), and that they would dwell in the land of Canaan (15:18-21). It would be unlikely that Isaac would not have told his favorite son God's covenants and promises. It is made even more unlikely by the fact that they appear within the book of Genesis. The stories of the promises were clearly passed down even to the generation of the exodus, although it is possible that Moses could have attained the information by prophetic revelation rather than by oral tradition. The birthright that Edom rejected for so low a price was the participation in the promises of God. Esau would rather have a little stew than to be blessed by God, and used as an instrument to bring favor to all the families of the earth. In rejecting his part in the Abrahamic covenant he also rejected his participation in God's plan to bring forth the messiah to come, and therefore was cut off from participation in God completely. It is interesting that later God allows Jacob through deceit to steal his father's blessing from Esau. It is almost as if God by allowing this is ratifying the decision that Esau already made by rejecting his birthright. Yet even if Esau's rejection of God merited God's rejection of Esau, how can God chose one brother over another before they even breathed their first breath? Was God unfairly punishing him for actions that he could not help? The answer is in the doctrine of divine foreknowledge. God does not force Esau to give up his birthright, he was not fated to reject God in deterministic sense. It is rather that in God's omniscience he knew beforehand the events, the decisions, and even Esau's personality that would lead Esau to reject him and therefore deserve God's rejection of Esau. God knew Jacob just as well, though Isaac would not have chosen him over Esau, God did. Though Jacob's character flaws (dishonesty, a self-centered heart) are clear to us in the biblical account of his life, it is clear that after all of God's work in Jacob's life that God chose a man that responded well to God's work in him. God was able to produce a humble, dependent, and faithful man. At the end of his life it is said of Jacob, “Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed” (Genesis 47:31b)
At the core of the issue is the story of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob. In Genesis 25 it tells the story of how one day after coming in from a (presumably unsuccessful) hunting expedition Esau demanded some lentil stew his brother had cooked. Taking advantage of his brother's hunger, Jacob responded that he would only feed him if he sold his birthright. Esau replied with, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” (25:32) Esau exchanged great riches to come in order to satisfy the physical appetites he had at the moment. In order to understand the severity of this offense, we must understand what it was that Esau sold. He sold far more than the right to a double-portion of his father Isaac's material possessions, though that certainly was a part of it. For any other man during this time and culture, this would be the extent of what birthright meant, but not for the son of Isaac the promised son of Abraham. God had promised to Abraham, that he would become a very great nation, and that through through them that all the people of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3), and that they would dwell in the land of Canaan (15:18-21). It would be unlikely that Isaac would not have told his favorite son God's covenants and promises. It is made even more unlikely by the fact that they appear within the book of Genesis. The stories of the promises were clearly passed down even to the generation of the exodus, although it is possible that Moses could have attained the information by prophetic revelation rather than by oral tradition. The birthright that Edom rejected for so low a price was the participation in the promises of God. Esau would rather have a little stew than to be blessed by God, and used as an instrument to bring favor to all the families of the earth. In rejecting his part in the Abrahamic covenant he also rejected his participation in God's plan to bring forth the messiah to come, and therefore was cut off from participation in God completely. It is interesting that later God allows Jacob through deceit to steal his father's blessing from Esau. It is almost as if God by allowing this is ratifying the decision that Esau already made by rejecting his birthright. Yet even if Esau's rejection of God merited God's rejection of Esau, how can God chose one brother over another before they even breathed their first breath? Was God unfairly punishing him for actions that he could not help? The answer is in the doctrine of divine foreknowledge. God does not force Esau to give up his birthright, he was not fated to reject God in deterministic sense. It is rather that in God's omniscience he knew beforehand the events, the decisions, and even Esau's personality that would lead Esau to reject him and therefore deserve God's rejection of Esau. God knew Jacob just as well, though Isaac would not have chosen him over Esau, God did. Though Jacob's character flaws (dishonesty, a self-centered heart) are clear to us in the biblical account of his life, it is clear that after all of God's work in Jacob's life that God chose a man that responded well to God's work in him. God was able to produce a humble, dependent, and faithful man. At the end of his life it is said of Jacob, “Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed” (Genesis 47:31b)