2023_03_01 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- Genesis 32, Romans 9, Genesis 49, Galatians 4
Sometimes when we read our Bible, we come across things that are hard to understand, but after a little study, they become clear. Other times we find things that are difficult to make sense of and not easily resolved – here is one in our reading this week where God says, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” Romans 9:13 (NLT) This comes from the book of Malachi, where in speaking about His people of Israel, God says, “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?” And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.” Malachi 1:2–3 (NLT)
Some translations use the word hated instead of rejected. What do we make of this? God chose Jacob to be the heir of Abraham’s promise even though, by birth, Esau was the one who should have inherited the promise. In Romans, it goes on to say that God chooses who He shows mercy to and who He doesn’t. All of this can sound harsh and as if we have no say in the matter.
How to approach difficult passages like this is to “go with what you know, as you tackle what you don’t.” We know that God loves the whole world, and that is why He sent Jesus to rescue us (John 3:16). We also know that He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell but wants everyone to repent and come to Him (2 Peter 3:9). These things are very clear… So what about Esau, Pharoah, and others? Well, remember, God is completely all-knowing (omniscient) of everything – past, present, and future. With this knowledge, He knows what choices we will make and works His purposes out to their completion. Knowing that Esau would be a man lacking in character, He chose Jacob. Jacob also had character defects, but, as we will see, he was teachable. Pharoah had hardened his heart and was unwilling to change, so God used that to miraculously highlight His power and authority. God’s choices are guided by His holy character and purposes. We will understand some of what He does, but in our limited ability, there is a lot we will not understand this side of eternity. That is where we rely on faith in His wisdom, His goodness, and His trustworthiness.
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor