When you are a chosen vessel of GOD... Look for extreme opposition from all around... Even in the church... The enemy knows your importance... You are a serious threat to him and his people... Look out for opposition... Look up to JESUS in the middle of the storms... The Battle is already won... Quicken me Holy Spirit today to do battle the right way.... On my knees.... Amen
Fill Adron with Yor Presence today as You are the only One who can be closer than a brother or a friend.
He is in need of fellowship, so that is why I ask that You be Present with him of first importance. I also ask that you will lead him to people who love and obey You, who know Your Truth and walk in it daily, who are sincere and faithful in relationships, who are available to grow a relationship with Adron, and who are serious about building one another up in each others' faith.
Dear friend, always be ready for the good cause of the Lord. Trust Him to deliver you in all situations. Always have good intentions and force yourself to obey the Holy Spirit. Then you are doing the right thing. Fast and pray with sincerity. He notices you. Do you want to serve Him, or yourself? He demands all of you dear ones. This is where we fall short. But then we have Jesus and lean on. He who went through the heavens for my sake and yours. He who was crucified on Calvary and went down into the realm of the dead and released the prisoners. His Holy blood that had to flow once and for all. Here is the focal point of believing in Him, and wanting to sincerely serve Him.
John 12:35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, let darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Remember that we also live only a short time here on earth compared to Eternity. So it is important that we look for the Light when we have the opportunity. Light is Jesus. Let your yes be Yes and your no be No. And do not so much and big, because the more i at least think it will be wrong. Because i can not think like God. But i seek and want to understand His will. For He has bigger thoughts always bigger than mine. Everything i think and create builds in my life will perish that day i go too the Lord Jesus. But what you build in the Holy Ghost will live forever in Jesus Christ becouse of His eternal sacrifice at Calvary. Because of that, He will always be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His Name Is Holy Forever. Come soon Lord Jesus. Amen
Ephesians
Chapter 6 Be blessed in His Holy Name Jesus Christ.
I been trying to serve god , the devil has me wandering , will god bless me again with a good job .their was some people moved over here since Katrina , they like to lie . even the people from church believe the lie . OR could Jesus move to town or place people reality live the Christian life .
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly , that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits , and doctrines of devils .
They where not grounded well and the devil took opportunity to deceive them .
If anyone thinks the devil is not a master of deception, beware many will be deceived and all those not written in the lambs book of life will be deceived by his unlimited magic . Look what the Antichrist is going to do in his appointed time . And it's been going on since Adam and Eve . The blood of Christ cleanses is from all sin and evil . And they over came the anti christ by the blood of the lamb . The blood of Christ is the only sure victory if you can lay hold of it . And it will keep the devil away . Jesus said I Am the door , and it's his blood shed for you that is the open door . Leave your sin and embrace the truth and love of God for you .
John 3.16 take it as a life and death message and get the victory people . The blood of Christ brings us to God cleansed from our sins and gives us true spiritual light to see what we could not see before .
I believe you are correct, Art, if we are transliterate 'jealous' into a contemporary understanding. 'Zealous' would seem more appropriate depicting Paul's earnestness & zeal to protect his readers from the beguiling of Satan. Yet, if we consider the Greek understanding of that word, it seems to imply not only a fervent zeal but also a fervent love, or a 'boiling over of love & attachment'. So the strength of Paul's affection for & attention to the Corinthians seems to be understood by the use of such a word, that sadly might seem a little inappropriate to us today.
In this passage, the word "jealous" should be more properly translated "zealous" as Paul is not envious of those at Corinth but is declaring his enthusiasm for the knowledge and understanding shown by those in Corinth but expresses his fear that Satan will beguile them before they receive the Holy Spirit. It is clear in verse in verse 2 that those to whom Paul is speaking have not yet received the Holy Spirit and are still susceptible to deception for Paul says in that verse "...that I MAY present you as a chaste virgin...", future tense.
You know sometimes it's not just some deceiving others,
As you mentioned on a separate thread,
There is what we mistake to be the Holyspirit but our fleshly emotions gets us off track as well, It seems sometimes these emotions is drawn to another spirit, We get in trouble when we thrive for some presence or experience and get drawn in by the flesh by some super prayer or message.
But when you try the spirit you should be able to see Love instead of Apathy. Humility with Meekness instead of Pride, There should be some degree of longsuffering, forgiveness, ect.. and separation from worldliness.
We should examine ourselves likewise in this way,
We know the Holyspirit spirit causes us to Agape one another, that special connection is not with everybody.
As Jude said some has crept in from unawares.
This is where fruit is all important.
Now the problem is if by chance you are deceived or perhaps this other person you seem to view as an Apostate or deceived.
"one of you is a true believer and the other is not",
WE NEED TO BE SURE WE'RE NOT THE ONE ON THE OUTSIDE!!
Do we really Agape " totally given over to" the brethren?.
EXAMINE OURSELVES.
I don't think loving to minister is the same thing, Some love the praises.
DO YOU TRULY LOVE ( THE BRETHREN ).
One more thing,
You notice the Lord didn't say you know them by their gifts?
Examine ourselves as well as others by what's given to us. "Fruit"
We should humble ourselves and shine our light on who it was intended for.
The scary part is how do we know? I mean, these people look and act sincere, so it would be easy for someone who just shows up to church every week but never takes the time to search the scriptures on their own to see if what they are being taught is the truth from God's word. As far as knowing them by their fruit, it looks good to them. But it is such a blessing when the Lord gives us a spirit of discernment to where we can recognize when it's time to "get out of dodge!"
Amen Jesse, I suppose that's why the scripture says you know them by their fruit.
It seems no matter where you go you run into some that seems to be be well versed in scripture but fruitless! and seems to separate themselves or worldly and sensual.
Jude 1:18-19. How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Paul gave warnings of this in Acts.
Acts 20:29-30. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Even Paul presented the Gospel in away to protect from this.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
If I can piggyback a little more off Chris, it sounds like Paul was being sarcastic when he said "ye might well bear with him." It starts out saying, for if he that cometh preaches another Jesus. The word another is ALLOS which means another of the same kind. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus of the same kind, whom we have not preached, or you receive another spirit, and this is HETEROS which means of a different kind.
If you receive another spirit of a different kind, which you have not received, or received another gospel, again HETEROS, meaning a different gospel, which you have not accepted, "you might well bear up with him." Paul is being sarcastic here!
They'll tolerate a false teacher coming in and preaching to them another Jesus, presenting a different holy spirit, and a different gospel. But now all of a sudden because of their influence, they can't tolerate Paul anymore, and Paul fathered them in the gospel.
Paul's pointing that out to them. It's interesting that people can preach Jesus, talk about the Holy Spirit, preach a gospel from out of the bible, and all three can be wrong. Later, Paul presents to us that Satan himself appears as an angel of light. He's the most religious being around and his work is scary!
I don't mean that in a sense that we should be afraid of Christian fellowship. But we don't fear the great deception that Satan can pull, and he's not just working outside of the church, but also inside! There's more than one Jesus being preached. But there is only one Jesus of the bible. Also, there's a different spirit that ministers a different Jesus to people, and a different gospel. So that means a person can have a bible, have a spiritual ministry behind it, be ministering about Jesus, and all three can be wrong!
Paul says that people come in and bring a false Jesus, a false spirit, and a false gospel, and you tolerate them. All I'm asking is that you tolerate me here for a few minutes!
You're correct, it does sound like that, if it were not for verse 3. Paul was relating the "beguiling" of Eve to the Corinthians; that he feared that as Eve was tempted & convinced by Satan's fair speeches, so to the Corinthians might also be found in such a sad state if a preacher came into their midst preaching another Gospel or imparting another spirit. They were continually warned about this & encouraged to cleave to the true Gospel & teachings from the Word that Paul had lovingly shared with them.
There is another christ, another spirit, and another gospel that has been preached, and that gospel has in so many ways overtaken the true message and meaning of the message preached not only by Christ but His disciples. That message is Universalism. Amos 3:2 states "You only of ALL the families of the earth have I known"... And Christ Himself stated that He came not but for the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. There is no conversion of other races to this message, though preachers preach to save every dog, cat, bat, and rat, that comes across their path. The Scripture is the most Exclusive Message ever given, and in a Political correct, though untrue society, that message would be detestable. Even the children of Satan (biological) today are received as the children of God (biological). There is a great void in understanding and an intentional effort to lose the proper meanings in mistranslation.
Verses 14,15-Some really think they are serving God but they're doing Satan's will. They think that God will understand and let their wicked works go unpunished.
The Word of God is God ( John 1:1) and not for any private interpretation ( 2 Peter 1:20). If it records in Rev. 12:9 that this whole world has been deceived it did not speak of a particular country, group of people, person or religion, it meant the whole world.
For a better understanding and the 'spiritual truth' how and by whom ( 2 Cor. 11:13-15) this whole world has been deceived and what mankind must do to be reunited with the true and living God, we invite you to seek Him according to the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive ( Matthew 7:7; John 14:17).
Only through Repentance will God be able to reveal Himself, and adopt you as His sons and daughters ( Rom. 8:15,23; 2 Cor.6:18; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; Hebr. 12:5; 1 John 3:1) and reveal to you how this whole world has been deceived ( Rev. 12:9)..
The word 'Repent' means a lot more than what people by nature have been conditioned to believe. It is the key principle of all the teachings of Jesus Christ and the axiom (basis) of the Word of God and a prerequisite and primary requirement for the salvation of mankind. It actually means the changing of spirits - to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God ( Acts 26:18).
For a better understanding and the 'spiritual truth' of what it means to repent, and learn how and by whom mankind has been deceived ( Rev. 12:9), and what people must do to be reunited with the true and living God, we invite you to seek Him according to the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive ( John 14:17).
It is only by revelation of God that you will come to know the true Christ ( Daniel 12:4,9; Amos 3:7; Matthew 16:17; Luke 2:26; Romans 16:25; 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:16; Eph. 3:3,5; Rev. 1:1), and only then will you be able to overcome the spirit of this world ( 1 John 5:4; Rev. 3:21). It should be remembered that it is a narrow way that leadeth unto 'Life', and few there be that find it ( Matthew 7:14).
This commentary is from the Commentary Search feature of this website. It's below the Search Box when you enter this site.
Check it out.
Wesley's Notes for Genesis 25:31
"Sell me this day thy birth - right - He cannot be excused in taking advantage of Esau's necessity, yet neither can Esau be excused who is profane, # Heb 12:16|, because for one morsel of meat he sold his birth - right. The birth - right was typical of spiritual privileges, those of the church of the first - born: Esau was now tried how he would value those, and he shews himself sensible only of present grievances: may he but get relief against them, he cares not for his birth - right. If we look on Esau's birth - right as only a temporal advantage, what he said had something of truth in it, that our worldly enjoyments, even those we are most fond of, will stand us in no stead in a dying hour. They will not put by the stroke of death, nor ease the pangs, nor remove the sting. But being of a spiritual nature, his undervaluing it, was the GREATEST PROFANENESS POSSIBLE. It is egregious folly to part with our interest in God, and Christ, and heaven, for the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world.
But God says "Jacob have I loved, and Esau I have hated." It's taken from Malachi 1:2-3. If you go back to Malachi Chapter 1, you find out that Jacob and Esau are associated with Israel and Edom.
So it wasn't about choosing one person over another or loving one person more than the other. He was choosing Israel over Edom. He wasn't choosing for salvation. Even Ishmael, when he was asked to leave the camp, he was told by God that he would be provided for.
There was just as much opportunity for the Ishmaelite's to be saved as anyone else. When God made a choice, He says through Jacob will be my promised line. He wasn't telling Esau "I hate you so you're not going to be saved!"
Jacob and Esau were not in competition as to who's going to be saved and who's going to be rejected. This is the choosing of who Israel is going to come through. Jacob was chosen for the chosen line and it was all of God.
It is interesting that when God made His choice, it was the opposite of the human because in the human, whoever is born first has to be the firstborn and he gets the promise of the firstborn.
So before they were even born, God says "Well, I don't want to do it that way because then man will say that he was in line anyway. So I'll choose the second because he's not supposed to be, so I'll choose him just to show you that it will be of God."
That's what we are looking at here. The emphasis is when God chose Israel, not all of Israel is Israel.
But there is an elect within Israel who are Jewish and are Hebrew that God has chosen and it's through Abraham, through Isaac, and now He has chosen through Jacob.
That doesn't mean Esau is not loved by God and that Jesus didn't come and die for the Edomites. Yes, He did! He's not choosing salvation. He's choosing which line Messiah is going to come from through this entire nation of Israel.
In Romans 9:13 it says "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Now that's a pretty serious statement to make.
The terms love and hate are what are called words of comparison. Obviously, love and hate, there is a comparison there, but the words themselves don't mean He loves them and He hates them, or He loves one more than the other. As a matter of fact, these words are found in the New Testament.
We think that was harsh but look at this. In Luke 14:26, it says "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Now that's pretty harsh! You have to hate your mother and your father, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters? Now I can probably pick a couple out of there that I'm glad He said that! But it makes it pretty hard. What do you have to do, go home and show your hate towards them? What's He trying to say?
The Greek word for hate, MISEO means to love less. It doesn't mean hostility. In fact, Jesus, in Matthew 10:37 says "He that loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
He's talking about comparisons. The comparison is that Jesus is saying you must love me so much that in comparison to everybody else, it looks like you hate them. I mean it's not even close. Jesus said there cannot be me and somebody else!
That helps explain in Exodus Chapter 20 where God says you shall have no other gods before me. Except in the Hebrew, it says you shall have no other gods except for me.
In other words, it's not putting God first, and then we have our other priorities. God says I'm your only priority. Wow! We have no obligation in the flesh. Our one and only obligation is to follow Christ.
I am looking for explanation about why God HATED Esau before he did anything bad or good. God LOVED us whilst we were dead in sin. The Bible says God HATED Esau ... I understand God has foreknowledge but cannot understand why He hated Esau (not Esau's sin)!
Have a look at these: Deut 32:1, 2; Prov 17:7; Songs 4:3 (though you'll need to apply it appropriately, if teaching on it); 2 Cor 2:1, 4; 3:12; Col 4:6; Tit 2:8. Hope something here is useful to you.
Looking for other passages in Scripture talking about 'unadorned' or plain speaking. Straightforward without having to be 'adorned' with a lot of fluff.
Mishael and Free have spoken well here.
I will pray for you.
Dear Lord Jesus
Fill Adron with Yor Presence today as You are the only One who can be closer than a brother or a friend.
He is in need of fellowship, so that is why I ask that You be Present with him of first importance. I also ask that you will lead him to people who love and obey You, who know Your Truth and walk in it daily, who are sincere and faithful in relationships, who are available to grow a relationship with Adron, and who are serious about building one another up in each others' faith.
We ask this from You Jesus
In Your name.
Amen
Pray for your neighborhood. Ask blessings to rain down on it.
John 12:35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, let darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Remember that we also live only a short time here on earth compared to Eternity. So it is important that we look for the Light when we have the opportunity. Light is Jesus. Let your yes be Yes and your no be No. And do not so much and big, because the more i at least think it will be wrong. Because i can not think like God. But i seek and want to understand His will. For He has bigger thoughts always bigger than mine. Everything i think and create builds in my life will perish that day i go too the Lord Jesus. But what you build in the Holy Ghost will live forever in Jesus Christ becouse of His eternal sacrifice at Calvary. Because of that, He will always be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His Name Is Holy Forever. Come soon Lord Jesus. Amen
Ephesians
Chapter 6 Be blessed in His Holy Name Jesus Christ.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly , that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits , and doctrines of devils .
They where not grounded well and the devil took opportunity to deceive them .
If anyone thinks the devil is not a master of deception, beware many will be deceived and all those not written in the lambs book of life will be deceived by his unlimited magic . Look what the Antichrist is going to do in his appointed time . And it's been going on since Adam and Eve . The blood of Christ cleanses is from all sin and evil . And they over came the anti christ by the blood of the lamb . The blood of Christ is the only sure victory if you can lay hold of it . And it will keep the devil away . Jesus said I Am the door , and it's his blood shed for you that is the open door . Leave your sin and embrace the truth and love of God for you .
John 3.16 take it as a life and death message and get the victory people . The blood of Christ brings us to God cleansed from our sins and gives us true spiritual light to see what we could not see before .
The power of God is in the cross .
Spiritual discernment!!
Seeing the wolf but Knowing the Shepherd voice.
You know sometimes it's not just some deceiving others,
As you mentioned on a separate thread,
There is what we mistake to be the Holyspirit but our fleshly emotions gets us off track as well, It seems sometimes these emotions is drawn to another spirit, We get in trouble when we thrive for some presence or experience and get drawn in by the flesh by some super prayer or message.
But when you try the spirit you should be able to see Love instead of Apathy. Humility with Meekness instead of Pride, There should be some degree of longsuffering, forgiveness, ect.. and separation from worldliness.
We should examine ourselves likewise in this way,
We know the Holyspirit spirit causes us to Agape one another, that special connection is not with everybody.
As Jude said some has crept in from unawares.
This is where fruit is all important.
Now the problem is if by chance you are deceived or perhaps this other person you seem to view as an Apostate or deceived.
"one of you is a true believer and the other is not",
WE NEED TO BE SURE WE'RE NOT THE ONE ON THE OUTSIDE!!
Do we really Agape " totally given over to" the brethren?.
EXAMINE OURSELVES.
I don't think loving to minister is the same thing, Some love the praises.
DO YOU TRULY LOVE ( THE BRETHREN ).
One more thing,
You notice the Lord didn't say you know them by their gifts?
Examine ourselves as well as others by what's given to us. "Fruit"
We should humble ourselves and shine our light on who it was intended for.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
God bless.
The scary part is how do we know? I mean, these people look and act sincere, so it would be easy for someone who just shows up to church every week but never takes the time to search the scriptures on their own to see if what they are being taught is the truth from God's word. As far as knowing them by their fruit, it looks good to them. But it is such a blessing when the Lord gives us a spirit of discernment to where we can recognize when it's time to "get out of dodge!"
It seems no matter where you go you run into some that seems to be be well versed in scripture but fruitless! and seems to separate themselves or worldly and sensual.
Jude 1:18-19. How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Paul gave warnings of this in Acts.
Acts 20:29-30. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Even Paul presented the Gospel in away to protect from this.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
God bless
If I can piggyback a little more off Chris, it sounds like Paul was being sarcastic when he said "ye might well bear with him." It starts out saying, for if he that cometh preaches another Jesus. The word another is ALLOS which means another of the same kind. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus of the same kind, whom we have not preached, or you receive another spirit, and this is HETEROS which means of a different kind.
If you receive another spirit of a different kind, which you have not received, or received another gospel, again HETEROS, meaning a different gospel, which you have not accepted, "you might well bear up with him." Paul is being sarcastic here!
They'll tolerate a false teacher coming in and preaching to them another Jesus, presenting a different holy spirit, and a different gospel. But now all of a sudden because of their influence, they can't tolerate Paul anymore, and Paul fathered them in the gospel.
Paul's pointing that out to them. It's interesting that people can preach Jesus, talk about the Holy Spirit, preach a gospel from out of the bible, and all three can be wrong. Later, Paul presents to us that Satan himself appears as an angel of light. He's the most religious being around and his work is scary!
I don't mean that in a sense that we should be afraid of Christian fellowship. But we don't fear the great deception that Satan can pull, and he's not just working outside of the church, but also inside! There's more than one Jesus being preached. But there is only one Jesus of the bible. Also, there's a different spirit that ministers a different Jesus to people, and a different gospel. So that means a person can have a bible, have a spiritual ministry behind it, be ministering about Jesus, and all three can be wrong!
Paul says that people come in and bring a false Jesus, a false spirit, and a false gospel, and you tolerate them. All I'm asking is that you tolerate me here for a few minutes!
The GOD and father of our Lord Jesus Christ , which is blessed for ever more , knowers that I lie not .
I say Amen as well
The Word of God is God ( John 1:1) and not for any private interpretation ( 2 Peter 1:20). If it records in Rev. 12:9 that this whole world has been deceived it did not speak of a particular country, group of people, person or religion, it meant the whole world.
For a better understanding and the 'spiritual truth' how and by whom ( 2 Cor. 11:13-15) this whole world has been deceived and what mankind must do to be reunited with the true and living God, we invite you to seek Him according to the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive ( Matthew 7:7; John 14:17).
Only through Repentance will God be able to reveal Himself, and adopt you as His sons and daughters ( Rom. 8:15,23; 2 Cor.6:18; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; Hebr. 12:5; 1 John 3:1) and reveal to you how this whole world has been deceived ( Rev. 12:9)..
The word 'Repent' means a lot more than what people by nature have been conditioned to believe. It is the key principle of all the teachings of Jesus Christ and the axiom (basis) of the Word of God and a prerequisite and primary requirement for the salvation of mankind. It actually means the changing of spirits - to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God ( Acts 26:18).
For a better understanding and the 'spiritual truth' of what it means to repent, and learn how and by whom mankind has been deceived ( Rev. 12:9), and what people must do to be reunited with the true and living God, we invite you to seek Him according to the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive ( John 14:17).
It is only by revelation of God that you will come to know the true Christ ( Daniel 12:4,9; Amos 3:7; Matthew 16:17; Luke 2:26; Romans 16:25; 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:16; Eph. 3:3,5; Rev. 1:1), and only then will you be able to overcome the spirit of this world ( 1 John 5:4; Rev. 3:21). It should be remembered that it is a narrow way that leadeth unto 'Life', and few there be that find it ( Matthew 7:14).
Check it out.
Wesley's Notes for Genesis 25:31
"Sell me this day thy birth - right - He cannot be excused in taking advantage of Esau's necessity, yet neither can Esau be excused who is profane, # Heb 12:16|, because for one morsel of meat he sold his birth - right. The birth - right was typical of spiritual privileges, those of the church of the first - born: Esau was now tried how he would value those, and he shews himself sensible only of present grievances: may he but get relief against them, he cares not for his birth - right. If we look on Esau's birth - right as only a temporal advantage, what he said had something of truth in it, that our worldly enjoyments, even those we are most fond of, will stand us in no stead in a dying hour. They will not put by the stroke of death, nor ease the pangs, nor remove the sting. But being of a spiritual nature, his undervaluing it, was the GREATEST PROFANENESS POSSIBLE. It is egregious folly to part with our interest in God, and Christ, and heaven, for the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world.
Thus, God hated Esau.
But God says "Jacob have I loved, and Esau I have hated." It's taken from Malachi 1:2-3. If you go back to Malachi Chapter 1, you find out that Jacob and Esau are associated with Israel and Edom.
So it wasn't about choosing one person over another or loving one person more than the other. He was choosing Israel over Edom. He wasn't choosing for salvation. Even Ishmael, when he was asked to leave the camp, he was told by God that he would be provided for.
There was just as much opportunity for the Ishmaelite's to be saved as anyone else. When God made a choice, He says through Jacob will be my promised line. He wasn't telling Esau "I hate you so you're not going to be saved!"
Jacob and Esau were not in competition as to who's going to be saved and who's going to be rejected. This is the choosing of who Israel is going to come through. Jacob was chosen for the chosen line and it was all of God.
It is interesting that when God made His choice, it was the opposite of the human because in the human, whoever is born first has to be the firstborn and he gets the promise of the firstborn.
So before they were even born, God says "Well, I don't want to do it that way because then man will say that he was in line anyway. So I'll choose the second because he's not supposed to be, so I'll choose him just to show you that it will be of God."
That's what we are looking at here. The emphasis is when God chose Israel, not all of Israel is Israel.
But there is an elect within Israel who are Jewish and are Hebrew that God has chosen and it's through Abraham, through Isaac, and now He has chosen through Jacob.
That doesn't mean Esau is not loved by God and that Jesus didn't come and die for the Edomites. Yes, He did! He's not choosing salvation. He's choosing which line Messiah is going to come from through this entire nation of Israel.
I hope this helps!
In Romans 9:13 it says "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Now that's a pretty serious statement to make.
The terms love and hate are what are called words of comparison. Obviously, love and hate, there is a comparison there, but the words themselves don't mean He loves them and He hates them, or He loves one more than the other. As a matter of fact, these words are found in the New Testament.
We think that was harsh but look at this. In Luke 14:26, it says "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Now that's pretty harsh! You have to hate your mother and your father, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters? Now I can probably pick a couple out of there that I'm glad He said that! But it makes it pretty hard. What do you have to do, go home and show your hate towards them? What's He trying to say?
The Greek word for hate, MISEO means to love less. It doesn't mean hostility. In fact, Jesus, in Matthew 10:37 says "He that loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
He's talking about comparisons. The comparison is that Jesus is saying you must love me so much that in comparison to everybody else, it looks like you hate them. I mean it's not even close. Jesus said there cannot be me and somebody else!
That helps explain in Exodus Chapter 20 where God says you shall have no other gods before me. Except in the Hebrew, it says you shall have no other gods except for me.
In other words, it's not putting God first, and then we have our other priorities. God says I'm your only priority. Wow! We have no obligation in the flesh. Our one and only obligation is to follow Christ.
(more to follow:)
Thx,
DL