OBJECTS OF WRATH

Hello beloved,

Recently, I was discussing an interesting verse. Romans 9:13 says, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” If you do not properly exegete this scripture, it would be very easy to think that this points toward the “unconditional election” teaching, which Calvinists hold on to. This teaching says that before God created the world, he chose to save some people according to his own purposes and apart from any conditions related to those persons. Beloved, I am definitely no great theologian. If I got into a debate with a Calvinist, I would probably be embarrassed. But, if I have the time, I will let the scriptures speak for themselves and disprove this teaching. I invite you to take a look at the scriptures with me. If you find that I am in error, please let me know.

In the first seven verses of the ninth chapter of Romans, Paul is explaining that the only way to be a child of God is through faith in Christ. Verse eight says that being born a Jew doesn’t make you God’s child. You must be a child of the promise. So let’s pick up at verse nine.

“9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” 10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.”

Of course, in verse nine, he is talking about the birth of Isaac. From Isaac and Rebekah, came Jacob and Esau. And here’s where it gets tricky. Verses 11-13 say “11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Does this say that neither Jacob nor Esau had anything to do with the fact that God loved one and hated the other? It would appear so at first glance. But, to answer that question, we have to first ask the question, “Why did God hate Esau?” For that answer we need to visit Genesis 25.

Genesls 25:23 says, “The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” So, who is in Rebekah’s womb? Two nations. These are two kinds of people. You have to take hold of that. All through the Bible you see these two kinds of people. One of which God loves, the other he hates.

Let’s keep going. We’ve got to find out why God hated Esau. “24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. 27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom. 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.”

What did Esau do to deserve God’s hatred? He sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. God hates that, beloved. The birthright was to take responsibility for the family. Jacob sought after this. And God loved Jacob because of his faith and willingness to pick up the birthright. Does that sound like unconditional love or hatred to you? Of course not. Beloved, you have to remember something a good friend of mine says: “God always predestines the way, but he never predestines the person.”

So let’s go now, to Hebrews 12:15-16, which says, “15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.” Again, it is stated that Esau sold his birthright for a meal. Beloved, God hates that. He is actually referred to as “godless”.

Let’s visit one last scripture on Esau. Malachi 1:2-5 says, 2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the LORD says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” 4 Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the LORD Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the LORD. 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the LORD -even beyond the borders of Israel!’ Again, God states that he loves Jacob and he hates Esau. God crushed Esau. Why? Because he was desiring that Esau come to repentance. But, instead of confessing his sin and repenting, Esau decided to rebuild. Does that sound familiar? God is sending his judgment on this nation and we just keep trying to rebuild and bail ourselves out. A good friend of mine says it this way, “God has more disaster than our federal government has relief.” How timely is that word? Too bad no one wants to hear it.

I would like to point out a very important statement in verse four, “They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord.” We had better realize that if we are going to be like Esau, than we are going to be under the wrath of the Lord. That’s not because God predestined it. That is because we sell our birthright for a mess of pottage. Instead of confessing and forsaking our sin, we decide to do things our way. We think that we can save ourselves, or work our way to salvation. Beloved, their is only one Way. That’s Jesus Christ. “In repentance and rest is our salvation” (Isaiah 30:15) Any other way will only lead to the wrath of God.

Speaking of God’s wrath, it’s time to go back to Romans, chapter nine. Remember what we’ve learned. Jacob, by faith, wanted the birthright. God loved him. Esau despised his birthright. God hated him. Keep that in mind as we go on. Verse fourteen says, “What then shall we say?” Is God unjust? Not at all!” Beloved, if the teaching of unconditional election is true, God is unjust.

Verse fifteen says, “For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” On whom does God have mercy and compassion? Those who repent and come to Him in faith.

Verse sixteen says, “It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” So, no one can work their way to God. We are only saved by grace through faith in Christ.

Verses 17-18 say, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” Beloved, Pharoah hardened his heart three times. God hardened his heart nine times. If you decide to ignore God and harden your heart, God will harden your heart for you.

So, here are the verses that really confused me, at first. Verses 19-23 say, “19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” 22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath-prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory”

Did Paul actually say that God bore us as “objects of wrath”. Wait a minute! That would mean that God actually prepared in advance that we would be objects of wrath. We were born, unconditionally predestined to be objects of wrath. What? Is that really true? Yep. It sure is. Beloved, we were all born “objects of wrath”. (You can blame that on Adam) But, here is what is so awesome about it. God can’t display is mercy any other way. You see, if we aren’t born objects of wrath we would never be able to repent, therefore becoming “objects of mercy”. Oh, beloved, we must praise the Lord for His mercy!

What a God! Just to sure that one up, let’s go to Ephesians 2:1-10 “1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Beloved, if we take a verse here and a verse there, we can get really confused. And that’s what had to be done to form this teaching on unconditional election. We’ve seen that God’s wrath and His mercy are conditional. If you decide to do things your way, forsaking the birthright, you will receive the wrath of God. But, if you repent and put your faith in Christ, you will receive His mercy. Though you were predestined an object of wrath, you can turn to Christ and become an object of mercy. Oh, what a God!

In Christian love,
Adam Tennant