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In any reasoned discussion of freewill and scripture, we must deal with the stories of Pharaoh and Esau (or more appropriately the Edomites). Without doing such we can’t rightly understand scripture context and meaning. Lets dig in and start looking at scripture and the deeper meaning of some of the vital scriptural stories.

Who Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart? Pharaoh or G-d? Or Both?

“But when Par`oh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.” (Exodus 8:15)

“Par`oh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.” (Exodus 8:32)

So we see that Pharaoh had a pattern of hardening his heart. Just as it shows in Romans that those who choose sin G-d gives over to the reprobate heart. Scripture clearly says G-ds spirit will not always strive with man at some point when one chooses to be rebellious G-d gives them over to that rebellion at that point their heart becomes hard. As a sign to the world G-d gave Pharaoh nine chances to repent just like G-d gave the Canaanites four hundred years to repent before He had them wiped out. G-d will give you time to repent and turn from your sin before giving you over to what you obviously desire. G-d wants repentance and faith in Him. After a time of Pharaoh hardening his heart, G-d quit trying to dissuade him and gave him over to that sinful desire, in that G-d power and grace where shown to sinful man.

“The LORD said, “My spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; yet will his days be one hundred twenty years.”” (Genesis 6:3)

”Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves.” (Romans 1:24)

”but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the eretz.” (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17)

Did G-d Really Hate Esau & Love Jacob? Or Is There More To The Story?

Context is everything. If you read Romans 9:13, “Even as it is written, ‘Ya`akov I loved, but Esav I hated.’” You may get the impression that G-d hated Esau. However this seriously needs a further study into what is said and why. What’s the context? What’s the meaning? John Wesley has this to say in his notes on this passage.

“9:13 As it is written – With which word in Genesis, spoken so long before, that of Malachi agrees. I have loved Jacob – With a peculiar love; that is, the Israelites, the posterity of Jacob. And I have, comparatively, hated Esau – That is, the Edomites, the posterity of Esau. But observe, This does not relate to the person of Jacob or Esau Nor does it relate to the eternal state either of them or their posterity. Thus far the apostle has been proving his proposition, namely, that the exclusion of a great part of the seed of Abraham, yea, and of Isaac, from the special promises of God, was so far from being impossible, that, according to the scriptures themselves, it had actually happened. He now introduces and refutes an objection. Mal 1:2,3.” John Wesley’s “Notes On The Bible”

How does this comparative understanding of the use of the word’s love and hate relate to Esau or more specifically the Edomite’s? Lets take a look at the passages and context. Again I say context is everything. Lets look at the context of this statement and to whom it really is referring to.

“”I have loved you,” says the LORD. Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esav Ya`akov’s brother?” says the LORD, “Yet I loved Ya`akov; but Esav I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.” Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places;” thus says the LORD of Hosts, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom the LORD shows wrath forever.” Your eyes will see, and you will say, “The LORD is great — even beyond the border of Yisra’el!”” (Malachi 1:2-5)

“Edom shall become an astonishment: everyone who passes by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues of it. As in the overthrow of Sedom and `Amorah and the neighbor cities of it, says the LORD, no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein.” (Jeremiah 49:17-18)

There is more to this “Ya`akov I loved, but Esav I hated” statement than meets the eye, after looking in the context of the original passage being quoted in Malachi we see that G-d is speaking to the descendants of Esau the Edomites. Why is this? As we search further we see that the Edomites side with the enemies of Israel many times and this is why G-d came to loathe the Edomites. There is a reason that G-d said what He did deeper than some may want to look.

“Rivka also conceived by one, by our father Yitzchak. For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.” Even as it is written, “Ya`akov I loved, but Esav I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! For he said to Moshe, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Par`oh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the eretz.” So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?” But no, man, who are you who replies against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory.” (Romans 9:9-23)

As we’ve seen there is more to the story of Pharaoh and the Edomites than meets the eye, as you will. Man clearly runs and wills, but G-d does decide whom He shall have mercy upon. Yet that mercy seems to be conditional upon the end of the man. How a man lives his life, it is given once to live and then the judgment. G-d knows the end from the beginning yet G-d seeks not to influence the end however He does grant mercy to the merciful. G-d predestines those who are merciful for good works. Those who seek to do right and not harden their heart G-d predestines for obedience service in HIs name. If one bases the belief in predestination in the story of Pharaoh and Edom (the descendants of Esau) then one’s argument is flawed without the full picture. Both willfully chose paths of rebellion and ate the fruit of their labors. The Scriptures are replete with compare and contrast between love and hatred.

“Therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, I will prepare you to blood, and blood shall pursue you: since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you.” (Ezekiel 35:6)

“He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Le’ah, and served with him yet seven other years. The LORD saw that Le’ah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.” (Genesis 29:30-31)

Note that it says “he loved also Rachel more” and The LORD’s response is that he “saw that Le’ah was hated” Jacob didn’t hate Leah literally he loved Rachel more because she was the wife of his choosing not the one he was tricked into marrying. Again there is more to the story than meets the eye at first had.*

“One who spares the rod hates his son, But one who loves him is careful to discipline him.” (Proverbs 13:24)

I can guarantee you that most parents who spare the rod don’t seek to spoil their child or hate them. Most believe that they are doing good whether society has taught them wrong, whether they have been abused and are afraid to use corporal punishment or are pacifist and would seek some Freudian fraudulent alternate means of discipline.

“”No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

This is a true statement, no one can truly serve two masters, but does a man whose trying to please two masters really feel hate for one or the other. Truthfully he will love one more than the other as Jacob did between Rachel and Leah however this doesn’t meant it’s a literal hate.

“”If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my talmid.” (Luke 14:26)

Does G-d really want you to hate you family? Or does He want you to first love Him with all your heart, mind, body and soul and secondly love your neighbor  (which would include your family) as you love yourself? G-d wants you to love Him above all thing and the comparative contrast is that no other affection should equal or eclipse your love for Him, period. It is important to look deeper into the context to see the truth of things people over look and seek to leave out. Simply put those he “foreknow” those He “ predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

“If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7)

Calvinist teach that some were made to be vessels of dishonor and some vessels of honor, some to be sheep and some to be goats. However the bible clearly states that a vessel of dishonor can become a vessel of honor. So that even if one is a goat or a vessel of dishonor they can become a vessel of honor.

“If a man therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21)

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