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Why did God hate Esau? What did he do? Malachi 1:3?
The firstborn males in Israel belonged to God.
As firstborn, Esau was in line for the blessing, but he did not value the sacredness of it, and considered it worth only a meal.
Others have given their lives for God's blessing.
So, Esau was not a godly spiritual person, but just physical.
The children of Abraham who have faith, like Jacob, picture spiritual Israel who will have faith and inherit God's blessings.
Esau pictures the descendants of Abraham who are not spiritual and will not inherit the promise.
Galatians 3:29 Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham's seed, heirs with reference to a promise.
8 Answers
- TzadiqLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
Because Esau hated God. He despised His birthright which he sold for some split pea soup and quite frankly the blessings of that birthright are not only physical but spiritual.
Hebrews 12:15-17
See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
that there be no * immoral or godless person like Esau , who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
He was not repentant, He only wanted the physical blessing and as a result recieved niether.
Esau was too focused on the self and not on God. He forgot the principle or never knew the principle that Yahshua reiterated.
Matt 6:31-33
"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat ?' or 'What will we drink ?' or 'What will we wear for clothing ?'
"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Repent! And recieve your birthright! The Kingdom of God!
It is at hand!
- 1 decade ago
G-d didn't feel hatred toward Esau. Check out Mal.1:3 in other versions -- or better yet, read it in the original Hebrew !
G-d did reject Esau from being the main recipient of blessing, because of Esau's heart attitude. Remember: all this time, G-d was eagerly looking forward to being able to send a rescuer to the world, a strong redeemer, who would make it possible again for humans and G-d to have unhindered fellowship.
Esau chose wives who were devout pagans; he didn't really think of the future, he didn't really put a high priority on spiritual things. Examine Esau's life: he gave away a major blessing, for a meal ! just one meal ! With an attitude like that, how could Esau be trusted with the job of raising descendants who would follow G-d ? So, because of Esau's attitude, G-d had to leave him out of the ancestry of Messiah.
(Jacob his brother wasn't exactly a prize, either. he had to go thru a lot of hard training before G-d could use him.)
Esau wasn't the only one to fail the character test. Many of the firstborn were also disqualified, due to wrong attitudes. Cain committed murder, then lied about it & complained about his punishment. Ishmael "made [a] sport" of using his half-brother Isaac as a target for archery practice. Reuben committed sexual sin within the family. Er sinned sexually also; & so it goes. examine the records of many of the eldest sons in the beginning, & see how many YOU would've entrusted with the job of faithfully folowing someone else's plan instead of their own agenda.
Source(s): everything G-d does, He does for a good reason. - 1 decade ago
You're going to hate what I have to say: God can hate whomever He pleases because He's God. He chooses some people to love and moves in their hearts to accept His salvation, while others He chooses to hate and hardens their hearts. My answer as to why is mere speculation, but it seems to be a trend in Scripture that God favors the weak and lowly--to show off His power and love more clearly. Esau was a hunter, strong and successful, and the firstborn, with all the firstborn privileges. Jacob was no more worthy of God's love--he was a liar and a cheat--but God chose to love Him and so He was faithful to him, even in his sin.
I'm basing my answer on what I've been taught about election (or predestination); you'll see that this issue is addressed in Romans 9 (focus on verses 10-24, especially verses 11 and 16 and 18). It's a really hard issue for us humans to deal with, but remember what happened to Job when he questioned God--he was asked some much harder questions that humbled him. It takes humility to accept this answer.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
I think I might have figured out why Malachi said that God hated Esau. I was reading the story of Abraham all the way down to Esau (his grandson). God promised Abraham a great nation and many blessings for his descendants. He told Abraham that his lineage would come through Isaac. Ishmael had many children as well and Abraham's other sons also had children. However, there was something especially blessed about the lineage that was to come from Isaac. (We know now that that is the lineage that Christ came from). Isaac wanted to pass this blessing down through Esau. Thus, Esau had the opportunity to accept an incredible blessing from God. However, Esau sold his blessing to Jacob for a bowl of soup.
15See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
Hebrews 12
29 And Jacob boiled soup. And Esau came from the field, and he was faint. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Please let me eat of the red, this red soup, for I am faint. On account of this his name is called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me your birthright today. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am going to die, and what good is this, a 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.
Genesis 25
So, basically Esau turned his back on the blessing of God. By saying "what good is a birthright to me?" he wasn't just giving up money or anything like that, he was giving up the blessings that had been promised to Abraham. He was rejecting God's blessings and his authority. He was saying the promises were meaningless. In verse 34, it even says Esau despised his birthright. Thus, God hated in him the attitude of rebellion.
I think there is difference between someone who is a sinner and someone who knows the truth about God and blatantly rebels against it. Perhaps that is what Malachi was talking about.
- Rev. KipLv 61 decade ago
God loving Jacob and hating Esau has nothing to do with the human emotions of love and hate. It has everything to do with God choosing one man and his descendants and rejecting another man and his descendants. God choose Abraham out of all the men in the world. The Bible very well could say, “Abraham I loved, and every other man I hated.” God choose Abraham’s son Isaac instead of Abraham’s son Ishmael. The Bible very well could say, “Isaac I loved, and Ishmael I hated.” Romans chapter 9 makes it abundantly clear that loving Jacob and hating Esau was entirely related to which of them God chose. Hundreds of years after Jacob and Esau had died, the Israelites and Edomites became bitter enemies. The Edomites often aided Israel’s enemies in attacks on Israel. Esau’s descendants brought God’s curse on themselves. Genesis 27:29, “May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.”
God bless!
- Anonymous1 decade ago
I liked Esau. He was that nice donkey that hung around with Winnie the Pooh.
God hates donkeys!