God Hated Esau But Loved Jacob – How So?

“Yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.” – Malachi 1:2-3 “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” - Romans 9:13

Dragons and serpents were often representations of the devil and demons that would confront the people of God in conflict and temptation.

Rebekah’s children had the same father, Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or evil—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls (Romans 9:16) —Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

If God is love (1 John 4:8), then how could He hate hate? Why did God love Jacob and hate Esau?

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.

Predestination and election could be defined as God’s choice, not man’s.

Yet, what is it that stands out between these two as the marks of being the Lord’s chosen? I can answer this way:

“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” - Proverbs 13:24

“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” – Proverbs 22:15

King David said in Psalm 119:75, “Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.”

In Hebrews 12: 5-11, Scripture tells us:

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation (The act or practice of exhorting; the act of inciting to laudable deeds; incitement to that which is good or commendable) which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

No one in their right heart or mind will leave their children to themselves, would they?  Absolutely not!  Neither does the Lord.  In fact, this is where the origination and lesson of His love come from for His children.

Look at the difference between Jacob and Esau, “Jacob I loved, Esau I have hated.”

God fulfilled all his promises to both of them.  Yet, Jacob was the one who was truly blessed.  How so?

“…And will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will He recompense him.” -Hosea 12:2

How did God demonstrate His hate for Esau and his love for Jacob?  Read Hosea 12:2 again.

I'll tell you, He let Esau run wild, he left him to himself in his refusal to repent (Hebrews 12:16-17).  Esau wanted the Lord’s blessings, but not God himself.  Therefore, he was rejected.

But he chastised Jacob betimes.  Throughout Jacob’s life, he was reproved, corrected, and disciplined by the Lord so that he would be a partaker of the Lord’s holiness.

Jesus said in Revelation 3:19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”  The Lord loved Jacob.

Remember, in the end, the Lord’s purpose is that we might grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), that we might be holy and with Him eternally.

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.” – Proverbs 23:13

This is love.