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they are not all Israel, which are of Is- have I hated” expresses human failure.
rael: neither, because they are the seed of Now let us look at some Old Testa-
Abraham, are they all children” (vv6-7). ment passages that clearly indicate that
1
Inclusion in the promises for Israel is not God knew that Israel would reject their
determined by natural descent alone. Paul Messiah. In Isaiah 9:6 we read, “For unto
continues by drawing attention to two us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
exclusions. First, he quotes God’s words and the government shall be upon his
to Abraham, “In Isaac shall thy seed be shoulder.” “For unto us a child is born”
called” (Gen 21:12). Ishmael was in fact clearly refers to the birth of Christ. “Unto
Abraham’s firstborn son. But Ishmael was us a son is given” refers to the death of
not the fulfillment of God’s promise to Christ. “The government shall be upon
Abraham (Gen 12:7; 15:5; 21:1-3); he was his shoulder” has not yet been fulfilled.
the result of the scheming of Sarah (16:1- Over 2,000 years of human history have
15). Therefore, the offspring of Ishmael is
not included in Israel as a nation. passed since the death of Christ. So, we
have a gap of at least 2,000 years between
The second exclusion is seen in the the death of Christ and His future reign.
birth of Jacob and Esau, who were twins.
Esau was the one born first and would Micah 5:1-3 is most enlightening: “Now
normally have the rights of the firstborn. gather thyself in troops, O daughter of
But God said to Rebekah, “Two nations are troops: he hath laid siege against us: they
in thy womb, and two manner of people shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod
shall be separated from thy bowels; and upon the cheek. (But thou, Bethlehem
the one people shall be stronger than the Ephratah, though thou be little among the
other people; and the elder shall serve the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall
younger” (25:23). Notice that Paul refers to he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in
this in Romans 9:12. But then he confirms Israel; whose goings forth have been from
this by writing, “As it is written, Jacob have of old, from everlasting.) Therefore will
I loved, but Esau have I hated” (v13). This he give them up, until the time that she
is a quote from Malachi 1:2-3. Let us look which travaileth hath brought forth: then
more closely at these two statements. Gen- the remnant of his brethren shall return
esis 25:23 was stated before either Jacob unto the children of Israel.” Verse 1 indi-
or Esau was born. The words of Malachi cates that Israel would reject their Messiah
appear centuries after both had died. In (“they shall smite the judge of Israel with
Genesis 25 we see God’s sovereignty. In a rod upon the cheek”). Verse 2, which is a
Malachi 1 we see human responsibility. parenthesis, refers to the birth of Christ in
In Genesis 25 God is expressing His sov- Bethlehem. Thus, verse 3 carries on from
ereign right of choice. But Malachi 1 is the verse 1. Because Israel would reject Him,
result of Esau’s foolish choices (for exam- Christ would “give them up” (during the
ple, see Genesis 25:29-34). “The elder shall Church Age), but would ultimately save
serve the younger” emphasizes divine them, and Israel would again become a
sovereignty. “Jacob have I loved, but Esau united nation. Daniel 9:26-27, likewise,
predicts the rejection of Christ and His
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV crucifixion (v26), and the future Tribula-
unless otherwise noted. tion period (v27).

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