Shall we rethink Romans 9 : 13?

‘As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated’.

Romans 9:13 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.9.13.KJV

This verse of scriptures is one that has formed the scriptural' backing for the concept of destiny, Destiny which would mean a predetermined chart or course of life for everyone, as chosen by God

This concept seems like the logical thing to believe, considering the fact that we believe God to be omniscient, knowing the end from the beginning, and we also believe Him to be omnipotent, all-powerful with no limits to what He can do.

Let me point out that I am, IN NO WAY, doubting or attempting to disprove these fundamental characteristics of God. Rather, I'm trying to show us how we've interpreted this, using the lens of men, even though God, in His Word, has defined His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence for us.

For instance, we now know from Scriptures, that God cannot kill. Because there is no evil or unrighteousness in Him. This negates our flawed interpretation of His omnipotence, we've also seen, through scriptures, that he's not in the place of evil. His absence in the place where sin is judged, would mean He's 'not everywhere', which cancels our impression of His omnipresence, now let's see how his omniscience has been misinterpreted, especially with the concept of destiny.

Back to our foundation verse;

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Romans 9:13 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.9.13.KJV

Looking at this on its own, it would be interpreted to mean that everything Esau did, he was destined to do; If it was his destiny to throw away his birthright, why then would he be described thus:

“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”  — Hebrews 12:16 (KJV)

 He is called a 'profane' person, godless

 It would be immoral for God to have destined Esau for disobedience and disregard for the blessing, and then turn around to call him a profane person for simply doing what he was destined to do, wouldn't it?

If we agree on this, it means we have a duty to investigate the text to see what it's really talking about...

 

Romans 9:9-16 (KJV)

⁹ for this is the word of promise, at this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

¹⁰ and not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

¹¹ (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

¹² It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger.

¹³ as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

¹⁵ For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

¹⁶ So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

 Let’s look at it well;

 Paul is writing to the Roman church, showing them the two arguments that have followed salvation since the beginning of time: belief vs unbelief, as manifested in faith vs works.

He is showing them, that from the beginning, whenever salvation was offered, there were always two ‘faith and unbelief’

We would see it in the Garden; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life

We would see it in Cain and Abel

We would see it in Isaac and Ishmael

And then we would see it in Jacob and Esau

In verses 15 and 16 of Romans 9, Paul clarifies that the prophecy that came to Rebecca about her twin boys was by no means a declaration of destiny or fate that no one could do anything about. Rather, it was a statement of the outcome of the actions both parties would take. God was telling Rebecca: because of their response to My mercy, this will be the outcome of their lives.

 Why do I say this? Let's go to Hebrews 12:16's definition of Esau

 G952Greek: βέβηλος

Transliteration: bébēlos

Pronunciation: beb'-ay-los

 --------

 Description: from the base of βάσις(G939) and (a threshold); accessible (as by crossing the door-way), i.e. (by implication, of Jewish notions) heathenish, wicked:

Translation: profane (person).

KJV usage: profane (4x), profane person (1x).

 Heathenish... Having no regard for spiritual things

Someone who is more interested in vanity/vain things

 Esau knew the importance of the birthright, the blessing.

He knew! Both of them would have sat under Isaac and their oral tradition would have been passed down to them. They would have heard about Noah's blessings for his children and the curse of Ham. They would have been told about how Abraham blessed Isaac. Noticed what happened after Jacob had conned him; he begged for a blessing, at all, at all... Why? He knew the significance of the blessing, but he wasn't interested in it.

Was it God that made Esau disinterested in taking his place in God's plan? No. That was all his - Esau's – doing

 Now, let's address this concept of destiny;

 First thing I want us to grasp is that the Word, 'destiny', is alien to Scriptures.

Note: THERE IS NOTHING LIKE DESTINY IN THE BIBLE.

So how did it now come to be a staple in our church lingo today? Where did it come from?

We arrived at 'destiny' due to a poor interpretation of the following words:

●        predestinate(d)

●        foreknowledge

●        predetermined

●        ordained

These words are found in Scriptures, and somehow have been construed to mean that God determines a person's future, and what the person would do, and nothing the person does can change that

However, this does not pass the 'righteousness' test... Cos will God be righteous if He created a person and destined the person to be a mass murderer like Hitler? Clearly not.

 It also doesn't pass the test of the free moral agency that God has given man. The concept of free will is rubbished by the belief that God has preconcluded on what you'll do before you were born.

Now, has He seen your life from beginning to end? Yes, He has. However, is He the One who makes you do everything you do? Clearly not!

 So, what then would these words mean?

Acts 4:28, Romans 8:30,1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1: 5, Ephesians 1:11

Those portions of Scriptures above are the only ones that have predestinate, from the Greek word, ‘proorizo’.

One of the first things you will notice is that the context of those verses is God's salvation plan.

 ‘What that means is that with God, predestination (what we think of as destiny) speaks of His ultimate intention, not the destination of men. God's plan for all of mankind - salvation - is His predestination’.

 The only thing that is fixed is salvation and judgment...And the choice we have to make for the one or the other and the only person whose fate is fixed is Satan, who has been judged and reserved for eternal damnation.

 Selah.

 

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