Mal 1:5 | KingComments | STEP | It is not about the history of two persons, but about the history of their descendants, the nations that grew out of them. In that whole history God shows His love for His people and His hatred for Esau ( ; ). Esau has cause to be hated because of his whole history of rebellion against God. Therefore, this word is only spoken here, in Malachi, at the very end of the Old Testament, and not already in Genesis. In Genesis, God does not speak about hating Esau. He only says that the older Esau will serve the younger Jacob. God is sovereign and gives each of the brothers a certain place on earth. He does that even before the brothers are born ( ; ). Jacob’s election has nothing to do with any merit on his part. His descendants claim this election because they are descendants of Abraham. If that were the basis of the election, Esau would also have been entitled to it. God’s election is sovereign and independent of man’s behavior, while His rejection is the result of man’s sin. God chooses people to be blessed, but He does not choose people to be lost. We cannot reconcile that with our intellect. Our human logic is: if God chooses certain people to bless them, it is automatically so therefore, that He chooses other people to be lost. But then, with our human and therefore limited intellect, we try to check out God and deal with Him because He does not meet our method of reckoning. The doctrine that God chooses people to be lost is a devilish doctrine, which not only doesn't do justice to the love of God, but even denies it. It is also a denial of man’s responsibility. After all, if his damnation is fixed in God’s purpose, there is nothing he can do about it and therefore he will not be saved. God has chosen Jacob from Himself, despite his many failures. He hated Esau because he revealed himself as a “godless person” ( ), as someone who has no interest at all in God. That godlessness has been shown by his offspring in an undiminished way. The prophet Obadiah gives a detailed testimony of this ( ). Already in the days of Malachi, God can point to His judgment on Esau ( ). It is not yet the final judgment. That will come. What God has taken away are the mountains in which they had made their homes and where they felt untraceable and therefore safe. But for God no one can make himself untraceable (cf. ). Esau’s desolated land has become a home for jackals. The godlessness of Esau, his not acknowledging of God, is also evident in his arrogant language ( ). “Edom”, the descendants of Esau ( ), can boast that they will rebuild the ruins if they are destroyed. There is no thought present in them to humble themselves before God. A proud, arrogant attitude characterizes them. But “the LORD of hosts” answers. Here God presents Himself in His exaltation above all heavenly and earthly powers. God’s answer is that He will break what they have built up again. The area of ruins that will then arise will be given the name in which the character of Edom is expressed: “wicked territory”. And the people who live there will forever be under the indignation of God. What the LORD has done with Edom is presented to Israel ( ). They will see with their own eyes the end of Edom. That is once more a proof of God’s goodness and love for Israel. At the same time, what God does with Edom is also a warning to Israel. It should not make Israel proud, but give them the awareness that they have earned the same judgment. It also proves that God is not only the God of the Jews, but also the God of the Gentiles ( ) His greatness is not only visible to Israel, but everywhere on earth.

‏ Malachi 1:5

I Have Hated Esau

It is not about the history of two persons, but about the history of their descendants, the nations that grew out of them. In that whole history God shows His love for His people and His hatred for Esau (Mal 1:2b; Mal 1:3a). Esau has cause to be hated because of his whole history of rebellion against God. Therefore, this word is only spoken here, in Malachi, at the very end of the Old Testament, and not already in Genesis.

In Genesis, God does not speak about hating Esau. He only says that the older Esau will serve the younger Jacob. God is sovereign and gives each of the brothers a certain place on earth. He does that even before the brothers are born (Rom 9:11-13; Gen 25:23).

Jacob’s election has nothing to do with any merit on his part. His descendants claim this election because they are descendants of Abraham. If that were the basis of the election, Esau would also have been entitled to it. God’s election is sovereign and independent of man’s behavior, while His rejection is the result of man’s sin. God chooses people to be blessed, but He does not choose people to be lost.

We cannot reconcile that with our intellect. Our human logic is: if God chooses certain people to bless them, it is automatically so therefore, that He chooses other people to be lost. But then, with our human and therefore limited intellect, we try to check out God and deal with Him because He does not meet our method of reckoning.

The doctrine that God chooses people to be lost is a devilish doctrine, which not only doesn't do justice to the love of God, but even denies it. It is also a denial of man’s responsibility. After all, if his damnation is fixed in God’s purpose, there is nothing he can do about it and therefore he will not be saved.

God has chosen Jacob from Himself, despite his many failures. He hated Esau because he revealed himself as a “godless person” (Heb 12:16), as someone who has no interest at all in God. That godlessness has been shown by his offspring in an undiminished way. The prophet Obadiah gives a detailed testimony of this (Oba 1:1-15).

Already in the days of Malachi, God can point to His judgment on Esau (Mal 1:3b). It is not yet the final judgment. That will come. What God has taken away are the mountains in which they had made their homes and where they felt untraceable and therefore safe. But for God no one can make himself untraceable (cf. Psa 139:7). Esau’s desolated land has become a home for jackals.

The godlessness of Esau, his not acknowledging of God, is also evident in his arrogant language (Mal 1:4). “Edom”, the descendants of Esau (Gen 36:1 ; 8), can boast that they will rebuild the ruins if they are destroyed. There is no thought present in them to humble themselves before God. A proud, arrogant attitude characterizes them. But “the LORD of hosts” answers. Here God presents Himself in His exaltation above all heavenly and earthly powers.

God’s answer is that He will break what they have built up again. The area of ruins that will then arise will be given the name in which the character of Edom is expressed: “wicked territory”. And the people who live there will forever be under the indignation of God.

What the LORD has done with Edom is presented to Israel (Mal 1:5). They will see with their own eyes the end of Edom. That is once more a proof of God’s goodness and love for Israel. At the same time, what God does with Edom is also a warning to Israel. It should not make Israel proud, but give them the awareness that they have earned the same judgment. It also proves that God is not only the God of the Jews, but also the God of the Gentiles (Rom 3:29) His greatness is not only visible to Israel, but everywhere on earth.