1184. Hating Esau

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 4, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 49.

1184. Hating Esau.

In Rom. 9:11-13 we understand that God hated Esau before he was born. In this case was not Esau predestined? And how can the Lord hold him responsible? S. B. T.

1. Hate, when spoken of God, is used in the sense of loving less. Jesus tells us that it is necessary to hate father, mother, etc., in order to be His disciple. That is, they must be loved less than God. Luke 14:26; Matt. 10:37.

2. Esau represented a character; Jacob another character. God predestined neither. He simply chose the character which would best glorify Him. Neither was God's election in this instance to eternal life or death, but for the promised seed. The elder should serve the younger. It neither means necessarily Jacob's salvation or Esau's destruction. Every soul has the privilege of choosing, and therefore every soul will be held responsible, even as every man naturally holds his enemies responsible.

1185. Circuses and Amusements.

Please inform me, Is it right for Christian parents, who are looking for the coming of the Lord, to take their family to circuses and other places of worldly amusement? H. M. H.

It would naturally seem that time and money could be better employed. Sometimes the exhibition of wild animals attracts good conscientious people. But on the whole the associations are undesirable and degrading. God's Word must guide each one. Take for instance Eph. 5:1-7 and 1 Cor. 10:31 and measure each his own conduct (not his neighbor's) by them. He who is truly the Lord's till the warfare is over will see greater sights than earth ever knew.

1186. Who Are the 144,000?

Are the 144,000 of Revelation 14, which “were redeemed from the earth” and “from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb,” the same 144,000 which were sealed “of all the tribes of the children of Israel”? Revelation 7? If so, what is the Scriptural proof? A class of teachers set up the claim that the 144,000 of Revelation 14, are the saved from among the Gentiles “taken out for His name,” who are to be teachers of mortal nations in another age, manifestly a great error and carnal doctrine. E. L. D. L.

They are identical. Note the following reasons: (1) They are developed at the same time, in the last generation; those of Revelation 7 under the opening of the sixth seal; those of chapter 14 under the preaching of the great threefold message. (2) Their character is the same, as indicated by the seal of God and the Father's name. Those are sealed whom the King stamps with His name; they possess His character. Proof on these points could be greatly enlarged. The seventh chapter notes the sealing; the fourteenth chapter predicts the triumph. Sealed of the tribes of Israel does not mean that the sealed ones are Jews by natural birth. True Israel is composed of the overcomers. Read for the origin and meaning of Israel Gen. 32:24-32; Rom. 2:28, 29; 9:6-8; Eph. 2:11-22; 3:3-6. Men may not number the tribes, but God does; and every soul that enters the city of God will enter as one of the tribes of Israel. See Rev. 21:12; 22:14. All Israel are gathered out from the nations of earth whether originally Jews or Gentiles. The last thing noted above is a great error, for which there is no shadow of an excuse. If this answer is not clear, state wherein.

1187. Divorce and Marriage.

If a man has put away his wife for fornication, and procures a divorce, do the Scriptures teach that it would be wrong for him to marry again while his divorced wife is living? C. H.

We do not understand that they do. See Matt. 5:32.

1188. Fornication and Adultery.

Does the word fornication as used in Matt. 5:32 include the sin of adultery? Or in other words, does the Lord recognize the sin of adultery as being an adequate reason for the severing of the marriage relation, and the taking of another companion? Or is the only Scriptural reason one which existed before marriage, such as fornication in its technical sense? Your brother in the faith, A. L. O.

The word “adultery” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word moicheia from moicheo, a paramour, adulterer. “Fornication” comes from porneuo, to act the harlot, indulge unlawful lust; to commit fornication; from porne, a strumpet, harlot. We understand that the fornication of Matt. 5:32 includes that of adultery, and would be an adequate reason for divorce.