Divine Choice: Why God Selected Jacob Over Esau

God treated Esau and Jacob differently by selecting Jacob to be the heir of the spiritual promise and the covenant line, while rejecting Esau because of his lack of faith and his choice to prioritize earthly gratifications over eternal blessingsPP 177.1+1. This choice was not an arbitrary preference but was based on God's foreknowledge of the character each brother would developSITI March 30, 1888, page 201.22+1.

The Choice of Election and Grace

• Foreordained Selection: Even before the twins were born, God revealed to Rebekah that the elder would serve the younger and that the younger would have the pre-eminencePP 177.1+1.

• Sovereign Purpose: This selection was made so that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not based on works but on Him who calls Romans 9:11-12.

• Meaning of "Hate": When it is said that God "hated" Esau, it does not imply ill-will but rather that He loved Esau less in a relative sense, passing over him to grant Jacob special favor and worldly privilegesSYNPT 312.2+1.

• The Inheritance of Faith: Jacob was chosen not because he was naturally better than Esau, but because he believed the promises of God, whereas Esau was an infidel who regarded God's word with contemptEVCO 133.2+1.

Contrasting Characters and Responses

• Valuing the Birthright: Jacob listened with secret longing to the spiritual significance of the birthright, which included being the priest of the family and being in the line of the RedeemerPP 177.1+1. In contrast, Esau was a "profane person" who sold his sacred birthright for a single meal of red pottage to satisfy a momentary hunger Hebrews 12:16PP 178.3+1.

• Spiritual vs. Temporal: Esau sought only the inheritance of his father’s worldly wealth, whereas Jacob was content with the spiritual blessings of the birthrightPP 207.2+1.

• Conversion and Growth: While God did not approve of Jacob's duplicity in securing the blessing, He used Jacob's crude faith to work a complete moral reformation in himSITI March 30, 1888, page 201.22+1. Jacob eventually learned to rely on the "Almighty Arm" rather than his own cunning, while Esau continued to develop a character of indifference toward divine requirementsPP 208.2+1.

Divine Discipline and Protection

• Correction for Jacob: God permitted Jacob to suffer grievously for his deception, leading him through twenty years of exile to refine his characterSITI March 30, 1888, page 201.22+1.

• Intervention for Peace: When Jacob feared for his life upon his return, God intervened by sending an angel to move upon Esau's heart in a dream, changing his thirst for revenge into tender affection3SG 130.4+1.

• Separation for a Purpose: God eventually separated the brothers to prevent the influence of Esau’s idolatrous choices from affecting Jacob’s faith, as Esau had married Canaanite women against the will of GodPP 207.2+1.

Symbolic Meaning for Humanity

• Two Classes of People: Jacob and Esau represent two classes of people: the righteous who wrestle with God in prayer for deliverance, and the wicked who sacrifice their heavenly heirship for perishable treasures3SG 130.4+1.

• A Warning to All: Esau's experience serves as a warning to those who wait until it is too late to value eternal life, finding no "place of repentance" even when seeking it with tears Hebrews 12:17PP 181.2+1.

• Power with God: God honored Jacob by changing his name to Israel, signifying that he had power with God and men and had prevailed through persistent prayer and faith Genesis 32:283SG 128.1+1.