How Have You Loved Us?

“The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. ‘I have loved you,’ says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have you loved us?’ ‘Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ declares the LORD. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated.’”

Here is a text of Scripture viewed by many as controversial. But one wonders whether God ever considered such statements controversial since he made them. By controversial, we mean that these verses do not mean what we think they mean, yet that is precisely what they do mean. Isn’t it surprising that we argue, generally speaking, for a plain literal reading of the text when the context demands it, yet when we come to such texts as Malachi’s, we back away from that and reinterpret the text. We do this primarily because we don’t believe God could ever be or do or say what he actually is and does do and say, and secondarily because our sensibilities are offended.

It is important to note in verse 2, that God simply states that he loves Jacob. By Jacob, God means his covenant people; and by covenant people, he means those who belong to him. By the time you get to reading Malachi in the Old Testament, you should know that because someone is born an Israelite does not mean he is truly an Israelite. An entire nation was destroyed in the wilderness, save for Joshua and Caleb. Those who perished certainly enjoyed and participated in covenant obligations, but Scripture is clear that they did not believe (Ps. 95:7–11; Num. 14; Heb. 2:2; 3:7–12, 16–19; 4:6). Just because they were Israelites under covenant obligation does not guarantee their salvation—indeed, they were not saved. This is precisely the point the Apostle Paul makes in Romans 2:28, 29: “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” The essence of the distinction rests in either faith or unbelief.

We note that God loves Jacob, but he does not love Jacob because he is better than his brother, Esau. God does not love Jacob because Jacob does or will do the right things (he does not). The cause of loving Jacob is not found in Jacob, but only in God. Behind the decree of election is the rich love of a sovereign God who chooses as he pleases. If God loved all those unfaithful, unbelieving Israelites, then he would have loved them as he did Caleb and Joshua. And we should not imagine for even one moment that those unbelieving Israelites were saved— justified by faith—and with God. No, they perished because of their disobedience and unbelief. This is the distinction also between Esau and Jacob. Esau did not believe God, but Jacob did. Esau was a secular man who despised all that his birthright meant (Heb. 12:15–17). He did not care one whit for the things of God. He was like Cain who killed Abel (Gen. 4). 1 John 3:12 says that “We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.” Cain had every advantage to believe, yet he refuses.

Now, it is at this point that a very important point needs to be made. Unbelief is never ascribed to election or reprobation. Esau cannot argue with God, as he sits in his tent, that since he was not elect, he cannot believe. Paul points this out in Romans 9:10–16, “And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’ What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” Here, Paul uses Malachi as his proof text for the sovereign choice of God between Jacob and Esau. The result of election is salvation, and if God does not elect, then there can be no salvation. God did not choose Esau; therefore, Esau is not saved, but God never calls upon any person to believe on the basis of election. It is our responsibility to believe because God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

But some will argue that surely God desires all men everywhere to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4, 6). The context of 1 Timothy 2 deals with all kinds of men (kings, those in authority). It does not deal with every single individual without distinction. And if Jesus provided a ransom for all then all must be saved, and yet not all are saved (as Esau was not). We cannot argue that Jesus failed in his saving work. His work is not a work of possibility dependent upon your faith because even your faith must be given to you (Eph. 2:1–10). Paul’s point back in Romans 9 is that election is God’s sovereign choice, and if you don’t like it, you have no right to argue about it with God. There is no injustice on God’s part (Rom. 9:14). He has mercy on whom he has mercy (Rom. 9:15). If God has mercy on every single person, they all will be saved. This is why Paul comes simply to the point that “…it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Rom. 9:17). In the final analysis, salvation is all of God alone. Now some people don’t like that. Their argument is with God and no one else as Romans 9:20 and 21 makes plain: “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” Paul uses Pharaoh as an example of not receiving God’s mercy (Rom. 9:17). God can have mercy on whomever he wants to and he can harden whomever he wills (Rom. 9:21). It is our nature to argue against these things. God desires plain acquiescence—“I believe”—and not an argument.

There are two incredible results to these truths. One, God gets the glory in saving sinners who don’t deserve salvation (e.g.; Jacob), and God gets the glory when he endures with much patience vessels prepared beforehand for destruction (Esau). When God displays his just wrath he is glorified, although man disparages him. God told Cain his responsibility back in Genesis 4:6, 7 “The LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.’” What should Cain have done? He should have humbled himself and done what God wanted, but he refused and thus he perished. Esau refused and thus he also perished. We are not to argue with God. Instead, we are required to believe God. In Malachi’s day, the people questioned whether God loved them. God points out the relationship he had with Jacob as evidence that he loves. He cites Esau as proof that he loved Jacob. He promised judgment upon Esau and even states: “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever’” (Mal. 1:4). God stated that he hated Esau and was angry with him. Esau refused to repent (Heb. 12:17). God’s election is something to rejoice in and be thankful for but is never to be used as an excuse or reason for not believing. We must prove our election as Peter urges us, and not wage war against it: “…be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election…” (2 Pet. 1:10).