The New Testament Teaches Two Kinds of Israels Seed

Introduction

In a prophetic post entitled “THE PROMISES TO ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS we demonstrated that Genesis teaches two kinds of the seed of Israel. There were both saved and unsaved descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We verified this from holy writings of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

We also confirmed from Hebrews chapters 3, 4, and 11 that the land of Israel is a symbol which God uses for Heaven.

Further we showed that God says that He speaks to prophets in visions and dreams that contain riddles rather than clearly and face-to-face.

Then, we exhibited beyond doubt that all born-again Gentiles and Jews are descendants of Abraham.

In this study there is abundant evidence that the Bible teaches both the regenerate and unregenerate seed of Abraham in both Testaments.

We supported the only Biblical timeline in the New Testament from several contexts that detailed the timing of the events surrounding the second coming of Christ.

We documented the truth that the binding of the devil in Revelation 20 only keeps Satan from deceiving the Gentiles as he had done in Old Testament times.

We validated the fact that the coming to life and reigning of the saints and martyrs in Revelation 20 is coming to life after death and joining our Lord Christ in Heaven in His reign of Revelation 3:21. 

In addition, we affirmed with Hosea and with New Testament Scriptures that the return of Israel is the return of regenerate Israel to Christ.

Using careful exegesis, we substantiated the truth that beating swords into ploughshares is an idiom for the peace that our Lord Jesus brought to the saints at His first coming.

To be certain that theology did not deceive us we constantly validated our conclusions with New Testament contexts.

Now, we must use an honest study of the teachings of our Lord and His Apostles to test our findings for veracity.

The Lord Jesus Christ Used Two Definitions of Israel in a Single Context

He spoke the following words to Jews who were intent upon killing Him:

In John 8:37 Jesus said, “I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.”

TABULAR VIEW OF JESUS’ TEACHING ABOUT ABRAHAM’S SEED

John 8:37	To sinful Jews	“I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.”
John 8:39	To the same Jews	“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.”
John 8:44	To the same Jews	“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires.”

In John 8:39 the same Jews said to Him: “Abraham is our father,” Our Lord responded: “If you were children of Abraham … you would do the works of Abraham.”

Jesus believed that the kind of words, thoughts, and deeds that a person uses prove whether his faith is genuine or not.

And because these Jews were trying to kill Him, He judged that their faith in God was not genuine faith.

So, in an Old Testament prophecy, the word “Israel” can have two definitions. If the prophecy foretells a blessed future for Israel, it is about the Israel of faith. If it is about a future outpouring of wrath upon Israel, it is about unregenerate Israel.

In John 8:44 Jesus said, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.”

Our Lord believed that there were two categories of Jews.

Proof of this is that Jesus was speaking to descendants of Abraham. Yet Jesus said they were descendants of the devil. 

Conclusion: Jesus acknowledged that they were born as Jews. But He said they were not Jews. He said this because He knew that murder was in their hearts. So, we conclude the following:

When murder is in a person’s heart, sin dominates him.

This is not only true about Jews but about everyone in the world. If anyone has murder in his heart, he is not a child of God. If he is trying to murder another person, he has murder in his heart. But the original Israelites were not murderers. So, these murderous Jews were different than the Patriarchs and Matriarchs.

Conclude then that there were two diverse kinds of Jews, sinful ones and those who were of God. And this distinction between Jews is in the prophecies of the Old Testament as well. The one word “Israel” contains parts within it, true Israelites, and imposter Israelites.

What it takes to remove sin from one’s heart is the blood of Christ, which we appropriate by faith in Christ. The Patriarchs believed God, while many Jews and Gentiles did not believe God.

Sin in one’s life keeps him from being a true Jew. And since all Jews and Gentiles sin against God, the only people who are true Jews are born-again Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles.

Jews and Gentiles are alike in sin and in salvation. Romans 3:22-24 says, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. NIV

Notice that the text above shows that Jews and Gentiles are alike in sin. He says that there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile in sin. He says that there is no difference between the races because all have sinned (Romans 3:22-23).

Also, in Romans 3:24 God says that He justifies “all,” both Jews and Gentiles in the same way.

So, a Jew who does not trust in his rightful Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ is not a Jew. We make an idol out of Israel when we believe and teach any doctrine other than that there are two kinds of Jews, saved and unsaved.

Our Lord Jesus said the same in Revelation chapters 2:9 and 3:9.

In Revelation 2:9 Jesus said, “I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.”

TABULAR VIEW OF JESUS’ TEACHING ABOUT UNBELIEVING JEWS     

Revelation 2:9	“I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.”
Revelation 3:9	“Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I love you.”

In Revelation 3:9 He said, “Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars. instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I love you.”

Conclusion: There were those Jews who were persecuting the Christians of two Churches. They claimed to be Jews and they were fleshly descendants of Israel. But Jesus told John to write that they were lying when they said that they were Jews, because they were not true Jews. He said that their Synagogue was the Synagogue of Satan.

And Paul the Apostle, having learned from our Lord Jesus Christ, explained why Jesus said those things. He said that there were two completely different kinds of Israelites.

In our previous prophecy studies, we observed that God’s promises to Israel are null and void if those Israelites do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah. There is no salvation in fleshly Israel. But there is salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote that the only Jew who could rightly call himself a Jew was one who was a Jew in his heart. That means he must be a trusting disciple of Jesus the Messiah. 

Romans 2:28, authored by Paul says, “A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.”

So, Paul believed and taught that the only Jews who were true Jews were Jews who were born-again in Christ.

Our Lord came as a Jew. But He was different from the Jews who insisted that the Romans crucify Him. Only if Jews had Jesus in their hearts were they actual Jews according to Romans 2:28.

TABULAR VIEW OF THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH JEWISH PEOPLE ARE TRUE JEWS

Romans 2:28-29	“A man is not a true Jew because he is one outwardly.” Italics mine
Romans 2:29	“No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit.” NLT
Romans 9:6	“They are not all true Israel which are of national Israel” My italics

Romans 2:29, also written by Paul, says, “No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.”

When God gave prophecy in the Old Testament about the future of the Jews, He factored this truth in. And when we interpret prophecy about Israel in the Old Testament, we must remember that the New Testament makes it clear that true prophetic Jews all have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has a good future for Jews of faith whom He chose individually before He created the world.

He chose many Jews individually before the world began and kept the thought of them in His heart through the millennia. Then, in time, He, at His own good pleasure birthed them and then re-birthed them.

Conclusion: So, Paul taught that there were two distinctly different kinds of Israelites. Some were Israelites in their hearts while others were Israelites only in the flesh. A person who had the flesh of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was not necessarily a true son of the Patriarchs. One had to have the heart of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be a true Israelite. Being born a Jew does not make a person a Jew. Only if he is born-again by the Spirit is he a true Jew. By the Holy Spirit he has the heart of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

And it follows that if any person has Abraham’s spiritual heart, he is a son of Abraham in the purest manner.

Therefore, even Gentiles may be sons of Abraham if they are born again of the Holy Spirit. If one has Abraham’s heart, he is Abraham’s son.

Galatians 3:29 says, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”

Abraham had the heart of faith and obedience to Christ because he, by faith in Christ, had Messiah’s heart.

The Apostle John Wrote that There Are the Same Two Kinds of Israelites (John 1:11-13)

John 1:11 says, “He [Christ] came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

This verse tells us that our Lord Jesus initially came to this world with a ministry to His own people, the Jews.

But most of His own people did not receive Him as the Messiah of Israel.

John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—”

So, we learn that some of the Jews did receive Jesus as their Messiah.

And those Jews who received Him did so by believing in His name.

Further, Jesus granted the right of adoption as sons to those who received Him and believed in His name.

Adoption as sons means that God adopts us into His family.

When you give someone who is already born the right to be your son, you adopt him.

John 1:12 is not about being born again. It is about adoption into God’s family. The next verse speaks of being born into God’s family.

John 1:13 says, “children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.”

John 1:13 speaks of being born again as in John 3:3-8.

So, God not only adopted us as sons as in John 1:12, but He also spiritually generated us into His family as in John 1:13.

We are both born-again and adopted as sons. Yahweh also adopts Jews into His family.

It is a great blessing to be in God’s family due to both new birth and adoption.

Our point here is that there are two kinds of Jews.

There are those Jews who did not receive Jesus or believe on His name. They rejected Him.

But there are many Jews who do receive Christ and believe in Him.

Here we have two unique kinds of Jews.

So, a Jew who is born into Israel needs to be born again into God’s family by faith in Christ.

Being born a Jew does not make you a child of God.

Being born a Jew, births you into the only nation God ever adopted. But it does not give you the right of birth and adoption into God’s family.

Conclude now that John the Apostle taught that there are two kinds of Jews.

One type are Jews who are born into God’s adopted nation, Israel. Nicodemus was born into Israel, but he was not born again into the family of God until He trusted the Lord Jesus as his Messiah. See John Chapter 3.

Far better off are those Jews who are direct children of God by new birth and by adoption.

The difference between these two kinds of Jews is in acceptance or non-acceptance of Jesus Christ as Messiah.

The bottom line is that there are two kinds of Jews, saved and unsaved. This is the same truth that we have seen in each of our Old Testament studies in this prophecy series.

Birth as a Jew puts you into the nation. But rebirth joins you to Jesus Christ, who is God. He is the father of the ultimate nation of Israel, which is the Church.

And when the prophets foretell some blessing for Jews in their distant future, they do not always make the distinction as to whether those Jews have saving faith or not. But it is always there. And you must discern whether the Israel in the prophecy is the saved or the unsaved Jews or both. You use the context of the prophecy and the nature of the prophecy to do that. You also use New Testament quotations of the Old Testament to guide you into understanding the truth. You can do it.

Paul Uses the Two Kinds of Israelites to Defend God’s Justice in His Dealings with Israel (Romans 9:1-33).

The Apostle Paul has Compassion for those Israelites who are only “Fleshly Israelites.” They are those who lack the new birth (Ezekiel 36:26).

Jews of the New Testament did not understand that there were two disparate kinds of Jews in the Bible. They believed that there was only one kind of Israelite. So, they were very jealous of the word “Israel” in the Scriptures. They rejected the teaching of the two kinds of Jews. They rejected the teaching of Jesus and the apostles that there were saved and unsaved people of Israel. So, when God said in Romans 9:6 that all who descend from Israel are not true Israel, they rejected that teaching. They knew nothing of born-again Jews and justified Jews. They berated the Christian teaching, thinking that if God rejected any Jews, He must have rejected them all. So, Paul used the truth of two kinds of Israelites (saved and lost) to defend God’s justice in His dealings with Israel.

Romans 9:1-5 says, “I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit. 2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise. Amen.”

You can tell from the above that Paul believed he was like the unbelieving Jews but different from them at the same time. He was like them in the flesh. But since God birthed him again, he was like Christ in his heart.

He did not become perfectly like Christ by new birth. But he did, as a babe in Christ become like Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1; Hebrews 5:13).

Paul was like the unbelieving Jews in the flesh. He was still a Jew by heritage. But he was not like them spiritually and he longed for them to be like him. (Please note that all the writers of the New Testament except one, were Jews by heritage but Christians by faith.)

Paul loved his unbelieving fellow Jews so much that he says that he could wish (if it were the will of God) for God to curse him in place of them. He knows that God will not do this. So, instead of using the word “wish,” Paul uses “could wish.” Paul so has the heart of God that he wishes, had not evil men crucified Christ, that he could die in their place.

Being cursed for his people is what Jesus did for us, but Paul cannot substitute his death for those Israelites that he loves.

It is not correct to call a believing Israelite a Jew. He is a Jew in the physical sense, but not in the spiritual sense. He is a Christian.

Paul has great compassion for those Israelites who are his flesh and blood.

He wants the Churches at Rome to understand that he has no vendetta against Israel.

He also wants the Jewish enemies of the Gospel to know that Christians have no animosity toward Israel. Christians love Jews. It is an expression of compassion to tell them the truth about their Messiah Jesus.

The very act of preaching the Gospel to the Jews embodies compassion. One who does it in the First Century, risks his life because of Jewish hatred for Christians. Read Acts 14:19-20.

Paul says he has unceasing anguish in his heart for them.

But the people for whom he has such continuous grief do not have the same kind of heart that he has. They are as different from Paul as Ishmael was unlike Isaac.

TABULAR VIEW OF THE CHARACTERS OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC

Ishmael	Genesis 16:12 says, “He [Ishmael] will be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”
Isaac	Genesis 26:12-22 shows that Isaac was exceedingly humble and meek. Yet he was the most wealthy man in Gerar.

In their hearts these Jews had murderous thoughts about our Lord and all His people. They wished Paul dead while Paul wished for them to turn to our Lord Jesus for salvation before it was too late.

Our Lord Jesus explained what their hearts were like in John 8:37-44. See above.

And Paul said that if they were not Israelites in their hearts, they were not true Israelites. See above.

Romans 9:4b-5 says, “Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.”

Note that all Israelites, whether inner or outer Israelites, had great advantages over the world of Gentiles.

Israel was the only nation in the world that God adopted as His own nation. However, when God gave Israel the right of sonship as a nation, He did not save the souls of individual Jews. So, if Israelites were idol worshippers prior to God adopting them, most of them were still idol worshippers after He adopted their nation.

There is a difference between God’s incorporation of Israel as His “son” nation, and God’s adoption of a Christian as his son in Christ.

TABULAR VIEW OF GOD’S ADOPTION OF ISRAEL WITH HIS ADOPTION OF A CHRISTIAN 

When God adopted Israel as His nation	They became His son nation (Hosea 11:1; Deuteronomy 7:7-8)	But like all nations they still were a nation of saved and unsaved people.
When God adopts any person into His family in Christ	That person becomes a holy son of God.	Once holy is always holy.

God adopted Israel as His son nation, but He did not adopt them in Christ. He adopted their nation (Deuteronomy 7:7-8). He adopted them as the physical descendants of Abraham as a nation. He thus adopted them “in Abraham.” Then He made the true sons of Abraham His adopted nation in New Testament times (1 Peter 2:9).

When God adopted Israel from Egypt, evaluated them in the wilderness, and gave them the Law of Moses, He adopted an extremely sinful population. In Egypt most of them were idolators (Joshua 24:14).

Joshua 24:14 says, “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve (Yahweh) the LORD.” Brackets mine. Notice that they worshipped idols in Egypt and in the lands east of the Euphrates River.

There were, however, revivals of faith in Israel. The generation that conquered Canaan under Joshua believed God.

So, the tests God gave to Israel in the wilderness were evangelical. He was wooing them to Himself for salvation. But only a few were like Joshua and Caleb, who had evidence of personal saving faith (Numbers 14:10-11, 38)

God adopted Abraham’s descendants as His nation. Nearly all the descendants were sons of Abraham physically. Only a few of the Israelites of the Exodus believed God with saving faith. Most of them were idol worshippers. They had no faith in their hearts. They did not know of personal salvation in Yahweh. God had adopted the nation of Israel corporately, regardless of whether individuals believed or not.

God did not adopt the nation of Israel until the Exodus from Egypt. He adopted them as His “son” nation. God called the whole nation of Israel His son (Hosea 11:1; Deuteronomy 7:7-8).

Hosea 11:1 says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.”

Israel was a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Person who fulfilled Hosea 11:1.

Paul says that national Israel had all the benefits and privileges. They were the only nation that had the pillar of cloud and fire leading them. God made major covenants with them. Only Israel had the Law, the Temple worship, the promises, and the patriarchs. And no other nation can claim that Messiah came from them (Romans 9:1-5).

One reason Paul was so concerned for Israel is that God gave them all these privileges, yet they rebelled against Him. With great privilege comes huge responsibility to God.

The Apostle Paul speaks of “Israel after the flesh.” See the following exposition of Romans 9:6.

NOT ALL DESCENDANTS FROM ISRAEL ARE ISRAEL.

Romans 9:6 says, “It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who descend from Israel are Israel.”

TABULAR VIEW OF NATIONAL AND TRUE ISRAEL

National Israel	True Israel
Born as Israelites	Born again in Christ
Elected corporately as a nation.	Elected individually in Christ the new Nation.
Example: The Exodus Generation	Examples: God chose Abraham, Isaac, Jacob & Nicodemus individually in Christ.
Consists of all Jacob’s descendants whether believing or not.	Chosen Jews & Gentiles whom God saved by faith in Christ (Galatians 3:29).
Adopted as a nation.	Adopted as individuals in Christ.
Rebelled against God in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:5).	Trusted God in the wilderness (Numbers 14:23-24).
Rejected Christ & demanded His crucifixion	Received Christ (John 1:11-13).
Said they were Jews but were not (Revelation 2:9; 3:9).	They are the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).
They are Abraham’s descendants (John 8:37) but not Abraham’s true descendants (John 8:39).	All who have faith, whether Jew or Gentile, are Abraham’s true descendants (Galatians 3:29; Romans 11:7).
Children of the devil (John 8:44)	Children of God (John 1:11-13)
National Israel (Romans 9:6) They are not all trueIsrael which are of national Israel.	True Israel (Romans 9:6) “They are not all true Israel which are of national Israel.”
“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly(Romans 2:28).	“A man is a true Jew if he is one inwardly (Romans 2:29).

Paul believes that he must explain who Israel is to answer the Jewish charge that Christians are saying that the promises that God made to the Patriarchs are no longer valid. So, he writes, “It is not as though God’s word has failed” (Romans 9:6).

Paul answers this charge by saying that Christ and the Church are the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Patriarchs.

Notice that Paul never makes the point that someday in the future God will re-establish Israel into the Israel that she was in Old Testament times.

Rather, the Apostle explains that God chose all the original true sons of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs individually. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah all knew Yahweh by faith. God chose all of them.

So, rather than the Church replacing Israel as some say,[1] Paul’s point is that the Church is the Israel of prophecy.

Read Romans 9:6 carefully.

Once again, Romans 9:6 opens by saying, “It is not as though God’s word has failed.”

The “word of God” in this text refers to His promise to Abraham that he and his seed would have both a temporal and an eternal inheritance. God promised Abraham that he and his seed would inherit both Canaan under Moses’ leadership and the Heavenly places under Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3, 20; 2:6).

Christians own all things according to 1 Corinthians 3:21 which says, “Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours,” God is fulfilling the eternal promise of Jewish inheritance in the Church.

The “all things” of this context include the following quote, “whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you” (1 Corinthians 3:21). 

At His ascension our Lord became King of the world of saints (Revelation 3:21).  And Christians reign with Christ now (Romans 5:17).

Since our Lord Jesus inherited everything; and since we are joint heirs with Him,[2] Christians inherit all things with Him (Romans 8:17).

Romans 5:17 says, “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive an abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Romans 4:13 says, “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”

The “righteousness that comes by faith” in Romans 4:13 is justification by means of faith in Messiah Jesus.

And “Justification by faith” is a spiritual truth.

God fulfills Inheriting the world in the same manner that He fulfills “The meek shall inherit the earth.”

Inheritors of the world become meek by being born again by faith in Christ. We are not fleshly kings, but God does cause all things to serve us (1 Corinthians 3:21).

Since the word of promise comes to us through the righteousness that comes by faith, Christians inherit the world through faith.

So, we through the Gospel become heirs of the world. Abraham and his true sons are inheriting the world now. We stand before God in the righteousness of Christ. And God makes all things to serve us (Romans 4:13; 8:28).

Even in the Old Testament times God said that sinners must be cut off from Israel. See Numbers 9:13; 26:30-31; 19:30-31). Since sinners were excommunicated from Israel, God’s word of promise did not include those who never repented and turned to God. But that did not void His promise to the true Israelites.

Psalm 37:9 says, “For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”

Psalm 37:9 “For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”[3]

God’s word of promise never included sinful Israelites.

Abraham and his seed are inheriting the world now. Romans 4:13 says, “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” ESV

God created Israel after the flesh by the ceremonial law of Moses. So, when that ceremonial law passed away, Israel after the flesh also passed away. See Hebrews 8:13.

Israel’s great sin against God is not the failure of God’s word of promise that He spoke to them. That is the Holy Spirit’s meaning in Romans 9:6 when He says, “It is not as though God’s word has failed.”

When the Apostle says, “Not all who descend from Israel are Israel,” he is explaining what he wrote in Romans 2:28.

Romans 2:28 says, “A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical…”

Now he says, “Not all who descend from Israel are Israel” (Romans 9:6).

TABULAR VIEW OF ROMANS 2:28-29 & 9:6

Romans 2:28-29	Romans 9:6
He is not a true Jew because he is one outwardly. He is a true Jew because he is one inwardly. Romans 2:28-29	They are not all true Israel which are of national Israel Romans 9:6 Italics mine.

When you read Romans 9:6 remember that Paul thinks that you have already read Romans 2:28-29. Romans is a letter, and you read a letter from the first to the last.

So, true Israelites are Israelites of the heart. They do not have hearts of murder.

True Israelites love God and trust Him. Israelites who trust God are Israelites of the heart.

Israelites of the heart accepted their rightful Messiah when He came.

Israelites who were only fleshly Israelites insisted on the crucifixion of their Messiah.

So, the Apostle Paul is defending God’s actions against the Jewish charge that Christians believe that God has replaced His promises to Israel.[4] He points out that there are two kinds of Israelites. God originally intends His eternal promises to true Israelites, not false ones. All who descend from Israel are not true Israelites. And the Church consists of the true Israelites, whether Jews or Gentiles. Christ, the ultimate seed of Israel is the cornerstone of the Church. Everyone else connects to Him by faith. That is, the Church consists of true Israelites provided that those members are born-again. Our Lord Jesus is the true Israel. Jews can connect to Him by faith if they want.

Abraham Sired Two Kinds of Sons (Romans 9:7-10)

Romans 9:7 says, “Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned” (Genesis 21:12).

This verse goes back into Abraham’s family to reveal what kind of sons Abraham had.

Some of Abraham’s issue were not his sons. If they were His true children, they would be like Abraham in their hearts, not just in the flesh. 

God predestined Isaac to be Abraham’s only authentic son.

Before Isaac’s birth, God promised Abraham that Sarah would conceive by Abraham and bear a son, and that his name would be Isaac. 

Abraham believed God’s promise, which proved that Abraham had the kind of heart that all true Israelites possess. He had a believing heart.

Notice that in Romans 9:7 God contrasts Abraham’s unsaved descendant with his true son Isaac (Genesis 21:12).

So, if a descendant is only a fleshly descendant of Israel, he is not, in fact, an Israelite. God must plan, prepare, and rebirth them into true Jewishness.

TABULAR VIEW OF THE ELECTION OF ISAAC AND THE ELECTION OF JACOB        

Exhibit A	Exhibit B
God chose Isaac.	God chose Jacob
Abraham wanted God to choose the older son, Ishmael (Genesis 17:18).	Isaac wanted God to choose the older twin before the birth so that His purpose in Election might stand (Romans 9:11).
God promised a miracle birth via Sarah, who could not have children. She was twice barren (Genesis 16:1; Romans 4:19).	God selected the younger twin before the birth so that His purpose in Election might stand (Romans 9:11).
“Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” 8So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. 9For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son” (Romans 9:7-9).	Romans 9:10-13 says, “Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. 11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, 12not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ 13So it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’”

Romans 9:8 says, “So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.” In Romans 9:8 Paul quotes Genesis 21:12 as follows:

Genesis 21:12 says, “But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” NIV 

TABULAR VIEW OF THE TRUE & FALSE SONS OF ABRAHAM FROM THE VERY FIRST

Ishmael	Not a true son of Abraham	God did not choose him to be a son of Abraham.	“Do not be so distressed about the boy…” [Ishmael] Genesis 21:12
Isaac	A true son of Abraham	God predestined him by name before his birth.	“…Because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned” (Genesis 21:12).

Here we have a prophecy. God foretells Isaac’s name, Isaac. God predestines a miracle birth for Isaac since Abraham had a decrepit body and Sarah’s womb had died (Romans 4:19).

The children of the flesh in Romans 9:8 are the physical descendants of Abraham. They are not Abraham’s true sons. They are only his fleshly descendants. They are not his sons in the true sense of the word. They do not have Abraham’s heart of faith. So, they are not sons of God. See Romans 9:8.[5]

But God said that Abraham will sire a son named Isaac and Sarah will conceive him, even though Sarah was past child-bearing age and was barren all her life prior to this miracle conception.

And Abraham, being about 100 years of age believed God, that he would beget a son, not just a descendant.

Romans 4:19 says, “Without weakening in his faith, he [Abraham] acknowledged that his body was decrepit.” He also did not let Sarah’s dead womb keep him from believing God about the birth.” Brackets mine.

God, through miracles upon both parents, gave them a true son, whom He named Isaac.

Notice that the children of the promise are the offspring. The true son is not the fleshly descendant named Ishmael that Abraham sired through the Egyptian slave prior to this.

So, now we see that a true Jewish son has Abraham’s heart of faith.

And Romans 9:8 says the same about the two kinds of Abraham’s descendants.

Abraham had been an idol worshipper prior to God making promises to him (Nehemiah 9:7). But upon hearing God’s promises, he believed them because God conveyed them into his heart. Abraham believed that God would and could perform miracles and give him a true son. And God did it.

Abraham sired an offspring, or a son. As such, Isaac was a true son, in that his heart was the same as that of Abraham.

Abraham’s other seed’s name was Ishmael. Ishmael was only a descendant, not a son. He did not have Abraham’s heart.

So, we see that, with Ishmael and Isaac, Abraham first produced a child from his flesh only. Then he fathered a son from both his body and his spiritual heart. So, Isaac was like Abraham in both flesh and spirit.

But Isaac did not receive his heart of faith until he heard and believed. James 1:18 says, “Of his own will he [God] brought us forth by the word of truth…” Brackets mine.

These are the two kinds of Israelites that existed in Israel during their entire history and even in the New Testament times. This began in the lives of the first two descendants of Abraham: Ishmael, and Isaac.

TABULAR VIEW OF THE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM/HAGAR AND ABRAHAM/SARAH 

The first Israelite descendant was Ishmael via Hagar the law covenant.	Ishmael was not saved. He was only a seed of Abraham & not a true son of Abraham.	In the allegory or illustration Ishmael represents the unsaved Jews whose capital city was Jerusalem below (Galatians 4:25). They descend from Patriarchs but are not born from above. Their Law covenant is from Mount Sinai and Hagar represents their covenant (Galatians 4:24-25). Ishmael was flesh born only.
The second Israelite descendant was Isaac via Sarah the promise covenant.	God saved Isaac by grace through faith, so Isaac was a son of God.	In the allegory or illustration Isaac represents the saved OT & NT Jews whose capital is the Jerusalem above. Read Galatians 4:21-31. Their covenant promise is from Jerusalem above (Galatians 4:28-31). Sarah represents their covenant (Galatians 4:26-31).[6] Isaac was Spirit born (Galatians 3:14). The blessing of Abraham includes the Holy Spirit for both Jews and Gentiles.

[6] A covenant is simply a promise which is confirmed by a ceremony or guarantee.

So, no Israelite who is born only in the natural way, is what God considers a Jew to be. God must birth him again after his physical birth, when he is old enough to believe or not believe. Gentile children have this same experience. 

Notice that Romans 9:8 says, “it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children.”

So, Abraham’s true son Isaac was not only Abraham’s son, but Isaac was also God’s son (Romans 9:8). So, we are speaking of the salvation of Isaac in Romans 9:7-9, not exclusively his birth into the nation of Israel.

This is conclusive proof that Isaac was a born-again or spiritual son of Abraham. 

Isaac was not merely a child of the flesh as some say.

Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Hagar, and Ishmael are an allegory. In the illustration, Abraham pictures God. Sarah represents God’s grace. Isaac is a type of a believing son born-again by grace through faith. Hagar is a type of Moses’ covenant. Ishmael is a type of the Israelites who are only flesh born.[6] For this please read Galatians 4:21-31.

Romans 9:9 says, “For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

Genesis 18:10 says, “…I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son…”

God did return to Abraham and Sarah. And Sarah did deliver a son as God said.

Notice that Isaac was not only a descendant and an infant. He was a son. God guaranteed that he would later cause Isaac to be born-again by grace through faith.

TABULAR VIEW OF GOD SAVING ISAAC FROM SIN

So, God promised Abraham that He would save this son by Sarah (grace) through faith. Ephesians 2:8-9.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.”

God performed miracles upon Sarah and upon Abraham.

And Abraham this time fathered a son. not simply a descendant, as it was in Ishmael’s life.

Abraham spawned the son by Sarah, who, in the allegory, represents grace. Isaac was a true son of Abraham, who in the illustration represents God.[7] So, Isaac was born of God by grace through faith. He pictured all born-again Christians. Further, the miracle upon Sarah prefigured the virgin birth of Christ.

Therefore, John, in 1 John 2:1 called his church members his little children. It was because he led them to the Lord and became their spiritual father. Their ultimate spiritual Father is God.

And it is the reason that Paul said that he had begotten the Corinthians through the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 4:15 says, “Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Gospel.”

In Romans 9:7-9 Paul points out that a child is not necessarily a son. The Apostle is teaching the truth about Jewish children being of two kinds. He uses this later in his defense of God’s ways with the Jews. And it is crucial to Bible prophecy.

Paul will tell the Jews that they are not authentic sons of Abraham unless they have Abraham’s heart. And if they have Abraham’s heart they will recognize and accept Jesus as their Messiah. See John 8:56.

And from Romans 9:8 coupled with Galatians 4:21-31 we learn that any genuine Israelite is a son of God. This is because Abraham and his family are types of the Messiah and His saints.

Isaac, the second of the patriarchs also sired two distinct kinds of children, Jacob and Esau (Romans 9:10-11).

Romans 9:10 says, “Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.”

Rebecca, Isaac’s wife was the second Matriarch.  

Rebecca conceived and gave birth to twins whose names were Esau the oldest, and Jacob, the youngest.

TABULAR VIEW OF ESAU AND JACOB  

Esau the oldest seed	Jacob the youngest twin
Favored by his father.	Favored by God and his mother (Genesis 25:23)
The profane descendant who does not care about the things of God (Hebrews 12:16-17).	The chosen son who must fight and persevere to get God’s blessing (Genesis 32:26-28).
Appears to be morally superior but is not.	Buys his brother’s birthright for almost nothing. Deceives his blind father to get his blessing.
Never met the Pre-Incarnate Christ, the Angel of Yahweh in Scripture.	Wrestles with the Pre-Incarnate Christ, clings to Him to get His blessing and gets it.

Romans 9:11-12 says, “Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, 12not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ 13So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

TABULAR VIEW OF THE ELECTION OF THE PATRIARCHS AND THE MATRIARCHS

Chosen Person	Quoted Scripture
Abraham (Nehemiah 9:7)	“You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.”
Sarah (Genesis17:15-16)	“Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. 16And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.” NIV
Isaac (Genesis 17:19)	“But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”
Rebecca (Genesis 24:14c)	“May it be that when I say to a young woman, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'--let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.” NIV
Jacob Genesis 25:23	“and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
Leah Genesis 40:31	“There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah.”

God was not content to illustrate the births of His spiritual sons using Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Hagar, and Ishmael.

He extended the allegory, including Isaac and Rebecca’s twins, Esau, and Jacob as well.

Before Isaac’s twins were born, they had no opportunity to do good or bad. It was before their births that God chose the youngest rather than the eldest twin to inherit everything that Isaac possessed. The chief inheritance that Jacob received was Isaac’s heart. Jacob was not only Isaac’s son in the flesh, but he was Isaac’s eternal son as well. Jacob inherited Isaac’s eternal heart and life.[8]

Of course, it was necessary for Jacob to believe on Christ to have everlasting life, but he received that eternal life when he wrestled with the Lord Jesus Christ and won.[9] God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel,” which means, “One who prevails with God.” See Genesis 32:28

The reason God did it in that manner was so that people might understand His plan of election. God reserved the right to choose which of the twins would be a true son of Isaac and which He would leave as only a descendant. When God elects a person unto salvation, He chooses him.

Here we have the two aspects of salvation by grace. To understand this, please notice below:

God explains His grace in salvation to us in two phases. It is the same grace, but He uses the word two separate ways.

God’s first usage of grace in a person’s life is the grace of election (Romans 11:5). Grace is “favor.” And, of course, favor is always unmerited because God in grace chose Jacob, the second born twin. 

But grace does not stop with the choice of Jacob over Esau.

God’s second usage of grace in a person’s life is the grace of the second birth. James 1:18 says, “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth…”

Remember that Sarah represents the grace covenant.

Galatians 4:24 says, “the women represent two covenants…” The two main covenants of the Bible are law and grace. The first covenant is law according to Galatians 4:24.

Then John 1:17 says that “the law came by Moses, but grace came by Jesus Christ.” Hagar is the first of the two covenants. So, Sarah must represent the grace covenant.  

Galatians 2:21 expresses the theme of Galatians as follows, “I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.”

So, Galatians contrasts Law and Grace all through the Epistle. That proves that the two covenants of Galatians 4:24 are Law and Grace.

Romans 9:12 says, “not by works but by him who calls—she [Rebecca] was told, “The older will serve the younger.” So, the oldest twin Esau served the youngest twin, Jacob. Brackets mine.

Recall that the previous context of Romans 9:12 is about salvation. See on Romans 9:6-9.

Nothing in the context is about service except for service in Romans 9:12. Please see the explanation of the reason that “serve” is in Romans 9:12 while reading on.

Paul grieves over the unsaved portion of Israel. He says he could wish that he might take God’s curse for the Jews (Romans 9:1-5).

He says in Romans 9:6 that all descendants of Israel are not Israel. And he shows that Isaac, an object of God’s grace was both Abraham’s true son and God’s son (Romans 9:7-9). So, the discussion about Isaac was Isaac’s election and miraculous birth, which foreshadows the new birth for the Christian.

Finally, in the same context there was the promise of God to Rebecca that the eldest twin would serve the youngest one. Jacob would be the one who would be joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) both on earth and at God’s final judgment (Romans 8:17).

The service in Romans 9:12 results from Jacob being saved while Esau wants nothing to do with God. Esau believed, and never served God.[10]

Romans 9:12-13 says, “not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

The patriarchs and their families were illustrations of God and His seed and sons.

In the illustration, Abraham represents God. Sarah, the mother, represents Grace (as in ‘elected and saved by grace’). Isaac represents all Jews throughout history whom God has saved. God first selects them and then regenerates them by grace through faith. So, there is no contradiction between election and the responsibility to turn away from sin and believe on Christ.

Abraham’s saved son Isaac is like him in heart as well as in body. Ishmael represents Abraham’s seed who do not have Abraham’s heart. And Ishmael represents unsaved Jews who try to gain salvation by keeping the law. If they are not born again, they will try to acquire God’s favor by works of righteousness rather than by trusting God for His righteousness.  See Galatians 4:21-31 and Romans 10:1-5.

“Jacob, I loved but Esau I hated.”

God loved both Jacob and Esau in a general sense. See Matthew 5:43-44.

For God to love Jacob means to do much good for him. Our Lord Jesus died for Jacob. That is the greatest gift.

To hate Esau means for God to do (comparatively speaking) extraordinarily little for Esau. God ignored Esau but still providentially cared for him.

In the practical outworking of His great love, God gave far more gifts to Jacob than He gave to Esau. See Malachi 1:2-3. God providentially let Jacob get the birthright. He knew that Esau, a profane man despised the birthright and everything that God might give him.

Then God providentially maneuvered the blessing so that Isaac blessed Jacob rather than Esau. This blessing from Isaac was God’s blessing upon Jacob instead of Esau. 

God chose Jacob to live in the land of Canaan, which represented Heaven.

Esau did not inherit even one square inch of the Land.

God never justified Esau or sanctified him. Esau, like Ishmael did not have his father’s heart. And in the allegory of Galatians 4:21-31, Father Abraham represented God.

Hebrews 12:16-17 says, “See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright. 17For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.”

So, Esau never turned away from idolatry, and he never came to faith in Yahweh.

Esau loved his sin. He had two idol worshipping Hittite wives who grieved Isaac and Rebecca (Genesis 26:34).

So, both Ishmael and Esau represent all the descendants of Abraham who do not have the hearts of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The bottom line is that Ishmael and Esau represent the unsaved seed of Abraham, while Isaac and Jacob prefigure all the descendants of Abraham who believe God. They also prefigure our Lord Christ.

In that sense, Ishmael and Esau are figures of the fleshly descendants of Abraham.

Isaac and Jacob represent born-again sons of Abraham.

Throughout the history of Israel, there were two Israel’s. One of them consisted of believers in Messiah, while the other did not. The believers were those whom God saved by grace, while the unbelievers were simply descendants of Adam and Abraham.

Israel is like a cocoanut. The outer part is rough and not inviting. But the good substance is inside. There was a godly remnant inside outer Israel (Romans 2:28-29).

Abraham represents God in the analogy. Isaac, and Jacob picture sons of God. They both have new birth unto eternal life.

God gave saving faith to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the grace of election and by the same grace which causes faith and regeneration via the preaching of God’s word (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Our Lord Jesus affirmed that all three patriarchs had everlasting life while they dwelt on the earth. In Matthew 22:31-32 Jesus says that the three Patriarchs still have everlasting life as follows,

“But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you: 32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

Even while the Patriarchs lived on earth, they had everlasting life. God was their God.

If you become confused about this, read Galatians 4:21-31. It explains this allegorical matter.

The election part of it is that God chose Isaac and Jacob to be His sons. He chose all His sons who are in the remnant of Israel. Romans 11:5 says, “In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.”  

As Romans 10 says, one must believe the Gospel to be a son of God. But he will not believe God unless God chooses him and gives him life through His word. No descendant of Adam except for those whom God chose will believe. Their minds, emotions, and wills are in bondage to sin. They desperately need grace. When they believe the Gospel, it proves that God has chosen them. So, God’s election and His demand that we believe the Gospel seem to contradict each other. On one hand God chooses His people, but on the other hand, God says, Whosoever will, may come. Both are true.

However, when we preach the Gospel, God is using us to convert those who hear the Word. If God rebirths them, the Holy Spirit gives them faith that never leaves them.

And it is because of election that Paul goes into his next point, Romans 9:14-23, which is the defense of God’s ways in selecting His remnant of the Jews and of the Gentiles. If unconditional election were not true, Romans 9:14-23 would be unnecessary.

But please in private studies read Romans 9:14-23 and see what you think the Holy Spirit is saying. But remember, it is a sin against God to misinterpret any verse of the Bible. And do not try to please men because the main reason for misinterpreting Scripture is our craving to please men.

Jesus said, “No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.” John 5:44 NLT

NOTES

[1] https://heidelblog.net/2013/08/covenant-theology-is-not-replacement-theology/

[2] Romans 8:17 says, “And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

[3] Hebrews 3:16-19 says, “For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? 19So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.”

[4] https://heidelblog.net/2013/08/covenant-theology-is-not-replacement-theology/ 

[5] Romans 9:8 says, “In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.”

[6] Galatians 4:21-31 says, “Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.b 23His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise. 24These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” 28Now you,d brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.  30But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.” 

[7] Isaiah 9:6 says, “or to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The sense in which our Lord Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” is that He is the head of the new race. He is the second Adam spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:47-49 as follows, “The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.”

[8] Actually Jacob inherited Isaac’s heart as follows: Isaac believed on the Angel of Yahweh, who is Jesus Christ. Therefore, he was born-again. Jacob had the same experience, receiving his new heart from Christ. So, Jacob did receive his father’s heart in substance. But it came from Jesus.

[9] Genesis 32:28 says, “Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.” The man with whom he struggled had the promises that God had made to Rebecca concerning Jacob. The reason that God blessed Jacob with salvation rather than Esau is in 1 Corinthians 1:28-29, which says, “He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast in His presence.” Jacob, the second born was the lowly twin. And God proved that there was nothing in Jacob that caused God to choose him for salvation: God chose him totally by grace and regenerated him exclusively by that same grace through faith. Jacob wrestled with the pre-incarnate Christ to get the promises. As such, Jacob was a type of all those who wrestle with the Lord to personally affirm God’s promises for themselves. The wrestling represents the rigors of coming to faith in Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”

[10] There is a teaching by some Christians that God saved Esau when he ate the red lentil stew that Jacob gave to him, and that his descendants served God much later in history. But when Paul taught that all things belong to Christians and work together for good for the Christians, perhaps it explains the sense that Esau served Jacob. Esau served Jacob in one sense by departing from the promised land. And Jacob prevailed with men and with God by persevering in faith to receive God’s blessing. And he got it (Genesis 32:28). Later Jacob struggled with Esau in Esau’s murderous rage, and in that sense, Esau served him. Jacob had learned the spiritual art of pacifying those who persecute us for our faith.