COSC2U2@uhvax1.uh.edu (08/19/89)
The moderator writes: > . . . > Rom 9:13 does quote Mal 1:3, where the > Lord says he hates Esau. --clh] Actually, the Lord doesn't hate Esau. Esau WAS NOT a total washout. The Lord PREFERRED Jacob to Esau ! (This is a Hebraism used to express preference) [Yes, I am yanking a quote out of context, but I have a good reason.] What did Esau inherit? He was the grandfather of Kennaz, father of the Kennazites, the most famous of which was Caleb. Caleb became the father of the Carmelite Jews. Esau also fathered the nation of Edom, whose members had the right to join an assembly of Yaweh (The Egyptians had to wait 3 generations, were not nearly so favored). True, Esau had his dark side, and fathered the Amelekites who had to be anihilated. By an large, Esau/Edom was not particularly cursed until Obadiah. Even then, God promised that a remnant of them would be spared near the end of Amos (Be careful here, some Septuagint-based translations will say instead that a remnant of Mankind will be spared. I am very fond of the Septuagint, but I think the context will make it clear that it errs here). The Edomite Royal line marries the single surviving female of the Macabee High Priestly line. With the represenative of the Davidian Royal line being deported shortly after and probably because of Haggai several decades before, the Herodian descendants become the Kings of Israel. Yes, Esau even inherits the Kingship of Israel, albeit a wicked dynasty. Of course, the Herods force assimilation of the Edomites by the Jews, ending the Edomite nation. Nothing was recorded of them after Titus. What is the point? The blessings of a man in Esau's time period, aside from possesions, etc., were the fortunes of his descendants. Esau came up loser relative to Jacob. Esau, when compared to other people, comes up winner. When compared to Reuben or Simeon, what happens? Reuben, who committed incest with his half-mother, looses the Priesthood (which goes to Levi), the double share of property (which goes to Joseph), the Leadership Authority (which goes to Benjamin for a time, and eventually to Judah and Joseph), and the Messiah (to Judah). Reuben will always be first, but never foremost. Reuben is the first to be deported (I Chronicles 5), and remains near a river in Armenia where "he still remains". If Reuben is to be first, this did not confer any benifit to the persecuted Armenians (assuming that the Reubenites became Armenians, not really a necessary article of faith) in World War I, possibly foreshadowing the Jewish Persecution of World War II, but not being foremost may be a blessing in these circumstances. Even less good, though fortunately less evil, came of Simeon. Simeon, with his brother Levi, massacred a whole town, where Billy the Kid would have been content just to panic a town. The descendants of Simeon were scattered throughout Judah. Their only blessing is to survive submerged in the tribe of Judah. Simeon lost everything that Reuben lost because of his murders, i.e., property, Priesthood, etc. Next time you hear Esau being harshly judged, remember that he did forgive his brother when his brother had difficulty forgiving himself. Granted, he did not value his birthright above a bowl of lentil soup. Still, he does not deserve total contempt for this. Did he not get more consideration than two of the sons of Jacob? Is not Forgiveness essential to the Christian Religion? --ceb