How could God hate Esau before he was born?
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Romans 9:13-15
The purpose of Romans 9 is to show God’s prerogative in choosing his own plan of salvation.
Romans 9:11-12 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
If the law were kept, the younger would serve the elder. God manifested that salvation was not according to the law, but by his will, it was his prerogative to choose the younger over the elder. Verse 13 on the other hand was not said before they were born, but many years after it was written in Malachi.
Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Malachi 1:2-3 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, 3And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
Hebrews 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Again, if was God exercising his prerogative though not without reason.
“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion”, With God’s declaration that salvation was not according to the works of man came the question in the minds of men, is there unrighteousness in God not judging and saving men according to their works?
Romans 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
The Lord continues with the rest of the chapter explaining that it is his prerogative and his alone on whom he will have mercy and compassion.
Calvinists interpret this as individual predestination from before the foundation of the world. I must assume that they never read the rest of the chapter. The plan of salvation that God has chosen is given in the last four verses.
Romans 9:30-33 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
“Whosoever believeth on him” is God’s chosen method of salvation.
Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Of course, the him is Jesus Christ.
Romans 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
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