Malachi 1:1-5 For Israel
God made His choice between the two brothers of Issacs. He chose Jacob as His own. Esau was rejected. The nations that sprang from each would continue that choosing.
God KNEW before He even called Abram His won what would come of that choosing. He KNEW who would honor Him and who would reject Him. He even told Rebecca, while she was pregnant with the twin brothers, that Jacob would be His over Esau.
My bible helps tells me that the words “loves” and “hates” means “chooses” and “rejects” in our language. Even Israel was told not to take vengeance on Edom for they were ‘brothers’. God would handle any ‘vengeance’ that needed to be rendered from later interactions between the two nations.
When I was thinking about the reunion between the two brothers, I thought that Esau had told Jacob that God had blessed him too, but he didn’t. When Jacob wanted to give Esau a gift from the wealth he had accumulated, he tied it directly to the Lord’s favor on him. Esau initially refused because, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself” (Genesis 33:9). Esau didn’t credit his fortunes to God’s favor.
Jacob received what he wanted most from Esau though; his forgiveness and acceptance. Jacob came to Esau to make peace with him that would extend to his entire family. Generations later, that peace was a strained relationship. Israel was instructed to treat Edom as brothers, even when Edom didn’t treat Israel as such. God would judge that difference; NOT Israel.
I wonder what would have happened if Edom had treated Israel the way God told Israel to treat Edom. Would He have folded the two into one people? Would He have shown compassion to Edom? There is no telling what ‘could have been’.
Through Jesus’ work on the cross, ALL are welcomed as brothers; who surrender their lives to Him. There is no longer a national divide. Only a divide made by our choice; the choice to accept His gift of grace and substitution work for our sins.
Something else that interests me is that God sent Malachi to “Israel”, not “Judah”. At first, I wondered if this was written when the two kingdoms still existed, but found that it wasn’t. By God’s use of the name of Israel, we see that HE has already ‘mended’ the rift that divided the two countries. Even though only 2 ½ tribes returned, God called it complete as Israel. He didn’t call it Judah; a portion of the whole. God saw them, AND called them, as HE would one day restore them.
God promised Israel, who had been punished severely, that He STILL loved them and STILL chose them as His own. He promised that He would protect them and that He would tear down what those who stood against them built. Edom was eventually destroyed and their heritage as a nation no longer exists. Even with the challenges Israel faced, God KEEEPS putting her back together. Even Hitler’s genocidal reign of terror couldn’t wipe Israel from the face of history.
I will rest secure in God’s promise of protection, no matter what comes my way. I KNOW that He has chosen me as His child. Whatever the world throws at me, it can’t take me from His plan for my life. He CHOSE ME! And I KNOW He will walk with me EVERY step of the way.
Father God, THANK YOU for choosing me! THANK YOU for ALL Your blessings in my life. THANK YOU for ALL the lessons too. For I know that these have shaped me into the woman You created me to be. I KNOW I still have a LOT of growing left before we meet face-to-face. Keep me ever pressing into You and what You have for me.
