Scripture Reading: Malachi 1:2-4
“’I have loved you,’” says the LORD. But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ ‘Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ the LORD says. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals. Though [impoverished] Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins.” Thus says the Lord of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the Wicked Territory, the people against whom the Lord is indignant forever.”
This portion of scripture is mentioned in Romans 9:13. In most bible translations the word ‘loved’ and ‘hated’ are used. It is only the New Living Translation that replaces the word ‘hated’ for ‘rejected’. What can we learn from this portion of Scriptures?
1. The Position of Esau
YHWH here is declaring that he loved Jacob but hated Esau. There are a few things we can gather from this statement.
Firstly we must understand that Esau and Jacob are twins; children of the Patriarch Isaac and both heirs of the promise. So here we are dealing with seeds of the promised inheritance. Esau is not a gentile. Not a child of the devil. YHWH has made it very clear here concerning Esau; ‘was not Esau, Jacob’s brother?’ So they are twins; brothers. In the church today, we are all children of God, when we received Christ as our personal savior. Like what Pastor Lily shared last Sunday, we once had the Leper’s anointing, which is salvation and a onetime anointing. But we stopped there and never proceed to the priestly anointing and the kingly anointing. The Priestly anointing comes about when we learn to dwell in the presence of God (where there is a relationship with God) and the kingly anointing comes about when we are living in obedience and not in self life. We are born not just of flesh and blood but of the Spirit and children of the promised inheritance. But within the church there are the Jacobs and the Esaus.
Secondly both are born in sin. If left to themselves they would have continued in sin through life. This is clearing demonstrated when Jacob cheated his own brother of the first born rights and Esau was a thorn to the family because he married Canaanite women. Rebekah, Esau’s mother said to Isaac in Genesis 27:46 “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.” So it is very clear: both are born in sin and if left to themselves would have continued in sin through life. This is the same for all of us within the church. Please I am addressing church people. We are sinners saved by grace. If left to ourselves, we would have continued in sin through life. If I have not become a Christian, I believed I would have become a monk and worship idols in temple.
Thirdly the whole scriptures show the difference between the professed Christian and the real believer. If I were to ask for a show of hands how many here are Christians, I suppose all would put up your hands. I supposed that 90 percent of the Filipinos would put up their hands. I like to go to a certain station to wash my car. And I got to know the owner of that car washer station. I told him I am a Pastor and he was especially nice and I enjoyed conversing with him. He told me he is a catholic. And from my conversation with him, I can gather that he truly believes he is a Christian. He even showed me the Catholic Church that is in his barangay. He is a professed Christian. I also want to address people in this church. I am sure you will tell people you are a Christian. But are you just a professed Christian or a real believer. Nobody can stop you from professing you are a Christian but that doesn’t mean that you will make it to heaven one day.
Fourthly I would say that Jacob is in a covenant relationship with God whereas Esau is not in a covenant relationship with God. My daughter asked me what a covenant relationship is. A covenant relationship is an agreement with a law clause in such a contract. It is a solemn agreement in harmony with the precepts of the Gospel. A person in a covenant relathinshp with YHWH has a personal relationship with God. In Genesis 28:20-22 ‘And Jacob vowed this vow to God: “If God will help and protect me on this journey and give me food and clothes, and will bring me back safely to my father, then I will choose Jehovah as my God! And this memorial pillar shall become a place for worship; and I will give you back a tenth of everything you give me!” Jacob entered into a covenant relationship with God. He will choose Jehovah as His God and pay his tithes and Jehovah will protect him, clothed him and feed him and He will worship God. Jacob’s covenant relationship has a law clause/precept of the Gospel where he will worship YHWH and pay his tithes. But if you study the whole life of Esau you don’t see Esau enter into a covenant relationship with YHWH. He only wants blessings. He says to his father, Isaac; just bless me. Sounds familiar. There are many Esau in this church. They simply wants the blessings as a first born (as a child of God). They wants God to protect them, clothed them, feed them. But they would not worship God and would not pay their tithes to God or live the holy life. Esau never thinks about obeying his parents; how much more obeying God. He just marries the Canaanites women without thinking of the Law Clause or the Precepts of the Gospel. He does things his ways. Esau is also about the self life: I.
And it is manifested in their lifestyle. A mom and dad from Alabama were arrested after allegedly taking their infant daughter to party at an Indiana bar — as witnesses said the mother drank and smoked while breastfeeding her child. Michael Trosclair, 45 and Shari Treba, 42, were taken into custody and charged with neglect of a dependent in a situation that endangers the dependent. They were also hit with a public intoxication charge. “Partying was more important than their child,” a detective wrote in an affidavit. The suspects reportedly were in town for some conference. Trosclair’s LinkedIn profile shows he’s a former senior pastor.
This is a real story coming from Joy. There is this girl. She is a Pastor’s kid. But she cheated on her boyfriend by sleeping with another guy before marriage. And this Pastor’s daughter is a kleptomaniac. And the reason this Pastor’s daughter is behaving that way is because her father, a pastor abuses her. Finally this Pastor’s kid got married. And the husband of this Pastor’s daughter works at Philip Morris. You know that Philip Morris is a cigarette company. I will not work in a Cigarette company. I will not work in San Miguel Beer or Tanduay. To make matter more confusing this pastor’s daughter’s husband confessed to tiff (Tiff is joy’s best friend) that he is attracted to Tiff and has feeling for Tiff. The lives of this Pastor, his daughter and his daughter’s husband are so messed up. But if you were to ask this Pastor, his daughter and his daughter’s husband whether they are Christians, they will tell you they are Christians. Whether they will make it to heaven, they will tell you they will be in heaven. They are professed Christian but their lives are so messed up. The life of Esau is messed up. Is your llfe a messed up life? The problem with Esau is that he is really no different from an unbeliever. His lifestyle is totally that of the world.
How about the Esau in our church? Is our lifestyle really no different from the world? I have a church member. He used to come to this church but he is no more in this church. I won’t be surprised if he comes back to this church where the door is opened to him. As a young boy He came to Evangel and was saved. But he always has an issue with surrender. He always struggles to serve God wholly. He signed up to be a musician during the early days at Quezon. One day my ex boss came and she saw him playing the musical instrument and brought Pastor Lily to one side to ask about him. She told Pastor Lily that she sensed that this guy was holding a lot of things from God. 22 years ago Pastor Lily and I had a very good helper in our house. This guy fell in love head over heel for her. He would approach Pastor Lily for permission to court her. But then our helper rejected him and she resigned to go to Manila to work and got married. This guy just left Iloilo to go after her. But our helper was already married to another guy in Manila. Then he stayed in Manila for quite some time and he messed up big time by getting involved with a married woman who claimed to have separated from her husband. He had relationship with her nothwithstanding that she had a few children from the first marriage. Later he brought this lady back to Iloilo with her children. But his spirutal journey with the Lord was as usual; paved with inconsistencies. He would miss church for a long period of time and pop in for special events like Christmas. He couldn’t even manage his own ‘wife’ and children. Even when he had his own children with this woman he couldn’t raise them up properly. His children grew up to be like him; very inconsistent and unstable in the church. One was the main suspect of stealing money from others. This man would quarrel with his wife and children and they would run away to Manila for a while. Even when Evangel went through a time of shaking in 2012, his loyalty wasn’t clearly defined as he would always be the first to attend events of the other side like funeral. Such kind of self ordered life has been going on for close to 30 years and finally we told him to not attend church na lang. He still couldn’t get what we are trying to say and he wrote a self pity message in his facebook –‘just when I wanted to serve God, there would be people hindering me.’ Hey that is 30 years of a lifestyle and you have been saying that for 30 years; just when I am about to serve God, there would be people hindering me. When In trials, Jacob acknowledges God; in trial Esau cried an earthly sorrow. This guy has been crying earthly sorrows for 30 years. His intention to serving God is clear in these 30 years; fleeting. He isn’t interested in the things of God. He loves to define serving God according to his whims and fancy and who just simply refuses to surrender to the Lordship of Christ. It is a messed up life with no evidence of God’s favor and presence. But if you were to ask him if he is a Christian, he would say empathically yes and believes he would be in heaven. He is an Esau.
Some of you may ask; so what if I am an Esau?
2. God’s position on Esau
YHWH says, ‘Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated. What is God’s attitude towards an Esau? Now hate is a strong word. It is to dislike intensely or passionately. It is to feel extreme aversion for that particular person or have extreme hostility toward him or her. It is to detest. I mentioned in the beginning of my sermon that the New Living Translation uses the word ‘rejected’ for ‘hated’. YHWH has rejected Esau. Even though Esau was Jacob’s elder brother, YHWH has passed by him because he kept not his first estate. Our first Estate is our first Anointing; our salvation and it is a onetime anointing. But Esau goes no further than that. YHWH demonstrated his hate for Esau in Malachi 1:4 which says, though [impoverished] Edom (Esau) says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins.” Thus says the Lord of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the Wicked Territory, the people against whom the Lord is indignant forever.” Edom has been utterly destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, by the neighboring peoples; Egypt, Ammon and Moab. It has been become the dwelling place, the abode of the jackals or dragons. The Esaus has become the abode of demons and evil spirit. Edom may strive as she may be to recover herself, but it shall be in vain, for YHWH doomed her to perpetual desolation. The borders of wickedness mean Esau has been given over to the curse of reprobation (disapproval, condemnation, rejection). Today there is no descendant of Esau existing.
Love is also a strong word. It is to have a profound tender, passionate affection for another person. That is a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection. Today we have at least 7 million Jews in Israel alone and another 7 million Jews in United States. Jacob (Israel) has its own land. Jacob has become a nation. That is the difference God has towards Esau and Jacob. The word hate and love is demonstrated clearly in actuality towards the Jacobs Today and the Esaus of Today.
I ask you today. Do you have a personal relationship with him? Are you in a covenant relationship with God? The day is coming where the church will be split into two; the Jacobs and the Esaus. Their extremities will be evident. One in a personal relationship with God and another in no covenant relationship with YHWH.
I want to tell you that Jesus is coming back very soon. If you have a professed relationship with Jesus, you won’t make it. Actually you will deny Christ when the Anti Christ asked you to take the Mark of the Beast 666. You will be swift, without hesitation accepts the Mark of the Beast 666. Sadhu Sundar, the prophet who prophesied about Yolanda and Prophesied that Donald Trump would become the President of the United States warned of a coming war and great tribulation will come upon the world. He told of an encounter with an elder of the biggest church in Singapore and he was stunned because the elder of that big church said; there is nothing wrong to accept the Mark of the Beast; 666.
One of the most talked about prophecy recently was that of Rabbi Judah Ben Samuel. Rabbi Judah Ben Samuel lived in the 12th and 13th Century. He gave this prophesy. ‘When the Ottomans (Turks) conquer Jerusalem they will rule over Jerusalem for 8 Jubilees. Afterward Jerusalem will become a non man’s land for one Jubilee, and then in the ninth Jubilee it will once again come back into the possession of the Jewish Nation – (the tenth Jubilee) which would signify the beginning of the Messanic end time.’
During the 13th century, the first known reference of the ‘Ottomans’ was in 1215, just two years before he died in 1217. The Ottoman Empire grew in power in the next 300 years and conquered Jerusalem and reign over Jerusalem in 1517 A.D. The Ottomon Turks wrestled power and control over the Middle East and assume power and control over Jerusalem. They would name the land of Jerusalem, the Land of Palestine for eight Jubilees. We know that one Jubilee is 50 years. Some husband and wife celebrate their Jubilee marriage because they stayed married for 50 years. So eight Jubilees (50×8) is 400 years. Exactly 400 years later, in 1917 they were conquered by the British Military Forces under the command of British Military General Edmund Allenby on December 17, 1917. In the Balfour Declaration signed in 1917, it proclaimed Israel would become a nation. But afterwards Jerusalem became a non man’s land for one Jubilee (1917-1967). Isn’t it amazing that from the year of 1917 when the British Mandate controlled the city of Jerusalem, Jerusalem did become under international law a ‘non man’s land for one Jubilee. It was fifty years after that the Israeli Army captured the city of Jeruslaem in the six days war on June 17, 1967. Exactly one Jubilee later, 50 years later, in 1967 Jerusalem returned for the first time to the control of the Jewish Israeli’s ownership. But the most intriguing part of this prophesies was this. ‘In the ninth Jubilee Jerusalem will once again come back into the possession of the Jewish nation – which will signify the beginning of the Messianc End Time.’ The tenth Jubilee will signify the beginning of the Messanic End time.
Let’s recap
1517 – Ottoman Empire came to power that controlled the whole of the Middle East for Jubilees.
1917- Jerusalem become a no man’s land for one Jubilee
1967- In the ninth Jubilee it will once again come back into the possession of the Jewish Nation. Jerusalem came under the control of Israel.
2017- In the tenth Jubilee the Messianic End Times begins
Rabbi Judah Ben Samuel is a brilliant scholar. Other scholars would approach Rabbi Judah Ben Samuel where did he receive his wisdom and prophecy. His students were some of the Torah scholars of the ages. He told them how he received this prophecy. ‘The prophet Elijah who will precede the Messiah, appeared to me and revealed many things to me and emphasized that the preconditions for answered prayer is that it is fueled by enthusiasm and joy for the greatness and holiness of God.
The thing I am interested in is the year 2017. We are living in the year 2017. According to Rabbi Judah Ben Samuel, in the tenth Jubilee the Messanic End times begins. What is the meaning of the Messanic End times? Is it the Rapture? Is it the Second Coming of Christ? Is it the 70th week that Daniel has been talking about which is the 7 years tribulation? But one thing is clear; the end times begin. Many people are saying that 2017 will be a very important year. We know today that 2017 is a Jubilee year for Israel today. I want to tell you that Donald Trump was prophesied to be the next President of the United States and it came to pass. We know that his daughter Ivanka Trump has converted to Orthodex Judaism. We know that his son in law Jared Kushner is an Orthodox Jew. We also know that Jareh Kushner is the Senior Advisor to Donald Trump’s Cabinet. People are saying that it was Jared Kushner that was responsible for Donald Trump winning the election. Jared Kushner is only 36 years old. As I am talking to you right now, Jared Kushner is in the Middle East trying to negotiate the peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinian. Many prophets believe that Jerusalem will soon be divided. The Palestinian will received statehood (become a nation) and East Jerusalem will be their capital. Israel will have to give up East Jerusalem and most likely West Jersusalem will become the capital of Israel. Revelation 11:2 says, ‘‘but exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months’. But the thing that is scary is this. Jared Kushner by his own right is a real estate businessman. His company is known as the Kushner Group of Companies. In 2007 he spent $1.8 billion to buy a property in fifth Avenue New York. He bought it 3 times the market price. He was bent on getting that building and he was willing to pay anything to obtain that building. The scary thing about this building is that it is called 666 Fifth Avenue. The building bears the number 666 as if it is the street number but no, it is not, it’s the building’s name. The building is located right between 52nd and 53rd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Another scary thing is that in the building it houses Lucent Technologies that is the forerunner in the making of the RDIF microchips. Also Lucent Technologies has managed to trial run synthetic skin. They have managed to grow synthetic skins. One day robot will look like humans with synthetic skins. Another scary thing about Jared Kushner is that he is sent by Trump to bring about a peace treaty between the Palestinian and Israel.
We all know that the Mark of the Beast is 666. Revelation 13:8 says, ‘This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. .’
I believe the Esaus will receive the Mark of the Beast. As I said just now, Sadhu Sundar was stunned when he was talking to an elder of the biggest church in Singapore. The Elder of this biggest church said, ‘Well there is nothing wrong in taking the mark 666. I want to tell you that the Esaus in our church will easily accept the mark of the beast.
3. The Narrow Gate
MATTHEW 7:13-14; 22-23
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
I want to make comments on key words used in this passage of scriptures.
Matthew 7:13 discusses about entering a gate and then walking on a path. The gate is definitely Jesus. This is referring to one’s coming to know God in a personal way and then living a new kingdom life. It is not enough to enter the gate but we have to continue walking on a path which is living a new kingdom life. There is not only the need for initial faith and repentance but lifestyle Christlikeness. When these two are accomplished there is the eschatological culmination; be with Christ in the Second Coming.
Jesus was definitely addressing the disciples, the Pharisees and the crowd concerning this narrow gate. It implies that the restricted nature of the gate was not rules, like Pharisaic legalism, but lifestyle love flowing out of a relationship with Christ. Christ does have rules but they flow from a changed heart! True disciples order their lives in light of Jesus’ words about the present and coming Kingdom of God. I repeat: a covenant relationship is an agreement with a law clause in such a contract. It is a solemn agreement in harmony with the precepts of the Gospel.
This Life of faith will be filled with persecution. The word “Narrow” in this verse shares the same root word as “tribulation” or “persecution” in other NT passages. We come to God through Jesus as a free gift of God, but once we know Him, it is the pearl of great price for which we sell all that we have to follow Him. Salvation is absolutely free, but it costs everything that we are and have. But this is where the difference is seen. When In trials, Jacob acknowledges God; in trial Esau cried an earthly sorrow. Hebrew says something that is frightening concerning Esau. Hebrew 12:17 says ‘Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done. Don’t play with God. It is a frightening thing to fall into the hands of God.
The Esau will cry ‘Lord, Lord.’ The Rabbis said that the doubling of a name like “Lord, Lord” shows affection. The Esaus shows affection. And to call him ‘Lord, Lord’, it means sir, master, owner and its full meaning is derived from the OT translation of the name YHWH. In this context these men were making a theological statement about Jesus, but did not have a personal relationship with Him. Jesus links one’s verbal affirmations with obedience. The kingdom of heaven is the reign of God in human hearts now which one day will be consummated over all the earth.
“But he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” This is a present active participle. The real focus of the next few verses is on those people who say they are kingdom people (they are Christians) but live in ways that reveal they are not. This personal relationship was what these religious, false prophets lacked.
As to the phrase “Many will say to Me on that day”, “That day” referred to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is often called Resurrection Day or Judgment Day, depending on whether you know Him personally or not. I hear statement by Christians that send shivers up your spine. They can say, ‘If Jesus is in you, why should there be a need to seek him.’ (If God is in you, there is no need for personal devotion). Hey if Jesus needs to go up to the mountain to seek God, who are you mere men to not to. I cannot understand that you play musical instrument in the church and slowing you start putting tattoos over all parts of your body. And wear earrings as a male. Hey Leviticus 19:28 says, ‘”‘do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. Period. I can only gather if you put tattoos on your body, it shows you don’t read the bible; you don’t have a personal relationship with YHWH. You don’t know God actually.
These people have done things in Jesus’ name. “In Your name. . .in Your name. . .in Your name” This phrase implied “in your authority” or “as your disciple.” It is obvious from Matt. 7:23 that they did not know Jesus in a personal way. Notice that the works they performed are godly works. But fruit without relationship is as abominable as relationship without fruit. These same types of miracles were performed by Jesus’ true disciples (cf. Matt. 10:1-4), including Judas Iscariot! Miracles are not automatically a sign from God (cf. Matt. 24:24 and 2 Thess. 2:9-10). Religious self-deception is a tragedy.
“I never knew you” This was a strong grammatical construction in Greek. The term “know” had an OT background meaning “intimate, personal relationship” (cf. Gen. 4:1 and Jer.1:5). It is frightening to think that the religious activity of Matt. 7:22 can be performed in such a self-deceiving way (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1-3).
“Depart from Me” This is a present active imperative, a continuing command rendered literally as “keep on departing from Me!” Thus the implied meaning is “you are already going away―just keep on going!” It is an allusion to Ps. 6:8.
I have seen many people in this church that are no more with us. They keep on departing from us. Some of you are already going away as I speak. YHWH is saying continue going away
“You who practice lawlessness”
Esau is called lawless because he never has intention to obey YHWH, his parents. A lawless Christian is one without regard for the Law of God. It is a person uncontrolled, unrestrained, and unruly.
I believe that a persecution is coming. Only through persecution and adversity that the true character of supposed believers is revealed. A life of persecution is a real possibility for Christian. Paul says those who want to live godly lives will suffer persecutions. I will never forget that it was those persecutions in 2012 those causes me to acknowledge YHWH and becomes closer to God. I have never felt God closer than in 2012.
