��6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (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;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:6-13).

     Romans chapters eight through eleven have proven to be a very difficult portion of Scripture to understand. The difficulty can be credited mainly to the suppositions imposed upon this text by Calvinism. The first supposition is that election refers to salvation. Covenant Theology (Augustinianism) has imposed this distortion upon this text and this misrepresentation has been propagated down through the centuries by the many who have been deceived by it.

     These three chapters of Scripture are mainly dealing NATIONALLY and DISPENSATIONALLY with Israel. In chapter eleven, the Church (saved Jews and saved Gentiles after the day of Pentecost; Acts 2:4) is integrated into God’s chosen people as the new priesthood of Israel. In the Romans 9:6, Paul makes it clear that not all of the people of National Israel were saved (“For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel;” v 6). A nation of people was chosen (elected) for the “purpose of God” (verse 11). That “purpose” was a people that could provide a pure lineage of righteousness through which Messiah (the “Seed,” Gal. 3:16) could be born. The history of the nation of Israel primarily involves the history of that descendancy. This is one of the reasons the Old Testament is so preoccupied with genealogies. This goes all the way back to Genesis 3:15 in the protevangelum. It is important to see in the first mention of the Promised One that His coming is connected as much with the restoration of dominion as it is with the salvation of lost souls.

“14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent {Satan in the serpent}, Because thou hast done this {deceived Eve and taken dominion of the first creation away from Adam}, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity {hateful hostility; i.e. war} between thee {Satan in the the serpent} and the woman, and between thy seed {Satan in the the serpent} and her seed {the Promised One}; it {enmity, the warfare} shall bruise {break or crush; referring to a fatal blow} thy {Satan in the serpent} head {rule or dominion}, and thou {Satan in the serpent} shalt bruise his {the Promised One’s} heel {that instrument that would crush the “head” of the serpent or Satan’s dominion; i.e, the death, burial, and resurrection of the Promised One}” (Genesis 3:14-15).

     Therefore, we see that the promise of the Messiah has more to do with the restoration of dominion over the fallen creation and opening a door for “whosoever will” from that fallen creation into the New Genesis “in Christ” than anything else. The “purpose” of God in the election of National Israel was for the purpose of opening a door from this fallen creation into a New Creation through Jesus Christ. Adam’s fall and loss of dominion to Satan was the door that locked all of humanity into condemnation and death. Jesus would become a new Federal Head for “whosoever will” of humanity to escape the condemnation of sin and for those of faith to enter into eternal life and the presence of God. Christ Jesus is the “elect” for the purpose of opening a door into “the regeneration.” Jesus was the “cornerstone” of that promise through Israel.

“1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold {the New Genesis}, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep {the Messiah, i.e. Jesus}. 3 To him the porter openeth {the resurrection}; and the sheep {saved Jews at the time of Christ} hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out {led captivity captive; Psalm 68:18 & Eph. 4:8}. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door {into the New Genesis} of the sheep. 8 All {false Messiahs or deliverers} that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd {the true Messiah}, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep {Gentile believers}I have, which are not of this fold {spiritual Israel}: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold {spiritual Israel}, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:1-18).

     Christ would merge Jewish believers and Gentile believers into one new “body” after His death, burial, and resurrection. This new “body,” of which He would be the “Head,” would become a new, holy priesthood to rule over Israel and the world with Jesus during the Millennial Kingdom on Earth. The truth of the Priesthood of the New Covenant believer ruling with Christ over the nation of Israel and the world is critical to understanding what Paul will be saying in Romans 9:30 and later in chapter eleven.

“4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (II Peter 2:4-6).

“5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6).

“9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

“4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4-6).

“26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he {that overcometh} shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers {the nations of the world will be broken up into small pieces}: even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 2:26-29).

     God made the possibility of this new priesthood and a door into the New Genesis a surety by entering into the human predicament on various occasions in the past and choosing certain individuals to touch their lives in miraculous ways in order to realize His “eternal purpose.” The emphasis of election as revealed in the OT is that it was special, not universal; that it was uniquely applied in history, not widely applied. This is the emphasis in the examples God uses regarding Jacob and Esau and Pharaoh. To make this portion of Scripture and election applicable to all believers is a serious distortion of the text and the doctrine of election.

     J. Sidlow Baxter, in his book Explore the Book deals extensively with Romans chapters eight through eleven. He is one of the few commentators who maintains a dispensation perspective in his exegesis of this text.

     “As to the scope of the passage, it will by now have become obvious that it is all about God’s dealings with men and nations historically and dispensationally, and is not about individual salvation and destiny beyond the grave. Now that is the absolutely vital fact to remember in reading the problem-verses of these chapters, especially the paragraph ix. 14-22.

     John Calvin is wrong when he reads into these verses election either to salvation or to damnation in the eternal sense. That is not their scope. They belong only to a Divine economy of history. Paul opens the paragraph by asking: ‘Is there then unrighteousness with God?’ – and the rest of the paragraph is meant to show that the answer is “No’; but if these verses referred to eternal life and death, there would be unrighteousness with God; and that which is implanted deepest in our moral nature by God Himself would protest that even God has no honourable right to create human beings whose destiny is a predetermined damnation.” 1

     Calvinism (and hyper-Calvinists) takes Romans 9 out of the Old Testament context from which much of the chapter is quoted. This is because Calvinism (born out of Augustinianism) is primarily deductive in its methodology instead of inductive. An inductive methodology interprets (exegetes) a particular portion or verse of Scripture from the context of the whole of the Bible. Whenever a New Testament portion of the Bible quotes from the Old Testament, the New Testament portion must be understood from the context of its original use (the Principle of First Mention and a Complimentary Hermeneutic). The point is that good exegesis interprets the NT from the OT, not vice versus. This is one of the first principles of hermeneutics. Although the NT may clarify or add to what the OT teaches, it never contradicts what the OT teaches. The true etymological definition of a word can only truly be determined by “discovering the meaning of the word inductively”2 . This is because God is immutable (unchanging) and consistent in truth. God may change the way His governance is to be administrated in the world (stewardship) under various dispensations, but His truth (doctrine) is unchanging.

     Paul says in Romans 9:6, “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” The words “taken none effect” are translated from the Greek word ekpipto (ek-pip'-to) referring to something that has become inefficient or ineffective. This more than likely refers to the Word of God’s promises to Abraham regarding the promise of the nation of Israel. The point of the statement is that God’s promises to Abraham are two fold. There are earthly and temporal promises to National Israel. There are heavenly and eternal promises to the saved (Spiritual Israel) within National Israel. The saved within National Israel are referred to often in the OT books and prophecies as the “remnant.” God’s promises to Abraham have “taken . . . effect” and have not failed in this faithful “remnant.” The preservation of this remnant of faithful believers from the descendancy of Abraham ascending to the birth of Messiah begins with Isaac and then Joseph in Genesis 45:7.

“4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty” (Genesis 45:4-11).

      There are two different Hebrew words translated “preserve” in Genesis 45: 5 and 7. In verse 5, the words “preserve life” are translated from the Hebrew word michyah (mikh-yaw'). We should understand this to mean the preservation of the seed of eternal life in the “Seed” promised to Abraham that would be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16). God’s election is the history of this lineage from Abraham to Christ in the “remnant” of Israel. The preservation of a faithful remnant to the coming of the birth of Messiah is critical to understanding the doctrine of election and God’s “eternal purpose” in the Abrahamic Covenant.

“4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. 5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. 7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah” (Isaiah 1:4-9).

     There was a natural “seed” in the descendants of Abraham (National Israel) and there was a spiritual “seed” from which we trace the lineage to the birth of the “Seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). (Remember the two seed lineages from Genesis 3:15.) Jameson, Fausset, and Brown translated this statement in Romans 9:6 as, “Think not that I mourn over the total loss of Israel; for that would involve the failure of God’s word to Abraham; but not all that belong to the natural seed, and go under the name of ‘Israel,’ are the Israel of God’s irrevocable choice.” 3

     In Genesis 45:7 (“And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”), the word “preserve” is translated from the Hebrew word suwm (soom), which means to appoint or call. “Preserve” is a good translation in that the intent of the word is what God does in these special interventions in the lives of certain individuals to maintain a faithful remnant for the transposition of Truth in the genealogy of true Israel until the Truth was born (John 1:1, 14, & 14:6). This fact is communicated by what God is preserving, i.e., “a posterity in the earth” to fulfill His promises to Abraham in the Abrahamic Covenant. The word “posterity” is from the Hebrew word sh@'eriyth (sheh-ay-reeth'). It means a residual or remnant. It was a word used to describe the survivors of a nation after the majority had been slaughtered by the enemy. The truth being communicated by this is that God would maintain a faithful remnant within National Israel in the war between the seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the woman, looking forward to the coming Promised One of Genesis 3:15 (and Galatians 3:16).

     Obviously, Paul is referring to an historical remnant of individuals within the elect nation of Israel. This moves the context of election to a smaller group within a larger group. This smaller group within the larger group are true Israel. They are the believing remnant of National Israel. This smaller group is composed of faithful individuals down through the centuries that make up the genealogy of Messiah. Paul will clearly identify the Church as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 1:9 and Hosea’s prophecy in Hosea 2:23 here in Romans chapter nine insuring to us that there is no misunderstanding regarding what God has said regarding His remnant. This is God’s eternal purpose in election.

“25 As he saith also in Osee {Hosea 2:23}, I will call them my people, which were not my people {Gentiles}; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29 And as Esaias said before {Isaiah 1:9}, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha” (Romans 9:25-29).

     The context of this remnant is now (after Pentecost) realized in the merging of saved Jews and Gentiles into one new elect group call “the church” and this context is carried through to Romans chapter 11. It is absolutely essential that election is not taken out of the context of these remnant groups both before the birth of Messiah and after His birth. The intent of this remnant after Pentecost goes beyond the birth of the Seed, for that has already taken place. Now, the purpose of this new remnant in the Church has to do with the primary purpose of the birth of the Seed; i.e., dominion restoration to mankind in Christ and the priesthood of all New Covenant believers and, through this, the restoration of true glorification and worship of God in the Kingdom Age on Earth.

“1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant {saved Jews and Gentiles making up the Church of Jesus Christ} according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7 What then? {National} Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election {the believing remnant} hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day” (Romans 11:1-8).

     This faithful, believing remnant is then exemplified specifically in the descendancy from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob. True Israel would find its descendancy through these individuals to Messiah. Paul is quoting from Malachi 1:2-3 in Romans 9:13 when he states, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Malachi 1:2-3 is the only place in the Bible where this “is written.” Notice in Malachi 1:1 that the prophecy is directed to “Israel.” It is clear from the context that God is referring to the descendants of Jacob (national Israel). In Romans 9:8, Paul distinguishes a believing remnant within the descendants of Jacob (national Israel). They are distinguished by their faith in “the promise” (the “Seed” in Christ).

“1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2 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, 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. 5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel” (Malachi 1:1-5).

     From the context of these verses, it is obvious that God is not referring to individuals (Jacob and Esau), but to the nations that descended from them. (Remember the two seed lineages from Genesis 3:15.) The word “you��� of verse two refers to the nation of Israel (vs. 1) in the descendants from Jacob. When God speaks of Jacob in this text, He is referring to the remnant of the nation of Israel (vs. 5; the descendents of Jacob). All the unfaithful and unbelieving from the descendancy of Abraham are embodied in the descendants of Esau. When God speaks of Esau, He is referring to the nation of Edom (vs. 4; the descendents of Esau). As the twin sons of Isaac, Jacob and Esau had both the same genetic roots as well as the same spiritual roots. Foreknowing the choices these men would make in life and their resulting descendants, God chose (elected) the DESCENDANCY of Jacob (Israel) through which Messiah would be born. This is the exact meaning of “elect according to foreknowledge.”

“1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied” (I Peter 1:1-2).

     The word “elect” here refers to a group, not individuals. The group is “the strangers scattered” in the dispersion due to the persecution of the Church. A. T. Robertson states 4 :

“To the elect (eklektoiv). Without article . . . and dative case, “to elect persons” (viewed as a group).”

     The fact that nations, not individuals, are the point in question is further supported by God’s own statement to Rebekah as she carried the twins in her womb.

“21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. 24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them” (Genesis 25:21-26).

     There is no evidence in history or in Scripture where Esau ever served Jacob. The statement, “the elder shall serve the younger” is obviously connected to the statement “two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people.” The context is nations, not individuals. It is only by imposing the false suppositions of Calvinism on these portions of Scripture that salvation is made the subject of election in these texts. That is eisegesis, not exegesis.

     This is further supported by the fact that it was Jacob that later was call Israel by God due to his personal conversion as detailed in Genesis 32:24-30.

“24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (Genesis 32:24-30).

     From this day forward Israel became synonymous with the name Jacob and the God of Jacob came to be known as the God of Israel because of an altar that Jacob built at the city of Shalem (shaw-lame’), which would later become the city of Jerusalem.

“18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money. 20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel” (Genesis 33:18-20).

     The word “Elelohe-Israel” (ale el-o-hay’ yis-raw-ale’) means the mighty God of Israel. This is the first record of a patriarch actually owning property in Canaan (the Promised Land) and connects Israel to that land for ever.

     Secondly, it is obvious from Malachi chapter one (that Paul is quoting in Romans chapter nine) that salvation is not the issue in question. Therefore, neither is salvation the issue in question in Romans chapter nine. The issue is what constitutes true, Spiritual Israel as opposed to National (“flesh”) Israel. True Israel is not just a matter of genealogical connection to Abraham, but a spiritual connection. The connecting link is not that they had the same blood lines (consanguineous), but that they had the same faith in the “promise” of God in the coming One, i.e., the “Seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).

     It is clear from God’s statement to Rebekah in Genesis 25:21-26 (“the elder shall serve the younger”) that SERVICE is the subject of the text and of God’s electing “purpose,” not salvation. There is absolutely no mention of either Jacob’s salvation or Esau’s salvation. The idea is that the descendents of Jacob would be the line of Messiah’s birth (the Seed), not Esau. God’s choice (election) of Jacob (Israel) was not due to qualities found in Jacob. That is clearly stated in Romans 9:11; “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.” God’s choice was purely to accomplish His “purpose” in maintaining a godly line through which Messiah could be born. He chose Jacob out of the two brothers and interceded in his life in special ways and communication to insure His intended/ordained “purpose.”

     Therefore, by comparison, God “loved” Jacob and “hated” Esau. There was special mercy and intervention in Jacob’s life to insure God’s “purpose.” That did not happen to Esau or to others of the millions on the face of the earth at that time. Jacob is the positive example of God’s special intervention in the life of one man to insure His purpose of fulfillment of the Seed promise in Genesis 3:15, later detailed again in the Abrahamic Covenant (Galatians 3:16).