“Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated . . . ” (Romans 9:13).

These words from the book of Romans have been the potting soil for a wide variety of GMO teachings that countless fire and brimstone preachers have utilized. (GMO as in a genetically modified organism—not the natural, pure plant of revelation that was originally intended to spring up through this Scripture).

Some use these words to teach that God hates some people and loves others. He chooses some for heaven and others for hell in order to somehow showcase His glory—as though He needs eternal torture to somehow teach created beings a lesson on how holy he is.

I’d like to clear the air here. The explanation for this is actually quite simple when one takes in the “full counsel of the Word.” People can cherry-pick a Bible verse like this and put it into their genetically modified stew—but we want to take this verse in view of the wide scope of Scripture. There is actually a riddle—a mystery—that unfolds through this passage as well as the Old Testament reference that it conjures up. God loves mystery and He often uses it to bring us on a journey to unfold the intentions of His heart.

So we are going to do some unfolding right now . . .

A Hidden Theme

First of all, let’s discuss Jacob and Esau… Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac while Jacob was the second. Jacob was chosen by God to bear the family inheritance. Esau was not. Is this saying Jacob was any better than Esau? On the contrary, Jacob initially lied and thieved his way into the inheritance. So what was going on?

Like so many figures of the Old Testament, these two men were shadows—incomplete pictures of Something much bigger going on. There is a mystery in the story of Esau and Jacob that plays out in many other stories of the Bible, all of which involve a second son outshining the first. Let’s look at some other instances where we find this same theme of glory and blessing on the second-born son.

The great patriarch Abraham also had two sons. The first was named Ishmael. In the book of Galatians, Ishmael is called a child of the flesh, because he was birthed from a place of distrust. Isaac, the second-born, was called a son of promise. He was the one miraculously birthed by the Spirit of grace (see Gal. 4). Like Jacob, Isaac would be the one to carry on the family inheritance.

This theme goes beyond the choosing of two sons to receive the family blessing. It also shows up in the choosing of the right king to carry on the nation’s blessing. Think of the story of King Saul and King David. Saul was the first king of Israel and was born of the flesh—meaning he was chosen and demanded by a people who did not trust in God. But during Saul’s reign, God raised up a second king who would fulfill His ultimate purposes for Israel at that time. This was a king “after God’s own heart”—David. The mystery and theme continues.

Later on, David would have two sons by Bathsheba. The first died due to its conception through sin and rebellion (2 Sam. 12). The second son was born of God’s mercy. His name was Solomon.

So what is going on with all these sons and kings? This thread of the firstborn curse and the second-born blessing speaks of God’s own birthing of humanity. It speaks ultimately of the birth of Adam, who would inherit a curse due to his distrust and rebellion. But the second-born—Christ—would inherit the earth and freely share this inheritance with His lost brothers and sisters.

The Prostitute & the Dawning Light

There is one more story that highlights this glorious mystery in the Old Testament. It is the story of a man named Judah who was a son of Jacob (the Hebrew tribe Jesus arose from is named after this guy). Judah had two sons by a woman who was pretending to be a prostitute (you’ll have to read the story to get the full details. It’s in Genesis 38). Much like his grandfather Isaac who had twin sons, Judah also had twin sons with this feigned prostitute. During labor and delivery, the midwife tied a “scarlet thread” around the wrist of the infant who popped out his hand first. This was to signify that he was the firstborn. But then the other child broke through his brother and became the official firstborn son to leave the womb. However, the other one still had the scarlet thread around his wrist. The first son who broke through was named Perez (which appropriately means “Break Forth”) while the second son with the scarlet thread was named Zerah (which means “Dawning Light”).

The scarlet thread is one of the clearest symbols of Christ in the entire Bible. It was the scarlet thread that hung from the prostitute’s window in Jericho, which meant she was mercifully covered from the destruction of the city. It is Christ’s blood that covers us from the destructive outcome of sin.

Even though Adam appeared first on the earth, we know that Jesus is the true Firstborn of all creation  (Col. 1:15). Though Adam was physically first, Christ is the true Son and the true King of heaven and earth, and it is He who defines who we truly are. To this day, His hands are still wrapped in the scarlet thread of mercy . . . they still bear nail-pierced holes.

Jesus is also the true “Dawning Light” of humanity. However, the fullness of this Light and Hope manifested only after a false identity in mankind broke through and came forth by Adam. This was an identity born of distrust and fear. This is what God “hates.” He hates what Esau represents!

The woman that Judah slept with was not truly a prostitute, even though she dressed up like one. In similar fashion, God united Himself with humanity, who has “acted” like a prostitute, but in reality that is not who we truly are. And yet through His union with fallen humanity, God brought forth our “Dawning Light”—Jesus Christ—who is the Savior all men, especially those who believe (1 Tim. 4:10).

God loves original humanity . . . the true humanity . . . Genesis 1:26 humanity. Esau represents the mask, the prostituting lie. God hates the false identity, the “man of the flesh,” which is not the ultimate truth about His children. Yet He loves Jacob, which speaks to Christ, who has redeemed mankind by His blood.

This is the Riddle of human history, the story of Adam and Christ, and the triumphant mercy that would come through the Son of God.

For a deeper look at this, you can watch the full message I gave on this topic during Christmas of 2015. Watch it here.

Image: “Two Sons” by Eugene Burnand, Swiss artist (1850-1921)