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| African Sunset |
304 – SATAN’S COPYRIGHTED METHODOCTOBER 24, 1965PASTOR HENRY F KULP
Romans 9: 11 - 14 (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;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
We told you last week, that the doctrine, the teaching of election is greatly misunderstood, and all the trouble that has come because this doctrine has been taught contrary to the Bible.
1/ We told you last week many believe election has to do with salvation, and we spent a great deal of time, showing you that is impossible. God wants all men to be saved. He has provided salvation for all—not just for a special few. Notice this passage in Romans 9: 10 - 13 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (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;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Paul says there is no difference, today between Jew and Greek, and then he says, whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. Notice, whosoever, not just a special group, but anyone at all—yes, salvation is for everyone.
2/ But you say, notice, Romans 9: 18 a portion of Scripture that shows you this is wrong, for he says, Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy. And you would use the illustration that there were two brothers in a family—the one a believer, the other an unbeliever. They have had the same background, they have had the same teaching, they have gone to the same church, they have heard the same gospel. But the one who was unsaved, died, and he died without salvation. The other died, but of course, he was saved. And you would conclude by this passage of Scripture that God has mercy on the one brother, and he did not show mercy or compassion on the other one who was unsaved. But does this verse teach he only had mercy on certain people. Is there any hint as to whom God will have mercy upon? Of course, the same passage Romans 11: 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
And here we have light on the matter of God having mercy. Who are the objects of His mercy? Notice this 32nd verse For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
How many are the objects and recipients of Gods mercy? The text clearly tells us that He has mercy on all. God does not only have mercy upon a few, but His mercy is expanded until it reaches all men.
3/ ELECTION is not God choosing or electing some to be saved, and some to be lost, and this is nothing more or less than heresy. And it is charging God with doing something He cannot do. Because He has provided salvation for every man.To preach a limited atonement is saying that God is guilty of what the devil does. Remember, we titled this message – Satan’s Copyrighted Method.
II Corinthians 4: 3, 4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believed not, less the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should shine unto them.
This is not God’s program, this is the devil’s program. For it says, if the gospel be hid it is hid to them who are lost. How are these folks lost? II Corinthians 4: 4 This is the devil’s program of keeping the gospel from shining in the hearts of men, he wants them to be lost—he is the one who has blinded them, not God.
4/ Now let us notice, 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 callers;)
What is election? For the children not yet being born, neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand. Election and the purpose of God are connected. God always has a purpose, He knows exactly what He is doing. God never does things haphazardly—it may seem to you today that things are happening and they are all out of connection. You might say, I just can’t see any purpose of things that are happening, but God has a purpose in everything, and election, and the purpose of God are all wrapped up together.
5/ Now let us turn to Romans 8: 28. All things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. How do we know that all things work together for good, for us? Because we have been called according to God’s purpose. God has a purpose today—what is that purpose? Let us look into it more fully.
6/ Ephesians 1: 9, 10 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; evening him:
Here Paul is telling us about the church the Body of Christ, and he says, having made known unto us the mystery, the secret of His will. God has a will—according to His good pleasure. Now notice, which He has purposed in Himself. God has a purpose, yes, that in the dispensation of the fullness of time, He might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him. This is God’s purpose—to have Heaven and earth, filled with those who love and adore the Lord Jesus Christ. Part of that purpose in this age is the church which is His Body.
Ephesians 3: 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Here He calls it an eternal purpose, which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. God always has a purpose. In days gone by, His purpose was a nation, the nation Israel that was given the Jewish religion that they would one day rule the world under God’s Son the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the Kingdom purpose, but today He is gathering out a Heavenly purpose. And all who believe in Jesus Christ are made part of the church which is the Body of Christ, and this is God’s purpose today, not an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly body, and we become part of that body by believing in Jesus Christ.
Election is not salvation, election is God’s program. The kingdom program wasn’t election in the Old Testament. The Church which is the body of Christ is election in the New Testament, and in both you had to be saved to be part of God’s purpose.
7/ Then notice, God talks about Esau and Jacob. What does He have in mind concerning the purpose of God concerning Esau and Jacob? How many people have misunderstood this message? Notice, verse 12, 13 It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. That was said before they were born, then in verse 13 As it written – Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. That was not saying when Esau and Jacob were yet not born. There is not a line in Genesis to the effect that the Lord hated Esau, all we read was that Rebekah was barren, and Isaac prayed for her, soon she was with child, and the twins in her womb struggled together. She prayed about it. Genesis 25: 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 peoples and the elder shall serve the younger.
Two nations—notice, two nations are in your womb, and two people born of you shall be divided. The one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the serve the younger. That is not talking about the two boys, one boy serving another. Search the Old Testament, and see if you find any place where Esau served Jacob. You will not find it.
8/ Then there is no announcement of hated against Esau in the Book of Genesis – 1,000 years passed before the Lord God announced that He hated Esau, by that time it had been made manifest to all the world, that in the heart of Esau’s desendants there was nothing but unrelenting hatred against the Lord’s chosen people. This hating is pronounced upon the descendants of Esau, for God told Rebekah there would be two nations, two peoples in her womb, and here it is— this verse quoted in Romans 9: 13 is in the last book of the Old Testament.
Malachi 1: 1 - 3 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 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. And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
This is a prophecy. This is not something that has happened yet, this is a prophecy. In the life of Jacob and Esau, the promise of one serving the other was not fulfilled in their lifetime – Jacob had to flee, and when he returned home, he did so under the allowance of Esau. He came trembling, asking forgiveness of the hand of his brother, and he lived for years on the bounty of his brother. Where did Esau ever serve Jacob? Where did the elder ever serve the younger? In the days of David, and Solomon, the children of Israel had a temporary victory over the sons of Esau, but that was all it was—a temporary victory. Remember, election has to do with the purpose of God. And this looks beyond the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it looks to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, for even today in Palestine, Ishmael and Esau block the road of the line of Isaac, but after the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ when He sits upon the throne of His father, David, Jacob shall reign over Israel and over Esau, this is a prophecy of the future, and it is certain.
Now notice this prophecy in the Book of Isaiah – Isaiah 11: 11, 12, 14 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
They shall put forth their hand against Edom and Moab, these are the descendants of Esau. All of this is yet future. The purpose of God will stand, it will come to pass, the purpose of God according to election cannot fail.
9/ Let us see why God said He hated Esau, or the descendants the nation that came from Esau. The key to God’s great anger against Esau, the nation is found in Numbers 20: 14 – 22 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border: Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him. And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.
Here we have Moses who sent messengers unto the King of Edom. He said, thy brother, Israel, were in Egypt, and they dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers cried unto the Lord, He heard our voice, and He brought us out of Egypt, and we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost part of thy border. Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country. We will not pass through the fields nor the vineyards, neither will we drink the water of the wells. We will go by the King’s highway. We will not turn to the right hand nor the left until we get passed thy borders, and Edom said unto him, thou shall not pass by me. Lest I come out against thee with a sword. And then the children of Israel said unto him, we will go by the highway, and if I and my camel drink of water, I will pay them for it, and they said, thou shall not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through the border. Therefore, Israel turned away from him. God never forgave the sin of Edom, and according to the prophets, never will. Prophet after prophet predicted the awful judgement and punishment of this little land, which is about 40 miles wide, and about 100 miles long, lying south of the Dead Sea.
10/ Let us look at one of the prophecies concerning the nation. Obediah 8, 9 Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.
Notice this prophecy, notice God’s hatred. Shall I not in that day saith the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom and understanding out of Mt. Esau? And then he says, thou shalt be dismayed to the end, when everyone out of Mt. Esau shall be cut off by slaughter. Verse 10 for thy violence against thy brother, Jacob, shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever. Then notice, verse 11,12 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.
God brought forth foreign nations against Israel who made them captive. Edom took advantage of this by adding more suffering for the Jews, and again God was much displeased, and He brings out that they should have been friends and brothers to the nation Israel, rather than making their bed even harder.
11/ Now let us go into the future, and here we find something very shocking.
Isaiah 34: 9, 10 And the streams thereof (Edomia, a village in Palestine) shall be turned into pitch and dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch, it shall not be quenched night nor day—the smoke, thereof shall go up forever.
Notice, it says from generation to generation it shall lie waste, none shall pass through it forever and ever. You will remember this is concerning the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ – this is the day of the Lord’s vengeance and it is to go up from generation to generation. The land of Esau will be desolation, a place of judgement all during the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, this is God’s hatred for this people and their land for their sin. Their land will suffer all during the tribulation—The millennium.
12/ The remainder of the chapter reveals that all kinds of wild animals and fowls will make their home between the streams, and no man shall pass through that land any more. Nothing like this has yet occurred, nor can occur until the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and it will continue on through the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. This nation that came out of Esau tried to hinder the purpose of God, and God had an election for Jacob, and it is to be in the millennium in the promise land, and nothing can stop it, it has been set aside for a season, but it will one day come to pass.
13/ The rest of the passage here shows that folks will say and Israelites probably did say, what right does God have to stop our purpose and to bring in yet another purpose. Who can argue this point? God is sovereign. He can stop one program and start another. That is exactly what He has done. He has brought in the church which is the Body of Christ, and for a season He has set aside the Kingdom purpose, program or plan. But even in stopping, He had a reason, because Israel committed the sins that caused them to be set aside.
We can be so thankful that the purpose of God according to election will stand.
AMEN
Ref: 10/24/1965/ KULP - 304 - SATAN’S COPYRIGHTED METHOD / 05/28/2020
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