Chapter 6: Will Esau Pay the Debt?

As I showed in Chapter 5 (and more extensively in my book, The Struggle for the Birthright), God allowed the Zionists to return to the old land in order to right an ancient wrong. In Gen. 27, Jacob pretended to be Esau in order to trick his blind father, Isaac, into giving him the birthright. So in 1948 this was reversed. This time Esau's descendants pretended to be "Jacob," taking advantage of Isaac's blind descendants. Thus, the Christian West gave the birthright to the Jews, who were representing Esau-Edom, but pretending to be Jacob-Israel.

A more ingenious plan could not have been devised. It was not merely ingenious on the part of the Zionist leadership. It is God's ingenuity and absolute justice that impresses me. Yet it is unfortunate that the Palestinians were caught in the middle of this age-old conflict between Jacob and Esau. Without understanding the bigger picture, they could see only the injustice that was being put upon them.

But I can also say that this injustice will not last forever. If God is so just that He will maintain the rights of Esau, He will also maintain the rights of Ishmael and all men. In that we can take comfort. Men are limited in their knowledge of history and their understanding of divine justice, and this makes them question God's sanity at times. But I have faith that God will always work all things out for good (Romans 8:28).

The Apostle Paul tells us that the old Jerusalem is "Hagar" (Gal. 4:25), and the New Jerusalem is "Sarah" (Gal. 4:26). How did this happen? What is its significance?

Paul says specifically in the verse above: "Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children."

When the majority of the Jews, specifically their leaders representing them, rejected Jesus as the Mediator of the New Covenant, they made a strategic decision to remain under the authority of the Old Covenant. That Old Covenant was made through Moses at Mount Sinai. This placed Jerusalem under the authority of Sinai, which is IN ARABIA.

Arabia is the inheritance of Ishmael. Therefore, in rejecting Jesus, the Jews placed Jerusalem--and the entire land of Palestine under the authority of Hagar and Ishmael. In effect, THE JEWS GAVE IT TO THEM.

This is why it was only a matter of time before God would displace the Jews and give the land to Ishmael, putting it under the authority of Ishmael's religion, Islam.

So the fact of the matter is: The Jews as such have no rightful claim over the land of Palestine. The problem is that they want their pie and eat it, too. They want to retain the authority of the Old Covenant over them, which was made at Mount Sinai (Hagar)--and yet they want to overthrow Hagar and Ishmael as well.

This is not consistent, and it is not just in the eyes of God. If it were not for the fact that the Jews are also Edomites, they would have NO CLAIM AT ALL upon Palestine.

But history plainly shows us, as the Jewish Encyclopedia (1925 edition) said: "Edom is in modern Jewry." That is the key to understanding the current conflicts of modern history. Esau had to be given the birthright for a season in order to see if he would bring forth the Kingdom of God--and specifically give birth to the Manchild ("Christ in you, the hope of glory").

The Church has cheered him on and has great confidence that Esau will indeed do this. Why? Because Esau has dressed up like Jacob, and we are too blind to see him for who he is.

But that day is nearly over. Esau wanted the authority of being "chosen" and the wealth that the birthright would bring, but he did not want the responsibility that came with this authority. With the birthright came the responsibility to PAY THE DEBT NOTE to bring forth the fruits of the Kingdom.

Will they do this? My opinion is of no value. Listen to the words of Jesus, if you call yourself a Christian. Matthew 21:43 says,

⁴³ Therefore I say to you (Jews), the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and be given to a nation producing the fruit of it.

Likewise, earlier in that same chapter Jesus did something that sheds much light on this. Matthew 21:18, 19 says,

¹⁸ Now in the morning, when He returned to the city [Jerusalem], He became hungry. ¹⁹ And seeing a lone fig tree [the national symbol of Judah], He came to it, and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it: “NO LONGER SHALL THERE EVER BE ANY FRUIT FROM YOU.” And at once the fig tree withered.

A few chapters later, Jesus added to this prophecy in Matthew 24:32, 33, saying,

³² Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and PUTS FORTH ITS LEAVES, you know that summer is near; ³³ even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

Prophecy teachers today are virtually all agreed that this is a reference to the re-establishment of the Israeli state in 1948. They are seeing the pictures on the wall, but they miss the ten-ton elephant standing in the living room. THERE IS NO FRUIT MENTIONED. In 1948 this fig tree has certainly put forth more leaves, as it did before Jesus cursed it. But Jesus is looking for fruit, not more leaves.

The fact is, this tree will never bear fruit, because Jesus said so. Will you believe Jesus' words? Or will you be content to believe the preachers who contradict Jesus?

I agree that God gave the birthright back to Esau (the Israeli state) in 1948. But I believe Jesus when He says that Esau will only produce more leaves. And keep in mind that fig leaves have been the problem since Adam. A fig leaf is a false covering for sin. When one rejects the covering of Jesus' blood, one is left only with a fig leaf. Jesus' blood is the only true justification for sin. Fig leaves are nothing but self-justification, making excuses and blaming everyone else when God judges them for sin.

In 1948 the Jewish Edomites received the birthright and thus became "the chosen people" in a legal sense. The legal significance is this: God is holding them responsible to bring forth the fruits of the Kingdom, and if they refuse--as they will--God will hold them accountable.

The time of accountability is fast approaching. Esau will soon learn that being "chosen" is not a blessing, but a curse. They will learn the same lesson that Israel had to learn during the time of the Judges--that if they refused to fulfill the obligations of being "chosen," they would be judged and sent into captivity.