The Bible says that God is angry with the sinner every day, and that is true.
Caroline:
The bible says God is angry with sin and sin within people mostly. Or that He is angry with national rebellion. Rarely does it ever say God is angry with the person. The people Jesus was most angry with were those who ought to know better but weren't practicing mercy and justice. He spoke about being more righteous than the Pharisees and being holy but he never called any of the sin-filled women he met whore. They were sisters and daughters to him. He ate with them. He could separate their acts from their personhood.
Terry: The Bible says that He hated Esau, and that is true.
Caroline:
And how was His hate expressed? It's neat to consider as Esau and Jacob were twins. Esau married at least 3 women, had a large family and lived in Seir which was their Promised Land. When Jacob returned, Esau could gather an army to meet him which shows he had community standing. He initially refused Jacob's gifts because he had plenty. The two brothers could not live in the same area because they had too much men and animals. Jacob had to leave home, work as a slave, wrestle with God. His children ends up as slaves in Egypt, wander the desert, fight for every inch of the Promised land, live there in anarchy and terror, suffer under bad kings, get exiled, return to devastated land and temple, end up under Roman rule.
On Israel's way to their Promised Land, they passed by Seir and God told Moses that this was land given to Esau by Him, that these people were their brothers, that they can not start a war here and they had to pay for everything they used.
When we hate someone we wish them all sorts of evil. God can't plan or do evil because there is no darkness in Him. His hate is different from ours.
The Edomites (like lots of other nations) later came under judgment. But Esau himself had a pretty decent life. The phrase "Jacob I loved but Esau I hated" meant God chose Jacob's line to be the one He will actively shape into the nation that He will step into the world through. They were forged as steel and iron are forged. That is love. Esau was left alone like a wild bush. That is hate.
And it was decided before they were born and could do anything to earn either love or hate. That is destiny.
Terry:
Do you think that possibly there is a time when God feels that His love has been rejected long enough, and His love turns to anger and then finally to hate?
Caroline:
Sure, in Jeremiah 3, He had enough and divorced Israel. Then, a few short verses later, He said, "Return, faithless Israel," declares the LORD, "I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful," decalres the LORD, "I will not be angry forever."
We can not out love God or beat Him in faithfulness. He is more constant in His love than either Hosea or Job.
So, ultimately, no.
---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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