God’s Enduring Love for Israel: A Look at Malachi 1:2-5

The book of Malachi, the final book of the Old Testament, opens with a profound declaration from the Lord: “I have loved you.” Yet, in a testament to the human heart’s capacity for doubt, the people of Israel respond with a skeptical question: “How have You loved us?” This exchange sets the stage for Malachi’s powerful message, revealing a nation struggling with its spiritual perspective and a God unwavering in His commitment.

Malachi, whose name means “my messenger,” addresses the spiritual and social decay that had crept into Israel after the return from exile and the rebuilding of the Temple. While the external structures of worship were restored, the people’s hearts were far from God. Malachi tackles issues similar to those faced by Ezra and Nehemiah, such as social injustice (Malachi 3:5), intermarriage with foreign women (Malachi 2:10-16), and negligence in tithing (Malachi 3:7-10). The book is structured around seven questions posed by the Israelites, each exposing their doubting, discouraged, and sinful hearts. The very first of these questions – “In what way have You loved us?” – lies at the heart of the initial oracle found in Malachi 1:2-5.

Israel’s Fading Perspective of God’s Love

The Israelites’ question, “How have You loved us?”, speaks volumes about their current state. They were looking at their circumstances, at what they perceived they had lost since the captivity, and how fragile their nation seemed. As commentator John MacArthur notes, they “incredulously expressed doubt about God’s love and insolently challenged it.” Their focus was on their perceived lack, rather than on the enduring blessings and covenant promises. They had become insensitive to God’s love, implying that without prosperity, there were no tokens of His affection. This reveals a critical misconception: measuring God’s boundless love by the material things we may possess or lose. God, as James 1:5 and 1:17 remind us, gives liberally and without reproach, and desires for us to enjoy His good gifts (1 Timothy 6:17, Ecclesiastes 3:13).

God’s Unchanging and Elective Love for Jacob

God’s response to Israel’s doubt is both surprising and profoundly significant. He counters their question with one of His own: “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” This seemingly simple question carries immense theological weight. God is essentially saying, “You are brothers, and like Esau, you have done evil things before Me. Yet, in spite of this, I have loved you in a way that Esau will never feel or experience – I hated him!”

This declaration highlights a crucial aspect of God’s love for Jacob (Israel): it was an elective love. Romans 9:11-13 explains that God chose Jacob for a special purpose, a divine design from the very beginning, irrespective of his birth order or human merit. This choice was not arbitrary, but part of His sovereign plan.

Furthermore, God’s love for Jacob was unchanging. Malachi 3:6 powerfully states, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, have not been consumed.” This steadfastness was the very reason Israel was not utterly destroyed despite their repeated unfaithfulness. Jeremiah 31:35-37 further emphasizes this immutability, comparing God’s unchanging love and purpose for Israel to the fixed laws and ordinances of nature.

The Contrast: God’s Hatred for Esau

To underscore His unwavering love for Jacob, God juxtaposes it with His “hatred” for Esau. This “hatred” should not be understood in a human sense of malicious ill-will, but rather as a sovereign choice of disfavor and rejection for a particular covenantal purpose. God declares: “But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness.”

God’s judgment against Esau and his descendants, the Edomites, was not arbitrary or unconditional. Esau himself demonstrated a profound disregard for spiritual privileges, exemplified by his contempt for his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34) and his intermarriage with Canaanites and Ishmaelites (Genesis 26:34-35; 28:6-9). Moreover, the Edomites, his descendants, showed hostility towards Israel throughout history, refusing them passage during the wilderness journey (Numbers 20:14-21) and failing to assist Judah during its siege by Babylon (Obadiah 10-14).

God’s judgment against Esau was final and decisive. Prophecies in Jeremiah 49:7-22, Ezekiel 35:1-15, and Amos 1:11-12 foretell the desolation and ultimate end of Edom. Even their attempts to rebuild, as mentioned in Malachi 1:4 (“Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins”; this is what the Lord of armies says: “They may build, but I will tear down”), would be futile, leading to their eternal designation as “the territory of wickedness, and the people with whom the Lord is indignant forever.”

Conclusion: A Love Unquestionable

The stark contrast between God’s enduring love for Jacob and His decisive judgment against Esau serves as a powerful reminder to Israel – and to us – of the depth and unwavering nature of God’s covenantal love. He had not changed towards them; it was their perspective that had been clouded by their circumstances and their own sin.

The message of Malachi 1:2-5 is clear: God’s love for Jacob was and is final. It is a love that should not be questioned, but rather embraced and reciprocated. While Israel might have challenged God’s love for them, the true question that remained was, and still is, their love for Him.