There is an old anecdote about this passage which puts it in its proper perspective. The story goes that a skeptic approached a Christian with a sneer that the Bible could not be true because of this passage, "Esau have I hated." The skeptic said, "Imagine that in the Bible, spoken about a God who is said to be love!" The Christian replied that there was, indeed, a great difficulty in the verses, and the skeptic complimented him on his willingness to admit it. "But," replied the Christian, "there is no difficulty at all in the phrase you have quoted. Esau was a hateful sinner, and we couldn't have much respect for a God who would love him in his unchanged condition. God in His justice must find an Esau hateful. The great difficulty lies in the preceding phrase, 'Jacob have I loved;' for Jacob was a liar and a swindler; and the fact that God could manifest love toward him constitutes our real problem. This can only be understood in the light of the death of Jesus Christ. There is truly a great problem! That God loved Jacob is a wonder surpassed only by the fact that God loved me!
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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