雅各甚至在出生之前就开始争夺。在神主宰的安排下，以扫先出来，但雅各没有停止争夺。他出来以后，仍抓住以扫的脚跟（创二五26）。因此，他被起名叫雅各，意思就是抓脚跟的人。雅各既是这样一个抓脚跟的人，神就必须对付他。神对付的结果就是变化。雅各在成熟的年龄，不再是雅各－他是以色列，是神的王子。
在出生之前
雅各在他出生之前，甚至在创立世界以前，就蒙拣选了（创二五22-23，罗九11，弗一4）。我们像雅各一样，也是在出生之前蒙拣选的。在已过的永远里，在神还未开始创造任何东西之前，祂就拣选了我们。我们虽然自认渺小，但我们已经够大，使神注意我们。在已过的永远里拣选了我们。雅各这个顽皮的人，抓夺的人，蒙了神的拣选。这决定了他的将来。不要以为你是偶然得救的。不，我们的得救乃是神拣选的完成。
照着神的豫知
我们蒙神拣选是照着祂的豫知（彼前一2，罗八29）。在我们出生之前，神就豫先知道我们。在已过的永远里，神就照着祂的豫知，拣选了我们，并豫定了我们。
不是本于自己的奋斗或行为
雅各不是本于自己的奋斗蒙神拣选的（创二五22-23，26）。同样，我们蒙拣选也不是照着我们的挣扎。
罗马九章十一节说，“双子还没有生下来，善恶也没有作出来（只因要坚定神拣选人的旨意，不是本于行为，乃是本于那呼召人的）。”我们看见雅各蒙拣选不是本于他自己的行为。在双子还未作出善恶之前，神已经告诉作母亲的利百加说，“将来大的要服事小的”（罗九12）。这证明神的拣选不是根据我们的行为。我们是好是坏，都算不得数。
本于呼召人的神
罗马九章十三节说，“雅各是我所爱的，以扫是我所恨的。”不要说神不公平。祂是神，祂是制作者，创造者。祂的拣选不是根据我们。乃是完全在于祂。不是本于我们的挣扎或行为，“乃是本于那呼召人的。”我们不是创造者－祂才是。在罗马九章，保罗说，“你不知道你只是一块泥土，而神是窑匠么？窑匠难道没有权柄从一团泥里作出他所要的任何东西么？”
每日一问：雅各蒙神的拣选，发生在什么时候，是凭着他自己的行为吗？
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Chosen (2) – Rom. 9:12-13
Jacob even started struggling before he was born. Under God’s sovereign arrangement, Esau came out first, but Jacob did not stop struggling. After he came out, he still grabbed Esau’s heel (Gen. 25:26). Therefore, he was named Jacob, which means a supplanter (one who takes by the heel). Since Jacob was such a supplanter, God had to deal with him. The result of God’s dealing is transformation. At a mature age, Jacob was no longer Jacob — he was Israel, the prince of God.
Before Birth – Jacob was chosen even before he was born, and even before the foundation of the world (Gen. 25:22-23; Rom. 9:11; Eph. 1:4). Like Jacob, we were chosen before we were born. In the past eternity, before God had begun to create anything, He chose us. Although we consider ourselves small, we were already “big enough” for God to take notice of us. He chose us in the past eternity. Jacob, this naughty person, this supplanter, was chosen by God. This determined his future. Do not think that you were saved by accident. No, our salvation is the completion of God’s election.
According to God’s Foreknowledge – Our being chosen by God is according to His foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:29). Before we were born, God already knew us in advance. In the past eternity, God chose and predestinated us according to His foreknowledge.
Not Based on One’s Own Struggles or Works — Jacob was not chosen based on his own struggles (Gen. 25:22-23, 26). Likewise, our election is not according to our struggles.
Romans 9:11 says, “For though the twins were not yet borna and hand not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls.” We see that Jacob’s election was not based on his own works. Before the twins had done anything good or evil, God had already told their mother, Rebekah, “The older will serve the younger” (Rom. 9:12). This proves that God’s election is not according to our works. Whether we are good or bad does not count.
Based on the God Who Calls — Romans 9:13 says, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Do not say that God is unfair. He is God, the Maker, the Creator. His election is not based on us. It is entirely up to Him. It is not based on our struggles or works, “but because of Him who calls”. We are not the Creator — He is. In Romans 9, Paul says, “Do you not know that you are but a lump of clay, and God is the Potter? Does the Potter not have the authority to make out of one lump of clay anything He wants?”
Daily Question: When did Jacob’s election occur, and was it based on his own works?