Ancient hatreds and stereotypes often get passed down from generation to generation. These prejudices often have no foundation in reality. Other times they might have come due to conflict with one individual, then generalized to incorporate an entire people group. I remember when I was young being warned by my parents about the French. I believe I was told that you can't trust them. I remember laughing because I told them that I had never met anyone French and asked them if they themselves knew any French people, to which they responded, "No". But this stereotype was passed down to them by their European parents. One of the many blessings of growing up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn is that I was exposed to and became friends with virtually all nationalities and races. It's difficult to stereotype when you are looking at the real face and enjoying friendship with one of that race or nationality. The legendary Hatfield-McCoy feud along the West Virginia-Kentucky border which resulted in multiple deaths is a classic example of this ignorant hatred. Unfortunately, so many are closed to the gospel message due to pre-conceived ideas such as this. Most Jewish individuals don't read the Bible and therefore don't believe in Jesus due to what has been passed down with comments like, "I don't believe in Jesus because I'm Jewish". Those that do read and study, primarily read the Talmud, which are the commentaries of Rabbis from the past who didn't believe in Jesus as Messiah. As a result, many Jewish individuals will never even consider Jesus for fear of what would happen to them socially and because they have been told since young that it wasn't true. The same holds true for many so-called Christians. Raised in one denomination which elevates itself over all others, they mindlessly follow the dictates of this group, even if the group is practicing things which Jesus would never have approved of. Most "Christians" never crack open the pages of Scripture believing the lies that have been passed down that no average person can understand or interpret what is contained in the Bible.

Notice the ancient hatred that Edom (represented by Mount Seir) had for Israel. The feud had begun between brothers Jacob and Esau about 1000 years prior to this writing. We read in Ezekiel 35:5,11, "Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end,...therefore, as I live," says the Lord God, "I will do according to your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them when I judge you." Ancient hatreds and prejudices are not changed easily. Over years they become ingrained. But notice God's promise and antidote to this ignorant and cold stance in Ezekiel 36:26-27, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." Those who deem themselves in the "open-minded" group now try to "educate" others or legislate whom they deem ignorant, but this change requires a heart change from God, and God, not society, gets to decide what is right and wrong. This heart change can occur whenever the sinner (of which we all are) sees themselves for who we truly are in relation to Almighty God and repents. When this occurs the stone heart is removed and the heart transplant occurs by the power of the Holy Spirit. Read the beautiful response of Job after this realization in Job 42:5-6, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

Prejudices and stereotypes have no place in the heart of the Christian. By immersing ourselves in God's Word, we learn what is right and wrong from God's perspective. By doing this we avoid past errors and current incorrect trends propagated by a new generation of godless individuals. Jesus said in John 8:31-32, "...If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." One day we will all come before God awaiting judgment. That judgment will not be based on our nationality, our religion, our parents, etc. We will not be able to blame anyone else stating that this what I was taught or this is what the experts taught me. The verdict will rest solely on whom we chose to place our hope and confidence in. If it is Jesus Christ, then your sins will be covered by His payment and the verdict will be not guilty. If it is placed on anything or anyone else, no matter how sincere, the verdict will be guilty. His verdicts are absolutely fair in that He made available to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear the pardon available to us all, the ransom payment that He, Himself provided, as written in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."