Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Edom hath dealt against the
house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and
revenged himself upon them; Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I
will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and
beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of
Dedan shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom
by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according
to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God
(verses 12-14).
Edom, the descendants of Esau, the son of Jacob, was more closely
connected with Israel than Ammon and Moab. And Edom's deeds were more
pronouncedly against the people of God, more wicked and defiant, than
the others. Israel was especially commanded not to abhor an Edomite.
"Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother" (Deut.
xxiii:7). They greatly offended and revenged themselves upon them. Amos
declared their sin. "He did pursue his brother with the sword, and did
cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his
wrath forever" (Amos i:11). Edom's pride is uncovered by Obadiah (Obd.
verse 3-4), who also shows Edom's sin against his brother (verses
10-14). And the cruel Herods, the types of Antichrist, were Edomites.
Edom's judgment is to be executed by Israel. This is to take place in a
future day. See Obadiah's prophecy (verses 17-21) and (Amos ix:11-12).
Yet judgment has long ago fallen upon Edom, as predicted in verse 14.
What evidence that the words spoken by these prophets are the words of
God, supernatural in their origin and sure in their fulfilment! We shall
find some striking evidences in the predictions uttered by Ezekiel
against Tyre and Egypt. There is a time coming when every prediction in
the Bible will be accomplished. Then the Bible is gloriously vindicated
and all its enemies will forever disappear.