| "Whereas Esau saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, the PEOPLE AGAINST WHOM THE LORD HATH INDIGNATION FOREVER" (Mal.1:4). In other words, the ancient hatreds continue, and in the end-times God will again punish the nations of Esau, because of their treachery against their brother Jacob! In the "Day of the LORD," the time when God shortly will intervene in world affairs, and send judgment upon this world, Esau, too, will be dealt with severely. We read in Isaiah: "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll [the "heavenly signs" which introduce the final "Day of the Lord" -- see Joel 2:31]: and all their host shall fall down [compare Rev.6:12-17], as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. "For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon IDUMEA [ESAU], AND UPON THE PEOPLE OF MY CURSE, to judgment. The sword of the LORD is filled with blood. . . for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah [ancient capital of Edom], and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. . . . For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever" (Isaiah 34:4-10). Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah predicts concerning Esau, or Edom: "Flee, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the CALAMITY OF ESAU UPON HIM, the time that I will visit him. . . . But I have made ESAU bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and so he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbors, and he is not. . . . Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse: and all the cities thereof shall become perpetual wastes. . . Also EDOM shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it" (Jer.49:8-17). Obviously, to bring such judgment upon itself, during the coming "Day of the Lord," modern "Edom" must be guilty of heinous sins and horrible crimes in the sight of God! What could stir God up so, that His wrath will be poured out in such unmitigated fury? The prophet Ezekiel makes the truth plain. He prophesies against this end-time nations and peoples who are descended from ancient Esau: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all IDUMEA, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey" (Ezek.36:5). It is Almighty God who gave the bounds of the land of modern America and Canada to the descendants of Joseph. It was God who led the American forces to victory over the Spanish and Mexicans in the Mexican-American war in 1847 and gave the sons of Joseph – Ephraim and Manasseh – dominance over the world for the past two centuries. The descendants of Esau and biding their time and waiting for the right opportunity to bring the descendants of Jacob down! It is evident that God will allow them to rise up, because of modern day Israel’s mounting SINS, corruption, and wickedness! God declares that He will use Esau to punish Jacob in the “End of Days.” But then Esau itself will also be punished – much more severely! The Lord says: "Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. Because thou hast a perpetual HATRED, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel BY THE FORCE OF THE SWORD in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since you have not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth. And I will fill his mountains with his slain men. . . I will make thee per- petual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD . . . Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee" (Ezek.35:3-11). These are horrible predictions and prophecies of impending doom and awesome judgment which will be meted out, in our day, upon the end-time descendants of Esau -- the people of central Europe, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and their cousins, the Palestinians! The End-Time Prophecy of Obadiah Obadiah the prophet, who lived circa 587 B.C., at the time of the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, was inspired by God to condemn the behavior of Esau, or Edom, and his descendants, for their vicious attitude toward the descendants of Jacob, or Israel. The pride of Esau, God says, will bring him down. God continues: "Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. . . "How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! All the men of thy CONFEDERACY [the New World Order, and European Union] have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at PEACE with thee have DECEIVED thee [the Russians and Oriental hordes?], and PREVAILED AGAINST THEE . . . . "And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by SLAUGHTER. For thy VIOLENCE against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. "In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; neither shouldest thou have STOOD IN THE CROSSWAY, to cut off those of his thatdid escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress" (Obadiah 1:6-14). Part of Edom, today, is located to the "south" of modern, end-time Israel and Judah. Part of it is represented by the Spanish peoples of Spain, and Mexico, and other nations in Central and South America. With this understanding, this prophecy takes on vital new significance. Notice! When the modern nations of Israel fall, and suffer awesome distress -- the "time of Jacob's trouble" prophesied in many Scriptures (see Dan.12:1-2; Jer.30:6-7) -- then modern Mexico will no doubt rejoice, at the calamity of "El Colosso del Norte," the United States, and Mexicans will come across the borders in hordes, to rape, pillage, occupy and devour what they can seize of the United States. In anger and rage, they will re-occupy California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. Mexico has never forgiven the United States for its conquest of that nation in 1847. The memory of their defeat still rankles nationalistic Mexican leaders and agitators, who hate the United States. Even today Mexico is the leading smuggler of dope, cocaine, and drugs into the United States. The prophecy indicates that the Spanish-speaking descendants of Esau will seek to re-conquer lands they lost historically. God says of them, "they have appointed MY LAND into their possession" (Ezek.36:5). Esau-Germany-Rome is also in the forefront of seeking to undermine the Jews in Israel, by hamstringing them through the ‘Road Map to Peace” with the Palestinians. They will be among those who attack the people of end-time Israel and the Jews, with the sword, during the day of their calamity. Notice, too, that God will judge Esau because they entered the gate of His people, and laid hands on their substance, in the day of their calamity, and "stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape" (Obadiah 1:14). Here is a direct reference to a vital END-TIME "CROSSWAY" -- a vital sea-gate -- which the peoples of Esau will BLOCK -- preventing the children of Israel -- Americans, British, Canadians, and the like -- from escaping from their enemies! Is this not a plain reference to the PANAMA CANAL -- the most vital "crossway" for ships in the entire world, allowing them to cross from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, and vice versa? Even now, operational control of the Panama Canal has been SOLD by the Panamanians into the hands of the Communist Chinese -- the enemies of the United States. Similarly, Spain today still hates the English for their conquest of the rock of Gibraltar, and seizure of that vital sea-gate. Spanish leaders have no love for the English, and when the opportunity affords itself, would no doubt seek revenge. Is this not part of the ancient blood feud and hatred of Esau? Note that the prophecy states that Edom will "stand in the crossway" to stop fleeing Israelites from seeking to escape their enemies. Any who foolishly seek "refuge" in these Edomite countries, then, will be turned over to the "Gestapo"-like authorities of the New World Order – modern “Rome”! Woe be to those who seek to "hide" in Spain, or Mexico, or similar countries, "south of the border." They will be turned on and delivered up to their enemies! The Age-Old PlotNote, too, that Edom is part of a "conspiracy" or "confederacy" against Israel -- that is, an end-time UNION of nations! A similar prophecy is found in Psalm 83, where we read: "They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are CONFEDERATE against thee: the tabernacles of EDOM [Rome, Italy, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Turkey, etc.], and the Ishmaelites [Arabs]; of Moab [Jordanians], and the Hagarenes [Iraqis]; Gebal [Lebanon] and Amalek [a powerful descendant of Esau]; the Philistines [more Amalekites and descendants of Esau]] with the inhabitants of Tyre; Asshur [Germany] is joined with them" (Psalm 83:1-8). This prophecy indicates that the nations descended largely from Esau, including those of the “New World Order,” together with the Arab states around Israel, will form a vast CONSPIRACY -- a confederacy -- of nations, to attack modern Israel. This vast, far-flung attack will lead to the “battle of that great day of the Lord” – also called, “Armageddon”! (Rev.16:13-16). However, their attack will be foiled, for the Messiah Himself will deliver Israel from their clutches! The Psalmist cries out, "O my God, make them as a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; so persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm" (Psa.83:13-15). Setting the mountains on fire no doubt refers to powerful volcanic eruptions which will shake, devastate, and destroy some of these nations which come against end-time Israel! Italy, as well as Mexico and Central America, and the Andes mountains of South America, are noted for their many ancient volcanoes -- many of which could erupt at any time! (see also Rev.16:16-18). The Prophecy of Balaam A very unusual prophecy was given by the prophet Balaam during the time of Moses, about 1452 B.C. He prophesied about the "latter days," the time prior to the second coming of the Messiah: "There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And EDOM [ESAU] shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. "And when he looked on AMALEK [leading tribe or nation of ESAU], he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations [greatest, most powerful, and first to rise to power and greatness]; BUT HIS LATTER END SHALL BE THAT HE PERISH FOREVER" (Num.24:17-20). God does not forget. He remembers well the horrors of the Medieval Inquisition, and the persecutions, tortures, and brutality and savagery of the Inquisitors of the Roman Catholic church, during the Middle Ages. He also remembers the cruelty of the Germans in World War II, and the ancient Turks. It is a fact that history repeats itself. The violence of the Middle Ages, and the Spanish inquisition, will also be repeated in this END-TIME AGE! The descendants of ancient Esau will make one final attempt to destroy the descendants of Jacob. They will take part in unleashing an unprecedented "bloodbath" of unbridled fury and horror. Jesus Christ said: "For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should NO FLESH BE SAVED [alive]: but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened" (Matt.24:21-22). In the book of Revelation, John sees a scene of the horrible religious inquisition of the Middle Ages, and a repetition of that same religious bloodbath which will soon sweep over the nations in this end-time. He wrote: "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, THAT SHOULD BE KILLED AS THEY WERE, should be fulfilled" (Rev.6:9-11). Will history repeat itself? Your Bibles says it will. Another martyrdom of saints and true Christians is right around the corner! Edom in Prophecy! For many decades, the Worldwide Church of God taught that the Biblical prophecies against "Edom" refer to the land of Turkey, and that the "crossroads" mentioned in Obadiah's prophecy refer to the "Dardanelles" straits. Although it is true that many Edomites settled in Turkey, the tribe of "Teman" in particular, which gave its name to the "Ottoman" Empire -- this fact only shows us that modern Turkey is merely a part or branch of ancient Esau. But the vast majority of the children of Esau migrated to the north and west, just like the children of Israel. They settled in Europe and the Spanish-speaking lands. As history shows, the early Spanish kings were descended from ancient "Hercules" -- a title of Esau the famous hunter himself! And, as history shows, the Italians -- the ancient Chittim -- are a people who mixed and mingled with the children of Esau. Also, remember, ancient Edom was located south of Israel -- not to their "north." Therefore, when all the evidence is assembled together, it becomes crystal clear that modern Edom includes the nations located "south" of the end-time nations of Israel, today. The only nations which legitimately fit this description are Italy and Spain in Europe, and Mexico and the LATIN countries in Central and South America! The western branch of modern "Edom," or "Esau," in Bible prophecy are the Italian and Hispanic peoples! Their history parallels that of Jacob's descendants, and the ancient rivalry of the two siblings -- Jacob and Esau -- has been perpetuated down through history between their descendants. The location and whereabouts of modern Esau -- or Edom -- stands identified! Esau’s descendants include the peoples of Italy, Germany Spain, and the Turkish people, the Palestinians, and their offspring! As was always the case, the descendants of Esau intermarried with the local inhabitants, wherever they migrated. The resultant nations are none other than the descendants of ancient Edomites. |
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