Ancient hatred

This is a continuation from Saturday's post. The internet is very spotty tonight so I'm not able to keep working on this piece, editing it and so forth, but will have a new post tomorrow:

That attitude of anger, hatred, envy, despise, it’s passed right down through. The Edomites, the Ishmaelites, that ancient hatred passes right down through to the last days.

Zechariah 12: [1] The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
[2] Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
[3] And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

The nation Israel is surrounded by this ancient hatred (we’re talking now about the last days) that goes back to Genesis, this envy of God’s purpose and plan through the Abrahamic Covenant to make him a great nation—to give them His blessing and make them the head of all nations above all people.

Nobody wants to be subject to somebody else; your old sin nature doesn’t want that. One of the reasons, in Ephesians 5, people get so mad at the Apostle Paul is about marriage.

There’s such a conflict right now in evangelicalism about marriage and complementarianism and egalitarianism—all these stupid words people develop out of there theological hang-ups—is because Paul says, ‘Wives be subject to your husbands,’ and the paragraph right before that says everybody is to be subject to one another.

One of the marks of being filled with the spirit is to be willing to be subject to another—to esteem other better than yourself. That’s the mind of Christ but your flesh doesn’t want to be subordinate.

Psalm 83: [4] 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.
[5] For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
[6] The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;

All of those countries are the countries that immediately surround Israel; they’re all Arab countries, by the way, and they all have this familial hatred of the nation Israel. All those countries also are Islamic, so if you want to understand what’s going to happen with Arab-Israeli conflict, this passage is going to help you.

It’s interesting to note that most of the prophecy preachers, when they talk about the destruction of Edom, they fail to notice that there are two different destructions of Edom.

Isaiah 63: [1] Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
[2] Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
[3] I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
[4] For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
[5] And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
[6] And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

Here’s someone up in Israel watching the Lord Jesus Christ come from down south up through Edom at His Second Advent. Verse 3 is the actual advent of Christ as He’s come out of heaven on a white horse and He does that alone.

Ezekiel 25: [12] 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;
[13] 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.
[14] And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.
[15] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;
[16] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.
[17] And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

Here’s the reciprocity: ‘You treated Israel this way; I’m going to treat you this way.’ God’s going to pour out His fury on Edom personally all by Himself at the Advent, but He’s also going to do it by the hand of His people Israel. Now, that’s two different things. There’s two different times when He’s going to destroy the Edomites.

Isaiah 63 is talking about that time when He uses His people to do it. How do you know that? You see the ‘as, as, like, like’? He said, ‘Do to them what you did back in the Book of Judges.’ I keep telling you, the books of Numbers, Judges, Joshua—they’re not just ancient history written for Sunday School class information. They are pre-written pictures, rehearsals, of the judgment for the last day. In fact, Judges 5 calls it a rehearsal.