Isa 34:8 | KingComments | STEP | In the final judgment on all peoples, the judgment on Edom occupies a special place ( ). But first comes the judgment of the LORD on heaven itself, that is, He will bring punishment on “the host of heaven on high” ( ). Sin began in heaven through satan’s rebellion, and at the end satan will be “thrown down to earth” ( ). Next comes the judgment on the nations gathered in Edom, the people whom the LORD calls: “The people whom I have devoted to destruction.” What has been devoted belongs to God. That it is devoted to destruction means for everything that lives, that it must be killed. Edom is the brotherly nation and represents all those peoples who should have been closely associated with Israel, but who instead have distinguished themselves by expressing a deep hatred of Judah. That is why Edom is a counter picture of Israel ( ; ). They have always watched with intense gloating the suffering that has been done to Israel, and they have even taken great pleasure in increasing that suffering ( ; ). Edom is the representative of the hatred and gloating of the God-hostile world power. All hostile powers, such as Babylon and Moab, each represent a special form of enmity that is present in all powers, but is particularly prominent in a particular people. The sword is the sword of God’s wrath. That it has become drunk in heaven, means that heaven is completely filled with God’s wrath and is purified by that wrath. Thus the sword descends upon Edom and causes a terrible slaughter ( ; cf. ). Small, “lambs”, “goats”, “rams”, that is the common man, and big, “oxen”, “bulls”, that is the leaders, are killed in mass. The blood flows in enormous quantities ( ). The word “sacrifice” is in Hebrew zebah . Zebah is the name of one of the Midianite princes who was killed by the deliverer Gideon and his men after Midian oppressed Israel ( ). This word for ‘sacrifice’ occurs in the sense of God’s judgment only three times in the Old Testament. It occurs in connection with Israel ( ), with Gog ( ; cf. ) and here with Edom. Bozrah is like Teman one of the capitals of Edom. It is also a centrally located fortress in Edom. It is the place where the last massacre will take place before the realm of peace begins ( ). That is where the enemies of God’s people have gathered to fight against Israel. Their plan will not succeed because Christ Himself will intervene. The day of vengeance that the LORD will then hold is a repayment for all the injustice done to Zion ( ). The LORD stands up for Zion. With the destruction of the inhabitants, the land is also destroyed. By the judgment of the LORD Edom becomes an area reminiscent of hell with ever burning fire and smoke going up forever ( ; ; ). It will also stink horribly there. Throughout the millennial realm of peace, it will be a monument, a warning, and a reminder of what sin means. There will be total desolation. No one will be there anymore. With absolute precision the vastness and the content of the area will be defined by the LORD, which is indicated by the use of the line and the plumb line ( ). All the glory of Edom is at an end ( ). All the proud nobles are gone. A new king will not present himself. The places of his former splendor, the fortified towers or fortified cities, fade away and become abodes of all kinds of unclean and wild beasts and a location of all kinds of weeds ( ). Just as Jerusalem is an everlasting inheritance for the people of Israel, so Edom will be an everlasting inheritance for the wild beasts of the desert. In addition to a literal fulfillment of this prophecy of judgment, we can also discover here a symbolic description of the ferocity and corruption in which all the works of the flesh and human efforts end. There is also a play on words in Hebrew between Adam, which is ‘man’, ‘red earth’, and Edom, which is ‘red’.

‏ Isaiah 34:8

The Sword of the LORD Descends Upon Edom

In the final judgment on all peoples, the judgment on Edom occupies a special place (Isa 34:5). But first comes the judgment of the LORD on heaven itself, that is, He will bring punishment on “the host of heaven on high” (Isa 24:21). Sin began in heaven through satan’s rebellion, and at the end satan will be “thrown down to earth” (Rev 12:9). Next comes the judgment on the nations gathered in Edom, the people whom the LORD calls: “The people whom I have devoted to destruction.” What has been devoted belongs to God. That it is devoted to destruction means for everything that lives, that it must be killed.

Edom is the brotherly nation and represents all those peoples who should have been closely associated with Israel, but who instead have distinguished themselves by expressing a deep hatred of Judah. That is why Edom is a counter picture of Israel (Gen 25:23; Mal 1:2-3). They have always watched with intense gloating the suffering that has been done to Israel, and they have even taken great pleasure in increasing that suffering (Oba 1:10-15; Amos 1:11).

Edom is the representative of the hatred and gloating of the God-hostile world power. All hostile powers, such as Babylon and Moab, each represent a special form of enmity that is present in all powers, but is particularly prominent in a particular people.

The sword is the sword of God’s wrath. That it has become drunk in heaven, means that heaven is completely filled with God’s wrath and is purified by that wrath. Thus the sword descends upon Edom and causes a terrible slaughter (Isa 34:6-7; cf. Deu 32:41-43). Small, “lambs”, “goats”, “rams”, that is the common man, and big, “oxen”, “bulls”, that is the leaders, are killed in mass. The blood flows in enormous quantities (Rev 14:20).

The word “sacrifice” is in Hebrew zebah. Zebah is the name of one of the Midianite princes who was killed by the deliverer Gideon and his men after Midian oppressed Israel (Jdg 8:21). This word for ‘sacrifice’ occurs in the sense of God’s judgment only three times in the Old Testament. It occurs in connection with Israel (Zep 1:7-8), with Gog (Eze 39:17 ; 19; cf. Jer 46:10) and here with Edom.

Bozrah is like Teman one of the capitals of Edom. It is also a centrally located fortress in Edom. It is the place where the last massacre will take place before the realm of peace begins (Isa 63:1). That is where the enemies of God’s people have gathered to fight against Israel. Their plan will not succeed because Christ Himself will intervene. The day of vengeance that the LORD will then hold is a repayment for all the injustice done to Zion (Isa 34:8). The LORD stands up for Zion.

With the destruction of the inhabitants, the land is also destroyed. By the judgment of the LORD Edom becomes an area reminiscent of hell with ever burning fire and smoke going up forever (Isa 34:9-10; Isa 66:24; Rev 14:11 ; Rev 19:3). It will also stink horribly there. Throughout the millennial realm of peace, it will be a monument, a warning, and a reminder of what sin means. There will be total desolation. No one will be there anymore. With absolute precision the vastness and the content of the area will be defined by the LORD, which is indicated by the use of the line and the plumb line (Isa 34:11).

All the glory of Edom is at an end (Isa 34:12). All the proud nobles are gone. A new king will not present himself. The places of his former splendor, the fortified towers or fortified cities, fade away and become abodes of all kinds of unclean and wild beasts and a location of all kinds of weeds (Isa 34:13-15). Just as Jerusalem is an everlasting inheritance for the people of Israel, so Edom will be an everlasting inheritance for the wild beasts of the desert.

In addition to a literal fulfillment of this prophecy of judgment, we can also discover here a symbolic description of the ferocity and corruption in which all the works of the flesh and human efforts end. There is also a play on words in Hebrew between Adam, which is ‘man’, ‘red earth’, and Edom, which is ‘red’.