Isa 21:11-12 | KingComments | STEP | In the first line of it says in Hebrew Dumah instead of Edom. Dumah descends from Ishmael ( ). That this prophecy is about Edom and by Dumah Edom is meant can be seen from the second line, where “Seir” is mentioned. Seir lies in Edom ( ). Dumah means “silence”, that is, the silence of death. It speaks of the agony that comes over Edom. They have heard what the great prophet Isaiah has said. They have heard his warnings or heard others talk about it. They have also heard about his announcements of judgment and of salvation and redemption. Here Isaiah is a type of the faithful remnant of Israel who will then proclaim the gospel of the kingdom ( ), in this case to the Edomites. This gospel should be clearly distinguished from the gospel preached in this time of grace, the gospel of the grace of God ( ). Now they have become curious if he has something to tell them. That is why they ask Isaiah, the watchman, a question from Seir, the area where the Edomites live ( ). The repetition gives the question extra emphasis. The meaning of the question is symbolic: How far has the night already passed? Enclosed in it is the question of how long it is before daybreak, which is the period of Israel’s glory spoken of by the prophets. How the question is asked to Isaiah is not told. Possibly Isaiah saw someone in a vision asking him that question. Something similar we also see when Paul sees in a vision a Macedonian man calling him ( ). The Edomites also suffer from the Assyrians. Could the prophet from Judah also say how long that will take for them? They ask that question twice. Do they really want to know when the morning comes, i.e. the time of peace, the time of Israel’s glory, or are they mockingly assuming that Isaiah just calls out anything (cf. )? Isaiah gives them the assurance that morning will surely come. The kingdom of peace is coming, for the “sun of righteousness will rise” ( ). But also night will come. The night here is God’s judgment on Edom. The day of Israel’s glory will be the night of judgment on Edom. Isaiah knows the answer because he is in God’s counsel ( ). He also gives the answer. He points to the dawn of a coming day and sees it as already having come. That is said by the believer who trusts God on His Word and believes that He will introduce Israel once into the full blessing. But Isaiah also says that a night will come. Then the Edomite is called to come back again. This is another call to repent, also for the mockers. Even in a message of judgment, God in His indulgence continues to call man to repent. Even on the last page of the Bible, it still sounds: “Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” ( ). The watchman’s answer has meaning for every ‘Edomite’. For the sincerely inquiring ‘Edomite’ who accepts the watchman’s message as spoken in the Name of God, the day will come after the night ( ). But for a mocking ‘Edomite’ it is night and remains night. Those who really want to know what the future looks like, what is going to happen, are invited to inquire. The sincerity of the question will also be evident in responding to the call to return to God and His invitation to come to Him ( ). We may ask each time how long it will take before it becomes day. This is proof that we do not live for here and now, but in the light of the future. It is an encouragement for the believer. Each time we may question the prophetic word and be encouraged by it that God is not out of control and that He will finally fulfill all His promises. It is also implied that, in order to see it become day, it is necessary for the questioner to come back again, that is to turn to God. For Israel and the world, “a morning without clouds” ( ) will come when the Lord Jesus establishes His realm of peace. This must first be preceded by His coming to judge. Israel and the world must first pass through the night of the great tribulation. That night will pass into the everlasting night for all who do not repent. For all who repent, who come back again, it will be everlasting light. In this section about Dumah we find a prophetic warning to Edom. If Edom does not listen to this warning, the anger of God will come on him through the Assyrians, the king of the North ( ). Isaiah does not mention this explicitly, but we do find it in Obadiah ( ). After the appearance of the LORD and the restoration of Israel, including the returned ten tribes, He will roar from Zion ( ) and tread His wine press in the valley of Jehoshaphat ( ). Then the nations in the land of Edom will be judged ( ). Edom then also will be destroyed again. Finally, the faithful remnant of Israel will take possession of their inheritance by completely exterminating the remaining Edomites ( ; ). That is why Edom is called Dumah here, which means ‘the silence of death’.

‏ Isaiah 21:11-12

Burden of Edom

In the first line of Isa 21:11 it says in Hebrew Dumah instead of Edom. Dumah descends from Ishmael (Gen 25:12-14). That this prophecy is about Edom and by Dumah Edom is meant can be seen from the second line, where “Seir” is mentioned. Seir lies in Edom (Gen 36:8). Dumah means “silence”, that is, the silence of death. It speaks of the agony that comes over Edom. They have heard what the great prophet Isaiah has said. They have heard his warnings or heard others talk about it. They have also heard about his announcements of judgment and of salvation and redemption.

Here Isaiah is a type of the faithful remnant of Israel who will then proclaim the gospel of the kingdom (Mt 24:14), in this case to the Edomites. This gospel should be clearly distinguished from the gospel preached in this time of grace, the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24).

Now they have become curious if he has something to tell them. That is why they ask Isaiah, the watchman, a question from Seir, the area where the Edomites live (Jos 24:4a). The repetition gives the question extra emphasis. The meaning of the question is symbolic: How far has the night already passed? Enclosed in it is the question of how long it is before daybreak, which is the period of Israel’s glory spoken of by the prophets.

How the question is asked to Isaiah is not told. Possibly Isaiah saw someone in a vision asking him that question. Something similar we also see when Paul sees in a vision a Macedonian man calling him (Acts 16:9).

The Edomites also suffer from the Assyrians. Could the prophet from Judah also say how long that will take for them? They ask that question twice. Do they really want to know when the morning comes, i.e. the time of peace, the time of Israel’s glory, or are they mockingly assuming that Isaiah just calls out anything (cf. 2Pet 3:3-4)?

Isaiah gives them the assurance that morning will surely come. The kingdom of peace is coming, for the “sun of righteousness will rise” (Mal 4:2). But also night will come. The night here is God’s judgment on Edom. The day of Israel’s glory will be the night of judgment on Edom.

Isaiah knows the answer because he is in God’s counsel (Isa 21:12). He also gives the answer. He points to the dawn of a coming day and sees it as already having come. That is said by the believer who trusts God on His Word and believes that He will introduce Israel once into the full blessing. But Isaiah also says that a night will come.

Then the Edomite is called to come back again. This is another call to repent, also for the mockers. Even in a message of judgment, God in His indulgence continues to call man to repent. Even on the last page of the Bible, it still sounds: “Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Rev 22:17).

The watchman’s answer has meaning for every ‘Edomite’. For the sincerely inquiring ‘Edomite’ who accepts the watchman’s message as spoken in the Name of God, the day will come after the night (Rom 13:12a). But for a mocking ‘Edomite’ it is night and remains night. Those who really want to know what the future looks like, what is going to happen, are invited to inquire. The sincerity of the question will also be evident in responding to the call to return to God and His invitation to come to Him (Mt 11:28).

We may ask each time how long it will take before it becomes day. This is proof that we do not live for here and now, but in the light of the future. It is an encouragement for the believer. Each time we may question the prophetic word and be encouraged by it that God is not out of control and that He will finally fulfill all His promises. It is also implied that, in order to see it become day, it is necessary for the questioner to come back again, that is to turn to God.

For Israel and the world, “a morning without clouds” (2Sam 23:4) will come when the Lord Jesus establishes His realm of peace. This must first be preceded by His coming to judge. Israel and the world must first pass through the night of the great tribulation. That night will pass into the everlasting night for all who do not repent. For all who repent, who come back again, it will be everlasting light.

In this section about Dumah we find a prophetic warning to Edom. If Edom does not listen to this warning, the anger of God will come on him through the Assyrians, the king of the North (Isa 10:5). Isaiah does not mention this explicitly, but we do find it in Obadiah (Oba 1:1-9).

After the appearance of the LORD and the restoration of Israel, including the returned ten tribes, He will roar from Zion (Joel 3:16) and tread His wine press in the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12-13). Then the nations in the land of Edom will be judged (Isa 34:1-15 ; Isa 63:1-6). Edom then also will be destroyed again.

Finally, the faithful remnant of Israel will take possession of their inheritance by completely exterminating the remaining Edomites (Isa 11:14 ; Isa 34:6-17; Eze 25:14). That is why Edom is called Dumah here, which means ‘the silence of death’.