Edom is destroyed

ISAIAH CHAPTER 34

Isaiah tells the people of all nations to listen to the words he has heard from the Lord. The Lord is enraged against the nations, and all armies. He will destroy them all and when his sword is finished it will fall upon Edom. He will single it out for a mighty slaughter and the land will be soaked in blood; for it is the day of the Lord's vengeance and pay back for all Edom did to Israel.

The judgment on Edom will never end; the smoke of its burning will rise forever. It will be deserted and no one will live there. It will be called the Land of Nothing and its princes will be gone and the land filled with nettles and wild animals will haunt the ruins.

Search the book of the Lord, says Isaiah, and see what the Lord will do. He will not miss a single detail. He has surveyed the land and deeded it over to the creatures who will possess it forever.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: This chapter shows a message to all nations, but especially Edom. Remember way back in the bible, the Edomites were descended from Jacob's twin brother Esau. Edom was always an enemy of Israel. The destruction shown in this chapter means the destruction and end of all who oppose God and his people.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Isaiah refers to prophecies written in a "book of the Lord". We don't know what happened to that book, if it existed, but people were supposed to be able to look up the prophecies and find agreement between what happened and what was predicted. Wouldn't it have been interesting to look inside this book, because prophecy predicts and history reveals what has been in God's mind?

But in our time, we don't really need a book of the Lord. We have historians and written texts to help us sort out what happened in the time of Isaiah. Many of us find it hard to believe that God would be so complete in his destruction of entire cities and their populations. But he IS GOD! He warned the people of what would happen if they did not obey his will. He is our master and teacher and he gets angry and sometimes disciplines in harsh ways. Do you think our world is getting away with noncompliance to his will these days? Not on your life. He will only let things slide so far. He is watching at all times and when his son returns, the evil will once again be wiped out. I sincerely believe this will happen. I hope you can imagine it too. We can protect ourselves and our loved ones from the wrath of the destruction by simply following the commandments given so long ago. Practice them in your daily life.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Pray for Gabe. Pray for Logan during her difficult pregnancy.


Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s.Update on this family: After many trips back and forth to Ok., her mother-in law passed away last week. Our sympathy to the family. Finally she is at peace.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.