A Day of Retribution

 9. (a) What is the origin of Edom, and what relationship developed between Israel and Edom? (b) What does Jehovah decree concerning Edom?

⁹ Now the prophecy singles out a nation that exists in Isaiah’s day​—Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau (Edom), who sold his birthright to his twin brother, Jacob, for bread and lentil stew. (Genesis 25:24-34) Because Jacob supplanted him in the birthright, Esau became filled with hatred for his brother. Later the nation of Edom and the nation of Israel became enemies, even though they descended from twin brothers. For this hostility against God’s people, Edom has incurred the wrath of Jehovah, who now says: “In the heavens my sword will certainly be drenched. Look! Upon Edom it will descend, and upon the people devoted by me to destruction in justice. Jehovah has a sword; it must be filled with blood; it must be made greasy with the fat, with the blood of young rams and he-goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For Jehovah has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughtering in the land of Edom.”​—Isaiah 34:5, 6.

10. (a) Whom does Jehovah bring down when he wields his sword “in the heavens”? (b) What attitude does Edom display when Judah is attacked by Babylon?

¹⁰ Edom occupies a high, mountainous region. (Jeremiah 49:16; Obadiah 8, 9, 19, 21) Nevertheless, even these natural fortifications will be of no help when Jehovah wields his sword of judgment “in the heavens,” abasing Edom’s rulers from their elevated position. Edom is heavily militarized, and its armed forces march through high mountain ranges to safeguard the country. But powerful Edom furnishes no assistance when Judah is attacked by the armies of Babylon. Rather, Edom is overjoyed to see the tumbling of the kingdom of Judah and urges her conquerors on. (Psalm 137:7) Edom even chases down Jews running for their lives and hands them over to the Babylonians. (Obadiah 11-14) The Edomites plan to take over the abandoned country of the Israelites, and they speak boastfully against Jehovah.​—Ezekiel 35:10-15.

Not long after the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E., Jehovah begins to express his righteous vengeance upon the Edomites by means of the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. (Jeremiah 25:15-17, 21) When Babylon’s armies move against Edom, nothing can save the Edomites!

Christendom’s Bleak Future

13. Who today is like Edom, and why?

¹³ In modern times, there exists an organization with a record like that of Edom. What organization? Well, who in modern times has taken the lead in reviling and persecuting Jehovah’s servants? Has it not been Christendom, through its clergy class? Yes! Christendom has elevated herself to mountainlike heights in the affairs of this world. She claims a lofty position in mankind’s system of things, and her religions form the dominant part of Babylon the Great.