20150820 Thursday, August 20 2015
Isaiah 63: Esau's Treaty With Babylon

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"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?"

Esau was the fraternal-twin brother of Jacob (see The Birth of Jacob and Esau). Their lifelong competitive relationship began before they were even born: "The LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger."

"25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

25:24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25:25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them." (Genesis 25:21-26 KJV)

It was during Jacob's return from twenty-years exile away from Esau (see A Biography Of Jacob: The Blessing and A Biography Of Jacob: The Jacobites Of Syria) that the LORD renamed Jacob as "Israel" (see A Biography Of Jacob: When Jacob Became Israel and Jacob's Peace With Esau).

"32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. (Genesis 32:28 KJV) "32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (Genesis 32:30 KJV)

Esau also acquired a new name, from the famous "bowl of stew" incident: " And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom" (see A Biography Of Jacob: The Birthright).

""25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

25:29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright." (Genesis 25:27-34 KJV)

Esau was nevertheless also blessed by the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God). He became wealthy and the father of nations. Esau chose to depart from the land of Canaan, away from Jacob, "For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle."

"36:1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

36:2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 36:3 And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth.

36:4 And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 36:5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan."

"36:6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. 36:7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. 36:8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom." (Genesis 36:1-8 KJV)

When the nations of Esau / Edom allied themselves with the Babylonians against their cousins of Israel and Judah, the prophets of the time delivered the LORD's rebuke to Esau. Obadiah recorded it (see Obadiah: A Prophecy Of Edom), as did 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.

63:2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?

63:3 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. 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 63:5 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. 63:6 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.

63:7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. 63:8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

63:11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? 63:12 That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? 63:13 That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? 63:14 As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.

63:15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? 63:16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting. 63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. 63:18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. 63:19 We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name." (Isaiah 63:1-19 KJV)

Fact Finder: The "land of Edom" was located south of Judea in the Negev Desert and Western Arabia. What does the Bible say about the Negev Desert and Arabia?
See The Negev Of Israel and Paul's Geography Lesson