Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

The Prophet is here commissioned by the Lord to pronounce judgment, on Mount Seir, for Edom's hatred of Israel.

We have here the Lord's awful sentence, upon Mount Seir, that is Esau's heritage; and the reason is assigned, namely, his hatred to Israel. Some have thought, and no doubt upon good grounds, that what is here denounced against the descendants of Esau, in the cause of it, may be supposed to refer to all the enemies of Israel. Esau being put at the head of all the seed of Israel's haters, with whom, in consequence of the covenant blessings in Jacob, the deadly indignation began. Reader! do not fail to connect with this view, the explanation which Christ hath given of the whose cause of the world's hatred. John 15:17-20. There can be no agreement between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent. See Galatians 4:28-29.

We shall enter into a due apprehension of what is here said, and also the interest the whole Church of Christ hath in it, if we read it as it ought to be read, spiritually; and the Lord the Holy Ghost be our teacher. It is truly blessed, in the conflicts of grace and corruption, to trace each to the original head; and while the children of God all feel, as that they do feel the remains of indwelling corruption in nature, which manifest their alliance to the old man; they no less feel the workings of grace in the spirit, which proves their connection with the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24. Reader! see a notable proof of this in Paul the Apostle's experience. Romans 7:14-25. In this memorable relation of the groanings and conflicts of so eminent a servant of the Lord, we ought to find much comfort to all our similar exercises; remembering that our grand relief, under such soul-agonizing trials, is the same as Paul's was, wholly in the Lord Jesus! Oh! it is blessed to be made sensible of our nothingness, when such humblings lead the soul to Jesus and his all sufficiency!

REFLECTIONS

READER! what an awful thing to be of the Esau race! By nature, and by practice, a race of evil-doers: children that are full of hatred and bitterness against the Lord and his Christ. And not only born under the condemnation of a broken law, but their very nature indisposed to all desires after Christ and his righteousness. How truly solemn and affecting is the exhortation the Apostle delivers to the Church, of watching against this root of bitterness springing up in the soul. Lest (saith the Apostle) there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Despising Christ; he soon advanced to this point to get rid of him! Lord! blessed forever be thy name, in keeping thy redeemed, thine Israel, from the Esau's of every generation!

Blessed Lord Jesus! how sweetly doth this scripture set forth, as in all other places, thy watchful and tender regard over thy Israel. Dost thou indeed, dear Lord, take their cause as thine own, and declare thy determinate purpose to punish all that offend thee, in offending them? Oh! then, enable all thine exercised family to keep a constant eye to thee, whilst thou art looking after them, and defending them. May everyone of thine household, O Lord, feel a growing and increasing confidence in thee, and the assurance of thy favor and protection; and be continually crying out with the Prophet of old, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall I shall rise: when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me.