Wed.’s Devo - The Fall of Edom

Ezekiel 35:1-36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 27:23-27 God gave a message against Mt. Seir which is the land of Edom. Edomites were people who hated Israel the most and stood for all of Israel’s enemies. God said that they butchered God’s people after he had punished them. They loved to shed blood, so God would shed theirs. Their land would be desolate and never be rebuilt. They laughed and mocked when Israel fell and the whole world would laugh when they fell. To the mountains of Israel that the Edomites thought were theirs, God said that he would made them fruitful and rebuild their cities. God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the mountains of Israel that He was furious that they suffered shame at everyone else’s expense. God heard the mocking of other nations and said that Israel would never devour their own children or rob them again. God was going to bring them back and prosper them for his own reputation, not because the deserved it. When they come back, God will cleanse them and purify their hearts and give them a new beginning. God will make Israel to look like the Garden of Eden. James is as comical as Hebrews.We read in Hebrews that the good news is that God disciplines the ones he loves. That doesn’t sound like good news. James tells us to be joyful when trials come because we have the opportunity to grow and we should want that. When we have fully developed our endurance then we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. Wisdom is ours for the asking. We receive his wisdom by faith. God honors the poor and humbles the rich. He blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. God’s gifts are from heaven and are good and perfect. He chose us to be his prized possession. Lord, thank you for your steadfast love that never changes and is new every morning. We trust that you will destroy our enemies and give us a new heart to love you.