Title: Edom Against Israel (Numbers 20:14-21)
Contents
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. Those born during the war turned 60 this year. As we well know, the Korean War was an unfortunate war that caused tremendous damage to both North and South Korea.
In the three-year war, about 3 million Koreans lost their lives, 900,000 Chinese soldiers were killed or wounded, and about 38,000 Allied forces were killed. In addition, 129,000 civilians were slaughtered, and 844,000 were forcibly abducted. In addition, 5 million people lost their homes, more than 300,000 war widows and 100,000 war orphans were created, resulting in more than 1 million separated families. As of 1953, at the time of the armistice, the loss from the war alone amounted to about $3 billion.
Starting with this war, the two Koreas entered into a fierce systemic competition. North Korea currently has 1.2 million troops, and South Korea has 600,000 troops, including 37,000 US troops. Even during the armistice, North Korea attempted to assassinate the South Korean president more than four times, dug more than four tunnels for invading the South, and infiltrated numerous spies and armed operatives to harass South Korean society. However, in 1987, Kim Hyun-hee bombed a Korean Air passenger plane, killing all passengers. The heartbreaking tragedy caused by the war continues.
It occurred on June 15, 1999, which immediately sank one North Korean torpedo boat, destroyed 5 nearby patrol boats, and took place on June 29, in the midst of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, including the 1st Battle of Yeonpyeong, in which 30 North Korean soldiers were killed. North Korea, which suffered damage from the 2nd Battle of Yeonpyeong, in which 4 South Korean sailors were killed, 20 wounded, and one high-speed boat, and the Daecheong Battle that occurred near Daecheong Island on November 10 of last year, finally ended on March 26th. In the waters of Baengnyeong Island, a torpedo was fired at the Cheonan, the South Korean navy's corvette, to sink the ship and provoke the death of 46 of the 104 crew members on board.
In the meantime, our country has been suffering innumerable amounts of suffering from North Korea, yet it has demonstrated its comradeship and implemented a policy of engagement with North Korea called the Sunshine Policy. Even though our economy is very difficult, 150 million USD was paid to the north every year for Mt. Kumgang tour, and private organizations, including the Red Cross, sent 100,000 tons of fertilizer and other goods with love. In particular, even though two presidents visited North Korea during their tenure and announced the June 15 and October 4 inter-Korean agreements, North Korea continues its ungrateful act of repaying favors with its enemies.
It is believed that this North Korean appearance is probably very similar to the Edomites in the text. Israel, who was passing through the wilderness under the guidance of Moses, took a shortcut and wanted to enter Canaan as soon as possible. He sent messengers to the Edomites, who were living on the same road, to explain the brotherhood between Israel and Edom, and then ask them to let them pass through the area. However, Edom rejected Israel's request at all.
Despite receiving very humiliating treatment as a brotherhood, Israel did not pass through the Edom area by force in the justification of God's promise of the conquest of the land of Canaan. The reason was that the land of Edom had already been given to Edom by God, and he had commanded not to touch the brotherhood.
However, Edom did not end with being ruthless towards their brother nation Israel at the time of the Exodus, and 900 years later, when Judah was destroyed by Babylon in the 6th century B.C., it invaded and committed various atrocities.
God did not tolerate Edom's evil deeds. Through the Prophet Obadiah, he declared that the Edomites would be severely judged for the inhumane treatment they did to their brother country, Judah. The principle of judgment, 'Your deeds will return to your head' (Obadiah 1:15) is the principle of Psalm 28:4, 'Repay them according to their deeds and their evil deeds; repay them according to the works of their hands, repaying them with what they deserve. ' and Galatians 6:7, 'Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap' is the central idea that runs throughout the Old and New Testaments.
With this principle of judgment in mind, we should clearly see how God's principle of judgment is being realized as we look into the evil deeds of the Edomites and their consequent end. We must also recognize that we are no exception to this principle of judgment.
Brothers Edom and Judah
The father of the Edomites is Esau, Jacob's brother. ?쏽our brother Israel??(verse 14) appears. He was rejected by God because he neglected his birthright and sold it to his younger brother for a bowl of red bean soup (Mal 1:2-3). After that, Esau lived in the land of Seir, a mountainous region southeast of the Dead Sea, and their descendants formed the Edomites using this as their base. They used the rugged terrain to build fortresses and loot.
The Edomites lived in natural or artificial rock-cut caves, providing protection from external enemies as well as being cool in summer and warm in winter. Edom, who had been living a stable life through such geographical advantages, eventually became proud and refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory, and he did not hesitate to commit evil deeds that led to Israel's destruction by joining forces with other nations. In this sense, I was saying that North Korea and Edom are similar in all respects.
Edom's evil deeds to be judged
There are four major evils of Edom that Obadiah reported. In a nutshell, 'when the nation of Judah was being destroyed by the Gentiles, they did not help their brothers, but rather joined with their enemies to commit an evil deed of plundering Judah.' .
Obadiah described this fact as ?쐔he violence against your brother Jacob??(verse 10). The word ?쁵iolence??refers to cruel behavior, for example, a mean act of abusing people in need, such as orphans and widows, while trying to take away what they have. In this way, Edom committed violence against his brother Israel, and eventually suffered judgment.
Edom's participation in the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar's army in Babylon and harassing the brotherhood is worse than that of a priest or a Levite who fled from a robber (Luke 10:31). Just as a person who causes others to cry tears of blood from their own eyes, Edom's evil deeds brought about their own judgment before God in the future.
In particular, they rejoiced to see Judah in trouble. Psalm 137:7 says, ?쏷he children of Edom said that when Jerusalem was destroyed, even the foundations were to be destroyed. It is said that it is a human heart to have a stomach ache when a cousin buys land, but it is an unacceptable sin to enjoy seeing a brother's country being invaded and to hope that it will be destroyed. In the end, Edom is betrayed and destroyed by his allies, just as he had done to his brother Judah.
As the saying goes, ?쁣an with fire?? Edom stole the wealth of its brotherhood, whose nation was falling apart due to the Babylonian invasion. Not only that, but even worse, they even stopped and captured Jews who were fleeing the invaders (Obadiah 1:10-14).
It was like the act of partisans who were attached to the North Korean army during the Korean War and pushed the civilians to join them and attack the retreating South Korean army. In this way, God declared that He would judge the wicked Edom thoroughly by saying, ?쏻hat you have done will return to your head.??Edom will be judged as it is. It must be the same with God looking at North Korea now. Even now, North Korea must realize this fact, repent of its mistakes, and return to the path of peace and coexistence.
Edom completely destroyed
He was judged for his arrogant behavior against God. Edom lived in the rugged Mount Seir area, but they believed only in strong fortresses and resisted God and were proud. As God said, ?쏽ou ascend high like an eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down??(Obadiah 1:4). North Korea threatens to attack South Korea with force whenever possible, and even makes remarks that it will create a sea of fire, which is very similar to Edom's brazen behavior.
As the saying goes that pride is the vanguard of destruction, Edom was completely destroyed. Even thieves and robbers will leave some and take them away, but those who plunder Edom will have nothing left. There is an example where a farmer leaves some for a stranger when picking grapes or harvesting crops (Leviticus 19:10, Deuteronomy 24:21). You said.
Even worse, it was said that the talented people of Edom were slaughtered and completely annihilated without any room for recovery. Korea has achieved the development it is today with only human resources without resources. It exports nuclear reactors and also exports Saemangeum seawall construction technology. The world's tallest building, the Burj Caliph (Dubai), and Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the most difficult building to build, boast excellent manpower to the extent that they were completed with Korean technology.
For a country or region to prosper, there must be people who humbly believe in and serve God. But there were no such beings in Edom, so they would perish. It was like Sodom and Gomorrah, who was judged with fire and brimstone because there were no ten righteous men. Just as a tree sprouts again when a stump remains, and its trunk grows and becomes a mature tree, a certain number of talented people must remain for a country to recover. However, Edom said that all the talented people who would recover will be slaughtered, so that the nation will never be able to be built again. You have cut off all the future shoots. A terrible referee.
?쏷he house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau a straw; and they shall cling to them and burn them, and there shall be no left of the house of Esau, for the LORD has spoken??(Obadiah 1:18). )
God judges all peoples under the heavens according to the principle of judgment. Edom was rewarded for what they had done and was completely destroyed on the earth, becoming a miserable people who were expelled from the history of the world. Let's look at today's reality thousands of years after that. The Jewish people, despised by Edom and threatened with annihilation due to extortion and harassment, survived, but the Edomites disappeared without a trace. This is God's stern judgment. No one can be an exception to this principle.
When we look at our brother country, North Korea, it is a pity that it seems so similar to Edom. God will sternly judge those who afflict us who show grace and favor. Therefore, we should pray with compassion for them with a sad heart. In particular, we should pray for the remaining roots of the faith among them. Please pray that North Korea will repent and be saved from the terrible judgment. At the same time, we must not only think about North Korea, which is far away, but also be kind to the people around us. May you live in love.