The EDOMITES

In the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah there are a number of apocalyptic passages relating to the Second Coming of Christ that are rarely mentioned or given reference to by Bible teachers. These refer to the return of the Messiah at a place the Bible calls "Bozrah". Exegesis of the Bozrah scriptures in Isaiah 63 and in Micah 2 is an intriguing exercise. Something of epic and cataclysmic significance will happen at the end of this age at a place, (or places) the Bible calls "Bozrah". Quite clearly we are dealing here with a mystery. It is a hidden truth yet to be revealed.

Let us start by looking at ancient Bozrah. It was city south-southeast of the Dead Sea in the land of the Edomites. This was the land of the children of Esau. Ancient Bozrah is not a significant place today. In fact it is a little more than an archaeological dig. But that does not mean the Bozrah prophecy we see in the Micah 2:12-13 passage and in the Isaiah 63 passage is a past event or a finished matter. The sons of Esau have spread out into the world. They left their ancient homeland a long time ago. Today they can be found in their own diaspora just like we saw with the diaspora of the sons of Jacob. Esau's descendants are now far away from those harsh places of the Middle East. Esau's old stomping grounds were in the region of Mount Seir. His descendants lived in that area south of Judah and this included Petra, and certain other geographical places of note southeast of the Dead Sea.

So here is the important question.
Where are the spiritual descendants of godless and sometimes wild Esau?
And in which countries might we expect them to be clustered today?
In this article we shall look into the Holy Scriptures and seek to answer that question.

So here we are looking at a number of passages of Bible prophecy referring to this end-time Bozrah mystery. We can surmise that this Bozrah place, (or places), wherever it may be, will be an Edomite possession or a territory or sovereignty subject to the feral people of Esau. Latter day Bozrah will be overseen by some people who actually may be quite sophisticated in their own way but who nevertheless operate in the godless spirit of Esau. The time period here is late in the end-time and during the latter half of the 70th Week, the final 3.5 years of this age just before Messiah returns. We know this because Micah 2:12-13 speaks of an epic regathering of Jacob. The reference to Jacob is an important clue because in Biblical poetic symbology Jacob is a precursor personage to the final refined remnant Israel. So this re-gathering of Jacob is a huge epic historical event. The Jacob gathering would include not only Jews but people of the lost ten tribes of Israel and other people the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37 refers to as "their companions".

Very clearly, when we look at the Bozrah passages in Isaiah 63 and Micah 2:12-13 this end-time place the Holy Scriptures refer to as "Bozrah" will be the scene of an awesome end-time drama. It will see unveiling of Messiah during the Apocalypse. So Bozrah is apparently a very important destination for the returning Messiah. The prophet Micah is quite specific in the prophecy. The Second Coming will see Messiah come to Bozrah as 'The Breaker'.

The sheepfold gathering of Jacob, which is spoken of by the prophet Micah, is at Bozrah. Bozrah in the latter days of this age must a special territory under the authority of a principality which the Bible identifies as belonging to Edom. The time period here is clearly very late in the age. This place, which we might call 'mystery Bozrah', will be overseen and policed by Edomites. These are the descendants of Esau as they exist at the end of the age. The Bozrah referred to in these passage will almost certainly not be in the Middle East at all. Ancient Bozrah, the archeological dig near the Dead Sea will remain what it is today, - a forgotten ruin.

So in a future time there will most certainly be a place in this world we shall spiritually discern and come to know as "Bozrah". This must be the case. The Holy Spirit has given us this information to let us know that the God of Israel will be gathering all His covenant people. The prophet Micah said that they would be gathered. as Jacob, God's yet to be refined Congregation of Israel or 'Commonwealth of Israel'. As we shall discover from the cross references in other passages these extraordinary and epic events will be happening during the last half of the 70th Week of Daniel or the last 3.5 years of the final seven years of this age.

There is no doubt about it. This prophecy in Micah 2:12-13 is a blockbuster. Micah is telling us that end time 'Bozrah' will be a place of exile and of captivity for both houses of God's covenant people. They are destined to be refined together as gold. When the time for these momentous Apocalyptic events comes God's covenant people will flow forth as gold from the crucible. The complete and refined remnant Elect Congregation, (or remnant Church), will become the single unified restored Commonwealth of Israel.

THE LATTER DAY GATHERING OF JACOB AT BOZRAH
CROSS-REFERENCES WITH
l THE EXILE OF THE WOMAN OF REVELATION 12.

Do we have cross references to give us another perspective on this extraordinary gathering of YHVH-God's covenant people at the close of this age? I believe we do. A parallel end-time prophecy involves the flight and the exile of the woman John saw in Revelation 12. So we can surmise from what John saw that this latter day flight of the woman is another perspective on this regathering of Jacob. And connecting the pieces of the puzzle we can surmise that the exile of the woman, God's covenant people during the final 3.5 years of this age, will be to this mystery place of Bozrah.

For those who pack up and go off into exile at Bozrah this will not be all bad. From what the Apostle John tells us in Revelation 12:6 and again eight verses later in Rev. 12:14 this yet to be revealed place of exile during the final 3.5 years of this age will be a venue for the spiritual feeding and nurturing of a huge number of God's remnant people. He speaks of a multitude making a great hubbub of noise. This is what we might expect of a gathering of excited students jammed in a classroom together, all wanting to say something at the same time and be heard above the noise.

John the Beloved nails down the time period for this latter day Bozrah gathering/exile. He spells it out in no uncertain terms. The Holy Spirit through John has written down the time period in two separate verses using two different time units. We can see these two verses, (verse 6 and verse 14), in the very same Revelation 12 passage. The information from our Bible is very straightforward. This epic regathering/exile will be taking place during the final 3.5 years or 1260 days of this age. (Rev. 12)

Right now the "Bozrah" of Micah 2:12-13 and Isaiah 63 is place of mystery. But the Holy Scriptures are totally and absolutely reliable. Bozrah will be the location of important, even epic, events. The crucible of the 70th Week of Daniel will be staked out by the (yet to be fulfilled) Fall Feasts of Israel. (Micah 2:12-13)

The Bozrah prophecies are obviously matters of enormous importance. And yet these Bozrah passage in Micah is rarely spoken about today by our popular prophecy teachers except to misapply it to some imagined "flight to Petra" by Jews in Judea fleeing the siege of Jerusalem or the earthquake during the climax of the Armageddon campaign in the final days of this age. An exile involving perhaps hundreds of millions of God's Elect people, including the refining Church, clashes with todays popular Pre-Trib Rapture teaching. And popular Bible teaching today is a multi-billion dollar a year religi-business.

But God ponders the hearts. And there are those who read their Bibles correctly and clearly see an exile of God's people in the latter days involving both Israel and the Church. They also see a Post-Tribulation Resurrection-Rapture that gloriously wraps things up at the end of the story. But these people do not get a hearing in the churches today. They are as popular as Micaiah was with King Ahab and Jezebel. They are voices crying in the wilderness.

There is no doubt that this Bozrah story is an "anti-crusader" message. The Bozrah prophecy in Micah does not fit into the mindset and Dominionist expectations of todays positivist "name-it, claim-it" Christians. Nor does it appeal to the Kingdom Now movement or the New Age "Church Universal and Triumphant". Most western Christians in today's lackadaisical Laodicean Christian church are being fed a sop that keeps them asleep and unaware of unfolding events that were prophesied long ago. They are the church of "easy believism" and "greasy grace". This is not like the Church in China. They have not embraced the cross of Christ in true blood covenant commitment. Nor can most members of our purpose-driven post-modern church be bothered with studying out the Bozrah apocalyptic scriptures. One of their leaders has spoken out against Bible Prophecy misquoting Jesus and saying that studying the Holy Scriptures to find out about the return of Christ is "none of your business". The conclusions we must draw from these Bozrah scriptures certainly run counter to the popular religious sentiment, (or the religious spirits), we see abroad today.

ESAU'S BOZRAH AND THE END-TIME GATHERING OF JACOB.
THE ROLE OF BOZRAH, THIS PLACE OF MYSTERY, IN THE LATTER DAYS.

The Bozrah story is one of great wonder. This large expansive place will see an epic end-time drama. Gos's covenant people, the whole Commonwealth of Israel will be gathered. They will find themselves going off on a great adventure. It will take them into a new and deeper romance in God. Sadly we have been taught very little about the bozrah prophecies by the few Bible teachers we have addressing Bible prophecy today. And and so this awesome story of the exile and the deliverance at Bozrah remains untold. It has been put under a religious smokescreen.

Just what is this Bozrah exile? And just what is this final apocalyptic Bozrah deliverance by our returning Messiah? What is God telling us here in these Bozrah scriptures? This will be the subject of our search as we proceed on our journey of discovery.

THE WORD "BOZRAH".
IT SEEMS HAVE BEEN "LOST" IN THE MODERN TRANSLATIONS.
WHY? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

The city of Bozrah was an ancient city belonging to the Edomites, the descendants of Esau. The name 'Bozrah' means 'sheepfold'. This is our first big clue. It gives us some idea as to what might be going on in this place. The prophet Micah, in fact, comes right out and tells us. (Mic.2:12-13) Bozrah was a town south of the Dead sea, southeast of Mount Hoar. It was a pastoral town under the sovereignty of the Edomites. This Edomite sovereignty issue is very important information. It is our second big clue to understanding this prophecy.

Thank goodness for the KJV and Strong's Literal Translation. Because the word "Bozrah" seems to have "gone missing" in the new modern translations. Translation committees, dominated by a desire to connect to the common man in the street, have "glossed over" the Bozrah identity and it's vital information. They just use the generic word "sheepfold". It is a translation of Bozrah to be sure. But they should have included the word "Bozrah" as well as the word "sheepfold". The main principle our modern translators use nowadays is something they call "dynamic equivalence". In their inclination to paraphrase the scriptures many key words are thrown out. And so as we read our modern translation of the Bible we see that the word Bozrah, the key to our understanding of these loaded prophetic passages, has been given the ax. And any hope we might have had to understand prophetic end-time Bozrah has been lost.

BOZRAH THE PASTORAL CITY OF EDOM, WHICH EXISTED IN ANCIENT TIMES.
AND THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUIN AS WE SEE IT TODAY.
THIS IS NOT THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF END-TIME MYSTERY BOZRAH.

Clutching our word "Bozrah", (which the world and worldly religion wants us to forget), we press on in our study. The former pastoral city of Bozrah in Edom is now a ruin on the plain southeast of the Dead Sea. If this city is just an uninhabited archaeological dig and an uninhabited vacant place does this mean that the Holy Spirit's mention of Bozrah in relation to the returning Messiah is also dead? And are the Bozrah passages in Isaiah and Micah something we can just throw in the dustbin of history and forget about? Is the Bozrah prophecy a dead issue just like the dusty covered over ruins of the ancient city?

Far from it! We serve a Living God. He is the Holy One of Israel, the God who is there! If He is giving us information relating to the word 'Bozrah' then obviously He is telling us something important! He wants us to pay attention. So then, let us seek out this valuable information, the 'not so obvious' message, He has put in this passage for our benefit.

Let us begin by asking ourselves the following question. What is happening today at the site of Esau's old city of Bozrah? Well the answer is that very little is happening there right now. Similarly Esau's other city of Petra further down the Arabah is a deserted place of empty caves of no present worldly significance. The ruins are there, but the people have gone.

Where have they gone? Where are the descendants of those ancient inhabitants of ancient Bozrah and Petra? Where are the Edomites, today? Are they still around? And if so, then what is their destiny and where will be the place of their future regathering and habitation and dastardly deeds? And how will Esau's history come to its end at a place the Bible calls 'Bozrah'?

Bozrah must surely be a real geographical destination. And since the returning Messiah comes to Bozrah to break out His captive people in a glorious deliverance then it must of necessity be a physical place (or places) of incarceration somewhere on the map of planet earth.

THE EDOMITES IN END TIME BIBLE PROPHECY.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT YET UNTOLD STORY.

Let us turn our attention now to the Edomites. What is their spiritual character? In the beginning, two nations wrestled within the womb of Rebekkah, namely Jacob and Esau. Esau was born first. Then Jacob came out grasping the heel of his brother. Jacob means, "heel" or supplanter. The children of Jacob spawned the Judeo-Christian people, with their nurturing ethic and culture. Jacob was a man of the flocks and the tents of Isaac, his father, and particularly Rebekkah his mother. But Esau was Isaac's favorite. He was a hunter and a free spirited man of the field. He was a wild man. In selling his birthright for a mess of pottage he showed that he had no interest whatsoever in His spiritual inheritance. He was an earthy and phallic sort of a person. Esau preferred to 'take down' what he wanted in the wild rather than cultivating gardens and crops and tending to the flocks.

And where are the Edomites now? If they are in existence today it is difficult to imagine that the sons of Esau are still to be found just within their ancient borders near the Dead Sea. 4,000 years have passed by. Likewise it is unrealistic to expect that we can find end-time Mystery Babylon by poking around the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon 50 miles south of Baghdad in modern Iraq. It would be a useless exercise. The people have gone. They have moved on to other places. The Mystery Babylon John spoke of in Revelation 17 and 18 will not be found in their old haunts by the Euphrates River back in the cradle of civilization. They have grown up and left the cradle. Now the people of 'Mystery Babylon' and the sons of Esau as well have moved on. And today they are somewhere else.

Consider the Jewish people, the children of the patriarch Judah. They were uprooted by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.. Then after their return from Babylon under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah they suffered the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.. Then they were scattered again by the Romans in the following years., Their land was named 'Palestine' after the Philistines, Israel's worst enemy. Today we are very well aware of just how far the Jews have gone since their scattering from their ancient homeland in southern Israel two millennia ago. Up until the 20th century nearly all of the Jews remained scattered far from Jerusalem and Judah. The Diaspora were seeded among all nations. If we had visited the land of ancient Israel in earlier centuries we would fail to turn up the sovereign nation of Israel or even any significant number of Jewish inhabitants. Today, of course, it is a different story. But still only 4 million of the 20 odd million Jews are back in the land.

So what can we say about the children of Esau? Wasn't there also a scattering prophesied for his seed as well? -Mal.1:2-4 Was he a homebody with a heart for his domestic national interests? Far from it. He was a man of the field. Was his ancient land all that precious to him? Probably not. He was a vigorous and an active free ranging soul. So he has most likely gone from his ancient territories.

So where are the Edomites today? Isaac's blessing on Esau was that he would end up dwelling in rich countries. -Gen.27:39-40 If the Edomites are around today might they be found in nations such as ours here in the west for instance? Why not? Isaac's blessing states, "Behold your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth." Modern Jordan, in contrast, does not fit the bill here at all. It is a poor country. As much as we would like to imagine Esau's people, the brothers of Jacob, being still restricted to his ancient borders perhaps living as troglodytes in the caves up in Petra or living in tents and riding camels up in Bozrah after all these ages this is unlikely. We are deceiving ourselves to think he hasn't moved out of those rocky territories southeast of the Dead Sea. Thousands of years have passed by. The spirit of Esau is probably now flowing in the nations far abroad. Today's Edomites are probably now hustling their way through life within new borders as citizens of prosperous countries. Isaac's blessing over Esau, (Gen. 27:39-40) suggests he will be found in the "fatness of the earth". That means we might expect to find him in modern times among the peoples in wealthy nations.

THE SPIRIT AND CHARACTER OF THE CHILDREN OF ESAU THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
REALIZING THAT THE EDOMITES ARE STILL WITH US TODAY.

What can we say about the character of Esau? Well this much we know. He scorns his spiritual inheritance as he scorned his birthright in times past. A profane man, he lives by the sword or by force of arms. Does he put his trust in guns and military armaments first and foremost? Esau was always inclined to be violent and wrathful. He has little patience for those whose proclivities tend toward nurturing and cultivating (as of the flocks). He scorns nurturing considering it evidence of weakness. He is not inclined towards cultivating crops or shepherding as his brother Jacob is. He prefers to hunt and to get his food by taking it down as hunters do. Esau may well be the stereotypical hustler, predator and "bad guy". Do we find such people in rich western countries including Europe and the U.S? Which countries have the most murders per capita? Is it not out here in the west? In those cowboy westerns might we be able to discern the Edomites? Could they be those nasty bad guys with the black hats? The characters played by Clint Eastwood in the "spaghetti westerns" and his main role character in "Pale Rider" and "Dirty Harry" come to mind. In the movie "The Unforgiven" heavy overtones of Esau can be discerned. Here we see people who cannot find redemption. Esau's spirit is forever angry. He has a chip on his shoulder and he just never gets over it. His is an awful and tragic story. Esau just never repents. His heart never melts or breaks over the things he has done. And so he never finds forgiveness or grace. Because of this Obadiah the prophet pronounces God's ultimate and total doom on him. -Obadiah vs.18

So what does an ancient character from the Old Testament have to do with us as Christians today? We know that discernment of spirits is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As we discern the spirit of Esau in the scriptures we can look up and view the world around us. We can trace the spiritual flows we see there.

Let us go to the Old Testament first. If we take a look at the character Doeg the Edomite, who arose back in the time of David we can immediately begin to see some Edomite traits in this man. Doeg was a common soldier in Saul's army. He rose to a bloody calling during one dreadful day of wrath. It was brought into play by the jealous rage of King Saul against David. Here is how it happened.

King David was in pursuit of Saul. Upon discovering that the priests of Nob had given David food and shelter King Saul was incensed. He immediately flew into a rage. He ordered his army officers to slaughter of all the priests of Nob. These were his own countrymen, his own priests!

None of Saul's men in the army of Israel would obey this heinous order. It was a call to slaughter the holy priests of Israel. But King Saul's murderous anger did draw a certain Edomite whose name was Doeg. He stepped forward to respond to the order. And here we see an example of Edomite wrath at its worst. Doeg killed all the priests of Nob. He showed none of them any mercy whatsoever. Then he proceeded to kill all the women and children in the city as well. But he was still not finished. He then proceeded to kill every animal. By the time the Edomite had finished slaughtering there was not a living human soul or animal left in the city. -1Sam.22:16-19. Haman was an Edomite in the days of Queen Esther. His genocidal plot to destroy the Jews is well known. Such was, and is, the murderous genocidal wrath and anger of the sons of Esau when they are stirred up.

Let us move forward to the time of Christ's first advent. We know Esau's sons were around at that time and impacting holy history. The Herods were Edomites and they ruled over the Jewish nation in Judea. They ruled with an iron hand under the Roman superpower. The Romans found the Edomites very useful in performing their wishes and getting things done. Brutal Roman ways were never a problem for the Edomites. They were always eager to oblige their Roman masters and spill Jewish blood whenever the occasion presented itself. Herod butchered his own children when he feared they might be a threat to his rule. And Herod's barbarous massacre of the children of Bethlehem is a well known part of the Christmas story. After their visit with King Herod the wise men must have seen something that disturbed them. After finding the Christ child they were not inclined to return to Herod as he had requested. Instead they returned to their own country by another way.

So is Isaac's firstborn son Esau still in our midst today? Have we seen any evidence of his anger and murderous wrath? Well this past century has seen genocides too numerous to recount. The 20th century saw more Christians and Jews martyred than all the previous centuries combined. Current martyrdoms are rising and number approximately 170,000 per year. Genocide of good people and innocent unborn babes and infants is on the increase.

What other evidence do we have of genocidal wrath in modern history? 1901 saw the first concentration camps for civilians. The British government, (not the Germans), were the perpetrators. Tens of thousands of innocent Boer women and children were incarcerated behind barbed wire in compounds. This martial law policy was instituted in the Transvaal in South Africa by Lord Kitchener. He realized that the Boer farmers were using guerrilla tactics. The Boers were striking at the British by day and being supported by their womenfolk from their farmhouses by night. Lord Kitchener elected to deal with this by sanctioning brutal tactics and the establishment of martial law in the Transvaal. Under this horrific policy women and children were rounded up at gunpoint and penned up in concentration camps throughout the Transvaal.

This is a little known piece of history. I was not taught this in British History class in grammar school. Many women and children sickened and died in these awful places of incarceration. Was the policy 'successful' in bringing the war to a close? Yes it was. Martial law is the only way to win a guerrilla war.

Dear saints, here is a truth that governmental leaders will never reveal to its citizens. The enforcement of a police state or martial law is necessary to win a guerrilla war. It worked in the British occupation of the Transvaal. And it worked in the German occupation of France and Europe during World War 2. This pacification of the country was undertaken by a heartless police state, martial law, and a program of terror. This was instituted by the British Army and by the German Gestapo. History shows that as a program of social dismemberment these measures do break the will of the captive nation to fight.

The Americans were and are the greatest military power this world has ever seen. Yet they were defeated in Vietnam. This was because they had become bogged down in a guerrilla war with no command of what went on in the villages and no good intelligence on the ground. At that time the Americans were unwilling to institute a police state in Vietnam. They were unprepared initiate and to carry out the orders necessary for such an inhuman and monstrous system of conquest. After all, they were fighting to win freedom for the people of South Vietnam. Freedom and police states don't go together too well. And this war had a lot of reporters and photo journalists keeping an eye on things and snapping photos.

Americans by nature are a freedom loving people. It would have been very hard to get regular U.S. soldiers to get into the nitty gritty of setting up an American Gestapo style administration to rule over the Vietnamese villagers.

There were exceptions to this. Special forces did exist and did enact martial law in some areas. These were "black" operations and the American people heard little about these secret "phoenix" operations. In the areas in which they operated these brutal programs did have some 'success'. But they torture and other inhumane methods to gain information from the Viet Cong. These unsavory phoenix operations had to be secret and small. They could not be hidden from the American reporters and cameramen forever.

So despite enormous air power and firepower the Americans did not have the political will or desire to rule with an iron Edomite fist. They were unwilling or unable to domineer the Vietnamese civilian populace as brutal occupiers. The eventual outcome was inevitable. The Americans were worn down by a determined enemy who were more brutal with civilians than they were. Eventually the U.S. military forces were forced to withdraw from Vietnam.

Not so fortunate were civilians under totalitarian regimes in the Soviet Union and China. The police state genocides by the communist leaders Stalin and Mao numbered in the range of 40 to 60 million each. Cambodian communist leader Pol Pot set a process in motion that would see over three million or one third of his citizens perish in the "killing fields". Oftentimes the victims were killed because they were just in the wrong social class. The holocaust against European Jewry under Hitler's Nazi regime took 6 million to the death chambers.

Lest we become comfortable in our own sense of self-righteousness what can we say about the allied bombing of German cities in World War 2? The American 8th Air Force bombed by day and British Bomber Command sent the Lancasters over for "area bombardment" of German cities by night. With the area night bombing raids no attempt was made to concentrate on hitting military targets only.

It has been well documented that the bombing of cities did not stop the German war machine. Only the invasion of Europe by the allies did that. The war was ending as the firestorms swept through German cities. Was there any sound military reason to bomb the cities of Hamburg and Dresden until the whole city, including the asphalt roads, were all burning as a huge single mass of flames? 80,000 civilians, including women and children, perished in the firestorms of Hamburg. A similar number in died in the Dresden bombing and the subsequent firestorm. Was anything to be gained for the war effort against the German military machine by conducting this genocide?

This horrific bombing campaign killed as many civilians as the A-bombing attacks on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These round the clock firestorm bombing campaigns against German cities were genocidal. Were they a military necessity? The diabolical scheme used by the allies used alternating bombing raids of incendiaries and high explosive charges. The whole city would be set ablaze as one huge fire. Even the asphalt roads would be be caught up in the inferno and the flames roared in towards the center of the city. Was this anything other than a program of sheer terrorism? Do we see shades of Edom in the genocides we and our enemies have perpetrated since the advent of air power?

If this hasn't been enough what are we to surmise about missile technology for delivery of nuclear warheads? As the nations begin to rage as we approach the end of the age are modern wars becoming less a contest of armies on battlefields and more and more turning into contests over destruction of cities? Is the warfare now between our Edomites and the Edomites of our enemies?

And what can we say about modern nuclear warfare waged by whole countries against whole countries? Such warfare threatens to destroy all life on the planet. While we can do little to prevent it is Esau and his MAD policy now in the driver's seat of history? Is Esau on the rise, just as the patriarch Isaac has prophesied? (Gen.27:39-40)

THE RETURN OF THE EDOMITES.
AND THEIR PROMINENT ROLE AGAINST JACOB
AS WORLD HISTORY ENTERS THE END TIME DRAMA.

There is no doubt that the scriptures indicate that Esau will come to prominence again in the end-time. - Gen.27:39-40 Will wild Edomites be used in the coming New World Order as hatchet men, just as they were under the Romans? Will Esau re-emerge to be used again just as he has been used by world powers in past history?

Daniel gives us some reason to think that this might be the case. - Dan.11:41 The Edomites in ancient history repeatedly committed genocide against the people of God. They were capable of monstrous acts of cruelty and without any remorse. Are Edomites destined to commit genocide again? Could they re-emerge under the cover of the A.C. during the the second half of the 70th week of Daniel? Could they take up a role as wardens of God's people during the Great Tribulation?

If you are a red blooded man you might be wondering right now if Esau can be stopped. Can he be stopped by negotiation or pacification or bribery? No. Not at all. Can he be stopped by force of arms? Perhaps, he can. Perhaps for a while. But the scriptures clearly indicate that carnal Christians who decide to take up the sword in the end time scenario will be decisively defeated. -Dan.7:21, Dan. 12:7, Rev.13:7 And then if you are entertaining survivalist fantasies for the future 70th week you might need to ask yourself this question. If you do take up arms just how many innocents will die as a consequence of your action? If you are a Christian believer and the scriptures declare that you cannot win in any carnal engagement in the 70th week then why attempt it?

The way we have been taught, any thought of being around for the climax of this age sounds depressing. Dispensationalist Pre-Trib Rapture teachers have erroneously painted it as nothing more than a chamber of horrors. But that is not the case. And now it is time to tell the 'rest of the story'. A spiritual warfare will be underway during the Great Tribulation. And in this campaign the saints will be successful. -Dan.7:18 & 22. Wonderful resources for waging spiritual war will be coming to us in the future. Contrary to what pre-trib Bible prophecy teachers have said, the Holy Spirit will be with us and being poured out upon all flesh in the 70th week. He will be with us right through to the blow-out climax at the 6th seal. -Joel 2:28-32. And ask yourself this question as well. In running away from your witness and in choosing to strive in the flesh against spiritual powers could it be possible that in the anger and wrath you yourself might be likely to take on Esau's spirit? Are you prepared to initiate yourself into bloodletting? if so, then are you prepared to run the risk of becoming an Edomite yourself?

How can we be sure Esau will rise again to prominence in the end-time? Well there was a prophecy pronounced by Isaac as a leftover blessing on Esau. Esau was the firstborn. You will recall that Esau had sold his brother Jacob his birthright for a bowl of pottage. Then Esau's shifty brother, in collusion with his mother Rebekkah, had tricked the father, Isaac into giving him, Jacob, the blessing.

But was there a leftover blessing for Esau? Apparently so. Because Isaac did indeed make this promise to his son Esau. -Gen. 27:39-40. Isaac promised Esau was that he would eventually come to prominence and break free of the peaceful pastoral constraints of his brother Jacob an run wild. And what is more he would be given "freedom" to do this!

This is a scriptural truth about Esau we must face honestly. Laodicean religious establishment sources will not publish or broadcast this troubling information. Is it out of ignorance? Or is it for fear of inciting Esau and triggering him to stir up political, civil and marketplace disturbances? For whatever reason, this information on the re-emergence of the Edomites has been cloaked. at present this information is shrouded in secrecy. Nevertheless, here is that blessing. These are the words Isaac pronounced over his firstborn and favorite son, Esau.

Then Isaac his father answered and said,

"Your blessing and dwelling shall all come from the fruitfulness of the earth and the dew of the heavens above. By your sword, (gun), you shall live and serve your brother, (i.e. serve Jacob, the cultured, shepherding, caring brother). But the time will come when you will grow restive, (a wild man), and break loose and you will tear his yoke from off your neck." -Gen.27:39&40.(Amplified Version + GWF amplified);

So here we have a case of, "No more Mr. Niceguy". We are already seeing the signs of this changing of the guard in our culture. Violence dominates the popular imagination. This is fed by a huge dreamworks industry of music, word and screen. Sex and violence permeates the entertainment industry. Behind closed doors abortion dismembers and sucks out our unborn children into blood spattered bottles. "Patriot" bombers and abortion doctor assassins retaliate in kind and are even defended in some radical Christian circles. Video games program our children to kill without remorse. Schoolchildren take arsenals of weapons to school at Littleton High and at Jonesboro. They laugh as they shoot down dozens of their classmates. We are growing to be a people "without natural affection". The proper and God-ordained task of teaching our children is forgotten in the rush for material things. Rap and hard rock music is pervasive. Brutish men are favored and elected to public office whileb good honest men finish last.

This wasn't always the case. Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers were the "good guys" in times past. But now, it seems, such men of honor and decency have passed away. Instead a new breed of bad guys, killers, and "unforgiven" men in black are gaining popularity. Drug pushers in the "hood" are the new anti-heroes now capturing the imagination of the younger set. Today the young ladies are giving the bad guys the eye.

The spirit of Esau is here. From the prophecy of Isaac over Esau we know that he will return. When he says, "I'll be back" we know he will indeed be coming back. He will break free of what he perceives to be his chains. He will act out his dark inner desires. The nations and ethnic groups are raging with him. And they will rage even more as history wrests from them their sovereignty, something that is absolutely necessary to bring in the global rule of the New World Order.

It seems that the final acts of the play are scripted for no-nonsense strong men like Esau. He will rise to the occasion even as the history of this age comes to a climax. Esau is breaking loose. He is casting off of the gentleman's yoke of his more civil Judeo-Christian brother, Jacob. This is just as Isaac prophesied. Esau has pledged to kill Jacob and that theme runs right up to a climax in the age. During the Great Tribulation as henchman for the Antichrist he may well try to do just that. How far will he get? God is still sovereign. He cares for His own. -Ps.91 We can be sure that even in spite of Esau's vendetta against us that God is our refuge and our fortress. He will provide a protection and refuge for His Elect people.

As for Esau's spiritual and/or physical descendants just what can we expect from them? The prophets are uniform in their assessment of Esau's character. He is a profane personality, a man of the flesh. He despises his spiritual birthright and ignores the blessings God has offered him. He doesn't have time for the holy things of God. He will never repent. He has always eluded the flows of grace and he is always angry when he perceives that this present world system has dealt him the short straw or a "raw deal". He is also prone to become angry at God and other covenant partners such as his spouse or sexual partner, his business or work partners, or those who are in authority over him. He is prone to rages and fits of anger and the people close to him are at greatest risk for his domestic violence. We are seeing this increasingly with the road rage and the airline hijackings. In the Middle East we are seeing raging against the nation of Israel. Palestinians are bombing buses and firing upon settlers right in Judah's own land of Judea. The tomb of Joseph in the west bank" was recently desecrated after it was handed over to Palestinian control. They scattered the bones of our patriarch Joseph. The spirit of Esau is insatiable in committing acts of murderous wrath against his brothers and sisters and their children.

ESAU'S ROLE IN THE EXILE OF GOD'S PEOPLE AT BOZRAH.

Where does Esau finally end up? Well late in the great tribulation John saw angry men shaking their fists at God and blaspheming heaven. (Rev.16:9) Is this a vignette of Esau at the very end, still refusing to repent? I believe it well may be. He rejects God right up to the very end. And he rages against God's people.

Apparently nothing short of God's intervention, can stop his fierce anger. God says He hates him. (Mal.1:3) But nevertheless, Isaac's blessing prophesies that Esau will indeed be given his chance in history. God will give him an opportunity to show what is inside him. This is a story that must be played out. And it will be recorded in the books of holy history for all eternity.

ESAU'S ROLE AT BOZRAH IN THE END TIME DRAMA.
AND MESSIAH'S DELIVERANCE OF HIS ELECT AT THE SHEEPFOLDS OF BOZRAH.

Let us look at the coming 70th week or seven year period of holy history. The latter half is known as the time of Jacob's trouble. Jacob is Esau's twin brother. It is probably in this late time interval, the End Time, that the nation of angry, flushed red Edomites, will break free of the restraint of God's covenant. Like Hitler's S.A., the brown shirts, they will trample the usual standards of law and order. Showing disdain for the mores of general decency and consideration for others they will rise up against all godly men. The nation of Esau will apparently be allowed autonomy under the Antichrist. The prophet Daniel tells us that the Edomites will escape out of his hand.-Dan.11:41 The Antichrist will apparently not even bother to mess with them. Will they will be used to serve his purposes? Will Edomite anger be harnessed by the powers of Antichrist for his dark agenda? Could this be possible? It appears that anger against Jacob will indeed be a part of the end-time global scenario. Could Esau be involved in the great tribulation? I believe we have good evidence that he with his profanity, wrath and anger could well be a vital part of the end-time drama. Jacob's character, on the other hand, is that of the nurturing keeper of the flocks. Esau, on the other hand, is the quintessential hunter, the hustler, and the predator. Jacob is the one who has embraced the covenant of promise now found in the culture of the Judeo-Christian family. Esau rejects God's promises and does not esteem his own spiritual inheritance as a son of Abraham. Esau in the end-time will again wrestle with his brother Jacob. This is known as the time of Jacob's trouble. (Jer.30:7) The two will struggle again just as they did before they were born when they wrestled against each other within the womb of their mother, Rebekkah.-Gen.25:22-27

Our apostle Paul informs us that the last days will see an unprecedented apostasy against God by people who previously affirmed that they were people of the faith. (2Thes.2:3) Is this last day apostasy an expression of anger against the covenant of the God of Jacob? If so, then might the 70th week and its abominations be the historic background in which Esau, flushed red in the face with anger, will rise up once more against the God of Jacob and His covenant people?

In Gen.27:39-40 we saw that Jacob purchased Esau's birthright in exchange for a bowl of pottage. Then Jacob in collusion with his mother tricked Isaac into giving him the family blessing. Isaac did indeed have a leftover blessing of sorts. And he pronounced it over Esau. The wording states categorically that Esau would eventually break the yoke of restraint put on him by his nurturing brother Jacob. Esau will break the yoke from off his neck. He will come out into history to "assert himself". Esau, like "the Terminator", famously affirms, "I'll be back!"

Where is Esau to be found today? In his emergence does he come out from among many nations? This is quite possible. Most Bible commentators have ignored Esau and Edom as a factor in the endtime. But Daniel speaks about it. (Dan. 11:41) Bible teachers are also silent about the significance of the Messiah returning in wrath and deliverance at Esau's sheepfolds of Bozrah. (Is.63), Mic.2:12-13. They have apparently locked the Edomites up in ancient history and thrown away the key. They have forgotten about this very important wild family of people. Is this the correct way to handle and rightly divide the Word of Truth we find in Holy Scripture? Is Esau really just limited to the wastelands south of the Dead Sea? Is he only to be found in the Biblical history of the remote past? Are the children of Esau just a memory? Is the subject of the Edomites just a topic for lectures in ancient history, perhaps illustrated by discoveries from some archaeological dig on a ruin near Mount Seir? Is Edom just a ghost of our long lost past, just a half forgotten bad dream haunting the collective mind of the people of the West?

Dear saints, it is important that we know and understand that Esau and the nation of Edom is not just so much ancient history. His spirit lives on. Esau is not limited to bloodlines and DNA. Esau is a spirit. And the spirit of Edom still contests for the souls of men. His big moves are yet future. Daniel places him squarely in the time of the Antichrist. (Dan.11:41) If we look at Esau's character and then look around at the genocides we have seen in this past century and particularly in recent times we shall soon find reason to suspect that the spirit of Esau is very much with us today. The scriptures give us no basis whatsoever for thinking that this spirit of Esau has ever been destroyed. Nor have the children of Esau ceased from expressing themselves in wild and violent ways in the nations.

When the present Pax Americana comes to a close and the curtain of history goes up next time the key players will be different. New characters will enter onto the stage of end time history. The years to come will see the Apocalypse or "unveiling" of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. It will be here, in the time of that climactic witness to the covenant of our Lord Jesus that the modern Edomites shall arise among the antagonists. The scene will be a lot closer to home than the rocky wastelands of Jordan. And it will not be ancient history. And it will be into our modern history that the 21st century Edomites will return. And they will return with a vengeance.

OUR PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS INFORMATION.
GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE END TIME EVENTS.
HE IS NURTURING HIS COVENANT PEOPLE AT BOZRAH.
APPRECIATING THE COMING GLORIOUS BOZRAH DELIVERANCE.
AND UNDERSTANDING THE FINAL FATE OF ESAU.

This information is for fathers and young men only. -1John 2:12-14 It is difficult for us to face these unpleasant, even fearsome truths. But there is one thing we need to keep in mind through all of this. Our Lord Jesus is in control of all these coming events. And it is not by the strivings of our flesh but rather in Him that we win! Isaiah paints an awesome picture of the returning Messiah coming in at Bozrah. -Isa.63 The prophet Micah also saw the "Breaker", (the Messiah) returning in vengeance to terminate the Great Tribulation at Esau's city of Bozrah. He saw Him come in a great deliverance. Micah says that Messiah finds His sheep as a noisy multitude. He finds them at the end of the age penned up or imprisoned in Bozrah. Bozrah means 'sheepfold'.

This is an incredible scene. All the tribes of Jacob, (this would include all of the combined Jewish/Messianic and the gentile "ekklesia"/"called out congregation"/church remnant),-Gal.3:29, would appear to be in some sort of exile or captivity together. All elements of Jacob, the entire remnant elect of God are gathered together as the "sheep of Bozrah". In ancient times Bozrah was the place of Esau's sheepfolds. Yet Edomites were never renowned as a people of gentle shepherding. Being penned up in Esau's sheepfolds might not be the nicest place for God to gather His endtime elect. So what is the message here in this intriguing Hebrew picture story? Is Bozrah some sort of a tribulational global incarceration network out of which God delivers His exiled remnant people? Or might Bozrah be one single geographical place which fits the spiritual description of the ancient sheepfolds of Bozrah? -Mic.2:12-13. It is against this background of end time Edomite domination that the "Breaker", our returning Christ/Messiah returns. Isaiah sees Him return at the Bozrah/sheepfolds, a pastoral town in the ancient territory of Edom.

Micah 2
2:12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
2:13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
Micah 2:12-13

The returning Messiah as we see Him in this perspective appears in the midst of His people there at the sheepfold of Bozrah. It is time for a breakout! The returning Messiah comes as the Shepherd at the dawn of the new day. He breaks them out in the manner of the shepherd breaking open the rock enclosure that had kept his sheep penned up during the night. He returns in deliverance of His own. He also comes in wrath and vengeance against the enemies of His people. -Isa.63. Micah sees Him as He breaks open a passage out of the sheepfold just as the new day is dawning. And so He leads his people out in a joyous release and on to the green pastures of His Davidic Messianic Kingdom. This Bozrah story is as much a part of the the return of Christ as is the story of His return in the clouds of heaven to gather His elect.-Mat.24:29-3, 1Thes.4:17 And it is also as much a part of the story as His coming at Jezreel in the battle of Armageddon which brings deliverance to His people at Jerusalem.-Zech 12, Rev.16 This unexplained element, the Bozrah story, is an important part of the apocalypse. It has not yet been addressed or expounded upon and the vast majority of teachers and commentators on bible prophecy have completely neglected it. But it is exceedingly important that we know that our Lord returns to judge His enemies. He will surely deliver His hard pressed people. This is why He comes in vengeance at Bozrah. He is not slack concerning His promises. Nor will He abandon His own. As we come into the endtime we must know that. He is surely coming. He will deal justly. He will bring wrath on His enemies. And He will bring His own people out in a glorious deliverance. His coming back to earth again is our blessed hope.-Titus 2:13 He is surely coming. What an awesome day of deliverance that will be!-Mic.2:12&13.

Blessings to all who love His appearing.

THE BOZRAH PROPHECIES AND THE RETURN OF MESSIAH

THE LATTER DAY GATHERING OF JACOB AT BOZRAH CROSS-REFERENCES WITH l THE EXILE OF THE WOMAN OF REVELATION 12.

ESAU'S BOZRAH AND THE END-TIME GATHERING OF JACOB. THE ROLE OF BOZRAH, THIS PLACE OF MYSTERY, IN THE LATTER DAYS.

THE WORD "BOZRAH". IT SEEMS HAVE BEEN "LOST" IN THE MODERN TRANSLATIONS. WHY? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

BOZRAH THE PASTORAL CITY OF EDOM, WHICH EXISTED IN ANCIENT TIMES. AND THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUIN AS WE SEE IT TODAY. THIS IS NOT THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF END-TIME MYSTERY BOZRAH.

THE EDOMITES IN END TIME BIBLE PROPHECY. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT YET UNTOLD STORY.

THE SPIRIT AND CHARACTER OF THE CHILDREN OF ESAU THROUGHOUT HISTORY. REALIZING THAT THE EDOMITES ARE STILL WITH US TODAY.

THE RETURN OF THE EDOMITES. AND THEIR PROMINENT ROLE AGAINST JACOB AS WORLD HISTORY ENTERS THE END TIME DRAMA.