The secret identity of Esau
Obadiah 1:6 "How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!"
Esau was also known as Edom (Genesis 25:30, 36:1). His descendants are called “Edomites”.
Jeremiah 49:20-22 "Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them. 21 The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the noise thereof was heard in the Red sea. 22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs."
This passage of Scripture is God’s judgment against Edom, and the purpose he has purposed against the Edomites. The words that I want to highlight in this passage are “at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.“ What is “that day” a reference to? According to verse 21, that day is a day where Edom will fall, and it will be characterized by a noise so great that it can be heard in the Red sea. In Verse 20, notice the words “Surely the least of the flocks shall draw them out”. The word “flock” tells us that the gathering of a people (God’s people) was what Edom was watching in the secret to attack. Jeremiah use the words “draw them out” to describe how God will use this holy people as a bait to draw Edom out in the open in order to destroy them.
Revelation 6:15-17 "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
Apostle John tells us in this passage that “the great day of his wrath”, will come, and the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man will hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains from fear of the wrath of the Lamb. Jeremiah calls it “as the heart of a woman in her pangs”. The keywords I want to highlight is “in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains”, because in the same passage of Scripture in Jeremiah 49, we read:
Jeremiah 49:14-16 "I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle. 15 For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men. 16 Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD."
According to Jeremiah, Edom dwells in the clefts of the rock. John calls them “the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man” who will hide themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountains. Jeremiah 49:22 calls them “the mighty men of Edom”. In fact the same words in Jeremiah 49:15-16 were also found in:
Obadiah 1:3-4 "¶ The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD."
These are the mighty men of Edom who exalt themselves in their hearts. This is Esau saying “Who shall bring me down to the ground?”
Isaiah 14:12-15 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."
Isaiah tells us of an evil spirit by the name of Lucifer which inhabits the mighty men of Edom (Esau) who “exalt thyself as the eagle". This is the same evil spirit who wants to exalt his throne above the stars of God, operating through Esau. Who is this Esau? The prelude to Revelation 6:15-17 tells us something about “that day” (Jeremiah 49:22) when God shall destroy Esau.
Revelation 6:12-14 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."
In fact, we also read the same descriptions in:
Ezekiel 32:7-8 "And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. 8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD."
Isaiah 13:9-10 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine."
Prophet Isaiah calls it “the day of the LORD”. Ezekiel 32 links it to the Gog-Magog war. I have shown from Scriptures in Part 1: Who is Gog of Ezekiel 38 and 39? that the leviathan is a reference to Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Notice how the Bible connects word-for-word Esau and the leviathan?
Job 41:1 "Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?"
Jeremiah 49:20 "Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them."
In Part 2: Who is Gog of Ezekiel 38 and 39? I have demonstrated from Scriptures that Gog has been watching God’s people in secret, and waiting for an opportunity to launch attack. The time will be when God’s people is dwelling in peace and safety. In Jeremiah 49:20, God will use his “flock” as a bait to draw Esau out in the open in order to destroy him.
How is Esau connected to Pharaoh king of Egypt? Apart from the two articles I have cited regarding who Gog of Ezekiel 38 and 39 is, I have also demonstrated the link between Gog, Amalek and Hyksos in this article: Gog-Amalek-Hyksos Connection. This further establish the secret identity of Esau as “Pharaoh king of Egypt”, who is Gog of Ezekiel 38, 39.
Obadiah 1:5-7 "If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? 6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! 7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him."
The things of Esau are hidden, and they need to be searched out. Verse 7 tells us that God’s people was confederate with Esau who deceived them. They thought they were at peace with Esau.
Ezekiel 38:14 "¶ Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?"
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."
Ezekiel tells us that the day when Gog will launch an attack on God’s people is the day when God’s people shall dwell false peace and safety. Paul tells us that the day will come when God’s people shall say “Peace and safety”, and then shall sudden sudden destruction come upon them, as a woman travailing with child.
Ezekiel 38:18-19 "And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;"
In that day when Gog shall come against God’s people dwelling in the land of Israel, that is when God shall arise to defend them. Paul calls it “the day of the Lord” in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, and it shall overtake Esau as a thief in the night.
Obadiah 1:8-10 "Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? 9 And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter. 10 ¶ For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever."
In that day that God shall destroy Esau (Gog), there will be a very great slaughter. For his violence against Jacob (God’s people), Esau shall be cut off for ever.
Ezekiel 32:4-5 "Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee. 5 And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height."
Ezekiel 39:4-5 "Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD."
Going back to:
Jeremiah 49:20-22 "Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them. 21 The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the noise thereof was heard in the Red sea. 22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs."
The slaughter will be so great that the cry thereof will be heard in the Red sea.
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