Posted on 10/08/2019 7:56:30 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
In Psalm 60, the Psalmist describes the totality of God’s victory over Israel’s foes, proclaiming “Moab is my wash basin; upon Edom I cast my sandal.”
This is only one of more than 100 mentions of Edom in the Old Testament. The Edomites were descendants from Esau, Jacob’s older brother. The Genesis account of the troubled twins describes Esau as red all over when he was born. Esau, you might remember, sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of red stew. Edom means “red” in Hebrew; thus, Esau’s descendants came to be known as Edomites.
Over the years, many scholars doubted the Edomites even existed, at least as described in those biblical accounts. Specifically, they regarded the depiction in the Pentateuch of the Edomite Kingdom to be largely mythical. The real Edomite Kingdom, they believed, emerged three or more centuries later, during the latter part of Israel’s divided monarchy, and was “read back” into the story of the Exodus.
Well, these scholars were mistaken. Recently, a team excavating in Israel’s Timna Valley found evidence of a “thriving and wealthy society” dating back to the 12th century before Christ. What kind of evidence? An extensive network of ancient copper-smelting facilities were found in the parts of Israel and Jordan that the Bible associates with Edom.
As team leader Ezra Ben-Yosef told the Jerusalem Post, “copper-smelting was essentially the hi-tech of ancient times.” Given how complex the process is, any society responsible for such facilities would likely be technologically sophisticated and politically well-organized.
According to Ben-Yosef, “(these) new findings contradict the view of many archaeologists that [the region associated with biblical Edom] was populated by a loose alliance of tribes.” Instead, “they’re consistent with the biblical story that there was an Edomite kingdom here.”
Hmmm… there it is again: “consistent with the biblical story.” That phrase seems to pop up a lot in the world of ancient archaeology these days. For example, the excavations at Ashkelon that confirm the biblical account of the Philistines; findings on Mount Zion confirming the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem—not just that it happened, but also when it happened; and on and on.
You’d think the sheer number of findings in recent decades that are “consistent with the biblical story” would soften the systemic scholarly skepticism toward Bible. It should, but it hasn’t.
One reason some scholars remain stubbornly skeptical is that most archaeologists and social scientists see Judaism and Christianity in the same way they see every other religion–an approach that obscures important distinctions.
Unlike other religions, historical detail is central, even crucial, to biblical faith. The biblical story reports on events that took place in actual human history. Unlike other religions, the protagonist of the biblical story is a God who has acted in the human arena, not in a mythical past or in another universe, but in the same setting as you, I, and everyone else who has ever lived.
Since historical memory, and the actual acts of God within human history, is so central to biblical faith, we ought not be surprised when we find evidence of His activity in the ground.
At the same time, we should be ready to communicate the connections between history and faith when appropriate and when asked. It’s a wonderful way to communicate to our skeptical friends, family members, and co-workers what we believe and why we believe it.
And to help you answer the tough questions you face, not only about Christianity and history but about all kinds of issues, the Colson Center has launched a new resource called “What Would You Say?” Each week, a new video tackles a tough question, offering clear, usable answers that you can pass on by sharing or by conversation. Check it out, and subscribe, at WhatWouldYouSay.org.
Can anyone point me to this in The Bible?
There are a lot of unusual HISTORICAL items like this in The Bible that I never heard of before. That seems pretty specific.
GENESIS 25:29-34 ESV
29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.[a])
31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.”
32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”
33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
wow- thank you
Not very nice of his brother to refuse him food when he is starving, unless he turns over everything he owns.
Gen 25:30
Jacob and his mother were two sneaky people. It was her idea to deceive Isaac, enabling Jacob to receive the full blessing from his father.
The Hebrew word Edom means “red”, and is derived from the name of its founder, Esau, the elder son of the Hebrew patriarch Isaac, because he was born “red all over”. As a young adult, he sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for “red pottage”. The Tanakh describes the Edomites as descendants of Esau.
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edom
RE: It was her idea to deceive Isaac, enabling Jacob to receive the full blessing from his father.
Can someone explain to me why there can be only ONE blessing from Isaac?
Is this blessing like a limited resource that you can’t give any more the moment it is given out to one?
Why can’t Isaac BLESS BOTH of them?
So you might say that Jacob won the first chili cook-off!
Isaac definitely did bless both of them.
Note that this whole story is in the context of Malachi 1:2-3, and the whole book of Obadiah.
Jacob makes J.R. Ewing look like Billy Graham !!!
I believe it was due to Rebekah’s prophecy while pregnant with the twins. She was given the message the older would serve the younger son. Isaac didn’t receive that message so didn’t know before hand. Look at Genesis 25:23.
“Not very nice of his brother to refuse him food when he is starving, unless he turns over everything he owns.”
You’ll find that most people in the Bible do a lot of bad things.
the historical account of Essau has far reaching long terms effects- I beleive it is why we have such tensions in the middle east today
” In dealing with the root of the Arab conflict, we are concerned with two key individuals in Genesis, Ishmael and Esau. ...
http://www.focusonjerusalem.com/TheRootsoftheIsraeli-ArabConflict.htm
Jews have many recorded examples of extreme virtues. Both good and bad.
Esau had been out for the day on a hunt. Why would he be actually starving, when presumably he ate in the morning, not to mention the previous day?
I think Esau was just being a drama queen.
Jacob is still a creep, of course.
Isaac blessed both sons, but the blessing usually reserved for the eldest was special and apparently coveted by Isaac.
In the passage where Israel (Jacob) was blessing Joseph’s sons, Manasseh & Ephraim. Jacob placed his hand for the blessing on that of the younger son, Joseph did not like that, as he did not think as it should be, and moved his father’s hand. Jacob basically said, “I know what I am doing” and moved his hand for the eldest blessing to the younger son.
There are blessings to go around, but that of the eldest is different.
RE: Isaac blessed both sons, but the blessing usually reserved for the eldest was special and apparently coveted by Isaac.
Does Isaac’s blessing convey anything PREDICTIVE?
If so, are these “predictions” predicated on the character and attitudes of either son?
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