Great is the Lord

DEVOTION

MALACHI

GREAT IS THE LORD

Mal 1:4-5

4 Edom may say, "Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins."

But this is what the LORD Almighty says: "They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the LORD. 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, 'Great is the LORD-even beyond the borders of Israel!'

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The kingdom of Edom is now in the modern country of Jordon, although what was Edom or may have been their great city is no longer occupied, but is the tourist destination called Petra. This vacant city is carved out of red earth, or stones as Esau was a red-haired man. It appears these people were always at odds with Israel and because the Lord had chosen Jacob who he changed his name to Israel, the Lord was with odds with the descendants of Esau, the country of the Edomite’s. It is strange that Jacob was the deceiver who, with the help of his mother, stole his brother Esau’s birthright. This was prophesied, but still, it is strange God chooses the deceiver over the firstborn son. It does appear that Edom is under the wrath of God, but then they also were not worshipping God. Of course, Esau did sell his birthright to Jacob for a cup of stew, but that still did not sit well with him after Jacob deceived their father into giving him the firstborn’s blessing and there was a great divide between Esau and Jacob. They did resolve it years later which we have the biblical account of their meeting. Nevertheless, Edom was not Israel and did not worship Yahweh, but rather the gods of those who lived in their area, El, Baal, Asherah, or others. If they did not worship Yahweh, then they were are war with him, and thus objects of his wrath. This is our story, the choice given to all people to either be the object of the wrath or to be the people of God. The New Testament is full of this very comparison of Jacob who worshipped Yahweh and Esau who did not, the righteous and the wicked.

Eph 2:1-6

2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath . 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.

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Col 1:21-23

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

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1 Peter 2:10

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

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And so we cannot think that Esau was actually hated by God, but that Esau chose to become an enemy of God, an object of God’s wrath. We know this is true for In the gospel of John we are told that God so loved the world, which would have to have included all the world in all times, thus he loved the Edomite’s and it was his desire for them to come to him, but because of their refusal, because of their disbelief, he demolished their stronghold. He demolished what they had made for themselves, looking to other gods, looking to their great abilities to smelt copper, to be a great nation in their own strength. Can we not see the truth here? Can we not understand that we cannot afford to look to our strength, but to rely on the Lord Almighty for all we are, all we have and all we do? Because we believe in the Lord, we have been grafted into the line of Jacob, the line of Israel, for we are true Israel having been circumcised in our hearts. Those who refuse the Lord, who live for their own god’s, although God still loves them, are objects of his wrath and their lives, their plans ultimately will be demolished. Let us never forget who we are and who our God is. Let us not made ourselves our little god. Let us not see ourselves great in any area of endeavor, for our strength comes from the Lord. Just as Edom found out the Great is the Lord, even beyond the borders of Israel, all peoples will find out someday, that Great is the Lord, even beyond their borders.