I Saw Esau

The histories of the nation of Israel and the nation of Edom are all together different.

God says that because of Esau’s life, because of the evil which was inborn in this man and which worked itself into the nation of Edom; He is justified in making this statement.

So it is easy to understand why God loved Jacob.

But why did God hate Esau.

I have tried to answer in generalities, but now I will give you some specifics.

The answer is found in the book of Obadiah.

The Edomites were the decendants of Esau.

They were 250,000 strong at the time of the writing of this book.

They had built their strong hold in the side of a mountain.

They thought they were impregnable.

They had become allies of Israel’s enemies.

They were a thorn in Israel’s side.

They helped in the plundering and destruction of Jerusalem.

The best dating of this book of Obadiah is about 587/586 BC.

Listen to VERSE 6 again: “How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out!”

It is a microscope.

God is going to put Edom under the microscope and we will see some things that are not visible otherwise.

Look, under the microscope and see how it magnifies.

There is not just one Esau now - Now there are 250,000 little Esau’s running around.

The pimple that was EASU has now become a raging, festering, cancer.

What is wrong with Edom?

Verse 3 tell us what is wrong with Edom: “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, whose dwelling is high, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?”

PRIDE - DECEPTION - FALSE SECURITY

I. THEY WERE EATEN UP WITH PRIDE:

Folks, WE HAVE LOST OUR PERSPECTIVE OF SIN.

Suppose one member of my church is committing adultery or drunk or stoned on drugs, a thief, murderer, etc.

However, suppose I told you that one of our members has a proud spirit.

PRIDE IS A DEADLY SIN.

Proverbs 6:16-19 declares, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

God definitely says that He hates that.

He hates these things, and we ought to put them on our hate list too.

You see, God loves, but also God hates.

These things are all works of the flesh.

A proud look is the attitude that overvalues self and under values others.

This is pride.

It is that thought of the heart, that little look and that turn of the face, that flash of the eye which says you are better than someone else.

God says, “I hate it!”

It is number one on His list.

He puts it ahead of murder and ahead of drunkenness.

God hates the proud look.

Do you know the first overt act of sin in heaven, the original sin, was pride?

It was when Satan, Lucifer, son of the morning, Said in his heart, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exhalt my throne above the stars of God: I will set also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isa. 14:13-14).