As was explained in our previous Q&A, the Turkish people can be identified today as belonging to the descendants of biblical Esau or Edom. Additional biblical references to modern Turkey are Teman (descendant of Esau), Idumea, Bozrah (ancient capital of Esau) and Seir (compare Joshua 24:4).

In this and a subsequent Q&A, we will show that many Scriptures reveal that modern Esau—Turkey—will be severely punished in the end time. Some of the Scriptures are more general in nature, while others are very specific. Some passages give us reasons for modern Esau’s destruction and defeat in a coming war. Some Scriptures imply that God will directly and supernaturally destroy Edom before and at Christ’s return, while other Scriptures show that God will also act through other nations. Some passages seem to indicate, at first sight, that Esau will be totally annihilated; that there won’t be any survivors; and that the country of Esau will become a wasteland for all eternity; but upon further scrutiny, other passages suggest otherwise, and we know that the Bible cannot and does not contradict itself. Finally, the role of modern Israel and Judah towards Edom will be explored.

Let us first focus on passages in the Bible, which describe the judgment of Edom in general terms.

Psalm 60:8; 108:9 show that modern Esau will be punished in the end time. God says twice that He will cast His shoe over Edom. Wesley’s Notes states that this is a proverbial expression to indicate slavery, while Albert Barnes’ Notes’ on the Bible says: “It is supposed that there is allusion in the expression ‘I will cast out my shoe,’ to the custom, when transferring a possession, of throwing down a shoe on the ground as a symbol of occupancy… The idea is, that he [God] would take possession of it, or would make it his own.”

Further general references to God’s future punishment of “[spiritually] uncircumcised” Edom can be found in Jeremiah 9:25-26; 25:15, 21; and 48:21-24. Another Scripture, Lamentations 4:21-22, describes the punishment of the “daughter” of Edom, at the time of the captivity of the “daughter” of Zion (“daughter” signifies here in prophetic terms the end-time descendants of ancient Edom and Zion). Note also the general description of the destruction of Edom’s kings and princes in war in Ezekiel 32:29. Further, Malachi 1:4 says that God will throw down what Edom has built, and that God has indignation against the people of Edom “forever,” calling Edom “the Territory of Wickedness.” Note, however, that the word “forever” does not need to mean, “for all eternity,” but that it could refer to a certain period of time, until the circumstances change (see our Q&A, describing the biblical meaning of the word “forever,”). Circumstances will change dramatically when Jesus Christ rules over this earth during the Millennium.

A vague reference to the “night” of punishment of Seir (Edom) is also found in Isaiah 21:11-12.

In addition, the Bible includes very specific references to the punishment of modern Edom.

In Isaiah 34:5-6, we read that God’s bloody sword will come down on Edom, the people of God’s curse, for judgment, and that God has a sacrifice of a great slaughter in Bozrah and the land of Edom. The time setting is very clearly identified as being in the future, when Christ returns, compare Isaiah 34:8, speaking of the “day of the LORD’s vengeance” and the “year of recompense for the cause of Zion.” As mentioned before, the term “day of the LORD” applies ALWAYS to a future time, beginning about one year prior to Christ’s return.

God’s punishment of Edom is also described in Isaiah 63:1-6. It says there that God Himself has punished Edom “alone” (verse 3); that “from the peoples no one was with” Him (same verse); that there “was no one to help” (verse 5); and that therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him (same verse). The meaning is, Christ will act without the help of any supportive human armies which would see the need for Edom’s punishment. Even though some nations will fight against Edom (see below), they won’t do so because they want to do God’s Will, but they will act because of ulterior selfish motives (An interesting parallel passage as to motive may be Isaiah 10:5-7. God will use the modern King of Assyria to punish the modern houses of Israel and Judah. However, that king will not understand or consider that he is a tool in God’s hands, but he will act because it is in his heart to destroy many nations).

In addition, the time setting in Isaiah 63 is the day of God’s anger and fury, as well as the day of His vengeance and the year of His redeemed (verse 4)—that is, a future time when God’s enemies will be destroyed and His people will be redeemed. When Christ returns, He will indeed act “alone” against His human enemies, without the “help” of human allies.

A possible parallel Scripture of God’s punishment of Edom and His coming from Seir and Bozrah can be found in Habakkuk 3:3. The prophet asks God in the context of the revival of His work in the midst of the years to remember mercy in wrath (verse 2). It is interesting that we read in Deuteronomy 33:2 that at the time of Moses, God came from Seir (Edom) “with ten thousands of saints” to declare His Law. Note that the word “saint” means “holy” and can refer both to angels and men. When God declared His Law to ancient Israel, He was accompanied by angels (“saints”). It is possible that the passage in Deuteronomy 33:2 is also a reference to Christ’s second coming, when He descends with His disciples (the “saints”) to the Mount of Olives (compare Jude 14-15; Zechariah 14:3-5). Christ will punish Edom at that time, and coming from Seir or Bozrah, He will continue to declare His Law and execute judgment on all ungodly people (compare again Jude 15).

We also find a rather lengthy description of God’s judgment on Edom in Jeremiah 49:7-22. God declares very specifically that Bozrah will become a desolation, a waste or ruin, and a curse, and that its cities will be perpetual wastes (verse 13). We also read that nations will fight against Edom (verse 14), that Edom will become small among nations (verse 15)—that is, it will not cease to exist–and that no one shall remain there, as “in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah” (verse 18). This will happen “in that day” (verse 22), when God will “come up and fly like the eagle, and spread His wings over Bozrah” (same verse). At the same time, we read in verse 11 that God tells Edom to leave their “fatherless children”; that God will preserve them alive; and that Edom’s “widows” should trust in Him.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says: “As with Moab… and Ammon…, so there is mercy for Edom. The widows shall be protected, and in the orphans of Edom the nation shall once again revive.” Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible agrees, stating: “Even the widows and orphans of Esau, who escape the general destruction, shall be taken care of by the Lord.” Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible implies that God might be speaking ironically, and that no Edomite would survive, but this does not seem to be the meaning here.

The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary says: “Thy fatherless and widows must rest their hope in God alone, as none of the adult males shall be left alive, so desperate will be the affairs of Edom. The verse also, besides this threat, implies a promise of mercy to Esau in God’s good time, as there was to Moab and Ammon…; the extinction of the adult males is the prominent idea.” The Geneva Study Bible concurs, saying: “The destruction will be so great that there will be none left to take care of the widows and the fatherless.” But some Edomites will survive, as we will see in more detail, and Edom will not remain a wasteland like Sodom for all eternity.

How will Edom’s punishment unfold?

Psalm 83:6 tells us about a future confederacy of nations against “Israel.” This confederacy will consist of Edom (including Amalek, one of Edom’s grandsons) and other Middle Eastern nations, as well as modern Assyria (Germany) and the revived Babylonian system (“Tyre”). Goal of that confederacy is to cut off Israel, so that “the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (verse 4). A reference to that conspiracy is alluded to in Amos 1:6, 9 where we read that “Gaza” and “Tyre” will be punished because they “took captive the whole captivity to deliver them up to Edom” and because “they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom.”

The reference to the “captivity” is to the enslavement of the modern descendants of the house of Judah and perhaps some from the modern house of Israel. In addition to bringing about slavery, we are specifically told in Amos 1:11 (among many other places) that Esau will pursue his brother (Israel) with the sword and cast off all pity, keeping his wrath against Jacob forever.

In fact, we read in Obadiah 11-14 that Edom was as one of them who carried captive the forces of Israel, and who gazed on or gloated over the day of his brother’s calamity in the day of his captivity; that Edom rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; and that they entered the gate of God’s people in the day of their calamity and laid hands on their substance. We even read that Edom stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped and delivered those up who remained in the day of distress (verse 14), or, as the Menge Bible puts it, at the time of the Great Tribulation.

As will be discussed in the next Q&A, Edom’s conduct during that time is a major reason WHY God will pour out His wrath over Edom. A parallel Scripture of Edom’s appalling conduct towards his brother can also be found in Ezekiel 35:5. God says that He will make Esau (Mount Seir) desolate, as the inheritance of the house of Israel had become desolate before (verse 15)—but Israel’s desolation will end, and so will Edom’s—and God states in Ezekiel 36:5 that Esau plundered God’s country and occupied it as a possession for them.

However, the Bible tells us that God will allow a change of the configuration of the conspiracy mentioned above. We find that Edom’s allies, and especially Assyria and the entire Babylonian system, will turn against Edom. Obadiah 6-7 says:

“Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after [including those which they robbed from Israel and Judah, when they laid hands on their substance]! All the men in your confederacy Shall force you to the border [the meaning is, “they will expel you,” compare the Soncino commentary; or “make you captives,” compare Barnes’ Notes on the Bible and Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible], The men at peace with you Shall deceive you and prevail against you, Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you [or, wound you].” The words for “lay a trap” or “wound you” mean, “both a wound and a plaster; they pretended to lay a plaster to heal, but made a wound; or made the wound worse” (compare Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible).

In Obadiah 8-9, God makes clear that this will happen “in that day”—that is, after the Great Tribulation and during the Day of the Lord—and that God will inspire the former allies of Edom to act in this way. It is as if God Himself will do it, because we read in verse 8 that God says: “Will I not in that day… even destroy the wise men from Edom… then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau May be cut off by slaughter.”

This passage will be discussed, in greater detail, in the next Q&A.

Finally, we read in Daniel 11:41 that the king of Assyria—the final king of the North—will at first NOT conquer Edom, but other Scriptures show us that he will later turn against Edom. This reminds us also of Psalm 60:8; 108:9 (quoted above), which indicate as well a future defeat in war and captivity for the people of Edom.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The Bible has indeed much to say about the descendants of Esau in our times. In this Q&A, we will discuss the history and the modern identity of Esau. In a subsequent Q&A, we will be addressing the future of Esau, as prophesied in the Scriptures.

Esau was the twin brother of Jacob. Due to the fact that he sold Jacob his birthright for some red stew, he became also known as “Edom,” which means “red” (Genesis 25:30). Later the name Idumea (Isaiah 34:5, Authorized Version; the New King James Bible says, “Edom”) was applied to some of the descendants of Esau or Edom. Herod the Great was an Idumean. (It was Herod who killed the male babies in Bethlehem and surrounding areas, from two years old and under, compare Matthew 2:16.)

Edom is also referred to as the land of Seir (Genesis 32:3). Edom, or at least the southern part of Edom, became known as Teman, who was Edom’s oldest grandson (Genesis 36:10-11). (One of Edom’s other grandsons was the fierce warrior Amalek, Genesis 36:12.)

The Easton Bible Dictionary informs us that Edom “extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea… and contained, among other cities, the rock-hewn Sela, generally known by the Greek name Petra [2 Kings 14:7, compare margin of the New King James Bible]. It is a wild and rugged region, traversed by fruitful valleys. [Edom’s] old capital was Bozrah (Isaiah 63:1). The early inhabitants of the land were Horites. They were destroyed by the Edomites (Deuteronomy 2:12), between whom and the kings of Israel and Judah there was frequent war [2 Chronicles 28:17].

“At the time of the Exodus they churlishly refused permission to the Israelites to pass through their land (Numbers 20:14-21), and ever afterwards maintained an attitude of hostility toward them. They were conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:14…), and afterwards by Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:11, 12). But they regained again their independence, and in later years, during the decline of the Jewish kingdom (2 Kings 16:6), ‘Edomites’… made war against [the house of Judah]. They took part with the Chaldeans when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, and afterwards they invaded and held possession of the south of Palestine as far as Hebron. [Biblica–The Bible Atlas, adds on page 308 that “Judah’s final destruction occurred when Edom enticed Judah to join in an anti-Babylonian coalition… but… Edom then participated with Babylon in the destruction of Jerusalem that followed.” As we will see in a subsequent Q&A, similar events will occur again in the near future.]

“At last, however, Edom fell under the growing Chaldean power (Jeremiah 27:3, 6)… After an existence as a people for above seventeen hundred years, they have utterly disappeared, and their language even is forgotten forever…”

But this last statement is not true. As we will see, the Bible contains many prophecies about the nation of Edom for the end time; therefore, descendants of Edom must exist today. They may not be living in the areas where they used to live, and they are not known today as Edomites, but they must exist somewhere. The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1959, states for instance under Edom that “many of the Edomites, pushed out of their former territory by the Nabataens, drifted westward across the Araba…”

We also need to note that many commentaries apply end-time prophecies regarding Edom to ancient times and claim that these prophecies were already fulfilled. This is a grievous mistake, precluding those authors from realizing what is announced to happen in the near future.

We read about an interesting “blessing” in Genesis 27:39-40, which Isaac gave to his son Esau, after he had been deceived to bless Jacob. It says that Esau or Edom would dwell “without” [as it should be rendered] the fatness of the earth and the dew of heaven [in comparison with the blessing which Isaac had given Jacob]; and that he would live by the sword and “serve” his brother (Jacob or Israel) [This last statement is actually a repeat of the prophecy pertaining to Jacob and Esau, which Rebekah received in Genesis 25:23].

Isaac also told Esau that in due time, he would break his brother’s yoke from his neck. Halley’s Bible Handbook claims that the Edomites “were subservient to Israel; and in time, they did throw off Israel’s yoke (II Kings 8:20-22).” Biblica—The Bible Atlas states on page 114 that “Herod the Idumean—better known as Herod the Great, the ruler who played a pivotal role in Jesus’ early life—murdered the royal family of Judea, including one of his own wives and a number of his children, and forged alliances with Rome. From that time on, Jewish tradition saw Rome as the embodiment of the continuing struggle between Jacob and Esau.”

While all of this may be partially true, we will see that Isaac’s prophecy for Esau is far more encompassing and applies also and foremost to more recent historical and even still future events. Edom is not just a symbolic reference to Rome or the modern Roman or Babylonian system in the end times, but a distinctively existing nation—which will however, to an extent and for a while, support modern Babylon in an attack against the state of Israel.

The Church of God has taught for over sixty years that many Edomites are today to be found in the modern nation of Turkey, and that biblical prophecies relating to modern Edom mainly address the Turkish people. (As an aside, the famous mountain of Ararat where Noah’s ark rested after the Flood, is situated in Turkey).

The following was stated in an article by The Plain Truth, dated 1966, titled, “Turkey in Prophecy”:

“Turkey can be identified by research in encyclopedias, or history books dealing with the subject, as the descendants of Esau… One of the grandsons of Esau was Teman (Genesis 36:11). Teman became a great leader among the peoples… As the Edomites began to expand…, portions of the land began to bear the name of Teman… much of the area… including … Turkestan… became known as the ‘Land of Temani’ (compare Genesis 36:34 [according to the Authorized Version; the New King James Bible says: “the land of the Temanites”)… Is it any wonder then that the indelible stamp of Teman, one of the leading dukes of ancient Edom, was carried down into modern history in the form of the ‘Ottoman’ Empire?”

The Ottoman Empire existed for about 400 years and ended with World War I. The Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia tells us that the Ottoman Empire or the “Turkish state was the dominant power in the eastern Mediterranean from the 16th to the 19th century. It was broken up at the end of World War I, and its Anatolian heartland became the modern Republic of Turkey.”

During its high days and years of conquest, the Ottoman Empire ruled over countries and areas such as Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Arabia, Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Armenia, Georgia and the Crimea, and it even besieged Austria’s capitol, Vienna (in 1529). It had at that time broken the yoke of Jacob (including Jacob’s son Judah) from his neck.

The fact that the name of the Turkish Ottoman Empire is derived from or related to Teman is confirmed by other authors as well. For instance, the encyclopedia Wordnik states regarding Edom: “Edom is O’theman of the Bible, and O’theman of the Bible is Turkey.” Also, many claim that the name “Turk” is associated with “Turkestan,” where, as we recall, many of the Edomites and more precisely, the Temanites, had settled. We are also told by some that the Khazars called the Byzantium Emperor the “King of Edom.” (Note that the name Byzantium is ancient for Constantinople, which is today Turkey’s capitol Istanbul.)

Turkey did in fact live by the sword, as Isaac had told Esau, but, as we showed in the Current Events section of our last Update (Update No. 496), it has now advanced to a very prosperous country in the Middle East, manifesting more and more its (ongoing) independent status from the house of Judah—the Jews—and now also increasingly from the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel—the USA and Great Britain. This means, then, that biblical prophetic references to Esau, Edom, Seir, Idumea and Bozrah refer mainly to the modern nation of Turkey.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link