PSALM 63

A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE WAS IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH.

63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:

my soul thirsteth for thee,

my flesh longeth for thee

in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

2 To see thy power and thy glory,

so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

The desire to dwell in the presence of God overwhelms David as he dwells in exile he cries out for God

3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life,

my lips shall praise thee.

4 Thus will I bless thee while I live:

I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Relationship with the Lord of life is expressed in what can only be described as rapturous praise!

5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness;

and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

6 When I remember thee upon my bed,

and meditate on thee in the night watches.

7 Because thou hast been my help,

therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

Clearly all desire and satisfaction is met in the relationship which David had with God

8 My soul followeth hard after thee:

thy right hand upholdeth me.

9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it,

shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

10 They shall fall by the sword:

they shall be a portion for foxes.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;

every one that sweareth by him shall glory:

but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

In whatever state or distress of life we may be found, there is a calling out to God which will refresh us. Find your encouragement in his presence and in the salvation that he brings. 

Esau and the Edomites

Gen 25:9 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:... 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

This is the most famous passage about Esau. He was a descendant of Abraham, and as we will see, the Edomites as a nation did not follow on to know the Lord. His descendents had an opportunity to be blessed within the blessing of Abraham, and yet they ultimately failed, oppressing their brother and being cursed. We will see their start as a nation, their role in expelling giants, and then subsequently their treacherous treatment of Israel. David brought them into the blessed kingdom, but they rebelled and were cut off.

I did a similar look at Moab previously; See kingdom of Moab Here.

Gen 36 descendents of Esau listed as part of the descendents of Abraham.

1 Chr 1:43 Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. 45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. 46 And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. 47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. 48 And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. 49 And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. 50 And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

51 Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth, 52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 53 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.

God brought out his people from Egypt with a mighty hand, the purpose to drive out the Canaanites. Edom and Moab had opportunity to remain.

Ex 15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

God had Moses reach out to the Edomites, but instead of welcoming them, they refused to let them pass. You can see they did not trust Israel, but this was because they did not believe God.

Num 20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: 15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: 16 And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border: 17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. 18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. 19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. 20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

Num 21:4; 24:18; 33:37; 34:3; Josh 15:1, 21; Judges 5:4; 11:17-18 all speak of Israel going around Edom and not encroaching upon its borders. So many times this fact is mentioned that it must be extremely important. But even though they refused, Israel was commanded to treat them as a brother.

Deut 23:7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. 8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.

Many nations were to be cut off, but Edom to be embraced.

In Deut we have a detailed account of this interaction.

Deut 2:1 Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days. 2 And the LORD spake unto me, saying, 3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. 4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: 5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession. 6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. 7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing. 8 And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab. 9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. 10 The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; 11 Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims. 12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them. 13 Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. 14 And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them. 15 For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.

Deut 2:22 As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:

Josh 24:4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

So God kept his promises to Edom and to Moab and Ammon, they were treated well, even though they refused to be a blessing themselves.

During the time of the judges Moab would oppress the Israelites, but apparantly Edom did not. However in later times we see Saul contending with enemies on every side, including the Edomites.

1 Sam 14:46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place...47 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. 48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

He began to fulfill the promise that Israel had failed to do under the Judges and Shiloh, gaining the extent of the kingdom promised to Abraham.

David continued the policy:

2 Sam 8:14a And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants.

1 Chr 18:11 Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek. 12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.

13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's servants.

See the extent of David's kingdom

Solomon controlled Edom

1 Ki 9:26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom. (2 Chr 8:17)

But Solomon began to violate the commands of the Lord.

1 Ki 11:1; Solomon took wives of them

1 Ki 11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. 15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom; 16 (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:) 17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child. 18 And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land. 19 And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh. 21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country. 22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.

After Solomon the divided kingdoms had up and down relations with Edom

1 Ki 22:45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land. 47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

King of Edom working with Israel and Judah

2 Ki 3:6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them...on through verse 26

2 Chr 21:8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. 9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots. 10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.

2 Ki 8:16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign...20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. 2 Chr 25:19-20)

2 Ki 14:7 He (Amaziah) slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day. (Also verse 10)

2 Chr 28:16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

Lastly we see them working with the Chaldeans to destroy Israel

Jer 49:7 Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts;

Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?

8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him....

13 For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes...

17 Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it....

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.

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. Edom will be punished as Judah is destroyed and they rejoice, sudden destruction is upon them.

Lam 4:21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. 22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.

Ezek 25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD. (see 32:29)

Joel 3:19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

Amos 1:11-12 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever: But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Amos 9:11-12 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

Obadiah 1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom;

entire book devoted to judgment upon Edom.

Mal 1:4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

Jesus will come from Edom in the end of days to execute final judgment

Psalm 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom,

with dyed garments from Bozrah?

this that is glorious in his apparel,

travelling in the greatness of his strength?

I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

Edom and the Chaldeans

This is the beginning of a look at the history of Edom. The descendents of the brother of Jacob, Esau. God had promised to bless the descendents of Abraham, and Esau would be included. What we will see is that through rebellion and strife they fought with their brother and received only judgment. Esau never had the blessing and he sold the birthright. What did God say about Edom and what opportunities did they have?

This post is solely about one episode in the story of these peoples, the destruction of Jerusalem, and how the scripture shows us that Edom allied with Babylon to destroy it. Key; it seems that it was Edom who urged destruction of the temple, and may have been the party to get it done.

First the records of the destruction:

2Ki 25:8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9 And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away. 12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

2Chr 36:19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

(they being the king of the Chaldees)

Jer 39:8 And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

Jer 52:12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, 13 And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

So we see that here in summary that the Babylonians (Chaldeans) had destroyed Jerusalem. Yet it is also noted that Edom played a role in this destruction. See the following scriptures:

Lament for Jerusalem

Ps 137:5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget her cunning.

6 If I do not remember thee,

let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem;

who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed;

happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee

as thou hast served us.

9 Happy shall he be, that taketh

and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

Obadiah

1:1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom;...

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.

11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side,

in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces,

and foreigners entered into his gates,

and cast lots upon Jerusalem,

even thou wast as one of them.

In the day that Jerusalem was destroyed, Edom was a participant in the destruction. Edom was a part of what it appears was a coalition against Judah. They joined with the enemies of their brother and it explains much about how they are treated in the last days.

Lastly see this in the OT apocrypha:

1 Esdras 4:45 You also have vowed to build up the temple, which the Edomites burned when Judea was made desolate by the Chaldees

This statement shows that the Edomites were the ones that burned the temple, they called, in Obadiah, raze it, raze it, and they brought fullness of destruction upon Jerusalem.

Appendix:

Oddity, was temple destroyed after the city? Was it the Edomites who said raze it because it continued a place that men would go to worship and that finally Neduchadrezzer let it be destroyed at the urging of the Edomites?

Jer 41Worshippers coming after the destruction, why is temple already destroyed?

key question, how were they coming to worship in the house of the Lord if it was destroyed?

Jer 41:5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.

The Foreknowledge of God

    Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

I want to look at this question. Who is the "whom" that he (God) did foreknow? He not only knew him/them before, but predestinated a plan for him/them to be conformed to the image of his son and therefore be the firstborn among many brethren. What will be shown here is all the scripture which is found using these words and ultimately what the passage above tells us.

FOREKNOW

Gr. prog-in-os-ko; comes from 2 words, before and knowledge. (occurs 5 times)

    Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow...

    Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.

    Acts 26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

    2 Pet 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

So we see this word in the sense of knowing someone, Israel, Paul, or some things, before the current time. It actually does not speak so much of knowledge of the future, but of knowledge possessed of or in the past.

But here is the most important example of prog-in-os-ko for our purposes.

    1Pet 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Here the word is translated foreordained, but really foreknown is better. It clearly speaks of Christ who was known before, but manifested in these last times for us. This is the same as what is found in Rom 8:29; Jesus was foreknown and came down conformed to the image of the son.  In Jn 1:1-2 and in 1 Jn 1:1-3 we see the emphasis that The word was with God in the beginning; the Father knew the Word before anything was created. The ultimate foreknowledge. We also see in Heb 1:5 a particular day in which Jesus was begotten.

PREDESTINATE

Gr. pro-or-id-zo; from 2 words, before and to appoint or decree (occurs 6 times)

    Acts 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. (Speaking to God)

Rom 8:29 and 8:30; see above

    1 Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

    Eph 1:5 …predestinated us unto the adoption of children…

    Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

This passage in Ephesians is very similar in character to Rom 8:28-30. It is the clearly predetermined plan to gather all together in Jesus. This predestination is clearly that all would be brought together in Christ.

We see that whom he knew before he also predetermined to a purpose, and part of that was to be conformed...

CONFORMED

Gr. soom-mor-fos; again from 2 words, union and form.

Only seen this way in Rom 8:29 and Phil 3:21

    Phil 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

From this we could get the idea that the conforming of Rom 8:29 is our being conformed to be like his glorious body, but that is not the context of Rom 8. If we add to our list of words the solo version of "form" we can see Jesus being conformed into the likeness of men.

Gr. mor-fay; form.

    Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

    Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

We see Jesus being in 2 forms; that of God and then being made into that of a servant in the likeness of men. He was determined to leave the form of God and be born into the form of men. The Word became the son of God through a miraculous birth, the promise much greater than Isaac. He was made in the likeness (Rom 8:3) of sinful man, the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom 1:3), so that he could condemn sin and then die and be resurrected so we could all be brought into the same fellowship with him, joining with him as one of his many brethren.

SO, who did God foreknow in Rom 8?

It is clear that Jesus, the Word, was the one who was foreknown. In addition it was determined before by the Father that he would be conformed to the likeness of his son for the expressed purpose of his being the firstborn among many brethren. This is the goal which God purposed before.

    Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

This can be read as (and/with the one predestinated, THEM he also called). This THEM is referring back to Rom 8:28, THEM who are called according to his purpose (or plan). The word translated Moreover is actually a particle or conjunction, often rendered as and in a form of continuance. So the sense is that He was foreknown, predestinated and "next" them he also called. This finishes the thought of 8:28.

Try reading it like this:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose,...(Christ is the firstborn among many brethren)... them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

The called have in them the righteousness and glory of Jesus, the ultimate statement of everything working together for good.

So in terms of God and his foreknowledge, we understand that it speaks of knowing what was before, not knowing what will happen in the future. God did not know me before, (He can know one from their mother's womb, Gal 1:15) but he knew the Word before and he predestined a plan that includes whosoever will!

Oppressing the Poor

Prov 22:22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

The oppression of the poor was clearly prohibited in the kingdom of Israel. The Father made it clear that no one should oppress the poor or the stranger.

Ex 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Ex 23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Dt 24:14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.

This last passage in Deuteronomy hits particularly hard in the culture we live in today. Look at the number of people who rely on their paycheck to make it another day. How do the rulers oppress them? Tax burdens and fees and costs to move forward at all. How many have been a part of sin in oppressing the poor?

In the tenth psalm, a discussion of the evil of oppression and how the wicked does not know that God will require it of them is followed by this admonition:

Ps 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble:

thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed,

that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Amos and Micah also have a word from God about oppression in the latter days of the kingdom of Judah. Clearly oppressing the poor does not turn out well.

Amos 4:1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria,

which oppress the poor, which crush the needy,

which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness,

that, lo, the days shall come upon you,

that he will take you away with hooks,

and your posterity with fishhooks.

Micah 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds!

when the morning is light, they practise it,

because it is in the power of their hand.

2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence;

and houses, and take them away:

so they oppress a man and his house,

even a man and his heritage.

Because of their rebellion, Jeremiah prophesied of the nation of Judah's coming destruction. One of the things he clearly pointed out was the oppression of the stranger and the poor, here noted as the fatherless and the widow. He called them to repent and return to right doing.

Jer 7:5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

Jer 21:12 O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Ezekiel joins in to describe the conditions which got Israel to the point of captivity. First is the parable of the son and his father. A call to do right and a precursor to understanding that every man will be judged for his own iniquity. The iniquity here is the oppression of the poor, one who will not do it contrasted to one who does.

Ezek 18:14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, 15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, 16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, 17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

Ezek 22:29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.

Ezek 45:8 In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

Finally we hear the admonitions from God about amending the ways of the people of Judh and Israel as they move out of captivity and the chastisement of God.

Zech 7:9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying,

Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor;

and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Mal 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment;

and I will be a swift witness

against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers,

and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages,

the widow, and the fatherless,

and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me,

saith the LORD of hosts.

6 For I am the LORD, I change not;

therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

So how does this apply in the New Covenant? The oppression of the poor continues. Matt 18 gives an admonition to carefully consider how you treat the children of God and then talks about offenses. The whole chapter speaks of offences and the uncaring attitude that many have for the poor. It pays to read the whole chapter multiple times.

Matt 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

And lastly the call from James not to follow in the same manner of sin as Israel did.

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

So therefore hear the Lord God as he declares that we should not give ourselves to offense towards one of these little ones.

Peace on Earth?

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

When Jesus was born the heavenly host declared peace on earth. And this is true, Jesus brings peace with God and peace among all those who call upon his name. (Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us) But there is another statement made by Jesus which catches people by surprise.

Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

How is it that these are both true? The key is understanding the difference between the people of God and the people of this world. There are those who confess Jesus before men, and those who deny him.

Matt 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Jesus tells us that persecution is to be expected.

Matt 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

And this is the way of those who carry the gospel. But having this sentence, to be persecuted we bless and declare the way of peace which has been brought to us by Jesus.

1 Cor 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Here is the passage which brings it all together:

John 16:29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We have Peace with God, and it is truly available to everyone who calls upon his name, but this world will refuse to believe and will persecute those who stand for righteousness.

Lastly, why do we see a lack of peace, even great division among those who claim to be walking in the way of Peace?

James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?

So walk in Peace with God, but do not be surprised when your good is evil spoken of, and you are persecuted for righteousness sake. Go out with joy and be led of peace (Isa 55:12) In all of the tribulation of this world we have peace, because God is for us and Jesus is our peace.

The Way of Peace

 Luke 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The end of the prophetic utterance of Zacharias the Father of John the Baptist. He declares by the spirit of God the salvation which has come, and which his son would usher in. A prominent part of this is that the salvation to come would guide our feet in the way of peace.

This phrase, way of peace, comes from a particular passage in Isaiah.

Isa 59:8 The way of peace they know not;    and there is no judgment in their goings:

they have made them crooked paths:    whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

This verse is in the middle of God's declaration of the fault in Israel. How they have refused his ways. It begins with the following:

Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;    neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,    and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood,    and your fingers with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,    your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

It ends with this declaration:

Isa 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion,    and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

This contrasts clearly that there is a way of destruction, and a way of salvation. The way of peace will be shown to all those who put their trust in the salvation which God has provided. Zacharias is declaring that the way out of the place of condemnation has been made. Salvation is coming to guide us in the way of peace that we have not known.

This passage in Isaiah is also quoted in Romans. Paul declaring that every man needs the salvation which God provides.

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

This is the state of men without a redeemer. But praise be to God the conclusion of Paul's treatise on salvation is this:

Rom8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Peace is a wonderful path. Freedom from condemnation, relationship with the Father in heaven, and the ability to be a peacemaker. It is a path which is only found by wholly trusting in Jesus. It is a way that man cannot find on his own, we need a guide! Praise the Lord salvation has come, Jesus has shown us the way of peace and sent us the paraclete from heaven to guide us in peace. Oh how wonderful to know the love of God which declares to us that the way of peace is open unto us.

Notice that it is the presence of iniquity and sin which have prevented the salvation of God. Your iniquity. Your Sin! God declares. Praise the Lord that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin! The way of peace is found in that state of sinlessness before God. Zacharias had also declared in his prophecy that we should serve God-

Luke 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

The iniquity is removed and the sin purged and the way of no condemnation is available to us.

A few months after Zacharias' prophecy, at the birth of Jesus we see this scene:

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And 8 days after that this declaration:

Luke 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Simeon declares that the salvation of God is here, and he can now depart in peace.

The way has come and He will declare and show Peace between God and man. This is the peace that we are declaring. God the Father has reconciled man unto himself, he has made peace between Jew and Gentile and he has redeemed all men who will put their trust in him.

Jesus declared peace:

Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.   (Woman at Simon's house)

Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.   (Woman with the issue of blood) Mark 5:34

These are similar to when he said to the woman caught in adultery:

John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Jesus is the way of salvation; reconciliation unto God. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. (Isa 1:18)

Jesus comes declaring the kingdom of God and that peace is at the center of it. In fact Paul defines the kingdom of God in contrast to earthly rituals.

Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

In the opening most of Paul's epistles is this declaration:

Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Th 1:1; 2 Th 1:2; 1 Ti 1:2; 2 Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 1:3

Peter John (Rev 1:4) and Jude (Jude 1:2) do as well:

1 Pet 1:2b Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

2 Jn 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Peace with God is an important aspect of this life in Christ Jesus.

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful

Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

So be reconciled to God; trust in him alone. For he has made this way of peace, and will guide you in it. He has taken away iniquity and forgiven and destroyed sin and brought us into his way of the spirit wherein is no condemnation. Oh the glorious riches of the beauty of the salvation of God!