For it is the day of the LORD’s revenge, the year when Edom will be paid back for all it did to Israel. [Isaiah 34.8]
What did Edom do to Israel? Well, there were a lot of things... but here is where it all started:
While Moses was at Kadesh, he sent ambassadors to the king of Edom with this message: This is what your relatives, the people of Israel, say: You know all the hardships we have been through. Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived there a long time, and we and our ancestors were brutally mistreated by the Egyptians. But when we cried out to the LORD, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now we are camped at Kadesh, a town on the border of your land. Please let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won’t even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s road and never leave it until we have passed through your territory.” But the king of Edom said, “Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!” [Numbers 20.14-18]
Israel originally had no "beef" with Edom. In fact, Edomites were all descendants of Esau; they were "family." Israel simply needed to pass through Edom on the way to Canaan, the Promised Land, but Edom's king was unwilling to let that happen. Consequently, in going around Edom, Israel, once again, like they did when Moses was on Mount Sinai getting the Ten Commandments, grew impatient.
Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!” So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed! [Numbers 21.4-9]
Just as Israel's impatience led to Aaron making a gold calf (Exodus 32), their impatience in avoiding Edom led to the snake on a pole experience that, although it brought temporary relief, the people began to worship it making it an idol. It was later destroyed by Hezekiah (2 Kings 18.4).
Another point worth considering is that of Edom's influence upon Israel regarding impatiently wanting a king, which was an idolatrous move on Israel's part that did not please God (1 Samuel 8).
These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: [Genesis 36.31]
Much of Israel's interaction with Edom ultimately led to idolatry in Israel. A glaring example of this was seen in Solomon's downfall. Not ironically, Edom had a part in it.
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The LORD had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the LORD. [1 Kings 11.1-3]
And all this started because Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup (Genesis 25.29-34). Instead of patiently trusting God that he would not starve, Esau took matters in his own hands making a pivotal bad decision lasting for generations to follow. Esau paid dearly for a temporary fix which is typical of idolatry.
Esau's example is a lesson about patience. In contrast, Hebrews 11 (the faith chapter) discusses patience as it pertains to genuine, God-pleasing faith:
All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. [Hebrews 11.13]
When God's people grow impatient with God's promised provision of wealth, protection, health or knowledge and turn to the costly man-made enterprises of debt, insurance, medicine and technology, they have inadvertently but effectively sold themselves to idolatry.
Impatience is the doorway to idolatry.
It seems the Church today has not only peered in that doorway, but moved in to stay. "Moving out" is unthinkable. The western Church is all about "faith" ...at least until death and/or suffering are on the line.
The thing about it is this: Esau would not have died for missing one meal but, his impatience deceived him to pursue a temporary fix that cost him his very birthright. What's more, even if he had died of starvation, his story would have been one of faith and not impatience...
So, what will our story be? Will it be the idolatrous story of Edom (Esau)? Or, will it be the Hebrews 11 story of faith (even if death is involved)?
Father, help us to see that our impatience is indeed the doorway to idolatry. Help us to see that there are a plethora of idols just waiting for us to doubt God and turn to them. And, they don't even flinch at imposing their costliness upon us. Help us furthermore to see where we have indeed "moved in" with idols. Give us the grace to break our ties with them in a repentant Hebrews 11.13 demonstration of faith in You (through Jesus Christ) alone. So be it.
