Journey Around Edom
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But the Israelites did not act promptly upon God’s word, and while
they were complaining and murmuring, the golden opportunity passed.
When they were at last ready to present their request to the king, it was
refused. Ever since they left Egypt, Satan had been steadily at work
to throw hindrances and temptations in their way, that they might not
inherit Canaan. And by their own unbelief they had repeatedly opened
the door for him to resist the purpose of God.
It is important to believe God’s word and act upon it promptly,
while His angels are waiting to work for us. Evil angels are ready to
contest every step of advance. And when God’s providence bids His
children go forward, when He is ready to do great things for them,
Satan tempts them to displease the Lord by hesitation and delay; he
seeks to kindle a spirit of strife or to arouse murmuring or unbelief,
and thus deprive them of the blessings that God desired to bestow.
God’s servants should be minutemen, ever ready to move as fast as
His providence opens the way. And delay on their part gives time for
Satan to work to defeat them.
In the directions first given to Moses concerning their passage
through Edom, after declaring that the Edomites should be afraid of
Israel, the Lord had forbidden His people to make use of this advantage
against them. Because the power of God was engaged for Israel, and
the fears of the Edomites would make them an easy prey, the Hebrews
were not therefore to prey upon them. The command given them
was, “Take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: 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.”
Deuteronomy 2:4, 5
. The Edomites were descendants of Abraham
and Isaac, and for the sake of these His servants, God had shown
favor to the children of Esau. He had given them Mount Seir for a
possession, and they were not to be disturbed unless by their sins they
should place themselves beyond the reach of His mercy. The Hebrews
were to dispossess and utterly destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, who
had filled up the measure of their iniquity but the Edomites were
still probationers, and as such were to be mercifully dealt with. God
delights in mercy, and He manifests His compassion before He inflicts
His judgments. He teaches Israel to spare the people of Edom, before
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requiring them to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan.