Appendix H
The History of Edom
Brief History and Final Destiny of Edom
By Lambert Dolphin

Esau: A Type of the Flesh

One of the most valuable lessons to be learned from the family history of the descendants
of the brothers Jacob and Esau concerns the New Testament application. The New Testament
views the conflict between the flesh and the spirit as typified by the conflict between Jacob and
Esau (Galatians 5:13-26).
Jacob in many ways typifies the average believer. He was deceitful, manipulative, clever
and bent on advancing his own causes for many years. After wrestling all night with The Angel
of the Lord at the Brook Jabbok near Peniel, his name was finally changed to Israel (Genesis 32).
Though he may have been somewhat slow to fully believe and trust God, Jacob’s heart was
inclined from his birth towards the things of the Lord.
Esau’s heart and motives, on the other hand, were perpetually set on the goals and
rewards of the world. He cared not at all about the things that were important to God.
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and
defile many. 16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal
sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit
this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the
blessing with tears. – Hebrews 12:15-17
When the people of Israel left Egypt under the leadership of Moses the first opposition
they encountered was from a people known as the Amalekites. Genesis 36 tells us that Amalek
was the grandson of Esau!
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose
some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with
the staff of God in my hands.”
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the
top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever
he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took
a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side,
one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the
Amalekite army with the sword.
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and
make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from
under heaven.”
15 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. 16 He said, “For hands were lifted
up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation
to generation.” – Exodus 17:8-16
Later King Saul was told by the prophet Samuel to completely eradicate the Amalekites
(1 Samuel 15ff). Saul’s incomplete obedience not only cost him his throne and his life, but
reveals clearly how easy it is for us as believers to compromise with our own flesh—which God
has said is utterly worthless. (See Ray Stedman’s “First Samuel: The Death of the Flesh.”).
In the book of Esther, the arch-fiend and enemy of the Jews is the infamous Haman, an
Agagite. Sure enough, Agag’s name is to be found listed as the king of the people of Amalek!
(See Ray Stedman’s commentary, “The Struggle for Power.”143)
Herod Antipas, before whom Jesus remained silent (Luke 23:9), was an Idumean, that is
one of the last of the Edomites. God has nothing further to say to the flesh, nor to the
descendants of Edom. Their fate was sealed long ago.
King David’s successful military dealings with Edom are recorded in 2 Samuel 8.
Solomon’s compromises with his “many foreign wives” caused the Lord to raise up against him
an adversary, Hadad, from the royal line of Edom (2 Kings 11). Thus there is a long history of
antagonism between the descendants of Jacob and of Esau throughout Old Testament history.
King Amaziah’s famous (but ill-fated) raid into Edom is recorded in 2 Chronicles 25,
All of this history serves to illustrate for us that no good ever comes from our best efforts,
our self effort in the Christian life, which is the root source of what the Bible calls “the flesh.”
Only the works of God, the works of the Holy Spirit done through us when we are obedient and
submissive to God–have any lasting worth. All else will, in the end, be destroyed.