For thy violence against thy brother Jacob.
An old sin
In two aspects.
I. Working in the history of posterity. “For thy violence against thy brother Jacob.” The spirit of envy that was kindled in the heart of Esau towards his brother Jacob glowed and flamed with more or less intensity for ages in the soul of Edom towards the descendants of Jacob. It was shown in the unbrotherly refusal of the request of Moses to allow the children of Israel to pass through the land (Numbers 20:14-21). Edom continued to be the inveterate foe of Israel. Neither a man’s sinful passion nor deed stops with himself. Like a spring from the mountain, it runs down posterity, often gathering volume as it proceeds. No sinner liveth to himself. One man’s sins may vibrate in the soul of another a thousand ages on. This fact should--
1. Impress us with the awfulness of our existence. It is true that in one sense we are little beings, occupying but a small space in the universe, and soon pass away and are forgotten; still, there goes forth from us an influence that shall never end. We throw seed into the mind of the world that will germinate, grow, and multiply indefinitely, and yield harvests of misery or joy. This fact should--
2. Impress us with the duty of every lover of the universe to protest against sin in individuals. A man may say, What does it matter to you that I sin? My reply is, It does matter to me as a benevolent citizen of the universe. Its pernicious influence on the universe is inconceivably great and calamitous.
II. Here is an old sin reprobated by God in the history of posterity. God’s eye traced it from Esau down. How does He treat it? He reprobates it. Delitzsch renders the words, “Look not at the day of thy brother,” and regards verses 12 to 14 as a prohibition; but we see not the authority for that. These Edomites, it would seem from the words, did stand on the other side without rendering help in the day when the stranger entered Jerusalem; they did “rejoice” over the children of Judah at that period; they did “speak proudly” in the day of distress; they did “enter into the gate” of God’s people in the “day of calamity”; they did lay “hands on their substance” on that day; they did stand on the “crossway” and “cut” those off “that did escape.” The Omniscient eye saw all this. The Jews appeal to Him for an account of the cruelty of these Edomites. “Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof” (Psalms 137:7). For all this God says shame should come on them, and shame did come. It may be asked, if it were the envy of Esau that thus came down from age to age in his posterity, and worked these deeds of crime, where is the justice of God in reprobating them? They only inherit the iniquities of their fathers. We answer--
(1) Sin is essentially abhorrent to Jehovah. It is the “abominable thing” which He hates.
(2) The very essence of sin is its freeness. Sin is not a forced act; no deed performed by a man against his will has any moral character, or can in a moral sense be either good or bad. The posterity of Esau were not compelled to cherish and develop the envy of their great progenitor. Each one could have quenched it. (Homilist.)
Social cruelty
I. As a sin against the Creator. The truth of this will appear from--
1. The constitution of the human soul.
(1) The existence of social love.
(2) The instinctive condemnation of cruel acts.
(3) Innate craving for social approbation.
2. The common relation of all to God. He is the Father of all men.
3. The common interest of Christ in the race.
4. The universal teaching of the Bible. The man who injures his fellow-creature is a rebel against the government of the universe.
II. As perpetuated against a brother (Obadiah 1:10-11). Why specially offensive?
1. Because the obligation to love is stronger.
2. Because the chief human institution is outraged.
3. Because the tenderest human loves are wounded.
III. As working in various forms from generation to generation.
1. Some forms are--
(1) The lack of sympathy when Judah was in distress.
(2) Positive rejoicing when Judah was in distress.
(3) Participation in the work of their enemies.
2. Omniscience observes it in all its forms. God’s eye was on the Edomites. Sin, in all its operations, is evermore under the eye of Omniscience. If we realise it, it will--
(1) Stimulate to great and spiritual activity.
(2) Restrain from the commission of sin.
(3) Excite the desire for pardon.
(4) Brace the soul in the performance of duty.
3. A just and terrible retribution awaits it in all its forms. Retribution is a settled law in the material universe. (Homilist.)