Edomites and Israelites | History of God 15 (2of5)
Channel: Christian Perspective
Date: 01/06/2021

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This is part 2 of a 5 part bible series on Edom the sons of Esau where we see how the Edomites and Israelites have a parallel history in the Bible. 
    Asaph was a family of priests who were appointed by king David to sing songs, Asaph wrote some of the Psalms. Psalm 83 lists the confederates of Assyria, AKA Assur, who came to fight against Israel.
    The Assyrian empire fell to the Babylonian empire in 609BC. In 586BC the Babylonian empire destroyed Jerusalem. The Jews AKA Judah, were taken into Babylonian captivity for 70 years. 
Psalm 137 records how Edom was involved in the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon and how they dashed the children of the Jews against the stones.
  When the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms by God, Israel to the north and Judah to the south, this was the beginning of the nation of the Jews AKA Judah, who are Israelites, mainly three tribes of Israel, Judah, Benjamin and Levi. 
   The book of Lamentations 4:19 mentions Edom. How they will come into judgement. 
Ezekiel was taken into captivity by Babylon about 10 years before Jerusalem was destroyed. Mount Seir was the main stronghold of the Edomites and Bozrah was their capital city. Ezekiel ch 25 speaks about God's judgement against Edom and Moab. 
  Ezekiel 32:29 says how Edom will go down in the pit with the uncircumcised. Ezekiel ch 35 talks against Mt Seir. It will be most desolate and be filled with the slain. Idumea is the Greek form of the word Edom or Edomite. The nation founded by Esau. 
Ezekiel 36:5 shows a connection between the judgement upon Idumea and all the heathen. Heathen also can mean 'nations' . 
 In 539 BC Babylon fell to the Persian empire. In 538 BC King Cyrus the great of Persia proclaimed that the Jews were to return to their homeland. This ended the 70 year captivity and began the second temple period  of Jewish history. The first temple was built by Solomon and destroyed by Babylon. 
  Alexander the great conquered the Persian empire in 331BC, upon his death his kingdom was divided among his generals. Ptolemy ruled Egypt and Seleucus ruled over Syria. The Seleucid   Hellenized the Jews which led to the Maccabees  revolt in 167BC. 
A priest named Mattathias began the revolt with his 5 sons. His son Judah Maccabee led a revolt against the Seleucid King making the Jews independent.  Johnathan Maccabee was anointed high priest and he cleansed the Temple. This cleansing and re-dedication of the temple in 165BC is remembered by the Jewish festival Hanukkah. The brother Simon became ruler after Johnathan was killed. He was the first prince of the Hasmonean dynasty who ruled over the kingdom of Judea.
John Hyrcanus I was the next king over Judea. During his 1st year Jerusalem was besieged by the Seleucid king Antiochus VII Sidetes. John made a truce with him by giving 3000 talents of silver from the tomb of David. He also agreed to assist Syria in their war against the Parthians.
  In 128BC Antiochus VII died in battle allowing John Hyrcanus I to return to Jerusalem. John then expanded his kingdom, he defeated the Samaritans. The Samaritans had built another temple in Samaria in ancient times. John Hyrcanus I destroyed their temple  on Mt Gerizim. He also forced the Idumeans to convert to Judaism and be circumcised. 
  The next king was Aristobulus I became king in 104BC . He imprisoned his mother and brothers. He conquered Galilee. When he died his younger brother Alexander Jannaeus  took the throne. He married the childless widow of Aristobulus I  who was named Queen Salome Alexandra. After his death in 76BC Queen Salome Alexandra was the sole ruler of Judea. She placed her son Hyrcanus II as high priest. After she died in 67BC Hyrcanus II became also the king. 
His younger brother Aristobulus II revolted against him and won, he made a peace treaty with Hyrcanus II. His counselor Antipater the Idumean counseled him to seek refuge with the Nabateans. The Nabateans besieged Jerusalem with 50,000 troops.
It was during this siege that Rome became involved in the Hasmonean dynasty. This continues in part 3.