Overview Article
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This ancient question, posed by Cain when the Lord inquired about his missing brother Abel, has become a metaphor for sidestepping responsibility. But Cain was in fact guilty of murdering his brother. Even to stand aloof when innocent people are violated is to share in the crime. Edom, a neighbor and relative of Judah, watched in delight and participated as Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. Now God would hold Edom accountable. God’s judgment always follows such injustice.
Key People, Places, and Terms
Places 13
- Edom 11
- Mount Esau 8
- Canaan 7
- Philistia 7
- Negev 6
- Shephelah 4
- Jerusalem 3
- Sepharad 3
- Zarephath 3
- MountZion 2
See all (13)
Themes
Messages Against the Nations 1 Why did Israel’s prophets speak to nations who were unlikely to hear their messages? Why did the prophets care about these nations' thoughts and actions? The real audience was God's people. These messages reminded the... The Day of the Lord 1 The phrase Day of the Lord describes a time when God judges his enemies with righteous punishment. The ungodly receive the punishment they deserve, while the righteous gain their complete salvation (see Isaiah 3:16–4:... Visions 1 Visions are similar to other experiences of God's revelation, like dreams ( Genesis 37:5–10 ; 40:5–19 ). Classic examples include the prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones and the prophet Isaiah’s vision... Zion 1 Zion is the Hebrew name for the mountain in Jerusalem where the temple was located ( 2 Samuel 5:7 ; see also 2 Chronicles 3:1 ). Over time, people began using the name Zion to refer to all of Jerusalem. Zion can refer...