The fact declared here relates to a program of aggression, similar to that undertaken by certain modern nations.

Israel and Judah were in a weakened condition. Edom saw in this an opportunity of enriching herself through aggression. They said, “These two countries shall be ours, and we will possess them.” Why not? It seemed easy. But they overlooked something—“The Lord was there.”

And the Lord had something to say to Edom: “As I live I will do according to thine envy. I have heard that which thou has spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are laid desolate, they are given us to devour. And ye have magnified yourselves against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard it. Thus saith the Lord God: When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. As thou didst rejoice over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Edom, even all of it; and they shall know that I am the Lord.”

Reads as though a description of the desolation visited upon aggressor nations of our time, does it not?

In their calculations the Edomites had failed to take God into account. They had looked at the desirable territory, and had seen it held only by a weak and broken people, unprepared to defend themselves. They had failed to see, or had ignored the fact, or had counted it as of no moment, that “the Lord was there.” Yet this was the supreme fact! In the end, it proved to be the rock on which Edom was broken.

Edom was not the last nation to be broken on that rock. On that rock Napoleon’s dream of empire was shattered. On the steppes of Russia God met the little Corporal in his arrogance—met him with snowflakes that proved mightier than his armor plate.

Let all men and all nations who aspire to conquest and power, ignoring the rights of other men and nations, make no mistake about it—God is still there!

It is a lesson written large upon the pages of history: “All the nations that forget God shall be turned back unto Sheol” (Ps. 9: 17)