The Chiefs of Edom

Sermon Title: The Chiefs of Edom

Key Verses

Exodus 15:11–18 (NKJV)

11 “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12 You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them.

13 You in Your mercy have led forth The people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation.

14 “The people will hear and be afraid; Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.

15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, Trembling will take hold of them; All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.

16 Fear and dread will fall on them; By the greatness of Your arm They will be as still as a stone, Till Your people pass over, O Lord, Till the people pass over Whom You have purchased.

17 You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O Lord, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

18 “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

Opening Statement

The Chief thing. To be the chief of something makes you the head. The leader. The top of the top. CEO - chief executive officer. Commander in chief - president. Chief of police. Editor in chief. Chief justice. The one of utmost importance.

In the case of Israel Edom is Esau. Jacob’s (who is Israel) older brother. Genesis 36 talks about all the chiefs of Edom. Genesis 32-33 give us the history of who Edom is. For the sake of brevity we are just going to read a few verses to help us understand the weight of the matter.

Genesis 32:1–3 (NKJV)

1 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Genesis 32:7–11 (NKJV)

7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.

8 And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.”

9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’:

10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.

Anchor Point

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Can I just tell someone this morning! I don’t care how big it seems! God has not given you a spirit of fear, BUT of POWER, LOVE and a SOUND MIND

It may seem BIG. It may seem IMPOSSIBLE. BUT GOD is GREATER.

Let me just stop and say this. NOTHING is bigger than my God.

It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by YOU

Isaiah 40:25–26 (NKJV)

25 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.

Main Idea

What does God say?

Isaiah 41:10–13 (NKJV)

10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish.

12 You shall seek them and not find them— Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.

13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

NASB - The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior.

Summary

We all have a giant (chief thing) to face - But we serve the Chief of chiefs- We can do it with confidence God is for us.

1 Samuel 17:45–47 (NKJV)

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

Can I just encourage someone here for a moment?

The chief of fear is no match for the Chief of Faith. He is still mighty in battle!

The chief of sickness is no match for the Chief Healer. He is still mighty in battle!

The chief of adversity is no match for the Chief Advocate. He is still mighty in battle!

The chief of despair is no match for the Chief Defender. He is still mighty in battle!

The chief of worry is no match for the Chief Warrior. He is still mighty in battle!

The chief of anxiety is no match for the Chief of Peace. He is still mighty in battle!

The chief of depression is no match for the Chief of Hope. He is still mighty in battle!

Closing Statement

God goes before us

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NKJV)

8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Isaiah 45:5–7 (NKJV)

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other;

7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’

Altar Call

Face the giant with God’s power

Ephesians 6:10–18 (NKJV)

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—