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We see at the close of the above passage that the setting for
this is, “in the day of my disaster”—the day of the Lord. This
will be the end day, and the end for Israel’s enemies. We see
that at the Jews request to,
“…part your heavens, O Lord, and
come down,”
that indeed,
“He parted the heavens and came
down”!
EARTH TREMBLES
As the Lord approaches the earth, it begins to tremble:
“The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away.
The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live
in it”
(Nah. 1:5).
“The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the
earth is thoroughly shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it
sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its
rebellion that it falls; never to rise again”
(Isa. 24:19-20).
Apparently, the earth begins to literally “rock and roll.” Be-
fore the earth begins to shake, the nations begin to tremble, the
mountains crumble (Hab. 3:6), and God comes from a place
called Teman
, 53a city in Edom (named after the descendants of
Esau, at the southeast border of Palestine; see footnote). In
Isaiah 63:1-6, we are told that the One coming from Edom
comes in splendor, His garments stained with blood. This one
is the Lord, who is coming in person against Israel’s enemies
on His day of vengeance.
53
The chief stronghold of Edom; Edomites had once been celebrated for
their courage and wisdom (Jer. 49:7), but were doomed in a prophecy by
Ezekiel (25:13).
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