Through the earlier prophets, God had repeatedly made a distinction between his dealings with Israel and with the surrounding nations. God declared that he would make a full end of the pagan nations, but would never make a full end of Israel. We read in Jeremiah 30:11, “For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord; I will make a full end of all the nations among whom I scattered you, but of you I will not make a full end” (see also Jeremiah 4:27; Jeremiah 5:10, Jeremiah 5:18; Jeremiah 46:28; Ezekiel 11:13–16; Ezekiel 20:13–17). The returned exiles were evidence that God had not made a full end of Israel.
But God would make a full end of the Edomites (Ezekiel 35:1 – 36:38). They might endeavour to reverse their calamity and rebuild their nation. (Herod the Great, a descendant of Esau, would be appointed King of Judea by Herod). But God’s perpetual anger towards Esau and his posterity would lead to the permanent obliteration of Edom. It would never rise again as a nation.
In this way, God’s everlasting love for Israel (Jeremiah 31:3) was made evident, compared to God’s everlasting hatred for Esau.
4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.’”