chapter 7, paragraph 9.) In this way the Edomites (Idumeans) became amalgamated with the Jewish nation of the first century of our Common Era, which Jewish nation was used as a Bible type of Christendom.

47. In what ways has Christendom proved herself to be similar to Esau or Edom?

⁴⁷ Similar to Esau or Edom, Christendom has laid claim to the Abrahamic promise and considers itself to be the spiritual seed of Abraham, the heirs to the heavenly kingdom with Jesus Christ. According to their religious claims, the members of Christendom make themselves twin-brothers of those who are the real Christian heirs of God’s Messianic kingdom, the true disciples of Jesus the Messiah. Nevertheless, Christendom does not love these faithful spirit-anointed disciples of Christ. She hates them with a murderous hate. (1 John 3:12-15) Ever since the founding of Christendom in the fourth century C.E., she has persecuted those who are not imitation Christians. These follow Jesus’ words and example in being no part of this world, but Christendom has made herself a friend of this world by becoming a part of it. Therefore what the world hates, she hates. (1 John 2:15-17; John 15:19; 17:14, 16; James 4:4) By persecuting the true Christians, she imagines that she is rendering to God a sacred service.​—John 16:2.

48. Just like the Edomites at the time of Jerusalem’s destruction in 607 B.C.E., how did Christendom act toward spiritual Israel during World War I?

⁴⁸ Modern twentieth-century history testifies to this fact. During World War I the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel came to be hated by all the nations, just as Jesus Christ had foretold regarding his true footstep followers. (Matthew 24:9; 10:7-22) The reason for this world hatred was the fact that the anointed remnant proclaimed God’s Messianic kingdom as the rightful rule for all the earth, the only hope for all mankind. (Mark 13:10-13) During all the persecution and suffering upon the faithful remnant, Christendom did not express a word of sympathy for them. In fact, the documented evidence shows that Christendom’s religious clergy instigated this persecution upon these proclaimers of the “good news” of God’s Messianic kingdom. She rejoiced with the warring nations of Christendom over the suppression of these Kingdom proclaimers and the killing of their public witness work, just as the Edomites rejoiced with the Babylonians over the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E.​—Revelation 11:7-10.

49, 50. (a) During World War II, how did Christendom further show that she had the spirit of ancient Edom? (b) In fulfillment of God’s word through Isaiah, what now faces the modern-day Edomites, the people of Christendom, as well as Judaism?

⁴⁹ Nursing her hatred of the remnant of spiritual Israelites who stood out as true Christians in contrast to her church members who engaged in bloodspilling in violent warfare, Christendom did not rejoice when the suppressed Kingdom witnesses were revived by God’s spirit in 1919 C.E. She did not rejoice at the spiritual paradise into which those restored spiritual Israelites were brought. (Isaiah 35:10) During World War II of 1939-1945 C.E., which broke out within her own borders, Christendom again stirred up religious persecution and fiercely endeavored to wipe out the spiritual paradise of the remnant of spiritual Israel and their companion worshipers of Jehovah God. But all in vain! Jehovah’s Christian witnesses survived and came forth from the second world conflict with greater force of numbers than ever before. In view of such violent hatred on the part of Christendom toward His Christian witnesses, does Jehovah God have a “legal case over Zion”? Has His “year of retributions” arrived upon the modern-day Edomites, Jehovah’s “day of vengeance”?​—Isaiah 34:8.

⁵⁰ The answer is Yes! And so Christendom now faces desolation. Judaism faces the same thing!

Chapter 13

When Christendom and Judaism Are No More!

1. (a) In the first century C.E., were the adherents to Judaism and the Edomites in agreement on their attitude toward Christianity? (b) Why are the Bible prophecies concerning Edom of interest to us today?

THE ancient nation of Edom (Idumea) was against the faithful worshipers of Jehovah God. Even in the days of the apostles of Jesus Christ, in the first century C.E., the staunch adherents to Judaism were one with the Edomites (Idumeans) in fighting against the newly begun Christianity. (Acts 4:25-28; 12:1-6) In the course of time the nation of Edom disappeared from the pages of history, but, for the major and complete fulfillment of Bible prophecy, that notorious nation has her modern counterpart. It is Christendom. So the Bible prophecies concerning Edom must today be understood from the standpoint of what befalls this modern-day counterpart.

2, 3. (a) Against whom is Jehovah’s “day of vengeance,” as foretold in Isaiah 34:8, now at hand? (b) In the following verses of Isaiah chapter 34, what “retributions” are foretold?

² In the outstanding prophecy against Edom as contained in Isaiah, chapter thirty-four, we read this ominous statement: “For Jehovah has a day of vengeance, a year of retributions for the legal case over Zion.” (Isaiah 34:8) Jehovah’s “day of vengeance,” his “year of retributions,” is at hand with reference to the modern-day counterpart of ancient Edom. So, as we consider the further part of this prophecy of Isaiah, we can have Christendom of today in mind. Foretelling the “retributions” that were to come for the hateful misconduct of Edom against ancient Zion or Jerusalem, the prophet Isaiah proceeds to say:

³ “And her torrents must be changed into pitch, and her dust into sulphur; and her land must become as