Type/antitype 1897–2018

Edom

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Also known as Esau · Seir · Edomites · Idumea · Mount Seir

Edom, Esau, and Mount Seir as a prophetic type: Christendom under Russell, Satan's organization and then a narrower class under Rutherford, and Christendom again by 1975.

8readings
15quotes
4changes

Key moments

  1. 1897 Introduced Symbolic Edom is Christendom. Its capital, Bozrah, is ecclesiasticism. The Edom class sold the birthright and takes in almost all of Christendom.
  2. 1926–1928 Broadened Edom is widened from Christendom as such to whatever opposes the Lord: Satan's organization, and especially its ecclesiastical part. Bozrah is the ruling center of that organization.
  3. 1932 Narrowed Edom is narrowed to former spiritual brothers who gave up the Kingdom hope and turned against the remnant: the evil servant and the son of perdition.
  4. 1936 Refined The 1928 definition is kept and made more specific: Edom is the clergy who carry on religion in the name of God and Christ, above all the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and its allies.
  5. 1942 Broadened Bozrah, the chief city of Edom, is again the demon-worshiping religious system of Satan's organization, not only the narrower evil-servant class.
  6. 1975 Broadened The land of Edom is named outright as Christendom. The judgment against ancient Edom is applied to Christendom's desolation.
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Russell

Charles Taze Russell · 1877–1916

1 reading
  1. 1897 Introduced

    Symbolic Edom is Christendom. Its capital, Bozrah, is ecclesiasticism. The Edom class sold the birthright and takes in almost all of Christendom.

    2 quotes
    These constitute the Edom class who have sold their birthright. The class includes almost all "Christendom"—all reared in the so-called Christian lands, who have not availed themselves of the privileges and blessings of the gospel of Christ and conformed their lives thereto.
    The Battle of Armageddon, 1897
    The symbolic Edom of Isaiah's prophecy corresponds to the symbolic Babylon of Revelation, and of the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Thus the Lord designates and describes that great system to which men ascribe the misleading name, Christendom—Christ's Kingdom. As all of the land of Edom symbolizes all of "Christendom," so its capital city, Bozrah, represented Ecclesiasticism, the chief citadel of Christendom.
    The Battle of Armageddon, 1897

Rutherford

Joseph F. Rutherford · 1917–1942

5 readings
  1. 1926–1928 Broadened

    Edom is widened from Christendom as such to whatever opposes the Lord: Satan's organization, and especially its ecclesiastical part. Bozrah is the ruling center of that organization.

    3 quotes
    The name Edom represents that which is opposed to the Lord. (Obadiah 1:1) It has the same meaning as Esau, and therefore refers to the organization of Satan, the most reprehensible element of which is ecclesiasticism.
    The Watchtower, September 1, 1926
    Bozrah was the chief city of Edom. Therefore Bozrah would represent that which is the center or most important part of the Devil’s organization; to wit, the ruling factor. The ruling factors of the Devil’s organization visible consist of the commercial, political and ecclesiastical powers, the latter of which is the most reprehensible, because claiming to represent God.
    The Watchtower, September 1, 1926
    The name Edom represents that which is opposed to the Lord. It has the same meaning as “Esau”, and therefore refers to the organization of Satan, the most reprehensible element of which is ecclesiasticism.
    Government, 1928
  2. 1932 Narrowed

    Edom is narrowed to former spiritual brothers who gave up the Kingdom hope and turned against the remnant: the evil servant and the son of perdition.

    3 quotes
    The Edomites seem clearly to picture a class of persons who claim to have been begotten of the spirit of God and are therefore classed as spiritual brothers of God’s faithful sons. The opportunity was once theirs of participating in the kingdom or royal house of God, but they bartered away that opportunity or right for ever that they might gratify their selfish desires.
    Vindication, Book Two, 1932
    The description of the Edomites and the facts concerning the “evil servant” class (Matt. 24:48-51), “the son of perdition” (2 Thess. 2:3-12), exactly fit.
    Vindication, Book Two, 1932
    These scriptures constitute strong proof that the Edomites pictured a class that is turned away to complete destruction or second death. There is no promise in the Bible of restitution of the Edomites.
    Vindication, Book Two, 1932
  3. 1936 Refined

    The 1928 definition is kept and made more specific: Edom is the clergy who carry on religion in the name of God and Christ, above all the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and its allies.

    2 quotes
    Esau or Edom more specifically stands for and represents that class of men who have organized and carried on religion in the name of God and Christ, but who in truth and in fact have been and are the representatives of the Devil, and hence a part of the Devil’s organization.
    The Watchtower, June 15, 1936
    Edom, the offspring of Esau, therefore clearly stands for the official religious representatives of the Devil, to wit, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and their allies, the other clergy.
    The Watchtower, June 15, 1936
  4. 1938 Depends on context

    In this particular drama the Edomites picture those who first stood with God's people and then turned against them: the evil servant, the man of sin, and the Christian religionists.

    1 quote
    The Edomites pictured that element, and therefore the Edomites at this point pictured the “evil servant” class, and “the man of sin”, which includes those who are designated as the “Christian religionists”.
    The Watchtower, July 1, 1938
  5. 1942 Broadened

    Bozrah, the chief city of Edom, is again the demon-worshiping religious system of Satan's organization, not only the narrower evil-servant class.

    1 quote
    He sends them forth to declare his name throughout all the earth before he shows his almighty power against the Devil and the demons and their earthly agents who wickedly scattered the servants of Jehovah. 9 These servants are gathered out from the organizations of the Devil which have held them in restraint; and Bozrah, the chief city of Idumea or Edom, pictured the demon-worshiping religious system of the Devil’s organization.
    The Watchtower, March 1, 1942

Knorr

Nathan H. Knorr · 1942–1977

1 reading
  1. 1975 Broadened

    The land of Edom is named outright as Christendom. The judgment against ancient Edom is applied to Christendom's desolation.

    2 quotes
    It is the anointed remnant yet on earth of the 144,000 spiritual Israelites that now declares the judgment message of Jehovah against the modern-day "mountainous region of Esau," the "land of Edom," namely, Christendom.
    Man's Salvation Out of World Distress at Hand!, 1975
    Understandably when Christendom, who is boasting today of nearly a thousand million church members, is reduced to the desolated estate once predicted for the land of Edom, it will cause great wonderment.
    Man's Salvation Out of World Distress at Hand!, 1975

Franz

Frederick W. Franz · 1977–1992

No statement filed for this period.

Governing Body

1992–

1 reading
  1. 2018 Depends on context

    Edom’s hostility illustrated family opposition and avoiding confrontation with unbelieving relatives. The chapter neither restated nor expressly revoked the older Christendom antitype.

    1 quote
    we do not seek confrontation with our nonbelieving family members. But we should not be surprised when opposition comes.
    Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored At Last! (2018), chapter 7, par. 12