HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1181
Obadiah
I T I S B A D E N O U G H to do something wrong, to make a big mistake
in front of many people. It is worse to be laughed at or ridiculed by
others. It is worse still when there is a streak of meanness in the laughter and ridicule, when those watching hope you never recover from your
error. Unfortunately, this sort of thing is played out in homes, schools,
and businesses all around the world every day. That is the very reason
Obadiah wrote this book.
What you will be
The Edomites, Judah’s neighbors to the south,
reading about
were reveling in the troubles Judah was going
through. Judah had made a terrible mistake:
1:1-16
Edom will be destroyed
They had abandoned God. Now the army of
Babylon had marched into their land and cap1:17- 21
Judah will be restored
tured them as God’s judgment for their sins.
Edom thought this was just great. The Edomites
were descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob, from whom the nations of
Israel and Judah descended. Edom and Judah had never gotten along well,
even though they were neighbors.
When the army of Babylon attacked Judah, the Edomites encouraged Babylon, not Judah. They cheered at the fall of Jerusalem, and even captured
and turned over Judeans to Babylon. And after the Babylonians destroyed
Jerusalem, the Edomites went into the city and helped themselves to what
remained. The message of Obadiah is that the Edomites would not get away
with ridiculing and persecuting God’s people.
We must be careful that we do not follow the path of the Edomites, cheering when God’s people falter or fail, hoping for the downfall or destruction of
those who claim his name. We must be careful not to plunder or profit from our
brothers and sisters. Edom did these things, and it is no more.
If you are a believer, one of God’s people, what can you take away from this
short book of prophecies against Edom? Certainly comfort and confidence
that God is in control and that he is loving and loyal to those who are his.
Ultimately, justice will prevail. Attacks on God’s people do not go unnoticed.
But reading this book can also help us reflect on how we treat God’s people.
Are we quick to criticize when something doesn’t go our way? Do we shoot
arrows of blame at other believers, damaging their feelings or causing them to
stumble in their walk with God? Do we take fellow Christians to court in order
to get our own way? Do we secretly cheer when another Christian whom we
don’t like runs into adversity?
page 811