Obadiah reveals God’s stern words to Edom, a nation South of Judah.
• The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Esau and Jacob are the twin sons of Isaac.
• Remember, Jacob cheated his brother for the father’s blessing? The two brothers were in perpetual rivalry. We read in the book of Genesis that even before they were born, they struggled in their mother’s womb.
Their competition continued throughout their lives, and consequently the lives of their descendants — the two nations of Israel and Edom.
• They were not good neighbours. Their descendents carried on the conflict, which comes into focus in this prophecy of Obadiah.
• Let’s read what the Lord has to say – Read Obadiah 1:1-9
PRIDE BLINDS THEM TO THE NEED OF GOD
The trouble with Esau and his descendants was pride. Obadiah states, “The pride of your heart has deceived you” (v.3).
• It is more than just self-confidence we are talking about; it is self-sufficiency, the sense of independence from God.
• Pride blinds them to the need of God.
The Edomites live “in the clefts of the rocks”.
• If you’ve been to Petra in Jordan you’ll see this. Archaeologists discovered the ancient fortress-city in 1812, which served as the capital of Edom.
• It is a marvel of ancient engineering. The only entrance to the fortified city is through a narrow crack in the rock. They were able to carved out dwellings from the rock cliff with doorways as high as 10m.
• Naturally the inhabitants felt very secure. But God is about to humble them, and teach them there is no lasting security apart from Him.
The Edomites were proud in at least 4 ways:
• They trust in their MIGHT - v. 3 says, they live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, and say, who can bring me down.
• They trust in their RICHES – v.6 tells of their hidden treasures.
• They trust in their ALLIES – v.7 says all your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you. “I have special relations…”
• They trust in their WISDOM – v.8 the Lord says will I not destroy the wise men of Edom?
This is the attitude of Edom. They feel secure and in control. These externals make them feel good about themselves and their future.
• We are self-sufficient when we think or feel that we’re in charge, and that our future is in our hands.
• When we begin to put our confidence in self – our strength, our resources, our allies, and our wisdom, and not in God.
About a week ago, someone I know suffered a panic attack. I can see his struggle and the sense of helplessness. I’m not very familiar with this and so I went to look up on it in the internet.
A panic attack is a condition of adrenaline being released into the bloodstream. It causes the heart to pump harder than usual. It starts with the mind sending a message of fear and a signal to the adrenal glands that there is an emergency.
Of course, in reality there isn’t any emergency or danger. It’s just the mind sending a wrong signal. It’s like having the mind taking off on its own.
That’s how frail man is. We can’t even control how we want to think. If we can, we will not worry; we will have no fear, no anxiety, and no phobia of any kind. If you have spoken to those who are suffering from depression, you’ll know that there is no such thing as “snap out of it”. They can’t.
There is nothing man can boast. We are just frail people before a mighty God. We need His grace and mercy.
• It is sometimes good for us to experience this sense of helplessness, because then we will know that we need God.
PRIDE BLINDS THEM TO THE NEED OF OTHERS
Pride leads to self-centredness. The Lord levels a second charge against them – Read Obadiah 1:10-14
• The Lord says, “You should not…” 3 times. They stood aloof and did nothing.
• Their pride blinds them to the needs of their fellow brothers in Jerusalem. In fact, they were pleased to learn that Israel had fallen on tough times.
• Scholars believe this is referring to the defeat of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 586BC. The Jews were then deported to Babylon in exile.
• The Edomites feasted their eyes on Israel’s misery, then came and looted the city. In fact, they took advantage of the situation for their own gain.
When does indifference become a sin?
• When God causes us to see a need and we are unmoved. It’s the sin of not doing the will of God.
• Worst still, when we take delight in the misfortune of others because it makes us feel superior; when we step on others to get ahead, or take advantage of their plight for personal gain.
It is clear from the passage that God has an expectation. God expects the Edomites to take heed, not take delight, to show sympathy and not indifference.
• We are taught by Jesus not to rejoice over the downfall of our enemies, but to love them and pray for those who persecute us. We are not called to hate them and less so, to rejoice over their misfortune.
• We need to take heed of what God leads us to hear and see. We cannot be too quick to say, “It’s not my problem. It’s their problem.”
I wonder how often we ignore what we see. How often we pass by someone who is in need and not lift a hand to do something, when it is a leading of God?
Every day, there will be people struggling with problems. Frankly, for most of them we’re unaware of. But this is not the issue.
• The real issue is with the problems that we know, and yet do nothing about.
• We are not even talking about big problems like world hunger or AIDS or poverty, but small ones like someone falling ill, failing a test, going through a breakup, or losing their job.
• We need to ask: Is God calling me to do something about it?
It is clear from this passage that being apathetic is an issue to God.
• This is what led Jesus to tell the story of the Good Samaritan man.
• Is this their problem, or is this my problem? Or is this someone else’s problem? Let someone else’s solve it.
I have this problem, I shared with SY before. Don’t let me hear it. Once I hear it or get to know it, it bugs me. If I didn’t hear it or see it, it’s off my radar screen. But if I know that someone is having a problem, and I can do something to help, I become very restless. And if the ‘something’ is a small deed, then all the more I cannot rest in peace. Sometimes, when I’m tired of helping, the Lord will remind me: “This is a ‘good problem’ that you’re experiencing. This is what I will do.”
We are servants of God. And if we are led by God, then we must be ready to serve and extend our help to those in need.
• If God cause us to see these needs, He has a divine purpose for it. We are His instruments of blessing. We are the light of the world and salt of the earth.
• We are the channels through whom God uses, to touch the lives of those who are in need.
Pray that our hearts will be sensitive to God’s calling, especially when we see a need.
• We may find ourselves becoming the important instrument in God’s hand in bringing a much-needed help to someone.
We are all the same – sinners in need of God’s grace and mercy.
• The Lord reminded them in 1:15 “The day of the Lord is near for all nations, as you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own heard.”
• In other words, “You are no different. They sinned and received My discipline, but so will all nations. “Your turn is next. You too will be judged for your sin.”
• Verse 18: “…the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau.” The Lord has spoken.
Man is called to humble himself before Almighty God. There is hope for those who keep their trust in God.
• Though it seemed unlikely, the Lord says Israel would be restored.
• In verse 17 the Lord says, “On Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance.” Mount Zion refers to the place of God’s rule. God will provide deliverance.
• Not just physical deliverance, but a picture of ultimate, spiritual deliverance. The Messiah Jesus will come.
Eventually the Edomites will fade from history; the nation ceased to exist, as the Lord so prophesied.
But Jerusalem and Israel remains, because God said so. Obadiah ends with a beautiful line: “And the kingdom will be the Lord’s.”
Notice again the underlining thread in all the prophetic books – it all ends with a note of HOPE: God will preserve His people. He will restore them. His kingdom will reign.
• Keep your trust in God. Don’t let your pride takes you away from Him. Be humble and be faithful. Keep doing the will of God and be blessed.
