Today, we move to the book of Obadiah. The only one chapter book in the Old Testament. It's a story of a distant cousin rivalry. They were warring cousins much like the hatfields and the McCoys. Their feud begins at the moment His brother, Essau also falls prey to his brother’s swindle for a bowl of stew after a hunt. It continues and cme more serious when Jacob takes it one step further and fools his blind father Isaac to give up his brother’s birthright inheritance. It was a moment that would establish Essau to lead a tribe who would be known as the Edomites and Jacob would be known as Israelites. The two would never gather for a family reunion. The hatred would become generational, kind of like fans from either the Chicago White sox and Chicago cubs. They would forever live in conflict. In fact, a day would come when the Edomites would watch their couszins be overrun by the Babylonians and actually turn over those who would try to escape to the conquerors. Edom would watch and almost cheer as Israel people, and possessions would be carted off by the conquers.
Obadiah is speaking of the rivalry when He offers a universal truth in a prophetic way. It’s a truth found in both the new and old testament. It’s called: the law of the harvest.”
Let’s take a moment and read today’s scripture:
1 The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Sovereign Lord says about Edom— We have heard a message from the Lord: An envoy was sent to the nations to say, “Rise, let us go against her for battle”—
2 “See, I will make you small among the nations; you will be utterly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’
4 Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord.
5 “If thieves came to you, if robbers in the night— oh, what a disaster awaits you!—
would they not steal only as much as they wanted?
If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes?
6 But how Esau will be ransacked, his hidden treasures pillaged!
7 All your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you; those who eat your bread will set a trap for you, but you will not detect it.
8 “In that day,” declares the Lord, “will I not destroy the wise men of Edom, those of understanding in the mountains of Esau?
9 Your warriors, Teman, will be terrified, and everyone in Esau’s mountains will be cut down in the slaughter.
10 Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever.
11 On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.
12 You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble.
13 You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor gloat over them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster.
14 You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble.
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 head.
As you can tell, Obadiah is letting everyone know the Edomites will refuse to help their cousins during this time and they will be subject to the law of the harvest. He even outlines their three great errors that will be repaid and destroy them.
In verse 3, he points to their arrogance. The phrase “the pride of your heart” is pointing to the type of pride God hates. It’s the attitude that looks down on others and puts one's own desires before others.
Proverbs 6:16-19 says:
16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
The idea of haughty eyes is a phrase we don’t understand. It's the way the rich look down on the poor. It's the way a self made person looks down on the person struggling to get by. It's the way a superstar athlete thinks they are better than others because of what they did to get to their position. It's the false belief anything we have we earned versus given to us by God. The opposite of biblical pride is biblical humility which is best put by pastor Larry Osborne “humility is treating others as if they were more important than you.” They aren’t but you know God is in them and they are in your path because God placed them there.
The second great error is highlighted in verse 11, is that of indifference. The words “on the day you stood aloof” refers to standing by idly when injustice was being done. Biblical indifference is choosing to ignore those in need and the opposite is compassion. Compassion is choosing to help those in our path without regard to whether they deserve it or not.
Proverbs 21:13 says: Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
I will never forget being on a sales call in Cleveland Ohio with a business associate. I had just come back from Africa and was still high on Jesus. We had stopped at his favorite diner in a seedy part of town. He was sure I would love the tacos and he asked me to wait in the car he illegally parked while he ran in to get the food. As I was sitting in the car waiting for my associate to come out, I saw an obviously homeless guy, I checked my pockets and looked around. I decided I could make it to the guy and back before anyone noticed. So I sprinted up to the guy and through some money in the hat and turned to run back. My friend had come out of the diner and saw me running back. Once in the car, he remarked that he knew that guy was just going to buy drugs with the money. I said, “Well, that's between him and God. I was just the messenger.” He looked at me like I was crazy. I wish I could tell you I am always caring. It’s just not the case. I sometimes fall into the third great error mentioned: greed.
Look at verse 13.
You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor gloat over them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster.
Obadiah was predicting the greed of Edomites. They would not only stand by idly but they would participate in the destruction of Israel by looting their neighbors when they got a chance. Unlike the Wall Street movie character Gordon Gekko, God does believe greed is good. In fact, he is adamant, it kills the spirit of both humility and compassion.
Now, all of these errors are in scripture elsewhere so why is this book of Obadiah present? What was so important God wanted us to understand?
Look at the second half of verse 15,
As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.
It’s a truth that shows up in almost all religions. Some liken it to biblical Karma. It comes with three applications for our walk with the Lord.
1) Like planting and sowing, giving and getting are linked in scripture - just not the way the prosperity gospel purports.
The Edomites would get what was coming to them. By the time of Jesus, they would all but be eliminated. The one notable exception would be King Herod. However, in a very few years after the fall of Jerusalem, Edom would no longer exist. Now, I’m sure for the 500 years following the events many wondered when it would happen. Which leads us to a second caveat to the Law of the Harvest
2) We can plant and watch for growth but we must remember, the harvest seldom comes overnight.
There’s a little neighbor boy around 4 years old. He is a riot. You never know what's going to come out of his mouth. He recently convinced his parents to start a garden. They have all kinds of vegetable plants. His parents even bought him his own watering can. He’s so cute with his yellow rain boots out watering the plants and asking questions of his parents. The excitement of the first buds and little green tomatoes is refreshing. Each day he goes to look and wonder. For him its seems like an eternity to grow but for the adults it seems like only yesterday. So it is with God. His time and our time are rarely the same. The same is true with our words and deeds and the fruit we produce.
The consequence and rewards for actions against God or in favor of Him rarely happen immediately. In our microwave society, this is especially hard to understand. We want it and we want it now. Thomas Merton observed that “pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.”
However, God is more patient and caring. He doesn’t let anything go to waste. Nothing happens in God’s world by mistake. There are no coincidences. Galatians 6:9 says:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
3) The final lesson is the harvest is always a gift from God to be received as a generous gift to be enjoyed. It is never to be hoarded for as the writer of Ecclesiastes in the 5th chapter says: when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.
When we are unconditionally generous, we are given the gift of acceptance and enjoyment. Have you ever given time, talent and/or resources and sat back to reflect at the end of the event or action?
I do. It’s always sweet to be drenched in sweat after serving at the pantry or helping someone or some group achieve a great outcome. There is a sense of satisfaction and gratitude. I will never forget the women serving next to me at a community event who came up in tears at the end of the event. I asked her what was wrong. She said nothing, in fact everything is wonderful. She just couldn’t get over the fact that you can’t out give God. Every time you extend your hand to help another, he reaches back with a small touch of His grace.
Herein lies, the law of the harvest. “Give and it will be given unto you.” Luke 6:38
So as you go from this place and take on the challenge to give this week. Give what you so desire. If you need more time, give your time. If you need more love, give love. If you need resources, give to someone in greater need. If you need forgiveness, offer it freely. If you need support, give it. If it's faith, take a step out in it.
It’s time to put it into practice. Where are you planting or giving in the hopes of great harvest for the Lord?
