How many times in our lives have we heard the words, “You should not have done that?” If we are anything like most people, it has happened upon many occasions. However, how many times have we heard the voice of God saying this against us? Such is the case with Edom in today's verse from Obadiah. We learn more of the failures of Edom who set themselves against Jacob or Israel when the Babylonians conquered them. If we look closely, we may see ourselves in verse twelve where Obadiah wrote:
But you should not have looked on the day of your brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress.
Obadiah used three phrases to describe the actions of Edom against Jacob: “looked on”, “rejoiced over” and “spoken proudly.” There is something about our nature that resembles the reaction of Edom. Edom “looked on” Jacob in the day they were taken over and made to be strangers in a foreign land. In other words, they simply watched. They didn't get involved, and they certainly didn't try to intervene in the assault. They were bystanders, and rather than participating, they simply watched the tragedy occur. So many times today there are great causes where we should engage, however, the posture of most is simply to “look on” and ignore participation of resistance. Rather than being active participants in the resistance, they are spectators.
Next, Obadiah wrote that Edom “should not have rejoiced over the children of Jacob”. Not only did Edom not participate in resisting the onslaught, they actually rejoiced over the plight of Jacob. They cheered and yelled from the sidelines as Jerusalem fell prey to Babylon. Edom certainly didn't know the warning of Solomon written in the book of Proverbs in chapter twenty-four and verses seventeen and eighteen:
Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles: Lest the LORD see [it], and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
According to God's words through Obadiah and the warning from Solomon, we must be very careful if we see our enemies go through suffering. The tendency may be to be happy about it, but the warning is very clear that we must not do this.
Finally, Edom should not have “spoken proudly in the day of distress.” When others go through difficult times or troublesome correction, the tendency may be to think oneself better than they. Words such as, “If they were such and such way, they would not have gone through this.” The spirit behind those words is, “I am better than they”, and it exemplifies the very pride of Edom that God is making pronouncement against.
We would all do well to take heed to the warnings given through Obadiah for Edom. When we see others go through pain, we should not be simply spectators, should not rejoice over their plight, nor should we be arrogant as though we are superior to them. If we react in opposite ways to these, not only will God be pleased, but our adversaries may see something different than the rest of the world offers to them.
Next time we will see even more indictments against Edom, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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