Thursday: The Pride That Leads to Fall
Read the book of Obadiah.
Image © Darrel Tank from GoodSalt.com
What important moral and spiritual truths can we take away from this book?
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, and it reports on the prophetic vision of God’s judgment upon the land of Edom. The message of the book focuses on three issues: Edom’s arrogance (vss. 1-4), Edom’s coming humiliation (vss. 5-9), and Edom’s violence against Judah (vss. 10-14).
The Edomites were the descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau. The hostility between the Israelites and the Edomites goes back to the family feud between the twin brothers, who later became the fathers of the two nations. Yet, according to Genesis 33, the two brothers were later reconciled. Thus, the Israelites were commanded by God not to “‘abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother’” (Deut. 23:7, NKJV).
In spite of this, the hostilities between the two nations continued for centuries. When Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and took its citizens into captivity, the Edomites not only rejoiced but even preyed on the fleeing Israelites and also helped to plunder Jerusalem (Ps. 137:7). For this reason the prophet Obadiah warned that Edom will be judged by their own standard: “‘As you have done, it shall be done to you’” (Obadiah 15, NKJV). The Edomites did not behave as brothers toward the people of Judah in their worst hour but rather joined the enemy forces (Lam. 4:21-22).
The region that was occupied by Edom is located southeast of the Dead Sea. It is a mountainous land filled with high mountain peaks, sharp crags, caves, and clefts in which armies could hide. A number of Edomite cities were located in these nearly inaccessible sites. Sela (also known as Petra) was Edom’s capital city. The nation developed an arrogant confidence summed up in the question, “‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’” (Obadiah 3, NKJV).
God holds responsible those who take advantage of others in their time of distress. Obadiah warned the proud people of Edom that God would bring humiliation upon their heads. There is no place to escape from the Lord (Amos 9:2-3). The coming day of the Lord will bring both judgment and salvation. Edom will drink God’s cup of wrath, while the fortunes of God’s people will be restored.
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True! What ever we do to others shall return to us in the future. It's better we do to people what we want them to do to us.
On very minor levels, I feel that I have at times experienced some of what Israel experienced at the hand of the Edomites. I read this book and remember pain I have felt when I did not get the support I thought I needed when I was going through the consequences of my choices. Sometimes family members do seem to grind your face in the mud when you are down. Still, I pray that I will not react to them in kind when they are down. I pray that I will be there for them when they need me with the kind of help that they need. This is a miracle that God can work in our hearts to bring about healing where there has been hurt.
Isa. 63:1-3, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me: For I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment."
The last part of the preceding chapter speaks of "the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord". The first part of this chapter concerns those who have rejected the Lord (those who are to leave the name for a curse). To them the day of vengeance has come. The picture is not a pleasant one to look at, but it is true. It is God's "strange work." Edom is another name for Esau. See Gen. 25:30. Esau had his name changed because he sold his birthright for a bowl of pottage. The class here are termed Edom because they have sold their birthright for self-gratification to satisfy lust, the god of appetite (disregard of health reform), as explained on pages 59, 60. "Bozrah" is the name of a city. The name means "sheepfold," a symbol of the church.
Isa. 63:4: "For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come." Note, "the day of vengeance" the Lord says is in His "heart", but the "year of His redeemed is come." Note the verb "come" is in present tense, just as in Rev. 14:7, "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come." We, as a people, hold that the verb "come" was inscribed in present tense because the judgment in heaven took place (at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel's prophecy) in 1844, but it was not understood until after the Prophetic period had passed, therefore God did not intend to make the judgment known
until after the hour had come.
The Lord of Isreal is even the Lord to other nations. The Lord is the creator of heven and earth and even that is therein, and as such, man ought to treat each other with as one would love to be treated regardless of ethnic, tribal, colour barries. We are all of one blood-brothres and sisters.
Micah 6:8 says 'He has shown you,O man what is good; And what the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I believe this is the duty of every follower of Christ. Let us not forget what made Lucifer to fall, was pride not one of the attitudes that brought down the once exalted angel.
If we become independent of God, we assume a position of self-sufficiency, and becuase of this, our sure end will be that of humiliation when that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
Let this be a timely warning to all of us.
God bless us.
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The theme that made the Israel nation to refuse the meeting of almighty GOD was sin
We should know that GOD would not penalise anybody before His advice
The word arrogant is associated with the attitude of Edom, which is a true evident of the Edomite's pride that influenced them to act inhumanely towards their brothers the Israelites (Judah). Pride and self exaltation are some strong influences that will blind us from our focus on our true condition and from the only Source of our existence (God). This reminds me of the life of the true Christian; "God first, then others and then ourselves." If we live our lives with this in mind daily, we will constantly be reminded of our hopeless condition and our desperate need of Christ to empower us to commit the Act of Humanity where ever is needed and will lead us to the Eternal Hope of Glory. Lucifer exalted himself and wanted to be equal with God and God humbled him and was cast out of heaven. Jesus humbled Himself to the point of the death on the cruel cross, and God exalted Him to the Father's throne and put everything under His control. Here is our exemple for a successfull Christian life. Thank you Jesus. Cheers.
Thank you very much to all who have thrown more light on today's lesson. I should be kind to all, however much it can cost. Thank you Jesus for your love and teach me to be kind to others. Amen