OBADIAH AND EXILE
Obadiah is just one chapter. A little more than a page. I read it 3 times now, and this thought popped into my mind from Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” By this I mean, that the lesson written about in Obadiah applies to us too. And the story is about pride. Well, actually: it is about the sin that our pride leads us into. Pride is a deep satisfaction derived from ONE’S OWN achievements, qualities, or possessions. And somehow that makes us feel better than other people.
Obadiah was telling a prophecy against the house of Esau because they took delight in Israel’s misfortune when God let them be taken into exile, away from their native land. This is interesting to me because it teaches me something about God and His kindness. He is the One who “changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things, he knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with him.” (Daniel 2:21,22). God told the Israelites that they were going into exile because of their sin. Daniel spent most of his life in exile, but he was one of the men who walked with God and God protected him His whole life. And Daniel was one of the few who listened to the prophets: “In the first year of Darius son of Xerses (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom- in the first year of his reign, I Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.” (Daniel 9:1,2)
So, the people went into exile. But while they were on their way, being taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, the Edomites (descendants of Esau) stood by and watched gleefully.
1-they stood aloof while strangers carried of his (Jacob’s) wealth. In doing so, it was if they were one of them (Obadiah 11). I remember one time in high school like it was yesterday. I was standing in a group of girls and they were gossiping about someone. I was uncomfortable, but I was afraid of not being accepted by them, so I did not say anything. Well, the girl they were talking about found out about it, and she came and looked me in the eye. We both knew I should have defended her. By not speaking up it was AS IF I WAS ONE OF THEM. So, do not think you can close your eyes to your brother’s pain and claim ignorance. God expects us to be kind, not to try to make ourselves as better than someone else who He chooses to discipline.
2-they looked down on their brother in the day of his misfortune, and they rejoiced over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction. (Obadiah 12). This is the part that struck me about God’s kindness. God is judging Israel. He is sending them into exile. But he still wants us to treat each other with kindness, not to act like ‘God must really disapprove of them, but He really approves of ME’. It is the OPPOSITE of loving your neighbor as yourself. It is hatred.
3-they looked down on their brother in their calamity, and even went down to seize their wealth in the day of their disaster (Obadiah 13). They took advantage of the fact that their brother was in trouble. They went down and helped themselves to things that did not belong to them. It is wrong to take advantage of someone else’s misfortune, even as God is using that misfortune in their life. He still wants us to be kind.
4-they waited at the crossroads to help the Babylonians and cut down the fugitives, handing over their survivors in the day of their trouble (Obadiah 14). So not only did they stand by and watch gleefully at first: they even helped the Babylonians by killing some and handing over some. They abandoned the law of the Lord which can be summed up in this way: “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets HANG on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:37-39).
And then he says this: “as you have done it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.” (Obadiah 15).
I think for me, I have been on both sides of this equation. I have been the person God was allowing to be miserable and go through hard times for the purpose of drawing me back to Himself, and the person who thought they knew everything and felt free to judge every situation around me. The amazing thing for me is that God has allowed me to live long enough to know that I did not really know Him at all. And when a person truly seeks for God, He allows them to find Him. I love this verse: “I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, “Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” (Isaiah 45:19). So, the lesson is this: do not rejoice when my enemy falls into trouble. Be kind. Help them if I am able. Do not presume to know why God is allowing what He allows in their life. My job is only to be kind, and to ask God to make clear to me the things He is trying to teach me in my life.
Gloating is unbecoming. Taking advantage is sneaky. To presume to know why God is disciplining someone else is PRIDE. And hatred is as the sin of murder. I think I need to remember every day the sins that God has save me from. (Her sins, which are many, have been forgiven.) The grace that He has shown to me is the grace I want to show to others, and our prayer should always be for the restoration of everyone.
