This is what the Lord God says about Edom...
“Edom, do not laugh at your brother Israel in his time of trouble or be happy about the people of Judah when they are destroyed. Do not brag when cruel things are done to them. Do not enter the city gate of my people in their time of trouble or laugh at their problems in their time of trouble. Do not take their treasures in their time of trouble. Do not stand at the crossroads to destroy those who are trying to escape. Do not capture those who escape alive and turn them over to their enemy in their time of trouble. The Lord’s day of judging is coming soon to all the nations. The same evil things you did to other people will happen to you; they will come back upon your own head.”
Obadiah 1:1b, 12-15 NCV
Who is Obadiah? Obadiah was a prophet to Judah. Why Obadiah wrote this message from the Lord? To whom was this message for? The Lord was very angry with Edomites, the neighbors who lived south of Judah. The Edomities were the people who came from Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. They were enemies of the Israelites. Edom helped many other countries attacking Israel. Edomites liked to rob and kill anyone they can steal things from Israel. Edomites lived in a rocky range of mountains. Their homes were on clefts, built on the walls of mountains. They were very proud of their homeland and they felt very safe and very powerful. No one could defeat them for a long time until God sent Babylonian armies to come and destroyed almost all of their homeland and everything they had. When Edom refused to help Israel, its neighbor and relative in time of trouble, Obadiah prophesied that God would bring destruction upon Edomites and He did.
What we can learn from the Book of Obadiah? God wants us to understand that the Lord God is the champion of the poor and the needy. He is the defender to them from those who have oppressed them and those who would not help them. God is concerned that His people who have received His help and mercy show mercy to others in their time of need. This shows me that God really cares about helping the poor and needy.
Today there are many organizations that are helping the people with foods, clothing, housing, and money to meet their needs. This is really a blessing and I am thankful that we have a caring God. Lots of people send money or clothes to help organizations to meet the needy people. God will bless us when we help others.
