God Speaks
1 This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.
We have heard a message from the Lord
that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say,
“Get ready, everyone!
Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!”
2 The Lord says to Edom,
“I will cut you down to size among the nations;
you will be greatly despised.
3 You have been deceived by your own pride
because you live in a rock fortress
and make your home high in the mountains.
‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’
you ask boastfully.
4 But even if you soar as high as eagles
and build your nest among the stars,
I will bring you crashing down,”
says the Lord.
5 “If thieves came at night and robbed you
(what a disaster awaits you!),
they would not take everything.
Those who harvest grapes
always leave a few for the poor.
But your enemies will wipe you out completely!
6 Every nook and cranny of Edom
will be searched and looted.
Every treasure will be found and taken.
7 “All your allies will turn against you.
They will help to chase you from your land.
They will promise you peace
while plotting to deceive and destroy you.
Your trusted friends will set traps for you,
and you won’t even know about it.
8 At that time not a single wise person
will be left in the whole land of Edom,”
says the Lord.
“For on the mountains of Edom
I will destroy everyone who has understanding.
9 The mightiest warriors of Teman
will be terrified,
and everyone on the mountains of Edom
will be cut down in the slaughter.
10 “Because of the violence you did
to your close relatives in Israel,
you will be filled with shame
and destroyed forever.
11 When they were invaded,
you stood aloof, refusing to help them.
Foreign invaders carried off their wealth
and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem,
but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies.
12 “You should not have gloated
when they exiled your relatives to distant lands.
You should not have rejoiced
when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune.
You should not have spoken arrogantly
in that terrible time of trouble.
13 You should not have plundered the land of Israel
when they were suffering such calamity.
You should not have gloated over their destruction
when they were suffering such calamity.
You should not have seized their wealth
when they were suffering such calamity.
14 You should not have stood at the crossroads,
killing those who tried to escape.
You should not have captured the survivors
and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble.
15 “The day is near when I, the Lord,
will judge all godless nations!
As you have done to Israel,
so it will be done to you.
All your evil deeds
will fall back on your own heads.
16 Just as you swallowed up my people
on my holy mountain,
so you and the surrounding nations
will swallow the punishment I pour out on you.
Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger
and disappear from history.
17 “But Jerusalem will become a refuge for those who escape;
it will be a holy place.
And the people of Israel will come back
to reclaim their inheritance.
18 The people of Israel will be a raging fire,
and Edom a field of dry stubble.
The descendants of Joseph will be a flame
roaring across the field, devouring everything.
There will be no survivors in Edom.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
19 “Then my people living in the Negev
will occupy the mountains of Edom.
Those living in the foothills of Judah
will possess the Philistine plains
and take over the fields of Ephraim and Samaria.
And the people of Benjamin
will occupy the land of Gilead.
20 The exiles of Israel will return to their land
and occupy the Phoenician coast as far north as Zarephath.
The captives from Jerusalem exiled in the north
will return home and resettle the towns of the Negev.
21 Those who have been rescued will go up to Mount Zion in Jerusalem
to rule over the mountains of Edom.
And the Lord himself will be king!”
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: This one-chapter book is a prophecy against the Edomites, descendants of Esau. Obadiah received it as a vision and is reporting to the reader. God is about to deal with the Edomites’ mistreatment of the Israelites, and He is calling other nations to come against them to destroy them. The Edomites had built a mountain fortress that they thought was impenetrable, but God would use other nations to take them down. The pride in their hearts had deceived them into thinking that no one (not even God) could reach them to take them down. They will be completely destroyed and left with nothing. From their wise older men to their mighty young warriors, every person will be slaughtered. This fierce judgment is because the Edomites had brought violence and shame against the Israelites. The Edomites had stood by in silence as Jerusalem was being invaded. They had watched as the wealth of the Israelites was being carried away, and they had gloated over Israel’s misfortune. They had cut off the fugitives fleeing for their lives. They had handed the survivors over to their pursuers, but God would turn the tables and empower the Israelites to destroy them. What they had done to Israel would be done to them. Then the Israelites would come and occupy all the territory of Edom. In the end the LORD Himself will be the king.
Prayer: Dear Sovereign LORD, You are the only one who knows all the facts and motives; therefore, You alone have the right and responsibility to administer judgment. You bring about true justice in Your time and in Your way; however, I humbly ask You to put in place human judges who follow You and Your plans and purposes. Please cause people (whether they know You or not) to take courage and action and speak up for those who are truly being harmed, especially those who cannot speak for themselves and those You have chosen and/or who are called by Your name. We count on You to enable us to defeat our enemies and replace them for Your glory. You are our King, O LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will examine my own heart and attitudes. Am I proudly thinking that God cannot get to me? Am I resisting Him in any way or thinking that I am self-sufficient?
- I will confess my mistreatment of someone specific, first to God and then to the offended party. I will apologize and request forgiveness from both (in public if appropriate).
- I will stand up and speak out for the survivors and the persecuted by signing up with an organization that deals with such things.
- I will search out other scripture passages that deal with these or similar issues and apply them in my life.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.