“For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you [Edom] have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,” For the Lord has spoken.(Obadiah 1:15, 17-18)
Biblical Truth & Life Application
The problems between Edom and Isreal began from their beginnings: Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:21-23)
Abraham's son, Isaac had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. God changed Esau's name to Edom (Genesis 25:30), and He changed Jacob's name to Isreal (Genesis 32:28). Jacob bribed his brother Esau out of his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34; 27), being that Esau came out of the womb first he was the oldest and would receive the larger inheritance from their father. Therefore, the two of them and their descendants struggled, until the Edomites "vanish" from history. “For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you [Edom], And you shall be cut off forever. (Obadiah 1:10)
God speaks through Obadiah and explains to Edom their sin towards Isreal: In the day that you [Edom] stood on the other side— In the day that strangers carried captive his [Isreal] forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem— Even you were as one of them. “But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother In the day of his captivity; Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah In the day of their destruction; Nor should you have spoken proudly In the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people In the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction In the day of their calamity, Nor laid hands on their substance In the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads To cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress. (Obadiah 1:11-14)
God is very clear that He will judge Edom for how they mistreated their brother, Isreal - they will be destroyed, and Isreal will be restored: “For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.(Obadiah 1:15, 21; Obadiah 1:15-21) What Edom refused to understand was, Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (Luke 6:30-31); Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Galatians 6:7); He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. (Proverbs 22:8)
So, what's the lesson to us today: Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. (I Peter 3:9); If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22); Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord! (Romans 12:17-19)
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