Obadiah 1:15 (NLT)
The
day is near when I, the LORD, will judge the 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.
Have you ever read
the book of Obadiah before? Maybe a
better question is: have you ever heard of the Book of Obadiah? Don’t feel bad if you don’t know anything
about Obadiah. It is the shortest book
in the Old Testament (only 21 verses).
II John is the shortest book in the Bible (13 verses; III John only 14
verses). There was a nation east of
Israel called Edom (now part of Jordan) that was founded by Esau, the twin
brother of Jacob (Jacob was called Israel).
Remember that Esau was born “red” (Gen 25:30) and sold his inheritance
for a bowl of red bean stew (Gen 25:30-34)?
Edom means “red”. From the separation
of Esau and Jacob, Edom and Israel always remained enemies.
Obadiah wrote about
the judgment of God against the Edomites because of their sins against Israel
and against God. When the Israelites
were escaping Egypt and needing to find the Promised Land, the Edomites forbid
Israel from entering their land. Verse
15 declares God’s judgment against Edom and indeed Edom was eventually
destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar and its name disappeared (see Ezekiel 35). Nebuchadnezzar also destroyed Jerusalem and
took captive the people of Judah (Southern Israel), but God did not allow
Israel to disappear.
Israel seems to be in the news a lot lately, especially since this is the start of the summer Olympics and it was 40 years ago that terrorists massacred Israeli athletes in Munich. This is the verse
that is used to predict that any nation that is an enemy of Israel incurs God’s
wrath and eventual judgment. Ezekiel 25:6-7 says
the same thing, “For thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you [Ammon] clapped
your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your disdain for
the land of Israel, indeed, therefore, I will stretch out My hand against you,
and give you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from the peoples,
and I will cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you, and you
shall know that I am the LORD."
Therefore, it is so important from a biblical viewpoint and the future
of America that America remains allies with Israel. Whatever you do to Israel so it will be done
to you.
Obadiah predicted the destruction of Edom
because it was a godless nation. He also
declared that whatever evil you do will fall back on your own head. When I was first taking church and the Bible
seriously, I’ll always remember these words from my pastor in Fort Worth,
Texas: “God has established moral and spiritual laws in His creation, and
whenever you break them, you will eventually pay the price.” About the time he said that was when the
“Godfather” movies were popular and I thought that one of the main messages of
those movies is that you always reap from you sow. Indeed, God is never mocked (the Greek word means to "turn up your nose at, to sneer"), whatever you sow, you share also reap so don't ever deceive yourself or let someone else deceive you about this truth (Gal 6:7).
May
you always keep in mind that evil deeds will fall back on your own head. Another vital biblical lesson to remind you
to do all you can to keep sin out of your life.
May whatever you sow be good things so that you reap better things in
return. And pay attention to what happens to nations that are enemies of Israel.
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