The Humbling Of A Wicked Nation—5

     Thus far in our consideration of Edom we have seen that one of his greatest sins was his overwhelming sense of pride in his location, his possessions, his wisdom, and his might. So proud was he of these things that he held other nations in contempt and lived in open rebellion against God. However, the prophet Obadiah indicates that Edom was guilty of two great sins, not just one. While his first terrible sin was pride, the second was his intense hatred of his brother nation. Consider God’s words to Edom from Obadiah 10-14.

     “Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried of his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of calamity. Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.”

     It would not have been possible for Edom to prevent the defeat of his brother nation (either by Babylon or the multiple nations of 2 Chronicles 21:8-18 depending on how one dates Obadiah’s prophecy) because it was designed to be a chastening from God. However, Edom could have been there to help pick up the pieces and show some sympathy for his brother after the disaster. Instead he chose to gleefully leap into the fray with both feet and become just like the nations routing his brother.

     God offered several prohibitions to Edom. He repeatedly told him not to gloat over the suffering of Judah. While Jerusalem suffered, Edom pointed and laughed at his devastation. God told Edom not to rejoice over Jacob’s misfortune. While the calamity engulfed his brother, Edom saw the event as a reason for rejoicing. God told Edom not to enter the gates of Jerusalem. Of course, Edom did not intend to enter as a brother but as a raider, looting whatever wealth he could find. God told Edom not to stand at the crossroads. It was bad enough that Edom was looting Jacob, but he compounded his sin by making sure his brother could not escape. Finally God told Edom not to deliver his brother over to the enemy as he rounded up whatever survivors managed to escape. Because Edom chose to do all of these things, his humiliation would be perpetual and permanent (Malachi 1:4).

     You and I must consider the lessons of Edom’s hatred in relation to how we should treat one another as brethren. David makes a very important statement in Psalm 133:1. “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” When brethren unite upon their love for God, His will, and one another it is a marvelous and God pleasing thing. The love of brethren sharing the same precious faith and cherishing the same wonderful hope is a gift from God to His people. It is one of His greatest blessings to us and must be numbered close to the top every time we pause to count our blessings. It is something that must fill our hearts with a gratitude that manifests itself in regular expressions of praise and thankful prayer to God. At the same time it is something that must be worked at and improved upon with the passing of time. 

     An important point for us to remember comes from the pen of John, where he said,  “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). Our love for one another serves as proof that we love God (John 17:20-21).

      It is difficult for us to imagine doing violence to our brethren because we tend to think of violence as physically attacking them. However, let us not forget the violence of inactivity. I can wish you warmth and a hearty meal if you lack those things but if I do not offer them to you when I possess the means to do so I have wounded you and failed in love (James 2:15-16). Never forget that the great sin of our Lord’s judgment scene from Matthew 25:41-46 was not a failure in doctrine or false teaching, it was violence done to the brethren through unloving inactivity.

       Edom hated his brother and proved it through his actions. Let us love one another and prove it in every way.