Title: The Pride of Edom
This is the vision of Obadiah, thus saith the Sovereign LORD concerning Edom: We have heard from the LORD, that an angel has been sent among the nations, saying, Arise, and let us rise up and fight with him, saith the LORD. You are greatly despised among the nations because you have made me weak. You who dwell in the clefts of the rocks and live on high, you say to your heart, “Who can bring me down to the earth?” The pride of your heart has deceived you. Even if you make a nest, I will bring you down from there, says the LORD.
Let's briefly review what we've seen so far. Please answer my questions. You look at the Bible. What is the title of the book? “The Apocalypse of Obadiah.” Which subtitle explains the title of the book in a more ambiguous way? “Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom.” This is the story of Edom's fate.
Verse 1 says, “We have heard from the Lord.” It was not heard indirectly through anyone, but “by the Lord.” In other words, we emphasize that we have heard the word from God directly. But I wasn't the only one who heard it, "we" said. Not only me, but all the other prophets have heard the word of God on this matter as well. Let's take just a few verses as examples.
Joel 3:19, “But Egypt shall become a wasteland, and Edom a desolate wilderness, for they have done violence against the children of Judah, and innocent blood has been shed in the land.”
Joel also heard the word of God about Edom and proclaimed the word to the people of Israel.
Look at Amos 1:11 after that.
Amos 1:11, “For three or four sins of Edom, says the LORD, I will not undo the punishment, for he pursues his brother with the sword, and forsakes mercy, and his wrath is always fierce, and his wrath is endless.”
Amos also delivers judgment on Edom.
Then let's look at the Old Testament book of Malachi. Malachi also proclaimed God's judgment on Edom.
Malachi 1:15, “This is the warning that the Lord spoke to Israel by Malachi, saith the Lord, I have loved you, but you say, How has the Lord loved us? I, the Lord, say, Am I not Esau the brother of Jacob? But I have loved Jacob, and I have hated Esau, I have made his mountains desolate, and have given his inheritance to the wilderness of the wilderness. Edom says, We have been torn down, but we will rebuild the desolate places, says the LORD of hosts. They will build up, but I will tear them down; they will be called the wicked, the people of the LORD's everlasting wrath; and you will see and say, "The LORD is great outside the borders of Israel."
He spoke of the destruction of Edom and the irrecoverable.
Jeremiah 49:7 and below also warns of God's judgment on Edom.
Jeremiah 49:7, “About Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts: Is wisdom no longer in Teman? Has counsel been cut off from the understanding? Has their wisdom perished?”
In Ezekiel 25:12 and below, the same judgment against Edom is announced.
Ezekiel 25:1213, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Edom has avenged the house of Judah, and has sinned exceedingly by taking revenge. Therefore, saith the Sovereign LORD, I will stretch out my hand upon Edom, and cut off men and beasts from within it, and I will make it a waste from Teman, and I will fall by the sword as far as Dedan.”
Let's look again at verse 2. "U.S." I say that you have not heard all that I and the other prophets have heard from the Lord.
What news you hear comes next.
“A lion soon.”
It means that a messenger sent by God is a messenger sent by God.
“He was sent out among the nations.”
There were many countries. There was Moab, and there were several countries around it, such as Ammon, Philistia, Assyria, and Sidon. God sent his messengers to those countries. And you said
“He said, Arise, that we may arise and fight with him.”
Because God is the Lord of the kingdom, he will raise up all the nations around him and fight against Edom and destroy Edom. In some cases, when Israel went astray, God, who was the owner of the nation, called the Gentile nations to discipline and judge Israel. There are many such stories in the Book of Judges. But also, when God's chosen people suffer afflictions by their enemies, we can see other nations to judge the enemies who are afflicting the chosen people. So Obadiah says that Edom will be destroyed by war.
Verse 79: “All those who made a pact with you chase after you to the frontier; those who were at peace with you deceive and overcome you, and those who eat your food set a trap under you, for there is no understanding in your heart, saith the LORD, in that day. Shall I not destroy the wise in Edom, and the sensible on the mountain of Esau? Your mighty men, O Teman, will be astonished, and the inhabitants of the mountain of Esau will be slaughtered, and all will be annihilated.”
“Those who made a pact with you.” That is, the countries that were allies before that time. Rather, the allies are telling them to attack Edom. It tells us that Edom will be destroyed by war. As Obadiah said, Edom was eventually destroyed completely without a trace in history.
Then look at verse 2.
“You are greatly despised, says the Lord, because I have made you feeble among the nations.”
“I” is God. “You” is Edom. I ask. Did you say that Edom will be “weakened”? Did you say “weakened it”? It says, “Because you made it weak.” This means that God has already made it that way. It is past tense. Because it is clear and certain, when God speaks, He is speaking in the past tense. To human eyes, Edom may appear to be a very strong and mighty country now. But God has already made Edom weak, lowly, insignificant, and weak among the nations. What happened as a result? “You are greatly despised.” It was not that he was despised little, but that he was greatly despised, not moderately despised. Compared to other countries, it has no choice but to become a very low-key, disrespectful appearance.
Why? Look at verse 3.
“O you who dwell in the clefts of the rocks and live on high, you say to your heart, “Who can bring me down to the earth?” The pride of your heart has deceived you.”
Pride is said to be the vanguard of destruction. When Saul, the first king of Israel, looked down on himself and humbled himself, God saw him as beautiful and anointed him with oil and made him king over Israel. But when Saul was sleeping, exalted, and proud, God hated him and abandoned him. We must not forget this fact. “Lord, today, I want to stand before you and become smaller.” Wouldn't that make us more dependent on God? I hope that you and I can always consider ourselves small.
With the heart of serving Jesus, serve the church and serve the saints. When we do not seek to be served, but consider ourselves small and serve the neighbors around us with the heart of serving Jesus, God sees us beautiful, considers us precious, and exalts us. But when I think of myself greatly, God has no choice but to hate me and forsake me just like he did for Saul in the old days. I pray in the name of Jesus that you and I will have a blessed life that pleases God by not trying to sleep and making yourself small.