Daily Devotional for Monday, April 28

The House of Edom Reduced by God

   “Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised,” Obadiah 1, 2.

Ben and Jason were twins who lacked a fraternal bond. They fought their whole childhood and did not get along as adults. They inherited their father’s land, and it was split between them. Jason wanted to build on his property, but the closest road ran in front of Ben’s portion. Jason asked for a small lane on the edge of his property to access the road. Ben refused. The more Jason asked, the angrier Ben became. He had a court order drawn up to keep Jason, Jason’s kids and Jason’s grandkids from trespassing on his property. For generations, the two neighboring families were at odds.

This is like the relationship between Israel and Edom. In Genesis 25:30, when Esau was first called Edom, the drama started with Jacob’s stew. Jacob then stole Esau’s (Edom’s) blessing, and, though they reconciled in Genesis 33, the fight continued with their descendants. In Numbers 20, Edom’s king refused to allow Israel to simply pass through Edom as they journeyed to Canaan. The straight path was through Edom, but the king would not allow it. Israel went around, and the strife was rekindled.

Saul, David, Solomon, Jehoram, Joram and Amaziah all fought against Edom. There was a constant enmity between the two fraternal nations.

Edom was first cursed by Balaam in Numbers 24:18, then by David in Psalm 60:8, and again by Isaiah in Isaiah 34:5-9. Obadiah’s whole contribution to the Old Testament, though the shortest book, was a loaded curse on Edom. He received a vision from the Lord about the destruction of Edom, and it was penned to record the Lord’s anger against those who are against Israel. May it be a warning even today to those who fight against God’s people.

THOUGHT

“For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head” (Obadiah 15).

Kelli Reynolds