In our study of this prophecy, we will look at the past, present, and future consequences of pride. Although little is known of the prophet and it is the shortest book of the Bible, he had a very important message for Edom and for us as well.
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This is the vision of 'Ovadyah. Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says about Edom. As a messenger was being sent among the nations saying, "Come on, let's attack her," we heard a message from ADONAI: "I am making you the least of all nations, you will be beneath contempt.
The majority of this book concerns the land of Edom and so we must get to understand who they were. The Edomites were descendants of Esau who was Isaac's firstborn son and the brother of Jacob (Israel). As the oldest son, he was to be Isaac's heir but he sold that birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of soup (see Genesis 25). The Lord had told Rebekah that the oldest of her twin sons would serve the younger and that they were two separate nations. After eating the soup, Esau despised his brother for taking his birthright and so began a long history of strife between the two nations.
Your proud heart has deceived you, you whose homes are caves in the cliffs, who live on the heights and say to yourselves, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?' If you make your nest as high as an eagle's, even if you place it among the stars, I will bring you down from there." says ADONAI.
Now, we see the charge that is brought against Edom and it is pride. There are several places in the Bible where we see that God hated Esau but this is the only place that answers the question of why. Pride is an attitude that says that we have the ability to live without God. This is in fact elevating ourselves to the place of God and is the exact reason that Satan was cast out of heaven. The Edomites lived in the mountainous area south of Judah. They were in the mountains and elevating themselves just like man tried to do with the Tower of Babel (see Genesis 11). Just as God brought down Satan, He says that Edom will also be cast down.
If thieves were to come to you, or if robbers by night (Oh, how destroyed you are!), wouldn't they stop when they'd stolen enough? If grape-pickers came to you, Wouldn't they leave some grapes for gleaning? But see how 'Esav has been looted, their secret treasures searched out!
The destruction of Edom is complete as it is compared to a thief and a harvester. The thief and the harvester leave at least a portion behind but there is no remnant of Edom left to this day.
Your allies went with you only to the border, those at peace with you deceived and defeated you, those who ate your food set a trap for you, and you couldn't discern it.
Now, God reveals the tools that will be used to dismantle the Edomite kingdom. They had made friends with the Babylonians and they would turn on them.
"When that Day comes," says ADONAI, "won't I destroy all the wise men of Edom and leave no discernment on Mount 'Esav? Your warriors, Teman, will be so distraught that everyone on Mount 'Esav will be slaughtered.
In these times, the wise men of Edom said that their defeat was impossible but God declared that they would be completely destroyed. We see that the once proud army would turn in fear.
For the violence done to your kinsman Ya'akov, shame will cover you; and you will be forever cut off.
Now, we begin the list of five consequences of a life with pride. The first is violence as proud people seek to conquer and will preserve their place in life at all cost. We see that, here, as Edom (Esau) turned on his own brother Jacob (Israel) and so God judged them and they were conquered by Babylon to the point that you do not even hear of Edomites anymore. We look around the world today and see much violence. What is the cause of it? If we look deep enough, we will see that all of the struggles are because of the pride of an individual leader or a group of people. Men cannot get along when there is pride at work and that is why the search for peace will not be successful until Jesus returns.
On that day you stood aside, while strangers carried off his treasure, and foreigners entered his gates to cast lots for Yerushalayim - you were no different from them.
The second consequence of a life of pride is a lack of concern for others especially the weak and the poor. As we see here, Edom stood by while Jerusalem was attacked.
You shouldn't have gloated over your kinsman on their day of disaster or rejoiced over the people of Y'hudah on their day of destruction. You shouldn't have spoken arrogantly on a day of trouble
The third consequence of a life of pride is that you will find yourself happy about the trouble of others instead of showing compassion. Not only did Edom stand by while their brother was attacked but they rejoiced in it. The same is true today even in the church as many secretly rejoice at the struggles that a brother or sister are going through and might even gossip about it.
or entered the gate of my people on their day of calamity - no, you shouldn't have gloated over their suffering on their day of calamity or laid hands on their treasure on their day of calamity.
The fourth consequence of a life of pride is dishonesty in business and stealing from others. As we see, Edom did not only stand by and watch their brother fall but they looked to profit by picking up the pieces. That is the same type of thing that happens in our world today as, when a crisis occurs, there are these big businessmen just licking their chops at the idea of profiting on the backs of others.
You shouldn't have stood at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives or handed over their survivors on a day of trouble."
The fifth consequence of a life of pride is that sooner or later you will find that you have been on the side of the enemy which is Satan. Edom not only stood by while their brother was attacked but actually took part in handing over those who were escaping.
For the Day of ADONAI is near for all nations; as you did, it will be done to you; your dealings will come back on your own head. For just as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so will all the nations drink in turn; yes, they will drink and gulp it down and be as if they had never existed.
Pride will be judged. Now, the prophet tells us of the last days and we see that it is a time of drunkenness as people drink and do drugs to escape the horror of those days. As we see in Revelation 6, they cannot escape the horror through death and so they try to numb themselves.
But on Mount Tziyon there will be a holy remnant who will escape, and the house of Ya'akov will repossess their rightful inheritance. The house of Ya'akov will be a fire and the house of Yosef a flame, setting aflame and consuming the stubble which is the house of 'Esav. None of the house of 'Esav will remain, for ADONAI has spoken.
We see that God makes a clear distinction between His people and others. This was fulfilled as God's people live on while you do not see any descendants of Esau. It also speaks of the fact that from the house of Jacob would come the deliverer who is Jesus Christ.
Those in the Negev will repossess the mountain of 'Esav, and those in the Sh'felah the land of the P'lishtim; they will repossess the field of Efrayim and the field of Shomron, and Binyamin will occupy Gil'ad. Those from this army of the people of Isra'el exiled among the Kena'anim as far away as Tzarfat, and the exiles from Yerushalayim in S'farad, will repossess the cities in the Negev. Then the victorious will ascend Mount Tziyon to rule over Mount 'Esav, but the kingship will belong to ADONAI.
The final result of the pride of Edom is that they were defeated and all of the land was returned to God's people. This passage also speaks of the coming time when the pride of Satan and his followers on this earth will be dealt with. As we see here, the kingdom will be turned over to Jesus and His people and this is talking about the thousand year reign described in Revelation 20.
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