Thicker than water
Obadiah 1:10 “For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever. 15 “For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head.
The book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament; it is a direct prophetic book to the nation of Edom, a single theme of the coming judgement and destruction by the Lord. The nation was a descendant of Easu, (Jacob’s brother), and they constantly were scheming against their brothers nation Israel. Repeatedly throughout history they turned their backs on their brothers in their time of need. At the time of Obadiah’s prophecy, Israel was under siege and they were fleeing for their lives. Their own family was turning their backs on them, blocking their escapes, killing them, or selling them into slavery. They were turning their backs on them at the time of their greatest need.
I have been seeing and learning of these examples recently; of families at such odds they cast one another out onto the street. We all may differ, we all may quarrel, but we as a family must hold together that bond. I know no matter how bad things in life might get, I could go to my family for the necessities in life. This should have happened in the time of Edom and Israel; put aside their differences and helped out in the time of need. The pride and arrogance of the Edomites caused this proclaimed judgement of the Lord that Obadiah proclaimed. 11 On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 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. 13 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 his calamity. 14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress. (ESV)
Step back and take a look at your family. Are there any of them that you know are in a time of need? Are you ignoring the knowledge of that need for any or multiple reasons? Are you pretending that you don’t know or can’t help? What if God treated you with the same disregard that you are treating them? Verse 15 shows the nation of Edom that they will reap what they have sown. The day that we must stand before the Lord and account for all our lives is certain. I personally believe that how we handle our family affairs will be held in high regard at that day. The Lord placed us in that circle for a reason, and we should seek to fulfill His Will for our lives by pouring our lives into those closest to us; not turning our backs upon them.
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