Edom – Be Still…

Ezekiel 35:1-14 – Edom’s Turn

Read Ezekiel 35:1-14

There are some nuggets in this reading for me! While it is definitely a passage of judgment against Edom, it can be an encouragement to the LORD’s people of Judah and Israel. The LORD saw all the bullying and resulting devastation because of Edom’s hand on the LORD’s people. It’s one thing for the LORD to punish his children, quite another for an outsider like Edom.

With all that is going on in the world, it’s good to get an approximation of the geographical location of the people to whom this prophecy is addressed. The Edomites, and particularly Mr. Seir, are both mentioned. As I understand it, Mt. Seir was part of the mountainous range south of the Dead Sea along the border between Israel and Jordan, and perhaps as far south as Elath on the Northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. It was likely a traditional stop along the route to Mt. Sinai.

Continue reading “Ezekiel 35:1-14 – Edom’s Turn”

Malachi 1:1-5 – God Loves You

Read Malachi 1:1-5

The word “malachi” means “my messenger,” and may or may not be a proper name. Malachi, along with Zechariah and Haggai, shared God’s messages in the early 5^th century B.C. The theme of this book continues to be “turn to God–he wants a restored relationship with you!

The temple had been rebuilt now for some years, and the people were starting to do what people tend to do—drift away from God. They were losing their enthusiasm for worship. Have you ever felt that way? What helped with your apathy and disillusionment?

Obadiah 17-21 – Promised Restoration

Read Obadiah 17-21

I learned today the Edomites were taken down in the 5^th century B.C. God used a people called the Nabateans to defeat the Edomites and force them from their main city of Petra. The interval between prediction and fulfillment would, therefore, have been very short, assuming Obadiah was writing following the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem. When Obadiah prophesied this promise, it was probably thought to be crazy. Judah was the more likely candidate to not survive (that’s only when you take God’s will out of the equation)! The Edomites would later disappear from history completely, marking the total destruction of one of Israel’s enemies.

It always helps me to understand the context of a story to aid in understanding. The Negev region was very dry and hot in the southern part of Judah. The foothills would be found in western Judah. Phoenicia would be an ancient civilization along the Mediterranean, primarily located in modern-day Lebanon.

Obadiah 10-14 – You Should Not Have…

Read Obadiah 10-14

Obadiah speaks to the reasons Edom is facing their judgment. They sinned for their evil behavior against their own relatives. This passage leaves no doubt “why” calamity would fall on Edom. The Edomites brought it on themselves for more than one reason.

There is so much emphasis on “you should not have” in this reading. We often kick ourselves after doing something we realize later was a mistake. Don’t we say, “I should have known better.” The Edomites won’t get a chance to say that since they will all be destroyed. All they have is the advance warning which sets the expectation for what is coming in motion.

Obadiah 1-9 – Edom’s Judgment

Read Obadiah 1-9

Welcome to Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament. Its message is about oppression and betrayal, from both vantage points. We’ll also see examples of being the “innocent bystander” in perilous times. It’s thought that Obadiah would have written this prophecy sometime after the Babylonian conquest, but it is not clearly stated.

Obadiah’s message reveals God’s dramatic response to anyone who would harm his precious children. Edom was one of those nations, located southwest of the Dead Sea. The Edomite people were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. Remember the story about the birth right in Genesis 27? We see time and again in the Old Testament references to the hostilities and struggles Edom had with God’s people, Israel.