7th September 2024

7th September 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Obadiah 1v1-9)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Edom was to be destroyed, utterly despised by the nations of the world and made small in their sight (v2). God’s judgement was burning against them and He was moving to bring about their end. Nevertheless, all of this would have been a great surprise to Esau’s descendants. Their home was not a hole in the hedge or a few fields down the road.


Edom was a region about forty miles wide and one hundred miles long with a multitude of advantages. There were numerous regions in Edom suitable for farming, she was situated along important trade routes bringing great wealth and due to her famous red sandstone mountains she was easy to defend and a nightmare to fight. You may have visited the beautiful ancient city of Petra where buildings were once carved into the rock - if so, you’ve visited one of Edom’s finest cities. The land of Esau was beautiful, rich and almost impregnable. Almost.


The tragedy of Edom was that she had begun to believe her own hype. The Lord warned “the pride of your heart has deceived you” (v3). The Edomites may have lived in lofty dwellings carved out of rock (v3b), they may have soared like the eagle (v4a) and they may have believed that no one could bring them down to earth (v3c), but it was all a lie. They had opposed the Lord and He was preparing to bring them down from their high position (v4b). 


Indeed, the Lord’s judgement would be complete. Thieves might leave some things behind and those who gather grapes never pick every fruit (v5) but Edom was to be pillaged completely and all of her treasures were to be lost (v6). Her allies would betray her (v7a), those at peace with Edom would prove to be deceitful (v7b) and those who depended upon Edom for bread would turn away (v7c). Esau’s descendants were trapped with no understanding of the coming storm (v7d).


All of this is made more remarkable by the fact that Edom was known for her wisdom. The Edomite city of Teman was home to Job’s counsellor Eliphaz and another of Job’s friends was a Shuhite which is another Edomite region (Job 2v11). Solomon was a man of great wisdom and he was compared to another group known for wisdom called “the men of the east” (1 Kings 4v30) or as we have come to know them - the Edomites. The inhabitants of Edom and Mount Esau were no fools and yet the wise men were to be destroyed (v8). Furthermore, the mighty men and warriors from the Edomite city of Teman were going to be no help. Slaughter was coming to Mount Esau and Edom would be no more (v9).


Your old granny might have said “pride comes before a fall” but she took it from the Scriptures. The Lord hates pride and arrogance (Proverbs 8v13), He calls the proud “scoffers” (Proverbs 21v24) and pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16v18).


Brothers and sisters, pay close attention to your heart. It is deceitful above all things and often it whispers “There’s no one like you. No one will ever bring you down.” The Edomites found to their cost the sinfulness of arrogant pride. May our prayer echo that of the tax collector who knew his condition and cried “Lord have mercy on me a sinner!” (Luke 18v13), for the wise person knows that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4v6). 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q84 What doth every sin deserve? Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.
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