March 31, 2017
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Pay Day Someday

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

“O God, give me a pure heart—that I may see you… a heart of love—that I may serve you” (unknown).

Read Obadiah 15–21

[15] “The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. [16] Just as you drank on my holy hill, so all the nations will drink continually; they will drink and drink and be as if they had never been. [17] But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and Jacob will possess his inheritance. [18] Jacob will be a fire and Joseph a flame; Esau will be stubble, and they will set him on fire and destroy him. There will be no survivors from Esau.” The LORD has spoken. [19] People from the Negev will occupy the mountains of Esau, and people from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead. [20] This company of Israelite exiles who are in Canaan will possess the land as far as Zarephath; the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the towns of the Negev. [21] Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORD’s.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“Obadiah reminds us of God’s justice in punishing human sinfulness and of God’s ultimate victory over earthly powers” (Douglas Stuart).

Verse 15 reads, “The day of the Lord is near… As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.” This verse vividly summarizes what is written in verses 1–14. Edom failed to help Judah when Jerusalem was under Babylonian attack (11); Edom itself will now be betrayed by its allies (7). Edom rejoiced over Judah’s destruction (12); it will be brought down and utterly despised (2–4). Edom joined the Babylonians in plundering Jerusalem (13); it will be completely looted (5,6). Edom cut off the escape of the Judean fugitives (14); it will be cut off by God (9). Edom handed over the Judean fugitives to the Babylonians (14); it will be trapped by its allies (7). Edom joined the Babylonians to attack Judah (11); God will summon the nations to fight against it (1).

How do you feel when you see Edom reaping what it sows? I nod my head with a big smile on my face, giggling at the sarcastic comments about Edom’s ultimate fate! Yet suddenly a strange sense of fear captures my heart! The Lord reminds me who he is—the Supreme Judge, who will judge all the nations at his appointed time. He also reveals to me who I am—a self-righteous sinner pointing a finger at someone else’s wrongdoings.

Compared with the brutal, cold-blooded Edomites, many of us may view ourselves as decent Christians. According to Jesus’ standard, being angry with people is seen as murder and looking at a woman lustfully as committing adultery (Matt. 5:22,27,28). God will hold us accountable even for every empty word we have spoken (Matt. 12:36). Are we any better than the Edomites?

Apply

In Obadiah, God says in effect, “Mess with my children and you mess with me” (Max Lucado). Do you agree?

Closing prayer

Lord, I thank You for the assurance that You care about Your children. You are for us. You are for me.

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