January 31 Daily Discovery

Read Obadiah Chapter 1

Are You Glad Your Enemies Hurt?

¹¹ In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

¹² But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.

¹³ Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;

¹⁴ Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

¹⁵ For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

~ Obadiah 1:11-15

Obadiah is preaching to Edom.  Edom is the kingdom that developed from Esau, Jacob's brother.  There should have been better relations between Israel and Edom because of their familial relationship.

Edom had "rejoiced" over Judah in the day of their destruction.

They also had entered the gate and took part in spoiling God's people.  They warred against their brother.

It was going to be returned upon their own head.

If your enemy falls or stumbles, you should pray for him and seek to relieve him of his hurt.  What did the Lord Jesus teach us? 

In Matthew 5:44 He said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

¹⁵ Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

¹⁶ For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

¹⁷ Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

¹⁸ Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹ Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked:

²⁰ For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

~ Prov. 24:15-20

If we are pleased when we see bad things happen to someone we don't like, God will see it and it will displease him.

Don't Mock the Poor

⁵ Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. 

~ Prov. 17:5

God is the only Judge.  If anything, we should pray for God to be merciful to all people.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

It is wicked to become smug or satisfied when we see evil befall even our enemies.  Those experiencing the "calamity" may be experiencing God's jugdement.

If we're glad about their pain, we'll be punished as well.

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Continue Your Search

In this chapter, do you see any: Commands to Obey, Warnings to Heed, Promises to Claim, Examples to Follow, Vices to Avoid, Praises to Emulate, Prayers to Use, Principles by which to Live, Questions to Ask or Actions to Take?

See: Berean Fellowship Bible Study Method