Obadiah vv 10-14
10Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 11On 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.
12But 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. 13Do 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. 14Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress. (ESV)
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Master story – God’s story – History.
Just as Herod the Edomite failed to recognise and delight in the Lord Jesus, but rather joined with the outsiders (the Romans) in condemning and humiliating Him, so we see in Obadiah the Edomites failing to support and sympathise with the Jews, but rather lined up with the enemies of God’s people.
Similarities between the servant story of Judah and Jesus’ Master story:
Verse 10:
Just as the Jews suffered violence from those who should have known and done better, and just as Jacob’s own brother has done violence to him, so the Lord Jesus Christ came to His own, who did not receive Him.
Verse 11:
God’s people were plundered, and their possessions divided up by lot. Those who should have at least sympathised and prayed looked upon with an attitude as bad as Judah’s enemies themselves! And as the Romans desecrated that holy place, that is the body of the Lord Jesus, and cast lots for His garments, even in the same way those Jewish leaders who should have welcomed Him as Messiah, just stood by and watched with utter glee and pleasure as He was humiliated.
Verse 12:
This was the day of Jerusalem’s calamity and distress, when the cries of God’s people were mingled with the shouts of utter malicious delight from the Edomites who were looking on.
They mocked, gloated and boasted about the pain of God’s people. In that we are reminded of how much of the Gospel accounts of the trial and death of the Lord Jesus is taken up with the mocking and boasting of His enemies. The crowds, the authorities, the priests and those crucified with Jesus took part in humiliating mockery!
Verse 13:
Just like the Edomites looted Jerusalem’s wealth, so the Lord Jesus Christ, the city of true humanity was invaded and desecrated in the same way.
Western society has fallen from a high point and is now at a low point. But the Lord will intervene at the turning point, into which we will look next week.
The Day of the Lord is near upon all the nations, for God has spoken.