CRITICAL NOTES.]
Obadiah 1:10. Cause of ruin] Violence against the seed of Jacob. In different ways.
Obadiah 1:11.] For taking a position. Stoodest] not as a looker-on, but as an enemy; an attitude of hostility, not sympathy.
Obadiah 1:12.] For malicious pleasure in three forms—looking on with delight; rejoiced without reserve; boasting, spoken proudly, lit. to make the mouth broad or open; a gesture of contempt and derision (Psalms 35:21, Isaiah 57:4: cf. Ezekiel 35:13, and Revelation 13:6).
Obadiah 1:13.] For plundering Jerusalem. Gato] Citv (Micah 1:9).
Obadiah 1:14] For seizing Judean captives, to murder them or deliver them up to the enemy.
HOMILETICS
UNBROTHERLY CONDUCT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.—Obadiah 1:10-11
The prophet shows the equity and the cause of the judgment pronounced against Edom. The sentence increases in severity as special sins are more aggravated in their quality. Edom was guilty of many sins, but none so great as unnatural conduct and vindictive spirit towards his brother Jacob. This violence is mentioned in general terms (Obadiah 1:10), and in particular descriptions (Obadiah 1:11-14). In Obadiah 1:10-11 we have—
I. A brother in circumstances of distress. It was a day of calamity with Judah, calamity mentioned three times to indicate its depth (Obadiah 1:13). All are exposed to danger and distress, require sympathy and aid. “A brother is born for adversity.” Three clauses form a climax.
1. Judah’s possessions were taken. “Strangers carried away his forces,” or substance. The country was probably cleared of its produce, cattle, and treasures.
2. Judah’s cities were destroyed. “Foreigners entered into his gates.” The gates were fortified and defended; yet they were carried by the enemy. The capital was taken and the temple destroyed by the Edomites (2Es. 4:45).
3. Judah’s population were made captives. “And cast lots upon Jerusalem.” When the city was taken, the conquerors divided the booty, slew some of the prisoners, and took the others captive. Such distress should have excited the pity and prompted the help of the Edomites: but “in the day of Jerusalem they cried, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.”
II. Unnatural conduct towards a brother in distress. “Thy violence against thy brother Jacob.” “Violence includes all sorts of ill-treatment, from one with whom might is right.”
1. They took up hostile attitude towards their brother. “Thou stoodest on the other side.” Not mere spectators of the calamities of Jacob, but intensely opposed to him. There was lack of sympathy and positive cruelty. All this towards a brother, and a twin brother! Edom acted with the enemy, and took the contrary side to the dictates of nature; feasted his eyes with the misery, and eagerly sought the destruction of Jacob. “Thou wast as one of them.” A man should be more affectionate towards a brother than a stranger. But often the closer the relationship the greater the cruelty. Ingratitude is always black, but doubly black in a brother. “Love as brethren.” This conduct is—
(1) Most reprehensible;
(2) Most inhuman;
(3) Most guilty.
III. Righteous punishment for unnatural conduct towards a brother in distress. Edom helped the Babylonians in the overthrow of Jerusalem, exulted in the downfall of Jacob, and thought to secure his own safety and prosperity. They were disappointed. God in righteous retribution visited them with the punishment they inflicted on others. Two periods of ignominy are mentioned in their history. They would suffer as a conquered people, and at length be utterly extinct.
1. They would suffer as a conquered people. “Shame shall cover thee.” Not the shame of penitence, but the shame of dishonour. Jacob was not ruined as they expected. They were humbled and made contemptible, and the judgment of God confounded them for taking part against those whom they should have loved. Shame will ever be the robe and the result of social cruelty. “Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.”
2. They would be cut off as a nation. The sentence was centuries in fulfilment; but after repeated trials the end came and God cut them off. Justice without mitigation, and ruin without recovery, will come upon nations and individuals, who rejoice in a brother’s affliction, and do what they can to increase it (Leviticus 22:3). Ages abate not the force of God’s word, and years change not the sinner’s doom. “I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.”
ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE CHAPTER
Obadiah 1:10-14. Neither shouldest thou. There is a debt of mercy and pity, of charity and compassion, of relief and succour, due to human nature, and payable from one man to another; and such as deny to pay it the distressed in the time of their abundance may justly expect it will be denied themselves in time of want [Burkitt]. “Be more glad to see a man’s amendment than his punishment.” He that is not concerned that his brother should perish, is in great danger of perishing himself [Bp Wilson].
VIOLATION OF SOCIAL DUTY.—Obadiah 1:12-14
These words describe what the conduct of Edom towards his brother ought to have been; and by implied contrast with his actual conduct condemns his violence, rapacity, and murder. They not only neglected social duty, but acted with inveterate cruelty
I. In taking malicious pleasure at a brother’s misfortune. The various ways are minutely specified.
1. With insolent looks. “Thou shouldest not have looked,” (a) With a look of total indifference. Distressed neighbours require relief, and we should not be unconcerned in their sorrows. The priest and the Levite looked on the wounded Samaritan and passed by. Forgetfulness of our common origin and our constant exposure to evil is another form of human hatred. (b) With a look of malignant joy. They looked with scornful eye. They looked and delighted in the affliction of Jacob. The Saviour was pained by the impudent gaze of the multitude. “They look and stare upon me.” Those who make mirth at other men’s misery, dishonour their nature and insult their God. This selfish cruelty is a fearful provocation (Proverbs 17:5). “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.”
2. In blasphemous words. “Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly.” They enlarged the mouth (margin) with a flow of haughty words. They magnified themselves against God’s people (Job 19:5); and mocked them in sorrow. This spirit of Edom exists yet; men add insolence to pride, and affliction to affliction. Mockery of God’s people is mockery to God himself. “Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.”
3. In cruel acts, (a) Acts of selfishness, (b) Acts of robbery. “Nor have laid hands on their substance.” They were drawn into the cities, “entering the gate of God’s people to share the conqueror’s triumphant gaze on his calamity.” Then they laid violent hands upon the spoil. Keep away from sin if you wish to escape it. Enter no place to enrich yourself by the prey of another, lest you be ruined yourself. Wealth, so gained, will prove like the gold of Toulouse, an evil to all that meddle with it—“A burdensome stone for all people; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces.”
II. In making common cause with the enemy. Instead of helping their brother, they aided the enemy.
1. By secret ambush. They stood in the cross-way, the fork where the roads met, or narrow mountain passes, to intercept the fugitives (2 Kings 25:4). The Chaldeans were not so well acquainted with the ways and passes as the Edomites. Hence they took the cruel part to help the foe and seek the complete destruction of their brethren.
2. By cruel murder. They cut off those that escaped and delivered up all that they caught. Every association with thieves and robbers is a breach of the commandment; and those who join with others in seeking the life of man are not mere accessaries, but murderers. Paul charged the murder of Stephen upon himself. Malice in any form contains the seeds of all evil, and if not overcome by grace, will reign and ripen for destruction. Edom did not commence the war, but aided those who did, and hence were guilty of making common cause with the enemy. “Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord?”
III. This neglect of duty was at a time when there was every inducement to perform it. “In the day of their calamity” (Obadiah 1:13). “In the day of distress.” Such a time should awaken sympathy and tender feeling for our brother. To increase the burdens and conspire against the interests of men is bloodthirsty. If you cannot relieve the distressed, do not display your insolence and satiate your vengeance by increasing their misery. This is fratricidal and will bring down the judgment of Heaven. One burns with indignation at such inhumanity. God will turn the current of his wrath upon such offenders (Proverbs 24:18).
“This deep disgrace of brotherhood
Touches me deeper than you can imagine” [Shakespeare].
HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES
Obadiah 1:12-14. Cruelty. They were charged with cruelty.
1. Cruelty of the eye.
2. Cruelty of heart.
3. Cruelty of tongue.
(1) In their anger they spake cruelly, instigating their enemies to destroy them.
(2) In their pride they spake insolently, expressing inward joy at their ruin, by speeches of scorn and disdain, and of triumph over them.
4. Cruelty of hands. Two things aggravate this cruelty of Edom.
(1) Against a brother.
(2) And in the time in which it was done. For a Turk to oppress a Christian, an infidel a believer, is but a trespass against humanity; for Hebrews to strive, and one Christian to afflict another, woundeth religion. Brethren by nation, brethren by religion, should live as brethren by nature; live as brethren, and our Father will be angry if we do not, and the God of peace will fight against us [Adapted from Marbury].
Nothing is more hateful to God than unnaturalness. “A brother is born to adversity” (Proverbs 17:17); his birth binds him to it; and he must first offer violence to himself that is unkind to his distressed brother; he must tear the dictates of nature out of his own heart [Trapp].
Violence, bloodshed, unrelenting deadly hatred against the whole people, a longing for their extermination, had been inveterate characteristics of Esau. Joel and Amos had already denounced God’s judgments against them for two forms of this hatred—the murder of settlers in their own land, or of those who were sold to them (Joel 3:19; Amos 1:6; Amos 9:11). Obadiah warns them against yet a third—intercepting their fugitives in their escape from the more powerful enemy. Stand not in the cross way. Whoso puts himself in the situation to commit an old sin, does, in fact, will to renew it, and will, unless hindered from without, certainly do it. Probably he will, through sin’s inherent power of growth, do worse [Pusey].
Sin proceeds by degrees; neither is any man at his worst at first. First they looked at the Church’s calamity, and then they laughed, and then they insulted, and spoke big words, and then they plundered, and lastly they butchered some and imprisoned some [Trapp].
Obadiah 1:12. The day that he became a stranger.
1. Judah (the Christian Church) chastised. Not treated as a privileged people, but as strangers, and exercised with strange lots.
(1) Chastised by God.
(2) Persecuted by men.
2. Judah defended. The Church may be deeply fallen and deserve to be chastised; but God undertakes for her, checks the cruelty, and punishes the insolence of the enemy. God is faithful, though men are unfaithful.
However wicked men walk after the lusts and passions of their own hearts, and stick at nothing which they will, and have power to effect, yet the Lord will let them know, that they stand obliged by a law to duty, the violation whereof he will remark, aggravate, and punish; for, though Edom satisfied himself and his passion in what he did against Jacob, yet the Lord tells him, thou shouldest not have done thus and thus, but wast obliged by the law to do otherwise, being both a brother and a neighbour [Hutcheson].
“So many laws argue so many sins” [Milton].