“An Unforgiving Heart”

Obadiah 1, Jer 49:7-22, Ps 82-83 How many of us have heard of the Hatfield and McCoy feud. It went on so long that no one knew what the original feud was about! This book follows somewhat that same pattern.  The book speaks to the nation of Edom, whose ancestor was Esau, the twin of Jacob. His hatred of Jacob from when he stole Esau’s birthright to the last he when stole the blessing was an ongoing feud. The Edomites were haters of Judah, and they carried a bitter grudge for centuries. Esau may have acted like he forgave Jacob when he returned home, but years later, they turned over the Judahites to the Babylonians. They were traitors to the core, in times of calamity, all because of an unforgiving spirit. 

Although Obadiah, [servant of the Lord,] occurs twenty times in the OT, he is the only one who had a vision. His book is the shortest in the OT and is not referenced in the NT. Seven times in vs. 12-14, Obadiah reminds Edom that they “should not” have done what they chose to do.  What lesson are we to learn from Obadiah? It comes out of Psalm 83:16-18 “that they may seek you, O Lord…and know that you alone are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth.”  That should be our prayer for our lost brethren and us as well.

Do you know the Lord God Most High?