Page 5 - Good News June 2008 paper

BADIAH is the shortest heart, Who can bring me down to in contact with a person who is will remind us that pride is deadly.
book in the Old Testament, the ground?" (Obadiah 1:2,3). full of love will be made to feel God wants us to live before Him
Obut it conveys a powerful In the end, the Edomites' pride did special, valuable, and encou- and before others with a humble,
message that is as valid today as lead to their destruction. God did raged. tender heart. Pride, whether it is in
it was when the prophet Obadiah, execute His judgment against Do you want God to use you? Ask a nation or in an individual, will
whose name means "servant of them, and these people are never Him to deal with your pride and not escape God's judgment, but
the Lord," wrote it centuries ago. mentioned in Scripture again after give you love for people. Look to humility brings His blessing and
Obadiah prophesied God's judg- the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. your example, Jesus, Who hum- favour. [The Everyday Life Bible,
ment against the kingdom of The pride spoken of in Obadiah bled Himself and gave Himself for Amplified Version, featuring
Edom, which was formed by the 1:3 says, "Who can bring me you. notes and commentary by Joyce
descendants of Easu. down…?" This kind of pride says, I hope the message of Obadiah Meyer, Faith Words, 2006].
The Edomites were strong people "I am better than you; I am smarter
who were enemies of God's than you. My opinion matters;
people Israel, just as their foun- yours does not. Everything I do is
der, Esau, had been opposed to better."
his brother, the Israelite patriarch, Did you know that "me, myself,
Jacob. and I" are the greatest problems
The rivalry between the two we have? We spend our time and
brothers extended to their des- energy admiring ourselves and
cendants, and the Edomites simply being full of ourselves,
seemed to take great pleasure in when in reality we are supposed
invading and plundering Jerusa- to be full of God and empty of
lem. ourselves - totally empty!
Simply put, the Edomites had a God can use only humble men
problem with pride, just as many and women. I have heard it said
nations and individuals do today. that it is yet to be seen what God
Obadiah declared God's warning can do through a man or a woman
of destruction to Edom, saying, who will give HIM all the glory.
"Behold, I will make you small Pride and love do not mix. Love is
among the nations [Edom]; you not proud and haughty. It is not
shall be despised exceedingly. boastful or conceited. It is not
[Ezekiel 35]. The pride of your puffed up. Love does not look
heart has deceived you, you down on others; it does not see
dweller in the refuges of the rock others as little and insignificant.
[Petra, Edom's capital], whose Because love values every
habitation is high, who says in his individual, everyone who comes