The Actions of a Nation

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God cares about how we treat each other. On a larger scale, God cares about how nations of people treat other nations. In the small book of Obadiah, God clearly addresses the wrongs of the Edomite nation toward the Israelites. When Babylon invaded Jerusalem, this nation stood by and did nothing while the Babylonians carried off the wealth of the Israelites (vs. 11). To add insult to injury, they also rejoiced in the destruction of the sons of Judah (vs. 12), joined in the looting (vs. 13), and imprisoned the survivors (vs. 14).  The Israelites were small in number compared to the force of the Babylonians, and Edom joined in with the most powerful group. The US is often called on to intervene in situations where smaller countries are being bullied or endangered by larger surrounding countries. As Christians, we need to stay informed about what goes on in the world around us, and we need to pray for our leaders to use wisdom in our interactions with other nations and to never place the US in a position of being a bully or taking advantage of the weakness of a small nation for our own gain. Obadiah gives a warning to all nations in verse 15: “For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will return on your own head.”  Those who walk in Edom’s shoes will find the road to be one that disappears under their feet—they will “become as if they had never existed” (vs. 16).  As Obadiah notes in verse 21, all the kingdoms are ultimately the Lord’s, and He is watching how we treat one another and will respond accordingly.

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