August 27, 2001, 2001 By JERRY FIGUEROA The Minor Prophet Obadiah: A Land Seeking Reconciliation It's all about relationships. The Apostle Paul was a man led by God who had the wisdom to live life in the many examples he gave to the Churches and the various leaders of his time. In his rousing letter to the Galatians, he gave the following warning: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." - Galatians 6:7 Paul was saying here what Obadiah, the minor prophet from around 586 B.C., simply said as, "As you have done, it shall be done unto you". For those of us with model behavior and good standing, we could expect blessings that were divinely sent. But for those who left bridges burning and constant glances over the shoulder for an impending stone, divine providence was bringing around a nice black eye. We see this thought plainly stated throughout the book of Obadiah, the shortest of the Old Testament books with only 21 verses. Error #1: I'm Good And I Know It "Me first and I'm the best, kick you in the shins and laugh at you on your way down." Nothing better to bring ourselves out of self-elevation than a nice serving of pride a la carte. God Himself gives a seething back hand to the pride the tribe of Edom had so generously sported: "The pride of your heart has deceived you. You who dwell in the clefts of the rock. Whose habitation is high; You say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?' Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down, says the Lord." - Obadiah 1:3,4 The entire book of this prophet chronicles the cost of pride, that which hinders us from establishing a lasting relationship with God and with our brother and sister. What To Do #1: Give God Praise The number 1 priority and purpose in our life is God. If we give Him the praise for our security and the wonderful successes we experience, then pride takes a backseat. What To Do #2: Ask God To Spotlight Pride Look to God to show you where you are deceived because of pride. Through true repentance we can receive reconciliation and restoration with God and our friends and family. Error #2: If You're Down I'm Hitting You Again The tribe of Edom had a real evil streak in them. It wasn't good enough that they plundered Jerusalem, during the Israelites escape out of town Edom stopped them and handed them over to the next enemy. Yet again, God had a prophetic word waiting as they were taking advantage: "For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; as you have done, it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head." - Obadiah 1:15 What To Do #3: Don't Judge Others Seeking to mend relationships means living a life of forgiving our brothers and sisters in Christ. God has promised to bless those who bless His people and curse those who curse them. Jesus said the following: "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." - Matthew 5:22a It's awesome and mesmerizing at the same time to see that God loves you and me so much as to say that not taking care of His people means not taking care to Him. Whether pushing God aside through pride or by stamping out our brother in meanness, God has a simple call to be prepared to explain our behavior. The Day of the Lord is coming and the kingdom will belong to Him! Jerry Figueroa is the co-executive producer of Inspired Christian.org and lives with his family in the heart of Silicon Valley in California. While he has never seeing a real movie star, the weather is as good as advertised and he loves it. More articles in our Minor Prophets Series How'd You Like This Article? Send your comments, staff@inspiredchristian.org. Home | Site News | Reviews | Churches | CyberReading | Bible College Copyright, Inspired Christian.org