10/09/26
Obadiah 1:11 During the prophet’s vision, he heard the Lord say that Edom would be covered with shame because they were very cruel to their brother Jacob, and that they would suffer complete defeat. Then he heard the Lord tell the Edomites why: “In the day that you stood on the other side—in the day that strangers carried captive his [Jerusalem’s] forces, when foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem—Even you were as one of them.” In this verse, God condemns the nation of Edom for their cruel betrayal during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Instead of aiding their kindred nation of Israel, the Edomites stood idly by, passively watched foreign invaders loot the city, and actively participated in the plundering of their brother.
It all began when they “Stood on the other side.” This signifies a deliberate choice to remain indifferent; instead of acting as brothers to defend against a common enemy, they not only took delight in watching the spectacle, but they actively switched sides to join the Babylonians. This happened when “strangers carried away captive his forces…”: The Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem, taking the Judean army and citizens into exile after “they entered into his gates…”: This phrase highlights the invasion of God’s holy city and the desecration of the capital.
After that, the Babylonian troops “…cast lots upon Jerusalem…”: The conquering soldiers gambled on how to divide the spoils, pillage the city, and decide the fate of the captured refugees. What made it so devastating was that the Edomites acted as though they were “one of them“: This is the core indictment. Though Edom was not the primary invading force, their passive approval and complicity in dividing the spoils made them just as guilty as the Babylonians in the eyes of God
But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. (v. 12). Here, Obadiah condemns the nation of Edom for gloating, rejoicing, and speaking proudly over the destruction, misfortune, and distress of their brother nation, Judah. Had they forgotten that they descended from Esau, and Judah descended from Jacob—twin brothers. That’s why, because of this close family tie, Edom owed Judah loyalty, empathy, and protection. Celebrating or mocking Judah’s downfall violated basic kinship and human solidarity by betraying them when Jerusalem fell to Babylon around 586 BC.
Furthermore, Edom did not just passively observe; they gazed with satisfaction and pleasure as Judah became alienated and displaced, taking active emotional delight in Judah’s ruin and destruction. They spoke with scorn, boasting, and self-exaltation while Judah suffered. They learned that God judges not only open, violent acts of war, but also the secret and expressed malice of the heart.
What spiritual implications are found in these verses for believers? Believers can learn that indifference and gloating when others suffer are dangerous. Indifference is a Sin (The Sin of Omission). For believers, neutrality in the face of another person’s suffering is not safety; it is complicity. God holds us accountable not just for the bad things we actively do, but for the good things we choose not to do when we have the power to help. Believers must learn that indifference is a natural human temptation, a secret sense of satisfaction (schadenfreude) when someone we dislike, or someone who has wronged us, fails. However, God explicitly forbids gloating. True faith requires empathy, not rejoicing in someone else’s ruin. Believers should remember that they are called to a high standard of community and family care. We have a spiritual responsibility to protect, support, and stand up for our “brothers and sisters”—both our biological families and our global spiritual family. Watching someone else face hardship should humble us, not puff us up. It serves as a reminder of our own vulnerability and our absolute dependence on God’s grace.
