Obadiah 1 - What Is Done To Others; Will Be Done To You

We won't be lingering many days studying Obadiah. It is the shortest book of the Old Testament with only one chapter containing twenty-one verses.

It is a prophecy concerning the fall of Edom (Esau) for not having his brother Israel's (Jacob) back when they were under siege. It was not that they, themselves, attacked. But, they stood by and did nothing as their brothers were taken into captivity.

"On the day you stood aloof
    while strangers carried off his wealth
and foreigners entered his gates
    and cast lots for Jerusalem,
    you were like one of them." (Obadiah 11 NIV)

Our sins encompass more than what we have done; but, what we have left undone, as well. How much of what we have done and left undone have led to our brothers' harm? And.. if you care not for your brother than consider Obadiah's prophecy:

“The day of the Lord is near
    for all nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you;
    your deeds will return upon your own head." (Obadiah 15)

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12)

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. BTW - today is the National Day of Thanksgiving in the U.S.. Do you have a neighbor who is alone, today? A family that cannot afford dinner? What will we do for them so that they are not so all alone? What will we leave undone? 
 

Jeremiah 11 - Do Unto Others...

Jeremiah continues to declare the word of the LORD. He continues to do what the LORD requires of him. He reminds the people of the covenant that God made with their ancestors. Live by the terms of the covenant, live by the law, and you will be blessed or turn your backs on the covenant and you will suffer the consequences. Jeremiah, was trying to save their lives. And for this, what did he receive in return? He received threats of persecution and even death if he did not stop prophesying, if he did not stop relaying God's word to the people.

Jeremiah calls on the LORD to protect him and his family. Now, what does this mean? In order to be protected from his enemies, from God's enemies, God will have to stop the enemy. That may not be such a pleasant thing for the enemies of God and His prophet. It may well mean that the very same thing that the enemies plan for Jeremiah will return to them. It may mean that it will be they and their own children who will die, not Jeremiah or his children.

Be very careful about what you pray for and what evil schemes you devise against others. I think of it on the lines of Jesus sending out the twelve to proclaim the Good News and telling them, "Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave.  As you enter the home, give it your greeting.  If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town" (Matt 10:11-15 NIV)

When my children were very young, as I tried to teach them to treat others fairly, this is one of the tactics I would use. I would tell them, "Do to others as you would have them do to you," (Luke 6:31; Matt 7:11) because what you do to others will be done to you. My mother use to put it to us this way when we were children and our plans against others or their plans against us backfired, "What goes around, comes around."

Taking all this into consideration, might it not be a better idea to welcome those who proclaim the good news rather than persecute them?  Just saying... :)

Have a blessed day... and may the peace of the LORD be with you all.  Pr. J