 Welcome to all my God ministries. I am your host Anita Morris, and I'm just gonna go into prayer and we are going to talk about Evils that our neighbor or our relatives put upon us and sometimes it can also bring What do you call it judgment upon ourselves? by God when we see our neighbor or we see our Relatives suffering, and then we laugh and mock them. So we're gonna look at the Old Testament of Obadiah And so let's go into prayer Heavenly Father, we thank you We thank you father for the joy of the Lord being our strength. We thank you Lord God that we don't have to gloat or Either celebrate people's misery. That's not what you declare for us. That's not what you desire for us But Lord God we pray for our enemies. You said to do good to love mercy and to do justice and So help us to be the humankind which you call us to do and to be in this earth To exhibit your righteousness your justice in the earth and Jesus name. Thank God. Amen I'm gonna read the background of Obadiah and Obadiah It's It's called Historically the background to the book of old Obadiah is the second force migration of Exile from Judah in 587 BC during this time never could desert the commander of charge of Babylonian army had a tap seized and Burned the palace the temple and all major edifices in Jerusalem Judah had been annexed 10 years earlier and 597 BC When Joachim relinquished his throne and was taken to Babylon along with a first wave of Judean royal officials elites priests and other noble skilled workers for Babylonian economic gain So they were farced forced into exile For to enhance the gain of the Babylonian Empire The second displacement of Judeans to Babylon was a further Devastation of a blow to the Basel nation that was already broken. So It devastated them again So a second blow to add it to that painful fracture the Edomites Geographical neighbor and related by blood as the sentence of Esau if you're familiar with Jacob and Esau they were twin brothers one came out Before the other okay, which was Esau the hearing one and Jacob came out second But they were twins at birth and one was favored Above the other line, which was Jacob was favored by his mother the matriarch, but Esau was favored by the father By of course Isaac Okay, so Esau sold his birthrights his lifeline for a morsel of bread and stew for provision for food Okay, and lo and behold that devastated how he would encounter His his way of life Okay, some decisions are consequential sends and which devastates his harmony in his life to sell his birthright for something that's temporary To fulfill a quick hunger instead of having patience in the end So his relative in the book of Obadiah. It's talking about that same nation of descendants of Esau Esau who is showing disdain and striking a really bad blow at their relatives Judah and the Israelites because of Their destruction their exile To the Babylonian so when people are mocking you your relatives are mocking you because you are already Showing some kind of suffering, but they are taking joy in celebrating your suffering During that time that you're suffering that is a evil in God's eyes Okay, and that's what Obadiah is exclaiming and the book of Obadiah of the Old Testament. Okay, so Esau Okay, and the that they cut off the men and women and children fleeing from their lives by handing them over to the Babylonians so the Esau the descendants of Esau, which is the end of idiomites not only Celebrate it their doom and destruction of the Babylonians, but they also Lended and gave out and Cut the men and women and their children who were fleeing for their lives that were seeking refuge and they gave them up just like some people Would attack people trying to cross the borders, but they gave them up to the Babylonians and did not seek to provide Relief and This book of Obadiah the shortest book in the Old Testament speaks volumes about betrayal and the desire for revenge against a neighbor One's own brother Okay, a relative a Neighbor or relatives ill action Becomes a source for a curse According to the psalm 137 7 through 9 the motive of Maldiction against the Edomites has a unique role in the Hebrew Bible and limitations in Ezekiel Joel or Joel Amos Malachi all share this same exact unique role how the Edomites celebrated the suffering of their relatives Okay, instead of praying for them instead of providing relief They harmed them and salted them in and that took another devastating blow It says the atrocious atrocious or atrocious atrocity Actions of one's enemy is understood. However being trapped deceived and plundered by a neighbor or relative is a very different situation it hurts even more the Fact that one neighbor has turned away from another neighbor relative Has turned against relative is seen as something that requires more than the standard reprimand Throughout the 21 verses of Obadiah has 21 verses Issues of betrayal and desire for vengeance cut across the text So do you see where we're at in the context of our society if you see betrayals distrust you're working with somebody or you're a part of our organization and they're just cutthroat You know it's supposed to be uniformity or some kind of cohesive teams and there are Seeking vengeance seeking their doom or Committing malice or just betraying one another and it just cut at the heart and God does not like that It says we know that families and Religious communities Should be amongst the last place that exhibit this betrayal of vengeance patterns Okay, but ironically where neighbors and sisters and brothers gather We witness these traits. It's holiday season. Sometimes you might be among family siblings who? Have this trait of animosity jealousy strife Confusion wickedness going on. Okay, and God is angered by it. Okay, and it says the breeder or who authored this particular Article his name is John J. Han. He is a Korean native. Okay, and he shows that He is of a Korean American descent and a third generation Christian He tells his story his maternal grandmother was one of the first women To be educated by missionaries from the United States For her generation Education was generally only for men and boys She once noted that she was both grateful and embarrassed by To be literate Okay, she grew up in what we now call North Korea After hearing and embracing the gospel. She was baptized Trained and became an itinerant preacher. She went on From village to village sharing the gospel But for her in-laws and others in her immediate community She was betraying the tradition or traditional religions of ancient Korea She was ostracized Ostracized by her own family when her husband died She was seen as the source of his death She was left with nothing except her two children Her escape to the South Korea is A modern-day tale like that of Harriet Tubman The Underground Railroad who was an abolitionist to the Underground Railroad refugees seeking To be freed from slavery She and her children escape by hiding by day and Traveling on foot at night similar stories and African-American tradition native American tradition Korean tradition and even probably you can see in the Jew tradition as well as we read in the Old Testament And also when you see people who are trying to leave atrocities or genocide of such or or Places even now who are seeking refuge in the United States but being blocked and Some people who are relatives such as Mexican to our American Mexican American who have Native land or have family in native Mexico They might be You know mocking each other. I don't know their intimate family or their Situation at home, but God is not pleased when we start mocking that we have the upper hand and they don't but we need to pray and seek out the The benefit for the whole and seek out their best interest Which the Edomites did not do for the Israelites and Furthermore, he continues. He says North Koreans and South Koreans are brothers and sisters however Betrayal in the persistent desire for revenge or the threat of judgment and war is Constantly at bay Both North and South Koreans see themselves as victim and the other as aggressor like Edom Sometimes we see that on the world news North Korea South Korea we just saw recently in a couple of months back that It was a landmark of our historic moment when President and Trump and Was available to see the deep militarized zone comes together North Korea South Korea who Came and brought unit here at that moment and But however, we do know like he mentioned there's always a possible threat of the two Related nations at war with each other with warriors on each side and North ready to Begin pillage and it reads as far as The Obadiah is concerned. He was so much concerned with their relevancy how the Edomites treated Their relatives and neighbor. Okay, so going on to reading and verse one The vision of Obadiah, this is not my vision But this is a vision of the minor prophet Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God Concerning Edom We have heard a report from the the Lord Do you ever receive a report card as children when we receive the report card? We wanted to have all A's all approvals all excellence all A's and B's and we didn't want C's and D's but Imagine this as a report God report card. God is given a nation and God is given a report card For Obadiah to proclaim to the Edomites So here's your report card nation of Edom or say here's your report card nation of such-and-such Okay, it can be whoever to be United States. It can be North Korea could be South Korea could be any nation that's seeking out harm to exploit and to bring harm to another nation for their own benefit and use and to not help and seek out their welfare of Their allies and friends or relatives. Okay, and that's exploitation. Okay, it Says this says the Lord God concerning Edom. We have heard a report from the Lord and a messenger has been sent among the nations Rise up Let us rise against it for battle. I will surely make you least among the nations You shall be utterly despised your proud heart has deceived you Your proud heart has deceived you you that live in the clefts of the rock Who's dwelling in and Who's dwelling is in the heights so that's really high and lofty high and lifted up You say in your heart who will bring me down to the ground who's capable of Bringing me down to the ground Though you soar aloft like it's the eagle Okay, you are soaring you are thriving. Oh nation though your nest is set among the stars From there I will bring you down says the Lord if thieves came to you if plunder is by night How You have been destroyed. So if they come to you by night, would you not be destroyed? Would they not still only what they wanted? It's a rhetoric. Yes, they will If great gathers came to you would they not leave gleaning? Yes, they will How he saw has been a pellet his treasures searched out All your allies have deceived you They have driven you to the border Your Confederates have prevailed against you those who ate your bread have set a trap for you There is no understanding of it on That day says the Lord I will destroy the wise out of Edom and understanding out of Mount Esau Your warriors shall be shattered. Oh Timon so that everyone from Mount Esau Will be cut off for the slaughter and Violence done to your brother Jacob So this is why there's the reason reasoning of God. There's the motive for the slaughter And violence done to your brother your relative Jacob You remember Jacob, right? Remember has we talked in the beginning as regarding Esau and Jacob? they were twin brothers and Esau did not want to bring relief to Jacob his descendants But continued to cover them and slaughter and violence and shame So God has declared in verse 10 of Obadiah for the slaughter and violence done to your brother Jacob Shame shall cover you and you shall be cut off forever Have you ever been in a situation where you are around your family members and that? people are mocking you and shaming you and they are Take joy in your calamity. They take joy as an expression Oh, that's what hit he needs to go through or that's what she needs to go through to humble herself God doesn't need to destroy somebody's goods or take everything they have to humble somebody Okay, that is also to testify of your faith and your actions to show compassion as well It says on the day that you stood aside on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and Foreigners entered his gates and cast locks for Jerusalem you too Were like one of them you were a mocker like the enemies of Jacob But you should not have bloated over your brother on the day of his misfortune You should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah of the south on the day of their ruin You should not have boasted on the day of distress You should not have entered the gate of my people as to give them away Okay, on the day of the calamity. You should not have joined and gloating over Judas disaster Okay, and joining forces with gloating over people's disasters You should not have looted his goods as What he said as an enemy come in at the night and you still in all their Spoils or their gleaning's You should not have done that on the day of their calamity of their storm Just like some preachers say weep and may endure for a night for a moment But joy comes in the morning Buy and buy but in the morning and sometimes people think it's a literal sense But sometimes it might be not next week. It might be six years from now But when God has restored you God is also looking at the ones who We're declaring your doom who were inciting your pain who also offered up negative Thoughts and actions and words and heat climate calamity added to your Situation and God said you should not have done that You should not have stood at the crossings to cut off his wreck his his fugitives Who were seeking relief? You should not have handed over his survivors on the day of distress For the day of the Lord is near against all the nations as you have done. It shall be done to you Isn't that something give as You should good measures pressed down shaking over running over shall people give unto your measures It says with the same measure you give That shall be returned to you with the same measures you meet it shall be returned to you So some people say you read what you saw if you're given in a good spirit in of good Compassionate and also are showing out for showing up for justice and to speak truth and to continue to show forth in action Love and grace and providing for the poor and in doing what you need to do and And showing examples how to help and not hinder You're doing the work of a soldier and God's army it says For the day of the Lord is near against all the nations as you have done It shall be done to you your deeds shall return on your own head So you don't have to seek revenge is sometimes people dig a pit for you to fall in and saying well They're gonna just you know, let them phosphor on and but they don't know the faith And you'll walk with God They don't know your fruit and your character that is with God that you're operating in integrity And have an upright spirit to do what is right all the time as a lifestyle and so those persons who are envy and jealousies and Don't want you to get ahead and and seeking in and setting rule blocks in front of you God is declaring said don't worry about that the deeds that they're shown will fall on their own head But as you have drunk on my holy mountain, this is what God is saying to iso The descendants of iso the edomites But as the edomites drunk drunk on my holy mountain all the nations around you Shall drink their shade they shall drink and gulp down It's just like gulping down bitterness and shall be as though they had never been But on mount Zion there shall be those that escape And it shall be holy And the house of jaco Shall take possession of those who dispose them those who dispose them who took them out who who showed Calamity that to them okay Jacob shall possess their land the house of Jacob shall be a fire Okay, amen and the house of joseph a flame that is shining brightly okay And the house of iso a stubble meaning to ruin it is not Driven it is not prevailing but it's to its ruin as a stubble They shall burn them and consume them and there shall be no survivor of the house of iso That's the judgment that god declared in the old testament Of the edomites in the old testament of obadiah For the lord has spoken Those of the negab shall possess mount isa and those of Shepullah the land of phyllis signs And they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of samaria As they started dividing or conquested the land you can see the divisions of land Benjamin shall possess galeag or galeag the exiles of israelites who are in heila shall possess Phoenicia as far as zaraphath And the exiles of jerusalem who are in and seprar Shall possess the towns of nebgat Those who have been saved shall go up to mount zion That means god's holy city All those who are of the faith shall go up to mount zion To rule mount isa So we shall the house of faith shall take possession and to rule the edomites Even in and it says in the kingdom shall be the lords It doesn't belong to anyone the earth is the lords and the fullness thereof and they that dwell therein and that ends obadiah from 1 to verse 21 and god mentions mount zion Those who are saved shall rule Mount isa and the kingdom Shall be the lords so in the end it's the lords and the beginning is the lords Because god is from the beginning from the end from the end from the beginning He declared us to create and bring him praise for his create created Praise so he created us to give him glory Amen and show what the works of the lord. Amen And this verse in obadiah 11 through 14 That brief moment when you should not have done this you should not have entered the gate of my people You should not have gloated over their calamity. You should not have looted their goods From the 11 through 14 of that brief prophecy of obadiah Our powerful evocative of a firsthand account of tragedy 10 times and four verses 10 times 10 times And four verses edam is castigated for their role in the fall of juda and jerusalem Although they didn't bring calamity because it was the Babylonians But they incited they continued to mock them and they continued to gloat over them They continued to to show and loot over their goods and they continued to To stand in the crossing of their fugitive and did not allow their survivors to go free They said It reads tiny edam Does not compare and military might to the Great amount of army of Babylon yet. They are equally culpable responsible Edam is guilty for celebrating the demise of their relative jerusalem or jacob participating in looting the city And preventing judean fugitives from escapement carnage Verse 14 also evokes memories of the immediate aftermath of hurricane katrina When those fleeing from the carnage of the storm were turned back from safety at gunpoint This happened to a united states history Where people were fleeing and they were held Against their own will at gunpoint Someone was blocking for them to go to safety And says you shouldn't have stood at the crossing to cut the fugitives So you know where we are as a nation, you know where we are as people You know where you are in your walk with god to show Mercy to do good And to show justice. That's what god requires of all of us and our individual lives And our corporate lives and our community lives and our nation and throughout the world And may you be a safe haven may i be a safe haven For those who need comfort those who need a word of the lord those who need understanding May you continue to be a blessing And during the season May the meditation of our hearts and the words of our mouth be acceptable and god's sight May we use our hands and our feet Not to prevent people For seeking liberty for seeking advancement to go higher and to get educated and to go further in their holistic lives And let us not be envy And let us not grow weary and doing well this holiday season Bless you and god keep you and be faithful to him because he is faithful to us Because he first loved us we didn't love god first, but he first loved us And that's why we love him To god be all the glory bless you and god's peace be with you Shalom peace be with you. Amen