You have your Bibles turned to the book of Obadiah again tonight. I want to say I appreciate the Lord saving me and all that he's done for me. And we looked last week at what the nation of Edom, what they took pride in and what they presumed upon. They trusted in their own selves instead of in God. And I want to say I'm thankful for my country. I'm thankful for the men and women that have laid down their lives for our freedom. But the freedom and the success that we've had as a country ultimately has come from the Lord. And we thank the Lord for the liberty and the freedom that he has given us. But we thank him for the means that he has provided it through our military and through our leaders in the past. But tonight, this book isn't a jumping up and down, shouting book, but it is profitable for us as God's people, and especially the passage that we'll look at tonight, but I believe that it's very needful for us, especially as Christians, but tonight we're going to be looking at a tale of two brothers, And we're going to be looking at verses 10 through 14, Edom's violence against his brother. Edom's violence against his brother. And first of all, we've already looked at the first nine verses of this book and we've seen Edom's attitude, their pride, what they trusted in. their proud look as the Bible teaches that God hates. But here in the verses tonight, we'll see some specific actions of the Edomites that displease the Lord. And in verse 10, the Bible says, for thy violence against thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever. So we see that there was violence that had taken place between the nation of Edom and the nation of Israel. And this event that God gives us in the word of God, this is what put Edom over the top in the eyes of the Lord, the magnitude of their sin. And he gives the judgment here in verse 10, what they have done, the hatred that they have had for their brother, and this event that is recorded in the word of God here in these verses, he said, you know that you went past, you went past that point of no return. There's no room that I'm going to give you to repent of your sin, because you've had chances, you've had opportunities, we'll see that there was a perpetual hatred that the nation of Edom had against their brother nation, Israel. And so this judgment from God was irrevocable. He wasn't going to take it back. It was already a done deal in the mind and in the plan of God. Then in verse 11, we see, in the day that thou stoodest on the other side, In the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. So we see that here in verse 11 that the enemy came in to the nation of Israel. And what does the Bible say that Edom first done? They just stood by and they did nothing. They didn't step in as they should have. And strangers came in, enemy forces came in, and they cast lots. They said, well, what part of the city am I going to be able to loot and take from? And they just watched everything happen. And these things began to happen. And then verse 12, the Bible says, but thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger. Neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. So they looked at this Awful situation, and at first they were just standing by, not stepping in, but now it says that they began to look. And I believe that they began to look with a sinful curiosity what was happening and taking place here in Jerusalem, here among Judah. And they wanted to see what was going to happen. And then the Bible says that they saw all of the misfortune that was coming upon their brother nation, and they began to rejoice. They began to celebrate what was going on. Proverbs 24, 17, and 18 says, Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth, lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. No doubt they were enemies, but they were brothers. But Edom had turned against his brother. It goes on to say that Edom spoke proudly against Israel. It means to make the big mouth. They started to talk. They started to say things that they shouldn't have. Maybe they said, we've been waiting for this day to happen. We've been waiting for all of these things. We knew a day was coming when somebody, some nation would set Israel straight, whenever they would bring them down. Then verse 13, thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity. Yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. So not only did they, did they see these things happening and they didn't do anything. They just stood by. Remember in the story of the good Samaritan, that certain priest, he, he just went on the other side. He didn't do anything, but not only that, uh, he began to see how he could take advantage of the situation, how he, how he could even benefit from the misfortune of their brother. And so verse 14, not only that, but the Bible says, neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway to cut off those of his that did escape. Neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. So first of all, they were, uh, bystanders who, who, who would not, uh, lend a helping hand to their brother, but we see that they began to prevent those out of Judah that were trying to escape. And not only that, they join forces with their enemies. They just say, well, we're going to gang up against Israel with them and go against them. Remember the Lord, He said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not. Am I my brother's keeper? We know that Cain, he was not his brother's keeper, but he was his brother's killer. Same thing here we see in the book of Obadiah between Edom and, uh, and Jacob. But no matter who the enemy was, the Philistines, the Arabians, the powerful Babylonians, even if they knew, even if they joined forces with their brother, if all would be lost, if there was no chance, unless God intervened, that they would be victorious over these invaders, they still should have stood by their brother. They still should have lent their aid to Israel, to Judah. So that brings us to the time period whenever this was written. You know, especially on this part, I have to look at what other historians and Bible scholars have said. And there's a split as to the time period that they say that this prophecy was written. Many believe that this was right before or whenever the Babylonians entered into the southern kingdom of Judah in 586 BC. But others think that it could have been during Jehoram's reign. In the 800 BC's whenever the Philistines the Arabians and even Edom joined up with them to to rebel against Judah's authority over them but Even if this wasn't during Babylon, whenever the Babylonians came and invaded Jerusalem, still we see in Psalms 137 that the Edomites, that they encouraged Babylon. And in Psalms 137, the Bible says, by the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. Israel, they were known for their music and to be found as musicians. For they that carried us away captive required of us a song, and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion. But they said, How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Remember, O Lord, This is Israel asking the Lord in prayer to remember the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said, race it, race it, even to the foundation thereof. The Edomites, they were encouraging the Babylonians to lay it waste, to make it bare, to bring the city down to its foundations. Verse 8, O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be. And this is what the Babylonians done to Israel that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. A sad portion of scripture, but we get an insight into what was happening. And even if Obadiah's prophecy was writing about this invasion of the Babylonians or not, the Edomites were still there encouraging, saying, go on, lay waste the city of Jerusalem. But the Bible teaches that there's a perpetual hatred between the Edomites and between the nation of Jacob, Israel. We know the beginning of it whenever Jacob, whenever he schemed and plotted that Esau would sell his birthright to him. We read that in the first week. But in Genesis 27 and 41 the Bible says, And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father, speaking of Isaac, are at hand. Then will I slay my brother Jacob. So during this time Esau, he was bent on killing, on murdering his brother. And then 20 years later, we know in Genesis 33 and 4, we read of that beautiful scene where Esau and Jacob, where they finally meet again. But the Bible says, and Esau ran to meet him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept. But we know from the Bible that these friendly relations between the two, they didn't last for too long. But the Bible teaches throughout time and throughout their history, there developed a perpetual hatred between these two. And Numbers 20 and 14 through 22, it speaks of whenever the children of Israel have come out of Egypt, and they have been in Egypt for 430 years, And they are coming out, and in Numbers 20, verse 14, the Bible says, And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom. Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us, how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers. And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt. And behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border. Let us pass. They just wanted to go through. I pray thee, through thy country, we will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells. trample on your fields. We're not going to take any of your resources. We will go by the King's Highway. We will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed by, passed thy borders. And Edom said unto him, thou shalt not pass by me. lest I come out against thee with the sword.' And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the highway, and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it. I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people and with a strong hand. Thus, Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border. Wherefore, Israel turned away from him. So even whenever they had just came out of Egypt, Edom still didn't have pity upon their brother, still didn't help them. Do you, do you need anything? Can we help you along your way? Can we be a blessing to you? But we find the opposite. They turned their shoulder that they did not extend any generosity or hospitality to their brother. Um, and then Ezekiel 35. sake of time, in verse 5 the Bible says, Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end, Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee. Seeth thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. And he's speaking against Mount Sierre, and God is speaking of their perpetual hatred that they had against his people. And in Amos chapter 1 and verse 11, thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pity and his anger did tear perpetually and he kept his wrath forever. So the Bible teaches in several places of, of this perpetual hatred. And although God brought judgment upon them, uh, during this time, and eventually he did bring annihilation to, to this nation of Edom. Um, we know that the Edomites in their history, that they never changed. We know that they were pushed away, they were pushed to their outer borders. We spoke of this last week, they settled in the country of Ajumia and this is where the Herods came out of. They were Ajumians and we know of Herod the Great who slaughtered all of the babies that were two years old and younger whenever Christ was born. We know of Herod Antipas who beheaded John the Baptist. Just the other week we studied about Herod Agrippa, the first who killed James and imprisoned Peter. I mean, these people, they never changed. And God knew that they had a perpetual hatred and that they would always be against their brother. But verse 10 says, For thy violence against thy brother Jacob's shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever. So these are some very Some very, uh, appalling actions that the Edomites done towards, towards this other nation, Israel, but to beat it at all, this wasn't just some other neighbor and nation. This wasn't some other nation that they had had conflict with over time, but this was their brother. They had a blood relationship with them. No, the Bible tells us that we are to love our, even to love our enemies. Well, how much more our own brother and our own flesh and blood and in Deuteronomy 23, seven. God was giving them further instruction whenever they were going into the land of Canaan. Thou shalt not abhor the Edomite, for he is thy brother. Thou shalt not abhor the Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land. So even though there was that perpetual hatred of Edom to Israel, God said, you're not to hate your own brother. Even though they might have a strong hatred against you, you are to love them. You are to treat them as your brother. And you know, on top of that, they were not only Edom's brother and their relatives, but they were also God's covenant people. We already spoke of this. God told Abraham, and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curse thee. And in these shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And we know whenever Isaac was blessing Jacob, he told him the same things. But we see that Edomites were without a natural affection to their brother. They were without a natural affection. Naturally, you would think that two brothers should love each other. They might not be best friends. They might not get along as great as they do maybe with others, but they should love each other deep down and bottom line their family. They'll stick together. But you know, the Bible speaks in Romans chapter one about those that are given over to a reprobate mind who are without natural affection. And then Paul goes on to say in 2 Timothy 3 and verse 1, This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. And we are living in the last days today. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of God, but denying the power thereof, from such, turn away." So we see that the Edomites, they were without a natural affection. And Paul says, doth not even nature itself teach you? And he was saying that it's a shame for a man to have long hair. There are some things, even if a person does not know the teachings of the scripture should know just simply by nature should know by their conscience should know, uh, by natural means. But Paul said in the last days, they're, they're going to be, there's going to raise up a generation. There's going to raise, be raised up those who have, uh, who are without natural affection. You know, in the Bible, God speaks much about relationships, about families, about how we are to deal with others, about our roles within certain relationships, because I believe that relationships are important to God. And he has laid down the standards and the guidelines for relationships in life. That we as God's children would please Him in our relationships. That we wouldn't bring reproach upon His name. And even those who are without natural affection, God still has a witness. God still has a standard in the dark day in which we live. This is how it should be. Not from our opinions, because we're conservatives, but what thus saith the Lord. This is what God says about relationships. And the way that we make our relationships, the way that we maintain our relationships, especially as Christians, it can bring honor to God, or they bring dishonor to God. And you think about all the teaching in the Bible, the old Testament and the new Testament, there's a lot of teaching about relationships in life. First of all, marriage, the definition and the duration. Jesus said, have you not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female? And said, for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore, they are no more twain but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. So we see the definition, a man and a woman together, for the entirety of their lives. And that's how God has set it up. But not only that, but we see the roles in the household that are ordained by God. Husbands are to love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. There ought to be that sacrificial love that is expressed from a husband to his wife. Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them. It speaks about Providing for your own, and especially for those in your own house, he hath denied the faith and is worth than an infidel who doesn't provide for his own house, is what the Bible teaches. Says to train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. tells the wives to submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. And the young women should be taught to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. That the world doesn't see the way that we treat others in our marital relationships in our in our households in our families in our churches that the world at the lost people's see these things and see us fighting and disorder amongst us and say well if if they serve God and and that's how they are then I don't need it that's worth nothing to me that'll bring bring dishonor upon the name of the Lord and We're taught these things in the Word of God. We would think that in the Bible it shouldn't be that, you know, women should be taught to love their husbands, to love their children, but it's a standard in God's Word what's right. And we think about the world in which we live, a world without natural affection in which two men think that they can marry and live together as a man and a woman are married and live together. We live in a world where mothers don't have a natural affection for their children, that they will put them in a dumpster so they can go to a party. We're without natural affection that we care more about some endangered species than that millions of babies are being aborted. And if we're not making enough money off of that, let's sell their body parts. Let's do those things. People are without natural affection. We are to honor and care for the elderly. The Bible says, Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, or the gray-headed person, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God. I am the Lord. It tells us that we're supposed to support widows. But if they're in your family, you ought to do all you can for them first. Jesus, he had to rebuke those Jews in his day that wouldn't take care of their aging parents. They would say, well, this money right here, it's Corbin. It's a gift that I've dedicated to the Lord. I would help him out, but I've already set this aside. He said that was wicked, and that was sinful. And I've seen. My family take care of my grandparents, and I see my wife's family taking care of their grandparents and parents as they age. And it's hard to see, and it's hard to witness the people that have helped raise you and have been a blessing to you and that you have so many fond memories just go downhill. But what a blessing it is just to be able to do right by them in their last years. whenever they've helped you out so much. And it's only right and it's only fitting, it's only natural that you would turn around and help them whenever they have need and whenever you're able to do for them what they've done for you. But we see that just the awfulness of a family feud that took place between these two nations. And I'm sure there are some, maybe not in your immediate family, but there are people here tonight that there are some real family feuds in your families, that there's some fighting within your family, maybe extended family. There's something that's happened in the past that might be unspoken, but during the holidays, during Thanksgiving, during Christmas, during special occasions, It's on everybody's mind. It's the elephant in the room. A certain part of the family, they say, well, we'll come if this other side won't come, or we'll come if we don't have to talk or be with them. You can't sit them side by side for Thanksgiving. I mean, we all know situations like that. Maybe it started a long time ago, and what it was about, it really doesn't matter anymore. What happened between Jacob and Esau, it happened centuries before this, but there was never that forgiveness, there was never that reconciliation between the two brothers. And that just goes to show you, even children, even young adults here tonight, that you might have something between maybe one of your siblings That's dangerous if you let jealousy and bitterness and rivalry get in between families, get in between your brothers and your sisters, even in your natural home, because that can perpetuate, just like these, this situation. And as Christians, I would encourage you to be a minister of reconciliation in your home or your family. Maybe there's something left undone on your part. Maybe like the Edomites' pride has gotten in your way from just saying, you know, I'm sorry for what I've done. I want you to forgive me. But I think either way, Christians, we ought to initiate the process of asking for forgiveness, of making things right. You say, well, I don't think that I could ever forgive them for what they've done. Well, the Bible says, grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed into the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and all evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Say, I don't know if I can forgive them for what they've done to me, to my parents, to my family. What they've said, what they've done, or what they've not done. Well, think about Jesus. You've done Him far worse than what they've done you, but yet He's forgiven us all of our sins that have come to Him in faith and in repentance. Did Christ not forgive us all of our sins? If He didn't forgive me all of my sins, then I'm lost tonight, but I'm thankful that He forgives all sin. And don't think about settling the score. God, He keeps a perfect record, and He says that vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. If there's anything unsettled, He can settle it, and He will settle it. Bible teaches us that we can't even worship whenever we're at odds with our brother. Jesus, he taught that in the Gospels. But what about your spiritual family? What about those that we weren't born in the family naturally, but we still have a blood covenant with them because they are God's children as well? in our natural families or in our spiritual family and and i'll be honest i have i see my church family more than i see some of my my natural family i have uh... i have a deeper fellowship with my church family with my spiritual family that that i do with some of my natural family i mean we see each other more than uh... or i do i see you guys more than uh... a lot of my natural family But have we ever played the part of an Edomite in our natural or our spiritual family? Have we ever seen our brother in trouble, but yet we've turned our back on him? Have we ever seen him begin to fall and yet we could have intervened and helped? We could have been a blessing to him and to restore him, but we did not. Have we tried to take advantage of the situation? In the relationships in your life, especially Christian, is there any area, any relationship that you ought to seek, that you ought to initiate, that you ought to look for reconciliation? Are you at odds with maybe a brother or sister in Christ in this church? Or maybe not in this church, maybe another brother or sister in Christ? Or are you at odds with them? Should you make it right? We see what it can continue on and what can happen if we don't take care of it as as the Bible teaches. But I appreciate your time tonight.