The people of Edom, Esau’s descendants, have turned away from God and from their connections with their relatives - the tribes of Israel. They have disregarded God’s best for them, and have ended up affiliating with those that have persecuted their kin. Therefore God has decreed what will happen to them, not just because of this cruelty but also because of their pride and self-confidence. This is how their downfall will occur;
7 All your allies have driven you to your border; those at peace with you have deceived you; they have prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you — you have no understanding.
Obadiah v 7
How terrible it is when those we love, care for, connect with and generally do life with let us down. That is bad enough, but what about when those you trust in and share life with actually lead to your downfall? That is what God says will happen to the Edomites. Those closest to them will transform from friends to enemies. The people that should have come to their aid will aid their destruction. The Edomites were so confident and assured in the relationships they had built up with others, feeling secure, safe and comfortable. They believed they had mutually respectful relationships with those around them, that they had built trusting alliances. Yet they were about to be betrayed. Just like the Edom had done to the Israel. As they had betrayed their family, they too were heading for being ensnared by those they treated as family.
How you treat others matters.
We see this from this episode in the Old Testament, through all the rules and regulations set out by God, and into the New Testament. Jesus teaches into it; ‘whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets’ (Matthew 7:12). In Luke 6:31 it is put this way, ‘as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them’. Both of these verses show that how you treat others matters. Firstly, because if you treat others as you want to be treated, then you are fulfilling the will of God! That’s a pretty big thing if you have chosen to live life following Him! The simple act of treating others well, with kindness and consideration, as you would wish to be treated, is actually fulfilling God’s wishes - isn’t that a wonderful thing?! Jesus shows in these words that the rules and regulations have been about showing love, care, and justice to fellow man - treating others as you’d like to be treated, simple. So, if you are not sure what God wants you to do in life - start with that - treat others how you want to be treated, by doing so you'll be fulfilling the will of God!
How you treat others, even sometimes despite how they treat you, shows which kingdom you are a part of. It is not always easy, and we have times when we do not feel like it and there are people that you probably think don't deserve kind treatment, but the standard of Jesus is still the same - treat them as you would like to be treated. This is what Jesus says the Law and the Prophets have been guiding us towards, so would you break the laws of the land just because you don't want to keep them? Or because you think it is hard? Probably not, the same is true here. Will you neglect to fulfil the wishes of God because someone else is annoying, difficult, different, even wicked? You get to choose which kingdom you are a part of by how you behave towards others. The kingdom of God teaches that how you treat others matters, and you can build and demonstrate His kingdom when you treat others well. Which kingdom do you display by how you manage your relationships - The kingdom of God or of the World?
How you treat others matters.
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