Edom's Pride, Our Hide
Brian R. Kenyon

Arrogant pride kills! The wise man said, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Pr. 16:18). The little Old Testament Book of Obadiah concerns the ancient people of Edom and the reason for their judgment. The Edomites were descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:1-17; Deut. 2:4-5), and are seen throughout the history of God's people, from their refusal to allow Israel passage in the wilderness wanderings (Num. 20:14-21) to the Herods of the Roman Empire, who descended from Edom. Edom, also known as Seir (Gen. 32:3), was located south and east of the Dead Sea. The region was rocky and mountainous; thus, it was a very strategic location. Because of their physical situation, the Edomites thought they were invincible and had no need of God. When we follow their example of pride, God will also have our hide!

Pride Blinds And Deceives

When people are lifted up in pride they tend to think of themselves more highly than they ought. This is precisely exemplified by the Edomites. First, Edom thought she was exalted, but in reality God would bring her down. "Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised" (Ob. 2, NKJ). The Lord revealed that the Edomites would decrease in value among the nations and in their own sight as God brought about their end. This judgment was coming because of Edom's attitude: "The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, Who will bring me down to the ground?" (Ob. 3). Because Edom was physically secure (or so they thought), their heart deceived them into thinking they were invincible and in no need of God. God, however, was still greater than their pride. "Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down, says the LORD" (Ob. 4). Obviously, the language here is figurative, based upon their mountainous strongholds, which, of course, were no match for God!

Second, Edom thought her valuables were secure, but in reality God had searched them out for destruction. "If thieves had come to you, If robbers by night-Oh, how you will be cut off!-Would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape-gatherers had come to you, Would they not have left some gleanings?" (Ob. 5). The point the Lord was making is that even when thieves come and steal and grape-gatherers harvest fruit, they always at least left something behind. Not so, however, with Edom: "Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after!" (Ob. 6). There was no hiding place from God (Jer. 23:24).

Third, Edom thought she had allies, but in reality God would turn them against her. "All the men in your confederacy [of your allies, RSV] Shall force you to the border; The men at peace with you Shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it" (Ob. 7). The allies she thought she could trust, like her own heart, deceived her (cf. Jer. 38:22). Edom would be left wondering how this could have happened.

Fourth, Edom thought she could trust in her wise and mighty men, but in reality God would destroy them. "Will I not in that day, says the LORD, Even destroy the wise men from Edom, And understanding from the mountains of Esau? 9Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau May be cut off by slaughter" (Ob. 8-9). Edom was known for her wise men (1 Kgs. 4:30-31; Job 2:11; Jer. 49:7). "Teman" was the southern most of Edom's chief cities. However, when the Lord brings judgment upon the arrogant, no worldly wise man can thwart it (1 Cor. 1:19-20).

Pride Leads To Violence And Wrong Doing

When an arrogant people are so deceived by pride that they have no need for God, mistreatment of their fellow human beings is only a small step away. Thus, God declared against Edom, "For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever" (Ob. 10). "Violence" is a strong word that indicates violent force against someone who is already suffering. The object of their violence was Jacob, "your brother" (cf. Gen. 25:19-34; 27:1-28:9, 33). Edom numbered herself among the looting enemies of Jerusalem: "In the day that you stood on the other side-In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem-Even you were as one of them" (Ob. 9).

In Obadiah 12-14, note the phrase, "should not." Eight different activities are mentioned that they "should not" have done. "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. 13You should not have entered the gate of My people In the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction In the day of their calamity, Nor laid hands on their substance In the day of their calamity. 14You should not have stood at the crossroads To cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress." Arrogance will cause us to mistreat our fellow man, though we may be so deceived as to not realize it!

Pride Will Reap What It Has Sown

"For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. 16For as you drank on my holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been" (Ob. 15-16). What goes around will come around! "The day of the LORD" is when God manifests Himself in the defeat of His enemies (cf. Amos 5:18-20). To the faithful, it is a day of deliverance (Lk. 21:28). As Edom and the nations did violence upon God's "holy mountain," God's wrath would be upon them continually as they drink from the cup of His wrath (cf. Isa. 51:17; Jer. 49:12). We must learn the lesson of Edom's arrogance, and heed Paul's admonition: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Gal. 6:7). We must not trust worldly things, no matter how safe they seem. Arrogance results, then deceives, and finally takes us down a path of no return. Let us not allow Edom's pride to be our hide!