Day 182 (Obadiah 1, Psalm 82-83) - Year 4
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Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we finished our 17th book of the Bible, and we're halfway through our reading plan. And you completed another page in your journal calendar or your printout calendar, if you're following along with the printed version from our website. Can you believe it?

Before we launch into Obadiah, I want to point out that this possibly could be out of chronological order. No one knows when Obadiah was written, and estimates range from 850 BC, which is approximately where we are in the story, to 400 BC. Obviously, the good people at Blue Letter Bible who put this reading plan together lean more toward the earlier end, 850 BC, which is why they put it here.

This would connect it to a few events we just read about. First, the instance where Egypt invades Jerusalem in 2 Chronicles 12. Then, Edom's revolt against King Jehoram in Judah, which we read about yesterday in 2 Chronicles 21. That's the part I told you would be important in today's reading. Meanwhile, back in Obadiah...

We see some enemies come in to take over Jerusalem, which is the capital city in the southern kingdom of Judah. And Obadiah the prophet rebukes the people of Edom for it. Why? Let's refresh our memory on Edom. Edom is the name of the people descended from Esau. And Esau is the twin brother of Jacob Israel, the father of the twelve tribes. So the Edomites are the closest relatives of all the twelve tribes.

But you may remember that there was a lot of family drama. One day when he was hungry, Esau, the father of the people of Edom, sold his birthright to his twin brother Jacob in exchange for a bowl of stew. Then, years later, Jacob tricked Esau out of the only thing he had left, his father's blessing. If you want a refresher on all this, you can go back and read about it in Genesis 25-28 or listen to episodes 20 and 21.

Years later, the brothers make amends and begin to act amicably toward each other, but there's always been a lingering tension between these two people groups. They actually live next door to each other, which means they aren't just the closest relatives of the twelve tribes, but they're also the closest neighbors of Judah. So when Jerusalem is invaded, Edom is expected to come to their aid. Instead, they not only don't help, but they add to the oppression the enemy nations inflict on Judah.

God says it's because Edom is prideful that they didn't help Judah. Verse 11 says, God says their passivity is just as bad as if they'd personally wielded the sword against Jerusalem.

And some people believe they did wield the sword against Jerusalem, because verses 12 through 14 list eight things that God is telling Edom not to do to Judah. Do not gloat over his disaster. Do not loot his wealth. Do not hand over his survivors. And it seems like they're things Edom actually might have done, either in the moment or in the past. Either way, Edom is not the kind of neighbor and relative you want.

Then Obadiah says something that has both immediate application and long-term implications. He says,

That phrase, the day of the Lord, encompasses both a general idea of a day when God will work out justice in a particular scenario, as well as an ultimate, final day when God will do that. In the Old Testament, it's typically referring to the more immediate scenario, and in the New Testament, it's typically referring to the final scenario, the day when Jesus will bring justice and free the world of corruption and evil through both judgment and restoration.

We're including a short video about the Day of the Lord that we think will be helpful in understanding what this term means on a deeper level. Check that out in today's show notes if you have six minutes to spare and are interested in learning more. In this more short-term scenario, God says justice will unfold like this. The land and the people of Edom will be devoured by the land and the people of Israel.

Then we move on to Psalm 82, which is a very odd personal psalm. It was likely written much earlier, but it fits well here, given it's about God's call to help the needy and oppressed, much like God calling Edom to come to Judah's aid. But there's some evidence throughout this song that Asaph is talking to God's divine enemies here, not humans.

In verses 6-7, either Asaph or God himself seems to be condemning them for the way they've acted wickedly. It says, So what do we make of this psalm?

If we zoom out, we see that God values justice, and He values showing mercy and kindness to those in need, and that ultimately, He'll execute judgment on even the divine beings who fall short of that standard. Psalm 83 echoes a lot of the same themes. It's a cry for God to work justice on those who have opposed His people.

And that's where my God shot comes in today as well. Verses 3 through 5 say, God identifies himself so closely with his people that anytime they're mistreated, he takes it personally.

I had a bully once in middle school, and one of the best feelings was when my older brother had me point my bully out to him so that he could keep an eye out for me. To know someone had my back who was so much more powerful than both me and my bully, it set my heart at rest. God is clearly not going to sit back and let Judah get bullied without doing something about it.

His vengeance is not like human vengeance, though. It's perfect, and it's just. And he's so protective of his people that he works out justice not just in the human realm, not just in the temporary realm, but in the supernatural and eternal realm. He's so powerful and so protective, and he's where the joy is. Tomorrow we'll be reading the book of 2 Kings.

We're linking to a short video overview in the show notes, so check that out if you've got a few minutes to spare. And just a reminder, if you're using our Plan in the Bible app, this video will also be linked for you tomorrow in the devotional portion above the chapters we're reading. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. How are you doing? What have you learned so far? If you're behind, don't get frustrated with yourself. Don't give up. You're probably reading the Bible more than you would on your own.

Think about the things you've learned so far. Thank God for those things. Reflect on what you've learned about His character. Lean into who He is and ask Him to grant you an increasing desire to know Him more. He can change your heart. The Bible Recap is brought to you by DGroup, discipleship and Bible study groups that meet in homes and churches around the world each week.