DECEMBER 17, 2023

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” 

― Elbert Hubbard

OBADIAH

10Because of the violence against your brother Jacob,

you will be covered with shame;

you will be destroyed forever.

11On the day you stood aloof

while strangers carried off his wealth

and foreigners entered his gates

and cast lots for Jerusalem,

you were like one of them.

12You should not gloat over your brother

in the day of his misfortune,

nor rejoice over the people of Judah

in the day of their destruction,

nor boast so much

in the day of their trouble.

REVELATION 8

3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

JOURNAL 

So where is the "brotherly love"? I never realized what happened to Esau and his descendants. Apparently they were an established Kingdom in the mountains of Mount Seir.  They never were at peace with Israel, in fact they assisted any enemy and also participated in most attacks against them.  One Edomite of note was Herod the Great.

So I picture Edom being the snotty brother who finds all kinds of ways to get his brother in trouble and does his "happy dance" at every misfortune.  Although God is furious with Israel's rebellion, in the end,  Israel is restored and Edom is completely destroyed.

Reality is that we are all God's children. We are not to sit in judgement nor are we to be happy for another's misfortune. To do so is to act without love and to act without love is evil. I am realizing more and more that love must temper everything if it is of God. If love is absent it is not of God. 

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7