Do Not Take Advantage of Others' Misfortune

Note from today’s Bible reading: 2 Chronicles 19-23; Obadiah 1; Psalm 82-83

The short book of Obadiah contains the prophecy of God concerning Edom. These people were the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. So, in a sense, the nation of Edom was kin to the nation of Israel. Yet they did not act in a brotherly manner toward them.

When violence came against the nation of Israel (“your brother Jacob,” Obadiah 10), Edom did nothing to help. Instead, they “stood aloof” as foreign armies entered Jerusalem and pillaged the city (Obadiah 11).

Yet the Lord also warned Edom, “Do not enter the gate of My people in the day of their disaster… And do not loot their wealth in the day of their disaster. Do not stand at the fork in the road to cut down their fugitives; and do not imprison their survivors in the day of their distress” (Obadiah 13-14).

The temptation would be to use the opportunity of their distress to enrich themselves. Yet God made it clear: “As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head” (Obadiah 15). In other words, even though it might seem like they could turn against “Jacob” without consequences, God would hold them accountable and be merciless to them as they had been.

So do not take advantage of others’ misfortune. If others are suffering unjustly, we ought to do what we can to help. But even if we are powerless to assist them, we should at least not join the side of the oppressor because God will hold us accountable for this.