Obadiah 1:1

Obadiah 1:1 says, The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.  We are first told that this is a vision that Obadiah had.  It was a vision concerning Edom, which is the Hebrew word for red according to Matthew Henry.  Since I do not know Hebrew, I rely on others for this meaning.  The Edomites were descendants of Esau, who was noted for his red hair and may have been called Edomites because of this.  Esau was also remembered for selling his birthright, and evidently his descendants at this time had sold their relationship to God.  Obadiah said that they had heard a rumor from God that an ambassador from the heathen would rise up against Edom.  Verse two adds, Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.  Obadiah was basically saying that God had removed His protection from them because of their sin against Him.  God had made the people of Edom small in the eyes of the heathen.  We must never forget that our strength comes from God and our relationship with Him.  Verse three continues, The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?  The people of Edom had become full of self-pride, feeling that they were too powerful to be destroyed.  We today, who call ourselves a Christian nation, must beware of being full of self-pride.  We are not indestructible by our own power but are only indestructible by our faith in Christ.  Verse four states, Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.  The people of Edom evidently felt that they were so strong that no one could bring them down, not even God.  They exalted themselves instead of exalting God.  If we begin to exalt our power and wealth as a nation instead of exalting God, then we are in danger of having God show us how small we really are.  Verse five adds, If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?  I believe that God was saying that Edom would not be as fortunate.  When God came to them in judgment, there would be nothing left.  When God judges things obtained through sinful actions, nothing will be left of the things gained by sin.  Verse six continues, How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!  Nothing could nor can be hidden from God.  Those things that we may think that we have gained by sinful means and hidden away are not hidden from God.  Verse seven concludes, All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.  The people of Edom were warned that they could not trust their political allies.  We know today that alliances are always changing and that we cannot always put our faith in them.  When we begin to look anywhere other than to God for our security in life we are setting ourselves up for failure.