Obd 11 | KingComments | STEP | Edom kept aloof when Judah was conquered by his enemies. They stood by and watched, without offering a helping hand. It didn’t stop there. After Judah was conquered by the enemy, Edom joined the enemy. He joined the enemies to kick Judah even further into the ground. They not only watched how lots were cast for prisoners and goods captured ( ). They have rejoiced and expressed their approval. Their attitude was: Well done, this is what Judah deserves. For this attitude toward Judah and especially toward Jerusalem the LORD will judge Edom ( ; ). In trials after the Second World War (1940-1945), people of Hitler’s regime were convicted if it could be proved that they knew about war crimes, but did not take action against them. The fact that they had not committed those crimes themselves, personally, did not result in a reduction in punishment. Even under Dutch law it is punishable to watch and keep aloof while things happen under your eyes that are not acceptable. Anyone who does not act against evil according to the possibilities he has, makes himself one with evil. As Christians we are not called to fight all evil in the world. But when God’s people are besieged and persecuted, we are not allowed to stand idly by. The least we can do is pray and sympathize with the persecuted “as though in prison with them, [and] those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body” ( ). Wherever we have the opportunity, we will actually help, either with money and goods, or by providing shelter for the persecuted. That is different from enriching yourself on the persecuted and expelling them. God will confront every human being with his aloofness where clearly sides should have been taken. He will show that this aloofness meant an actual unification with evil. There will be no apologies. There will be no argument against His statement.

‏ Obadiah 11

One of Them

Edom kept aloof when Judah was conquered by his enemies. They stood by and watched, without offering a helping hand. It didn’t stop there. After Judah was conquered by the enemy, Edom joined the enemy. He joined the enemies to kick Judah even further into the ground.

They not only watched how lots were cast for prisoners and goods captured (Joel 3:3). They have rejoiced and expressed their approval. Their attitude was: Well done, this is what Judah deserves. For this attitude toward Judah and especially toward Jerusalem the LORD will judge Edom (Eze 35:11; Isa 34:8 ; Isa 63:4).

In trials after the Second World War (1940-1945), people of Hitler’s regime were convicted if it could be proved that they knew about war crimes, but did not take action against them. The fact that they had not committed those crimes themselves, personally, did not result in a reduction in punishment. Even under Dutch law it is punishable to watch and keep aloof while things happen under your eyes that are not acceptable. Anyone who does not act against evil according to the possibilities he has, makes himself one with evil.

As Christians we are not called to fight all evil in the world. But when God’s people are besieged and persecuted, we are not allowed to stand idly by. The least we can do is pray and sympathize with the persecuted “as though in prison with them, [and] those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body” (Heb 13:3). Wherever we have the opportunity, we will actually help, either with money and goods, or by providing shelter for the persecuted.

That is different from enriching yourself on the persecuted and expelling them. God will confront every human being with his aloofness where clearly sides should have been taken. He will show that this aloofness meant an actual unification with evil. There will be no apologies. There will be no argument against His statement.