Discernment and Scripture

Anyone who does not understand or heed the old saying of "Don't kick someone when they're down," should read the short book of the prophet Obadiah, and his [or God's] furious rebuke of Edom. Here is the key element of the book, which just happens to be one of the stiffest rebukes in the Bible: "For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head" (Obad. 1:10-15). God is speaking here of the Babylonian captivity and destruction of Jerusalem in the time of Jeremiah, which he himself purposed against Judah and Jerusalem because of their ongoing sins and refusal of his reproof (Jer. 21:10; Jer. 34:2; Jer. 38:18). But just because God determined to punish his people for their wickedness, that didn't mean that he was pleased with Edom for forwarding the affliction, and being glad at their destruction. Quite to the contrary in fact, even as Obadiah graphically stated. What Edom did was a blatant demonstration of a lack of knowledge about God, and a lack of the fear of God.

Nothing has changed about the way God feels in regard to things like this now either. He still pointedly hates for someone to look judgmentally at the downfall of others. The scripture clearly says, "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him" (Prov. 24:17,18). What the proverb does not say in completion is that you risk God redirecting his wrath at you in this case, as he did against Edom. This is why the apostle Paul instructed us with the following admonition: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Gal. 6:1). To lack feeling for anyone who has been cast down, or is failing, is not a godly trait; regardless of the reason for their dilemma. To be glad at someone's hurt or misfortune is an overtly devilish trait, and is worthy of God's wrath. To speak in a demeaning or harshly critical manner about someone who has been cast down in some way, falls into this category. Anyone who makes it their business to do so is putting themselves in the line of fire, as we have seen confirmed by the Bible clearly. I don't know about you, but I sure don't want to be in the line of fire of God's displeasure. I would much rather take the safe road, and the scriptures are not unclear on what that safe road is: "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Mat. 5:7). "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment" (Jas. 2:12,13). And that reminds me of this: "Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off" (Rom. 11:20-22). I believe that covers the bases. Amen and amen.