Edom and Judas

In Obadiah, God forecasted his judgment by way of prophetic oracle upon the nation of Edom. Edom was guilty of many sins. Edom was full of pride. Instead of depending upon God, Edom trusted in its alliances with other nations. One particular accusation against Edom made by Obadiah is Edom's violence against its kinsmen. Edom is guilty of violence against the Israelites.

Obadiah 10, "Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever."

The Edomites were the descendants of Esau the elder twin and brother to Jacob. When Judah was judged by God for her own disobedience by way of the Babylonians, Edom capitalized upon Judah's defeat. Edom did not help Judah. In fact, Edom was complicit in its defeat (v6, v11). Edom gloated over Judah's downfall (v13). Edom even captured those who managed to escape from the initial attack (v14).

The potency of God's anger is seen in his words of condemnation for Edom in verse 18, "...they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken," and in verse 10, "...you shall be cut off forever."

I have reflected upon this righteous anger towards Edom, which was fulfilled for the Lord says in Malachi 1:3, "Esau have I hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert." In my reflection, my Sunday morning text came to mind, which is Mark 14:12-26. If God's anger toward Edom is severe for its treatment of its kinsmen, then imagine God's anger towards the man who betrays his beloved Son leading to his death. There should be no wonder why there are comments like that found verse 21, "...but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."