Warning: God believes in the golden rule (in reverse)

The Minor Prophets: Obadiah
Insights I take from reading through the minor prophets

 Context: Obadiah is a judgment on the land (well, more specifically the people) of Edom. Edom's name & heritage comes from that of Esau, which had a broken relationship with his brother Isaac. Edom was a people closely knit with God's people (Judah). But their relationship (that of Edom & Judah) was always kind of on the rocks (just like Esau's relationship with Isaac). Edom was often a vassal of God's people in Judah, which means that Edom would often have to pay dues of their labor (kind of like Germany after WWI). It wasn't the most loving relationship. In fact, it kind of sucked.

So when Babylon comes along to destroy God's people in 586, its not Edom who defends Judah, God's people. It's not Edom who grieves with the loss of Judah. Instead, its Edom who laughs at Judah's destruction & who aids in it! They side with the Babylonians, seeking to enrich themselves & be on good terms with the Babylonians (which doesn't really end up happening). In short, God is mad at Edom's actions (and inaction) against Judah, and in Obadiah, He's unleashing His anger.

 So what: So when I look at Obadiah, it's easy for me to read this one-chapter book and say its a wrath-fest. But its more than that. When I look at God's motivations for His anger, that's what intrigues me. See, what gets God peeved is not just what Edom did against Judah (like, plundering the land & killing people trying to escape the Babylonian fury - v. 13-14), God is mad at Edom for what they didn't do as well. He's mad at them for "standing aloof, refusing to help them" (1:11). God's mad at Edom for rejoicing at their misfortune (v. 12-13) and for gloating that they're at a better place than they are (v. 12-13).

And I think to myself, how often have I done the exact. same. thing? How often have I, like Edom, stood aloof, refusing to help the beggar on the side of the road with the cardboard sign? How often have I not given a second thought to the gangs & drugs in Rochelle and Mendota? How often have I driven to certain parts in the south-side and thought to myself, "I'm sure glad I'm not living here." If you looked at my actions around the less fortunate you might say, that I am an upstanding Christian man. But if you looked at my inaction around the less fortunate, at the church on the streets, at the intersections, in my town, you might come up with a different name for me. Something that maybe starts with "hyp" and ends with "ocrite."

When God looked at Edom, He was just as bogged down by their actions as well as their inaction, and His response was the golden rule, in reverse. We've come to call a certain statement by Jesus "the golden rule." It's a simple "rule" that's helpful to see how we should treat people. Jesus says, "Do unto others, as you would have them to unto you" (Mt 7:12; Lk 6:31). In Obadiah, in response to Edom's blatant inaction to love and help out Edom, God says, "As you have done to Israel, so it will be done unto you." Instead of "do as you'd have be done" It's what you've done will be done unto you. So you have stood aloof, refusing to help my people? So I God, will refuse to help you. So you rejoice at their misfortune? So I God, will liberate my people in part with your destruction and reign as king (v.21) in your fiery ruins. So you were against my people? so I will be against you (v. 16).

I read passages like Matthew 25:31-46 and its the same story: A reverse golden rule that pays me back for what i've both done and haven't done for other images of God. Jesus is pleading us, through Obadiah, don't stand aloof. Don't think that you're out of sin, just because no one can see it. It's because no one can see it, that you are sinning. You aren't doing. anything. You're sitting around and watching people suffer and doing nothing about it.

There was a man that walked into Wal-Mart yesterday. He had wrinkly skin and wore dirty clothes. He had gray stubble on his beard and white scraggly hair. His eyes were blank, like a dog that's tired and panting. He muttered to himself, passing by the bread, the breakfast foods, the ethnic foods and baking mixes, and eventually passing me. Within a half-a-second glance, I judged him to be a homeless old man in need of psychiatric help or with a lack of mental capabilities. I passed by him immediately, walked to the nearest open counter, bought my items, and left without a second thought till right now. The fact is, I had time to help him. And talk to him, and show him love. Instead I did what most people probably did in Wal-Mart: Absolutely nothing. If God's not just blowing smoke, and He means what He says, then I believe that if I don't try to change more of my inaction ... it may be me next time, that God doesn't do anything for, when I'm in need of help and I don't know what to do.

Is it only then that I'll learn? By a reverse golden rule? I hope not.