09/12/13

Do not rejoice at my people's disaster

Obadiah 1:13 - 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 [wickedness] in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance [strength / riches] in the day of their calamity;


The Hebrew word translated as gate is sha'ar and comes from the root word sha'ar which means to calculate. The word sha'ar does not refer to a normal gate but to a market place or place of commerce.

Today's message clearly tells us at times God does take account of His people for the things that they have done against Him. Even though He shows His anger yet His love is not taken away. The scripture warns not to look at the evil His people have done or state things like see because of this or that they are punished.

Our God is called a Jealous God. The word in Hebrew means a mother possessive of her child, even though the mother may punish her child yet she will not like when anyone points fingers at her child.

A human mother's love may fail but not the love of our God. His love is beyond the grasping power of man.

The scripture before warns us not to rejoice over the days of disaster of our brethren, the days when God takes them to task. The scripture after warns us not to be instruments in causing the downfall of our brethren when things are bad for them and not to hurdles to those who manage to survive the disaster.

We are to be like God who is always merciful. As the glory of God increases on His people His expectation also increases and so does His anger come quicker on His people. Even in His anger His mercy stays and He makes a way out for His people in their distress.

If we understand God let us pray and reach out to His people in the time of their calamity by become the way out for them like Christ has become for us. This message is especially for those who are not baptised in the Lord.



[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You hate sin for You are Holy and Righteous. Yet You Lord, have tolerated man and given man time and also made a way out for man by sending a part of Yourself to be a sacrifice for their sins. Lord we thank you for your mercies and mainly for the abundant mercy (grace) that has come through Jesus Christ your Son who has become a way out for us before the Day of Judgment...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Obadiah 1:12-14
12 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.
13 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;
14 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.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation [test] taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted [tested] above that ye are able; but will with the temptation [test] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear.



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