15/08/10

Do not rejoice over the day of Judah's destruction

Obadiah 1: 12 - But you should not have gazed [gloat] on the day of your brother In the day of his captivity; Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah In the day of their destruction; Nor should you have spoken proudly In the day of distress.


In the Bible there are many warnings and harsh prophesies given against the people of God, these are the flock of Jesus Christ. In today's message the Lord warns us on the Judgment day we will be pulled up if we have gloated at the calamities which were prophesized on the sheep of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The calamities are required to bring sense into the minds of the people of God but even if we are instruments in shouting out these warnings from roof tops we should not take pleasure when they come to past. Because we as brothers should be spiritually connected and so should feel the pain and trouble which our brothers go through.

Now the question comes, how do we identify the goats from the sheep in the flock? This can be understood from the examples of King Saul and Judas. They both are in the Bible given as bad examples but yet we see although David cried to the Lord against Saul, yet he respected him very much. He had many changes to kill him but did not. Also when a person claimed to have killed Saul came before him, David dealt with him treacherously. On the other hand Jesus had no emotions towards Judas who was one of his disciples for nearly 3 years. We see although knowing Judas would fall and his weakness being money yet Jesus allowed him to be in possession of the money bag. Jesus could have explained to him before or even prayed for Judas. What Jesus did for Simon Peter to help him overcome, Jesus did not even a fraction of it for Judas, in fact when Judas was at the peak of his fall, Jesus told him to do what he was to do quickly.

If we do not have the understanding to discern the difference between Saul and Judas, it is best we keep sober at all times.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, by your Word You direct us and give us the understanding of how and why You do what You do. It is by your Spirit You reveal the Word unto us. Lord, help us to receive more of your Spirit because it is only by your Spirit we have victory over our sinful nature and our carnal flesh. Lord as we are growing in your Spirit, help us to take rein of our emotions that we may not blunder...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
2 Samuel 1:13-18
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

John 13:21-29
21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)