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 in the day of their calamity, nor have laid [hands] on their substance in the day of their calamity;
In all religions, they believe in heaven and hell on earth, even though they believe in a heaven/ swarg/ janat… They believe in rewards/punishment of good deeds/wrong deeds are settled here, on earth, while we are alive.
Christianity, on the other hand, does not follow this doctrine. Hell was created for man to suffer his/her sins. So a person doing evil may not suffer on earth but will suffer all his/her doings in Hell. In Hell, each sin is like a never-dying burning coal/flesh eating worm. This suffering they suffer till the end of their spirit life (which is thousands of years). People suffer on earth for a few reasons, and the main amongst them is when they become an obstacle or danger to people of God (those chosen by the Lord). They also suffer when God wants to change/correct them. Today’s scripture and its preceding/following verses speak of the latter two reasons.
Let us be careful when we mock or condemn anyone who is suffering, especially when we do not know the actual reason. Let us moreover pray or uphold them in their weakness, for if they are being corrected and are reestablished in Him, then we will be rewarded.
[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are Almighty God. You are our Father. You created us and also look over us. When we err, You make efforts to correct us, even if You need to amend the stubborn us, via chastisement. Lord, we pray we realise nothing just happens and that You are Living, All seeing and All knowing God, who loves us…
We make this prayer in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
[Reference Scriptures]
Obadiah 1:12-15
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.
15 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.
Amos 1:6 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver [them] up to Edom:
Amos 1:9 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: