2018-06-17T08:00:00-05:00
1:1 The vision of Obadiah.
Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom:
We have heard a report from the LORD,
and a messenger has been sent among the nations:
“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”
2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
you shall be utterly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rock,
in your lofty dwelling,
who say in your heart,
“Who will bring me down to the ground?”
4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle,
though your nest is set among the stars,
from there I will bring you down,
declares the LORD.
5 If thieves came to you,
if plunderers came by night—
how you have been destroyed!—
would they not steal only enough for themselves?
If grape gatherers came to you,
would they not leave gleanings?
6 How Esau has been pillaged,
his treasures sought out!
7 All your allies have driven you to your border;
those at peace with you have deceived you;
they have prevailed against you;
those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you—
you have no understanding.
8 Will I not on that day, declares the LORD,
destroy the wise men out of Edom,
and understanding out of Mount Esau?
9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman,
so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.
10 Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,
shame shall cover you,
and you shall be cut off forever.
11 On the day that you stood aloof,
on the day that strangers carried off his wealth
and foreigners entered his gates
and cast lots for Jerusalem,
you were like one of them.
12 But do not gloat over the day of your brother
in the day of his misfortune;
do not rejoice over the people of Judah
in the day of their ruin;
do not boast
in the day of distress.
13 Do not enter the gate of my people
in the day of their calamity;
do not gloat over his disaster
in the day of his calamity;
do not loot his wealth
in the day of his calamity.
14 Do not stand at the crossroads
to cut off his fugitives;
do not hand over his survivors
in the day of distress.
15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations.
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
your deeds shall return on your own head.
16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,
so all the nations shall drink continually;
they shall drink and swallow,
and shall be as though they had never been.
17 But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape,
and it shall be holy,
and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.
18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
and the house of Joseph a flame,
and the house of Esau stubble;
they shall burn them and consume them,
and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau,
for the LORD has spoken.
19 Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,
and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines;
they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,
and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
20 The exiles of this host of the people of Israel
shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,
and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
shall possess the cities of the Negeb.
21 Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion
to rule Mount Esau,
and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org
Dear home builder,
I see that you’ve been given a plot of land, and it appears that you’re starting to build on it. That’s true for all of us around here, so I just wanted to reach out as you move forward with construction. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are lots of ideas floating around about how to build a great home. Your friends and family members have opinions. The rich and famous love talking about the homes they’ve built. These days, so many are concerned about windows, kitchens, bathrooms, and curb appeal. I’m not saying these aren’t important, but I want to remind you of something crucial that doesn’t tend to “sell” houses. Foundations. We take them for granted, they’re hidden, but they’re essential. Many have experienced that sinking feeling of buying a beautiful home, only to have an inspector inform them that the foundation is a disaster. The seller makes everything look great above ground, but we can’t see beneath the floorboards. When we’re confronted with the truth, what are we going to do? We’re already emotionally invested. The Master Builder tells us that it’s folly—like building a sandcastle by the sea—but still, these places go up and sell every day.
You may be thinking: “Why all the doom and gloom? Just let me build this thing how I want! Nothing’s going to happen.” But I want to tell you. It rains around here. The kind of rain that falls sideways—and an umbrella won’t help. You never know when the flash floods are coming, and they will sweep you away. We get wind here, too. Wind that bends your trees, breaks your windows, and blows you over. I can’t tell you when the storms will come, but they will come. The Master Builder says so. And when they come, your landscaping, brick color, and fixtures won’t matter much if your foundation is faulty. Here’s the scariest part: You may not know the true condition of your home until it’s too late.
But there is a better way. It starts with giving up the thought that you can build your own home or trust someone else to build it for you. There is only one Master Builder. He has the power and the tools to build us a solid foundation. He only asks us to trust Him and to do what He says. His houses look different—not necessarily on the outside. They seem to radiate from within, even when the materials are rather plain. And that’s never more obvious than when the storms come. Did you know: The Master Builder has never seen one of His homes destroyed? We think His building codes restrict our freedom and kill our joy, but the truth is, He loves us more than we know, and He knows what makes a happy home. In fact, He paid the price Himself to guarantee that His homes will be filled with joy forever. Have you heard about the Master Builder? If you’re interested, I’d encourage you to read more about who He is and what He has done around here. He’s always at work, putting up model homes all over the place. Rumor has it He has something even more amazing planned. I don’t want you to miss it.
Forgive me for the long note. I get excited about this stuff. Can’t wait to meet you.
Welcome home,
Your new neighbor