I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

     Today’s reading is the book of Obadiah. The entire book is a prophecy against Edom. The prophet told Edom that they would be completely wiped out as a people and a nation. The people of Edom were sure that they were safe because they had a fortress city that was difficult to gain access to. The prophet told them that God was sending the nations against them and they would be rooted out completely. Their allies and those they trusted as friends would turn against them and assist in their destruction. Then the prophet gave the reason for Edom’s destruction. Edom would be destroyed because they stood aside and refused to help when Israel and Judah were invaded. Worse than that they gloated over the suffering of the Jewish people. The people of Edom went beyond that and took advantage of the suffering of the Jewish people in order to profit from it. They blocked the attempt of the Jewish people to flee the destruction, killing some of those who fled and capturing the rest and turning them over to their enemies. The prophet tells us for this sin Edom would be destroyed, but not only Edom, all of the surrounding nations that chose to profit from the destruction of Israel and Judah, rather than aid them, would be destroyed.
     There is a lesson for today. Those nations which stand aside and watch the persecution of the Jewish people will suffer for it, especially when they look for ways they can profit from it. I do not think it is limited to the persecution and suffering of the Jewish people. Those who stand aside and watch while others suffer, looking for ways to profit from that suffering, will face God’s judgment. The day is coming when those who, rather than attempt to alleviate the suffering of others, have chosen to attempt to profit from it will see God’s judgment fall upon them. There is another side to this. Those who instead choose to aid those who are suffering and attempt to protect those being persecuted will be blessed. Let us strive to be among the latter rather than the former.

     Here the writer gives a description of the throne room of heaven. He describes it as a glorious, beautiful place that is full of light in many different colors. He tells us that twenty four elders sit on thrones surrounding the throne of God. In addition, he describes four beings similar to those described by Ezekiel. He describes a time of intense, joyous worship of God. It does not sound very exciting, unless you have ever been in a worship service where you got fully caught up in the worship experience. Then you will have an idea what the writer is describing. He is describing a time and place where all of your senses are contributing to an experience of worship that transcends this physical world. Having occasionally experienced such worship on this earth, I can imagine that it must be overwhelmingly joyous in heaven. I have been trying to phrase this because I believe that the visual picture drawn here does not come close to doing justice to what the writer saw in his vision.

     The psalmist tells us that David promised to find a place to build the house of the Lord. Will we dedicate ourselves to finding a place in our hearts to build a house for the Lord? I will not rest, I will not sleep until I find a place in my heart to build a house for the Lord. There I will worship before the Lord and give my whole life to Him. Let me remember to do all that I do for the honor of God. Help me to extend the house I have built in my heart for God until it swallows up my entire being.

     If you assist those who do wrong, you will do yourself more harm than any gain you might get. Put your trust in the Lord and do not fear people. The Lord will protect and care for you.