When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, the people of Edom urged the total destruction of the city (Psalm 137:7), took part in the looting, and handed over fugitives who had fled from the Babylonians (Obadiah 13-14). Obadiah declared that the people of Edom would find out that their turn was coming; they would be repaid in full for their cruelty to the people of Judah (4, 8-9). “For the slaughter and violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever” (10).

There would have been nothing the Edomites could have done to prevent the Babylonians from pillaging Jerusalem, of course; yet they might at least have sheltered refugees who had fled into Edomite territory. And they could at least have been silent as the Jerusalemites were led away to captivity in Babylon. “You should not have gloated over your brother on the day of his misfortune; you should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah on the day of their ruin; you should not have boasted on the day of distress” (12).

In the end, Edom would find out that what goes around comes around: “As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head” (15). The people of Judah would be restored, and Edom would find itself “as though they had never been … and the house of Jacob shall take possession of those who dispossessed them” (16-17).

We never like it when someone gloats over our misfortune. Some day the shoe will be on the other foot: and when that happens, when our enemies find they are the ones who have been defeated, how will we respond? Will we gloat just as much as they did? Or will we learn from the gloating of the Edomites that gloating over someone else’s trouble is something we will no longer permit ourselves to do?

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In every circumstance we belong to you, O Lord of grace and mercy: even when we are tempted to rejoice when others face deep distress. Teach us the discipline of compassion, even when we don’t feel like it: keep far from us any gloating over the misfortunes of others.