Habakkuk’s Prayer of Faith - Habakkuk 3

             

Habakkuk has asked God tough questions and now Habakkuk responds to God's answers. God told Habakkuk that he doesn't overlook evil, or the brokenness it brings. God promises accountability for Babylon, but not until Judah remembers again their covenant relationship with God. God will deliver them, but never tells Habakkuk Israel will be a free nation again once the punishment is finished. God doesn't talk about Judah and what he’ll do for them, instead God promises that Babylon will suffer the consequences of their evil. God points to who he is, ending with a call to worship and honour him, a call to trust, echoes to Job!

Habakkuk responds, "Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord." Habakkuk acknowledges God's power, standing in awe before him, remembering who God is and what God’s done for his people in the past, all rooted in his covenantal relationship with his people. Habakkuk accepts God's answer that God’s in control and evil will reap the consequences it deserves. He remembers how God overturned evil powers in the past to save his people and restores his relationship with Israel again and again. Habakkuk looks back in order to strengthen his faith in God so his heart can sincerely trust and praise God, no matter the circumstances. Habakkuk praises God in spite of his own uncertainty, calling God to act again, "I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy."

Habakkuk remembers Israel's exodus from Egypt and the 40 years of wandering through the wilderness. Habakkuk remembers Teman and Mount Paran and God's glory revealed there, echoing Mount Sinai and God's meeting his people there. He remembers the splendour and power of God and how the people reacted with awe and wonder.

Then Habakkuk remembers God is a warrior for his people, "Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed—but he marches on forever. I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish. Were you angry with the rivers, Lord? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode your horses and your chariots to victory?  You uncovered your bow, you called for many arrows... You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one."

God proved his might and power while Israel were slaves in Egypt, he protected Israel in the wilderness from nations like Midian, and when Israel entered the Promised Land, he even caused the sun to stand still so Joshua could defeat his enemies. Habakkuk turns to the stories of salvation to find hope and confidence in the future even if the present looks grim. Habakkuk knows a God who controls nature and the nations.

Habakkuk ends by saying, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; he knows God’s in control, that no matter what is happening right now, no matter what’s coming, God saves his people. Yet Habakkuk also knows individuals will still get hurt and even suffer greatly. In Scripture the emphasis is normally on Israel as a whole, not as individuals. We've turned the Bible into a personal guide to personal salvation while God normally deals with his people as a whole. When God works to save his people, individuals and even families still suffer greatly at times, even to the point of death. Habakkuk knows that God will save them from the power of Babylon, but that he personally might not survive and might face great suffering himself. Habakkuk is a call to the people of God to trust and believe and praise the Lord, even if personally they might suffer.

The Jews in the time of Jesus also knew suffering. Pilate was in control and often extremely cruel towards the Jews so they wouldn’t didn't get any ideas about rebelling against him or Rome. Crosses and other cruel forms of punishment were fairly normal. Jesus knew of the cruelty of Pilate as Luke tells us in chapter 13, "Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

Life can be hard. I've walked alongside teenage girls who were abused, with women abused by Christian husbands, seniors whose children took all they had and then abandoned them, parents who have lost children, refugees who fled from brutal situations, those who have thought of taking their own lives, and families of those who did. How do you help people who have gone through these kinds of things to trust or praise God? Habakkuk shows us the way, to look back and remember who God is and what he’s done in the past. God’s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow is what Scripture confesses, so when we see God listen to the cries of his people and respond, when we see God's love expressed through Jesus who died to reconcile us with God, we find hope.

A young mother of 2 young daughters whose husband took his own life told me, "I have to trust God and I do because I've heard you tell the stories of God and how he saves his people, it's hard and when I praise God, it's with tears, but I do it because when I read the psalms I hear David and others crying out to God in hard times and always ending up with praising God. I do hope it gets easier though." Did you hear how Jesus calls us to repent? It sounds hard during persecution and unexplained suffering, that Jesus calls us to repent. But the word repent in Greek is a military word which means to do an about face, to turn around. During times when things look hopeless and the effects of sin have filled your life with darkness and suffering, one unnamed ancient church father wrote that to repent means to turn away from looking so deeply into your suffering so that you lose hope, and turning around to look for the light of Jesus.

We look to Jesus, the light and hope of the world and remember his life and suffering, how he was crucified to save us from our sin. Jesus knows your pain and suffering, he knows your hurt, because through his Spirit, he’s there with you. He comes close and tells us that our suffering is only for a time and that he suffered and died for us so that we might find eternal life and peace in him, even in the middle of suffering. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Paul also suffered deeply for bringing the message of Jesus to the world. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul writes that he was lashed, beaten, stoned, in danger from nature, Jews, and Gentiles, and experienced hunger and thirst as he followed Jesus’ call. Yet he’s able to write, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

Jesus is a warrior who is returning to defeat the powers of sin and evil; there will be justice. In Revelation 19:11–13 and 19-21, John sees Jesus coming as a warrior for his people “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God…. Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.”

 If you have, or are suffering, know that the church is here to help you keep looking to Jesus, to remember his faithfulness to you. These are often long pain-filled journeys of faith and trust in God, but you don’t walk alone, Jesus' Spirit is with you and I, and the elders, and many others are also here to listen to, to weep with, to support and encourage you, and help you find peace and rest in Jesus, saying with Habakkuk, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to tread on the heights."

Why Do You Tolerate the Treacherous? - Habakkuk 1:12-2:20

Last week we looked at Habakkuk's question to God about why God allows so much injustice and evil to happen among his own people. Habakkuk’s horrified that his holy God would use the vicious and brutal Babylonians to punish his own people. How can that be? "Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.  Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?" But Habakkuk also trusts God’s covenantal faithfulness to his people and waits "to look to see what he, God, will say to me, Habakkuk, and what answer I am to give to this complaint."

God tells Habakkuk to write his answer down on a tablet so that it won’t get destroyed or forgotten. His message is one of hope: God’s going to restore his people, but not right away. Israel needs to learn again that God is God and they’re his people, called to be a blessing to the nations so the nations can learn who God is through them. Sometimes a father needs to allow his children to suffer the consequences of their choices, even though it may be really painful. This doesn't mean that God doesn't love us, God’s with us always and suffers the pain alongside us since his Spirit lives within us experiencing our pain and suffering with us. Our God knows our pain because he walks with us through it all, this is why we can turn to him no matter what is going on in our lives, because he understands our hurt, but a loving father also knows that sometimes this is the only way we learn to trust his teaching.

It's hard knowing that God's going to allow Judah to be under the power of a pagan government that is deliberately anti-God. Can you image Habakkuk’s questions for God if he knew that once the Babylonians conquer Israel, that Israel will not truly be free, except for a brief time under the Maccabees, until 1948 and the re-establishment of Israel by the United Nations. Habakkuk’s looking for a God win, a Jewish win. He recognizes that what’s happening here is a battle between the gods, between Yahweh, Judah’s God and the gods of the Babylonians. God reassures Habakkuk that Yahweh, Israel’s God is in control and that he wins even if it doesn’t look like it right now, we say God is omnipotent, all-powerful. Habakkuk doesn’t know of Jesus and his defeat of death, his resurrection, and future return to claim all the universe and every knee will bow to him.

God tells Habakkuk that he’ll hold Babylon accountable, those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Those whom Babylon oppressed will rise up and overthrow their cruel yoke. Yet God calls his people to live by a different standard, "the righteous will live by their faithfulness." As followers of Jesus, we often find ourselves trusting too much in governments over God's kingdom. We often tolerate the treacherous for our goals, God doesn’t tolerate the treacherous, he allows them to increase their guilt and holds then accountable.

God's kingdom’s not like the kingdoms we create here on earth. God's kingdom is something we live out in relationship with God. God gives them a way of living at Mount Sinai that focused on Israel’s relationship with God and each other in healthy life-giving ways. Jesus reveals to us the kingdom of heaven in the Sermon on the Mount and describes it through numerous parables. Jesus challenges Israel and us to live God's kingdom, beginning with "repent and believe," to be kingdom people, living out "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth and it is in heaven.”

Israel in Habakkuk's time has forgotten or ignored the call to live in God's will. They no longer protected the widows, orphans, or poor, they were too focused on building their own lives. Life was all about themselves and what they can get out of it, which is why they are so drawn to the gods of the nations around them. These gods could be manipulated through offerings to justify taking or doing what they want. We create our own gods, because it gives us control on how we live, we choose our own values. In our culture, we’re the center of our universe and we give ourselves permission to not see the hurt and brokenness and reach out, or place the blame for their circumstances on them. For many people, there’s little concern about injustice until it impacts them personally. God reassures Habakkuk that he will hold the nations accountable for their actions and values. The kingdom of heaven is the only eternal kingdom and the time is coming that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” Jesus comes to defeat evil and restore the very good of creation, we call this Christus Victorious; Jesus wins!

Jesus invites us into God's kingdom, to trust that God’s laws and ways are given to us to help us flourish as his people, and to be an example to the world of how God has created us to live with God and each other. God puts our earthly governments in place, but we live out God's kingdom in each and every community he’s places his church. Believers are called to be involved in politics as a Christian influence, but we don't put our faith in politics. We work for the principles of justice, for protection for the vulnerable, poor, and foreigners among us with compassion and grace, all the things the prophets were sent to Israel to remind them about.

The center of government is not Edmonton or Ottawa, it's God. Wherever a follower of Jesus is present, God's kingdom is there. Jesus calls us to give up our agendas and to trust his way of being God's kingdom people. We don't live how Jesus challenges us to live in order to get into the kingdom of God, but because we love Jesus and are already part of God's kingdom.

N.T Wright has reflected deeply on Jesus' description of the kingdom of God. Jesus calls us to be light and salt in the world, bringing hope and flavour into the world, giving people a taste of what following Jesus is all about. It's about letting the light of the world, Jesus, to shine through us into the world. It’s about turning the other cheek, going the extra mile in serving each other, loving your enemies, offering forgiveness instead of vengeance. The kingdom of God is a place of shalom with all that means in terms of healthy relationships and being a healthy community spiritually, emotionally, and physically for all people.

We’re easily seduced by the kingdoms of our world. When we choose the world’s way; we lose our way. God allows Babylon to conquer Israel and take them into exile for 70 years in order to draw his people back to himself. In the center of Jerusalem is the temple, "The Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth be silent before him." The temple, not the palace, is the center of the life of God's people. This is the constant call to God's people, to keep our focus on God, to place God's will above our own, to be God's presence in our province and country which often sees no value in God or God's kingdom values. Jesus invites his listeners into God's kingdom; a way of prayer and worship filled with jubilation and celebration which can be practiced right here and now.

Earthly governments often create times when we're challenged to choose and live out God's kingdom values over the government’s values. In the kingdom of heaven, God's people speak up against injustice and work towards creating a safe place where everyone’s able to flourish. This looks like reaching out to support women who can't see any other option than abortion, opening up our homes and lives to support them so they can have and raise their child. When people feel death is the only option left to deal with their pain and suffering, coming alongside them with love, compassion, fellowship, and grace to help them see the value of life, even life filled with physical pain and suffering, helping them move towards death in trust so they’re able to impact those who know and see us. We live out God's values by loving, supporting and enabling people to choose God’s values given to shape us in his image. When they choose otherwise, we offer grace and mercy and understanding and help them see that God loves them and calls them back to draw close to him.

As Bethel, we keep our eyes and hearts on God, listening closely to Jesus' challenge and vision for living out God's kingdom right here, beginning in our homes. We’re sinners in need to God's forgiveness and grace which we receive through Jesus and his willing sacrifice on the cross in our place. In his death and resurrection, Jesus establishes his kingdom here. We share in both his death and resurrection by dying to our old lives and living new kingdom focused lives.

No matter your age or physical circumstances, you can be a powerful part of our church’s ministry by praying for Bethel and her leaders, showing your support of their leadership as servants of Jesus as we grow deeper in our love for God and our community, and grow the kingdom of heaven. 

Why Do You Tolerate Wrong - Habakkuk 1:1-11

A little history; Habakkuk appears late in King Josiah's reign. Josiah becomes king at 8 years old after 57 years of evil kings. Josiah follows God because of his mother's influence. At 18, King Josiah repairs the temple where the book of the Law is discovered. Josiah’s horrified when he realizes that Israel hasn’t lived by God's word for a long time and tells the high priest to ask God for guidance. The prophetess Huldah gives them God's answer in 2 Kings 22, "This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched." But the prophetess also tells them that because Josiah has repented, this punishment will not happen until after Josiah dies.

King Josiah works hard to bring his people back to God. He renews the covenant with God and has the book of the covenant read aloud to everyone. Josiah tears down all the idol temples and altars and reinstates the worship of God with all the festivals and sacrifices. But it's hard leading the people back into a faithful relationship with God. For 67 years they haven’t heard the word of God read or taught by the priests and the people resist change. But hearing God’s Word, doing the sacrifices and festivals, didn’t change the hearts of many of the people or produce holiness.

Habakkuk has hard questions for God, "How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted." Why isn't God's Law creating a holy people; why does God allow evil and injustice. The nations around Israel are never going to understand who God is if this continues, why isn't God doing something to force his people back into a proper God honouring relationship for his glory?

Apathy is a common problem in many Christian churches today, so is bickering and fighting among God's people. Philip Yancy writes about how grace and love can be hard to find in many churches and it’s hard to change it. God doesn’t force us to follow him, but he does allow the consequences of our choices impact us in order to draw us back to him, as he does here with Israel. If we want to be acceptable to our culture, God’s not going to force us to choose his way over the world’s. He’s patient, but won’t allow our lack of faithfulness to go on forever.

With so many churches around, with the Bible so easy to get our hands on, with so many devotionals available and so many Christian writers, so many Bible studies, why is the church still so messed up? Why is there so much brokenness in so many Christian families? Why does the church so often feel like a social club instead of a place of transformation into the image of Jesus?

The missionary E. Stanley Jones asked Mahatma Gandhi, "Mr. Ghandi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?" Ghandi replied, "Oh, I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ." He went on to tell Jones, “If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today.” Ghandi rejected Christianity because when he was practicing law in South Africa, seriously exploring becoming a Christian and visited a church service. As he went to enter the church, a white South African elder stopped him, "Where do you think you're going, kaffir?" the man asked Ghandi. Ghandi told him, "I'd like to attend worship here." The church elder snarled at him, "There's no room for kaffirs in this church. Get out of here or I'll have my assistants throw you down the steps." Ghandi decided then to accept the good he found in Jesus, but never again considered joining a church.

Habakkuk wonders why God seems so quiet and so inactive and allows so much wrong to go on? God responds to Habakkuk, “Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.  I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own."

God’s going to allow outsiders to punish Judah for not being faithful to him. God allows the nations, whom the Jews want to be like, to conquer them and show them exactly what it means to be just like them. This isn't something new, during the time of the Judges God often allowed the nations around Israel to come in and conquer them until the people realized just how good they actually have it when they actually follow God seriously and would turn back to God; God would then send someone to come and rescue Judah from their oppressors. However, Babylon’s much more powerful, vicious, and crueler than any other nation.

God’s telling Habakkuk, if Judah’s not going to fear God, then they’ll fear the enemy he’s going to send against them. Judah's violence and injustice to their own poor, widows, orphans, and foreigners will be repaid by a people more skilled in violence and injustice. Habakkuk has to wrestle with the knowledge that God’s getting ready to do something hard and drastic. God’s going to allow the full consequences of Judah's desire to be like the nations to play its way out and it's not going to be pretty. A lot of innocent believers are going to suffer alongside those who don't really care about God. When we choose the power of this world to guide and shape us, it always leads to violence and injustice. Speaking with an older man in our community who blames the church for all the evils of the world, I brought up the teachings of Jesus and tried to show him how it’s only when the church embraces the world’s ways of power and might instead of living out Jesus’ humility and sacrificial servant spirit, that the church brings hurt instead of Jesus’ hope and salvation.

There’s so much injustice and evil in the world, just listen to the news. Why are churches having little impact in our communities? Is it because the church has tried so hard to be acceptable to our culture instead of focusing on being holy like God is holy. We’re all sinners unable to measure up to God; we deserve to be punished. God knows that we’re unable to pay the penalty for our sin, so he sends his own son Jesus to become human to take our punishment on himself. The Jews of Jesus’ time could have asked Habakkuk’s same questions, considering Rome oppression, asking why God doesn’t act. Yet through Jesus’ death and resurrection we’re saved from the greatest oppressor Satan who can enslave our souls forever! Jesus calls us to respond to him with humble gratitude and work with his Spirit to establish the kingdom of heaven here and choose him and his way over the ways of the world. Our governments and power systems will all fall, only the kingdom of heaven is forever.

God doesn’t tolerate evil. God repeatedly says, I've chosen you to become people who are like me so that you can show the world who I am. I want you to be holy so you can show the world a more blessed way of living that looks to build others up, to help others become who God calls them to be, to be a people who are sacrificial and generous and grace filled and loving towards others so that God is honoured and glorified.

Jesus tells a parable about fruit trees, and that if you don't bear fruit, you’ll get pruned. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit as, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." This fruit we’re called to develop in ourselves, showing others through our lives and words who a Jesus follower is, imitating Jesus. This begins in each of our homes, supported by the church. This morning Adelyn professed her faith in Jesus, committing herself to him, to be shaped by the Holy Spirit, choosing Jesus’ way over our culture’s way because she trusts Jesus. This was Josiah’s hope for the people, this is my hope for each one of us, that we begin each day telling Jesus, “I choose you today, use me.”

Following rules doesn't change us, just like following the law and doing the festivals didn't change the hearts of Judah. The Holy Spirit transforms us to become a holy people that imitate Jesus. We’re called to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit to be transformed; having our hearts of stone changed into softer hearts of flesh, walking in the way of Jesus.

Deliverance on Mount Zion - Obadiah

                    

Obadiah is one of the minor prophets found near the end of the Old Testament. Minor’s not about a lesser message from God; it’s like the difference between a short story and a novel, each telling part of God’s story, each speaking the word of the Lord to the people, often messages of judgment and restoration, helping us understand God’s plan a little better. The message this morning leans more into Israel’s history, helping us when we read the other prophets.

Obadiah’s writing to the people of Edom, condemning them for their role in the destruction of Israel by foreign nations. It’s not exactly clear when Obadiah gives his message; it could be as early as the time of Elisha, but it’s more likely during the time of Jeremiah after Israel’s taken into exile in Babylon. We see similarities between Obadiah 1-9 and Jeremiah 49 that suggest they come from the same time. Israel’s been devastated, and Edom helped Israel’s enemies defeat them. This angers the Lord because Edom comes from the line of Esau, twin brother of Jacob. This is family going up against family and this offends the Lord. Not only has Edom gone up against Israel, they’re also boastful about it and believe that no one’s powerful enough to go up against them.

Edom’s south of the Dead Sea, a mountainous area. You can still visit one of its most famous fortresses, Petra. Petra’s about 80 kilometres south of the Dead Sea in a valley plateau that’s only accessible through a narrow ravine about a mile long and ends at an enormous bluff. It’s easy to defend and Edom believed that no one would ever be able to defeat them here. When you think you’re safe and secure and others are unable to hurt you, it’s easy to become proud and cruel. This happens to Edom, and they find themselves able to take advantage of Israel and get back for perceived historical wrongs dating back to Jacob and Esau. The people of the Middle East have long memories.

The Lord comes to Obadiah with a message of judgment for Edom, but a message of hope and restoration to Israel. The Lord sees Israel’s and reassures them that he will restore them back into their land. We hear an echo back to Abraham and the Lord’s promise to bless Abram and to curse those who curse him. The Lord tells Obadiah an envoy is being sent to the nations to call them to rise up against Edom. The Lord tells Edom that he’s going to make them small and despised, that the nations are going to humiliate them for what they’ve done to Israel. There are consequences to their acts against God’s people. Edom should consider Israel family since their ancestors where the twin brothers of Isaac and Rebekah, protecting Israel instead of going up against her.

The Lord’s message is to the point, Edom thinks they’re invincible and safe, but they’re only fooling themselves. “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord.” They’ve forgotten that the Lord’s more powerful than any kingdom on earth. If might is right, then the Lord is the most right. Edom’s cruelty was worse than thieves, even thieves wouldn’t take everything. “If thieves came to you, if robbers in the night— oh, what a disaster awaits you! — would they not steal only as much as they wanted? If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes?” Even thieves leave a few grapes for the poor. It takes a special kind of hate to completely strip all the food from someone. There are consequences from the Lord, “But how Esau will be ransacked, his hidden treasures pillaged!” Edom kept their treasure in caves in the cliffs; and the nations the Lord’s going to use to destroy them are going to hunt out the wealth they’ve accumulated. Edom’s pride made them trust in themselves; but to the Lord, their location, wealth, and human wisdom are nothing. Edom is going to be punished for participating in the destruction of Israel; they’ll be cast down from their heights and Israel will come home again from exile.

“All your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you; those who eat your bread will set a trap for you, but you will not detect it.” This refers to people they thought were friends, “those who eat your bread,” were those Edom trusted. Sharing meals is a sign of friendship and acceptance, which is why years later the religious leaders got so angry at Jesus for the kinds of people he’s willing to share a meal with, sitting with the undesirables and those seen as unclean and unacceptable. The wisemen of Edom don’t see this betrayal coming at all. The defeat of Edom probably happens in the late sixth or early fifth century B.C. The Nabateans went to the Edomites for a banquet. Once they were welcomed into the territory of Edom, the Nabateans turned against their ally and killed the guards.

 

The Nabateans were descended from Nebaioth, son of Ishmael and brother-in-law of Esau. They’re all related to each other. Their territory was south and east of the river Jordan, along the trade routes from the Far East to the Mediterranean, and their capital became Petra, after they defeated Edom. Antigonus, who gained power in Syria after Alexander’s death, sent two expeditions to Petra in 312 B.C to subdue the Nabataeans and control trade. Both were unsuccessful. Most Middle eastern peoples are related through the patriarchs of Israel, which makes these betrayals worse. This is why peace between Israel and Gaza is so hard to achieve; the anger and hatred run deep and gives a feeling of strength. The same thing happens with us too on smaller scales, some people hang onto anger rather than working towards forgiveness and reconciliation.

 

This message from the Lord is all about holding Edom accountable for their pride, lack of forgiveness; treating Israel as the “other.”  There’s a lack of trust in the other, always assuming the worst about them. We focus on differences: of skin colour, faith, in seeing and understanding the world around us differently. It’s often fuelled by politics or faith and ends in demonizing the other. We saw it happen during the pandemic, accusing the “others” of bad motives and intents rather than offering grace and understanding that each person was trying to do what they thought was best for their family. We’re influenced by the world to think in terms of the “other” instead of recognizing that we’re all created in God’s image, and that God desires that no one be lost.

 

Edom and Israel, also thought like this, leading to hatred and gloating when the other is hurt, allowing them to treat the “other” in horrible ways and justifying it because they’re not like us, creating brokenness. Jesus comes to bring reconciliation between us and God by taking our sin in himself, washing us clean from our sin. Jesus comes to destroy the power of sin that brings brokenness, and to draw us to himself. On Mount Zion, Jesus prays for unity among his followers, Jesus is then sacrificed to bring in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is revealed as the King of kings before whom all the nations will bend their knee. Jesus is returning on the Day of the Lord to hold the nations, and each one of us, accountable for our actions. God’s people don’t need fear this day of accountability as Jesus has stood in our place before the judge of the universe and paid the price for our role in creating brokenness in the world. There’s this beautiful picture of all humanity coming together in Psalm 86:9, “All the nations You have made will come and bow before you, O Lord, and they will glorify your name.”

We’re called to this ministry of reconciliation, calling the world to believe in Jesus as their Lord, working towards reconciliation here on earth. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:14–20, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

Reconciliation needs the willingness to confess our role in broken relationships, personally and as nations; to forgive as Jesus forgives us; and to do the hard work of healing that reconciliation brings, as Jesus brings us healing through reconciling us with God. We’re unable to do this on our own, we need the help of the Holy Spirit to grow the fruit of the Spirit in us. It takes courage and a reliance on Jesus to move towards others to build the unity Jesus prays for in John 17. Are we willing to be such a church?