“It felt like a personal violation” was how a friend described coming home to find his house had been broken into and several items stolen. Not only did they take possessions that cost money to replace, the thieves also took something from his spirit; they took away his sense of security. Not only was he no longer able to leave home feeling his property was safe, he now struggled with fear and anxiety of another intrusion while at home, or worse, while his family was home without him there to defend them. So, even though they didn’t “clean him out”, it was still “a personal violation.”

While the sanctity of personal safety and security is important in life, and a great benefit for most of us here in America, it isn’t always available. Sadly, in many other places it’s seldom known. However, sometimes, one’s sense of personal safety and security isn’t deserved, as we’re learning from our study in Obadiah. Written about 850 years before Jesus, God’s prophet declared the pending fall of a nation, Edom (descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau), which felt safe and secure because of its high mountain cities. But verse 4 says, “’Though you build high like the eagle, though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,’ declares the Lord.” Because of their sin God was telling them their pride was misplaced and He would bring them down.

And it gets worse. Unlike the plundering of Judah and Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 21:16-17) that didn’t strip the city of everything, those who came against Edom would “clean them out”. Listen to verses 5 and 6; “If thieves came to you, if robbers by night – O how you will be ruined – would they not steal only until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some gleanings? O how Esau will be ransacked, and his hidden treasure searched out.” God was making it clear – everything would be taken and nothing would be left.

And it gets worse. Verses 7-9 describe how their allies will deceive and turn on them to “destroy wise men from Edom…then your mighty men will be dismayed…So that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.” In other words this plundering will take their possessions, their sense of security, and their very lives. All because of their mistreatment of God’s people (verses 10-14).

Just as it is a mistake to assume all personal misfortune is the result of personal sin, so it is to assume we can remain safe and secure while engaging in personal sin, especially when it comes to mistreating others. Which leads to an important question: Do we deserve safety and security?