Edom and the three strike law
In 1992 Douglas Walker, who had been in prison twice before he turned 30, snatched the handbag of 18-year-old Kimber Reynolds, when she resisted, he shot her. Mike Reynolds, Kimber’s dad, held her hand as she died and he made a promise to ensure that no one else would fall victim to people like Walker. What followed was a campaign to initiate a law that would ensure that people who had committed three crimes would be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The repeat offender policy became known as the three-strikes law.
Mr. Reynolds campaigned to get the law passed. The way it works in many states is that if an offender’s first two convictions are for violent or serious crimes including murder, rape, or armed robbery, then the third crime, no matter what it is, counts as the third strike. The idea is that if a person commits two serious crimes and then still isn’t a law-abiding citizen, they need to be in jail forever. In most cases, the judge has no discretion in the matter, and no exceptions are permitted. The third strike always sends the offender to jail for life.
The three-strikes law relies on a detailed RAP (record of arrests and prosecutions) sheet. In our text, we see that Edom has fallen afoul of God’s law three times.
Let’s examine Edom’s rap sheet to see why they deserve the sentence they got.
THE 3 OFFENSES THAT MADE EDOM GUILTY OF THE BLOOD OF ISRAEL
STRIKE 1: DELIBERATE NEGLECT
Obadiah 10-11 Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 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.
Although the Edomites did not physically invade Israel themselves, they deliberately neglected to come to Israel’s rescue. While Edom was not the one attacking Israel, Edom failed to assist Israel when she was in need.
In Numbers 20:14-20, we read that Edom failed to give Israel safe passage: “Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met:… Please let us pass through your land. … “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” But he [king of Edom] said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force.
Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan? Jesus said we need to love our neighbor; he was asked “Who is my neighbor” He paints this picture of a man who got mugged and beaten, left for dead…
Luke 10:31-32 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
Did the priest beat the man? No. He didn’t do anything! And that’s precisely what he did wrong. The point Jesus makes is that it is the duty of a worshipper of God to help the man in need. Edom had a fraternal duty.
Remember when Isaac passed the covenantal blessing to Jacob…
Gen 27:29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”
Part of the blessing on Israel was superiority to Edom. That proved a bitter pill for Edom to swallow. But that was God’s will.
STRIKE 2: ACCESSORY TO ASSAULT
Obadiah 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.
The Edomites were known to revel in the misery of the Israelites. Even though Edom wasn’t the one who invaded Jerusalem, they sure enjoyed watching it burn. But that’s not all. They became an accessory to the assault when they took advantage of the vulnerable city.
Obadiah 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.
Even though they were innocent of breaking down the gate of Jerusalem, they had no problem profiting from the vulnerability.
A good principle for us to glean from this Old Testament prophecy to Edom is that we should not take joy in the misery of others.
STRIKE 3: OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
Obadiah 14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.
One of the worst crimes Edom committed was interfering with what God was doing to rescue the fugitives or refugees.
Israel sinned, and God punished Israel by sending invaders to destroy Jerusalem, but God graciously spared the lives of a remnant of the Jews in Jerusalem by letting them escape. And then Edom took it upon herself to set road traps to catch the survivors and send them back to their killers. Edom treated the survivors liked escaped convicts.
Who died and made Edom the personal punishers of Israel? This was God’s call to make – he chose to have mercy on this remnant of Israel.
CONCLUSION
We need to trust that God has the right to grant mercy to whomever he wants.
The lesson from Obadiah is that God chose Jacob over Esau, Israel over Edom; Edom was meant to serve Israel, and Edom didn’t like that, so they rebelled against God, they harassed Israel, so God punished them.
God decides who gets punished and who gets mercy. He says those who believe in Jesus will be saved, forgiven, glorified, and given eternal life. Those who reject Jesus will be punished through eternal punishment in Hell.
In Edom’s case, their crimes against God’s people were clear-cut. In your case, your sins against God are just as clear.
Praise God that he gives us more than three strikes and that with the blood of Jesus he wiped clean our very, very long and incriminating RAP sheet.
So repent, believe in Jesus’ death to save you, and receive forgiveness and eternal life. Or don’t – and suffer the consequence.
Author: Cripplegate
